I’ve been noticing that the new 8.5s from DLX are all 14.38WB. Aside from being ever so slightly shorter and having less full kicks, what’s the difference between these and the 8.5 Full SE? Seems kind of redundant imo
There have always been at least three different 8.5 shapes in the DLX range, so it is funny how sometimes one is made a whole lot more than another, or more recently, the longer one is left out entirely.
1. 8.5 x 31.85 with 14.25 wb (short)
2. 8.5 x 32.25 with 14.38 wb (regular)
3. 8.5 x 32.5 with 14.75 wb (long)
The regular one was the most common a while back, then the shorter one became almost the only one that was out for a good while, but now the regular one seems to be more common, or a fairly even mix between short and regular.
The longer one was last out about 2020, or at least before pandemic shortages, but I think that is not so widely used anyway.
The other thing to note is the shorter one tapers right down at the tail end, but the regular one stays straight through, as did the longer one, both those two of which I had a lot over the years.
Edit:
Almost forgot the second part.
Full SE shapes are wider to the tip, whereas the normal ones are more pointy in the kicks. When the Full shapes first came out they were bigger, longer, wider kicks from end to end, but as people wanted shorter boards, but still wanted the wider more squared off kicks, they turned them into the Full SE (Short edition) boards, which were very popular.
As much as they were a good selling point, the standard lines were also well loved, so they keep both around. If you had two boards side by side, one regular and one Full SE of the same width, you would notice quite different shapes.