2011 Liquid Force Influence

Jason Slezak’s finely-tuned, ultra-versatile board. This go anywhere board allows the freedom to unlock all of your riding potential. A Dual stringer wood composite core combined with slightly more rocker makes this board absorb chop, cut upwind, and handle jumps and transitions with ease.

INFLUENCE FEATURES
• Liquid Rail, Urethane Rail
• Bottom Contour Shape
• Double Concave to Double Channel Bottom Contours
• Custom Slot Tip/Tail Design
• Liquid Rail Sidewall Construction
• Precision CNC Wood/PVC Foam Combination Core
• LF Competition Flex Profile
• Integrated “Thumb Rail” Deck Contours
• Top and Bottom Graphic Treatments




Liquid Force 2011 Influence Review

By Matt Nuzzo
REALwatersports.com


REAL Rating (5 Star Maximum)

Upwind - 4 Stars
Light Wind Performance - 4 Stars
Maneuverability - 4 Stars
Component Quality - 4 Stars
Jumping - 4 Stars
Landings - 5 Stars
Durability - 5 Stars
Speed - 4 Stars
Value - 5 Stars

Pros: Smooth ride through chop; Super soft landings; Increased stiffness; Great with boots or straps; Killer price.

Cons: Little heavier; No more G-10 fins

REAL REVIEW:
The Influence is back for another year. For 2011 there have been a bunch of improvements that make this board extremely versatile and priced really competitively. At $599 the 2011 Influence is a great deal for the technology that is inside.

The most notable changes that have been made from the 2010 Influence are new sizes: 130cm, 135cm, and 140cm, higher quality wood/PVC core, metric inserts, 4 pack of inserts, and increased stiffness. These changes translate into a board that has a lively feel and can handle landings from any height at any speed with out over flexing causing you to dig the nose. Anyone that has done that on the 2010 Influence knows how much that face plant hurts. The increased stiffness also really adds to the upwind ability and smooth ride through the chop. The metric inserts keep the board from getting insert depressions on the bottom as well as lock in the screws better.

The only down sides of this board is that it got a little heavier due to the change in core, increased number of inserts, and fins. The fins are high quality glass fins. They are a little heavier, but the performance difference is not noticeable.

Having owned the Mission in the early days and all the years of the Influence, I can say that this is by far the best riding twin tip that Jimmy Redmond and Jason Slezak have made to date. Combo the increase in upwind ability, livelier feel, and rock solid landings in any conditions and you end up with a really sweet stick at a killer price.