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The Future is MSL

Posted by Maxine Smiles -Cooke

The difference is in the detail. By looking at all of the individual elements of drop stitch we have been able to develop a refined process to improve all aspects of board production. Firstly we have removed the process of coating the inner thread section with molten PVC – for us this was redundant process, as we had no interest in producing a single layer board and only served as a base to glue our outer/double layer too. It was also a messy process with very little control. Instead we coat the thread structure in a layer of adhesive that has been specially formulated to create both a seal and a bonding layer. We then machine laminate a layer or high density structural PVC to this adhesive layer under a controlled conditions – completely removing the human factor involved in traditional double layer application. This whole process is done at the raw material stage by carefully calibrated machinery developed for this process. The result is a consistent and high level of cosmetic finish that has all of the durability and strength properties of our previous double layer construction. And because this process is done at the raw material stage we are now able to benefit from torsion stiffness as the material is put under tension when the board is inflated. It all sounds simple but like the best single malt whiskey or a finely tuned engine the components and method have needed to be refined over and over again until we created the ultimate blend of performance, quality and weight.msl technology

WHAT ARE THE OBVIOUS BENEFITS?

• Cosmetic finish – All 2016 Red Paddle Co boards now have an industry leading cosmetic finish. No wrinkles or blemishes. The boards look, cleaner and smoother and even feel better to the touch. • Lighter – All 2016 Red Paddle Co boards are up to 2kgs lighter than previous versions. But very importantly they are not too light. If a board is ultra light it is more affected by wind and current while on the water. MSL boards have a reassuring lightweight feel. • Stiffer at lower pressures – Due to the Torsion Stiffness effect all 2016 Red Paddle Co boards are stiffer at lower pressures. We recommend a pressure of between 16-22psi. Less pumping more paddling.