The remastered SUP racing boards never fail to spark excitement, raising the question of just how far innovative R&D and design can push the sport. The all-new 404 LTD 2 Pro Carbon 14′ takes a significant leap forward from previous models. Developed with input from world SUP Champions Danny Ching (404 Co-Founder) and April Zilg, this lower volume, ‘surf race board’ promises smooth paddling for both racers and amateurs, designed with a focus on delivering maximum stability without compromising performance in gnarlier water conditions.
To gain expert advice and firsthand insights, TotalSUP caught up with Tanja Ecker, the 11x National German SUP Champion, Ultra-Endurance Paddler, Coach and 404and HippostickEurope Boss, Tommaso Pampinella, Italy’s pro SUP legend and the SUP surf & foil master shredder and the UK’s SUP power duo Mark & Cassie Salter.
Hi Tanja, does the new 404 LTD solve the classic gear dilemma: flat water or all-water?
In my opinion, the redesigned 404 LTD II bridges the gap perfectly. The former model of the LTD always felt a bit slow and sticky on flatter water and with the new LTD II model, Danny made a great job with creating a board that is incredible stable, but still fast on flat water.
LTD promises the greatest acceleration and control of all 404 race models. What sets it apart?
With its wider, more stable shape, the LTD incorporates many of the key evolutionary design features of 404. The repositioned concave centre hull and V bottom tail are reducing the drag and are improving the speed during races or when accelerating. In addition, the relocated fin box increases the steering and control.
It features a more rockered nose, which let you handle small waves with ease. The hard rail running the length of the cockpit enhances primary stability, giving you greater confidence when paddling in rougher conditions. These design elements make the LTD a top choice for those seeking maximum stability, as well as for riders in need of a lower-volume race board for challenging waters.
Photo by Julie Schröer
Which race formats do you prefer using the LTD board for?
The LTD is the perfect board for technical racing and ocean races, as well as downwinding, a fun surf session or unpredictable changing conditions. Beach starts are also very comfortable and quick with the LTD. For a short sprint races the LTD can also be your board of choice, because of its fast acceleration. But the LTD is also perfect for everyone (especially beginners) who wants to have a fun day on the water.
What aspects of the board’s design make it particularly effective for rough conditions and challenging waves? Could this be the ultimate choice for downwind paddling?
The 404 LTD definitely has its focus on ocean or rough water paddling. Because of the design of the nose and the concave on the bottom the board is still fast on flat sections, but the flat deck and rocker let you easily handle rough ocean conditions and the design of the tail turns super quickly. The low volume is not so much effected by the wind (especially from the side) and with its wide standing area and primary stability, it is super comfortable and stable to stand on. It feels like the side waves just go through underneath.
The LTD is also super fun to surf, as the shape is very manoeuvrable and performs like a short board. This also makes it a great downwind board, combining quick acceleration, steering and control.
Based on your extensive experience, could you share the top three advantages of the LTD compared to the Jump?
The Jump and LTD are both great boards with both having their legitimacy for different uses. Depending on what you want to use the board for or where you normally paddle, and you can just have one board, both boards can meet your (various) needs. To get more information about the Jump check out the review on TotalSUP.
The LTD has its advantages on the ocean, specifically in rough conditions, because the board has a massive primary stability. This makes it very comfortable to paddle, but also if you fall in, it is easier to get back on the board, as it’s a flat deck and the Jump has a (low) dugout.
Because of the rocker line, overall shape and flat deck the LTD is nicer and easier to surf than the Jump. The Jump can also surf, but it is more difficult and for surf bigger than 1,5 meters not very comfortable. These aspects also benefit the LTD to get out through the surf. For smaller Downwinders both boards (LTD and Jump) still perform well, you just have to handle them differently. The LTD is a bit more like a surf board and the Jump you have to handle more like skiing.
The LTD has a super quick acceleration, which makes it a good board for everything short you want to do. The Jump is a bit more like a Diesel, slower acceleration but can keep the speed for longer. On very windy days the LTD is easier to handle, because it has a lower outline and less volume.
Mark Salter
404 LTD II: Insights from Mark Salter, Cassie Salter and Tommaso Pampinella
Hi there! What was your first impression when paddling the new 404 LTD?
Mark Salter: The first time I tried the 404 LTD2 was at the France Ultra Distance Championships. I had never been on the board before and it was a choppy mass start line, as is typical in French races! The day had c.50mph winds and so the big lake at Vassiviere was extremely choppy at one end. I raced for 4 hours on the board and despite the really tough conditions, I stayed dry, getting faster and more confident with every lap. With other boards I certainly would not have been able to handle such a large side chop. This is testament to the concave hull shape of the board. The low rails and low nose, mean that it is not affected by high winds. The board is only 23.5″ wide but it feels incredibly comfortable with such a wide standing area to move around on.
Cassie Salter: A last minute opportunity led me to enter the Sunday race of the SUP 11 City Tour because my husband, Mark, was injured. I borrowed his board and a paddle. It was the first time that I’d ever stood on the board and it handled incredibly well from the choppy waters of the mass start line, to cruising down the 27km course. I felt confident and at ease with the board right away and gained 3rd place in my category.
Tommaso Pampinella: When I jumped on the new LTD, I instantly felt lots of stability and a very good manoeuvrability. It is very easy to ride because of the flat deck and the square rail, the tail is very good mainly when riding waves and during buoy turns. The hybrid nose makes the board very versatile for any kind of condition. The handles make the board very good for the beach start.
Cassie Salter / Photo: Edwin Westra
Which race formats do you prefer using the LTD board for?
Mark: The board performed exceptionally in these choppy conditions and so I then chose it for the Great Glen Challenge 92km endurance race in Scotland. Loch Ness is always choppy and unpredictable, so I wanted to choose a board where I would again stay dry and have some real fun riding the bumps.
Again, it performed perfectly and kept me safe and dry all day. What really surprised me that day was that on the long flatwater canal sections of the race, I stayed ahead of my competition who were on much skinnier flat water boards. So it does also race really well on flat water. I can’t wait to race the board on the sea and it would certainly be my board of choice for any big lake or downwind events.
Tommaso: This is the perfect board for technical race with lots of buoy turns and with waves. But it is very good on flatwater technical race as well.
Tommaso Pampinella
How does the board’s design suits both professional and entry-level paddlers, making it versatile for various skill levels?
Mark: The superior stability gained from the hull shape, along with the pointy flat nose and narrow tail means that the board glides well, it allows you to move around and put the power down when you need it. Other paddling friends (of varying hardboard and race experience) have tried the board and they all love it. Everyone is surprised how fast it is for an all-water board.
Cassie: It’s a very special and unique board that as soon as you step onto it, it gives you the confidence to paddle in a variety of conditions. You don’t need any ‘getting to know the board’ time.
Tommaso: Yes, I made people testing the board and anybody loved it, from entry level to professional use and I think that this is the main quality of this board.
Does the 404 LTD solve the classic gear dilemma: flat water or all-water?
Mark: Absolutely. It’s the very best all-round board that I’ve ever ridden. It’s so much fun. You know those days, when your adrenaline is pumping and you’re just on the edge of your comfort zone, (whether that be downwinding, in big waves, super horrible side chop, nasty cross winds or negotiating a river full of eddies); this is the board that I take out.
With participation capped at 500 paddlers, Race to the Castle, the 40km Nottingham to Newark SUP event held on 26 April, stands as the blockbuster-style endurance challenge on the UK racing scene, consistently selling out fast. It was created by Cassie Salter, Founder of SUP Fitness: Adventure & Wellbeing, Coach and endurance paddler herself, in […]
Tanja Ecker, the 11x National German SUP Champion, Ultra-Endurance Paddler, Coach and 404 and Hippostick Europe Boss, appears to have sparked a wave of enthusiasm across Europe. She’s created a vibrant community centred around the 404 brand, attracting dedicated riders who tackle some of the toughest SUP races on the planet including the SUP 11-City Tour. We caught […]
For aspiring SUP riders, completing the SUP 11 City Tour once is a dream – but to have seven crosses (*SUP 11-City Tour medal) with podium wins and then crush the 204 km Non-Stop race in 30 hours is nothing short of a stratospheric achievement. Tanja Ecker, the 11x National German SUP Champion, Ultra-Endurance Paddler, […]
The Okinawa to Yoron (O2Y) race is a celebrated 30 km downwind ocean competition organized by KANAKA Okinawa. This distinguished event, led by Takuji Araki, Race Director, paddleboarding advocate, Coach and father of Shuri Araki, aka Shrimpy, 4x World SUP Champion and a stand-up paddleboarding sensation, is more than just a race. It is a tribute […]
This June, the first ever European SUP Championships under the flag of ECA will be held in Szeged, in the south of Hungary. The organiser, the Hungarian Canoe Federation invites SUP enthusiasts from all over Europe and provide the opportunity for anybody to compete against the bests of the continent between June 12-16. Whether you […]
Meet Cassie Salter, the visionary organizer behind Nottingham’s groundbreaking SUP event, Race to the Castle. With registrations soaring to over 200 participants within a few weeks, this inaugural event promises to be the largest of its kind in the UK. Set against the backdrop of the scenic River Trent, paddlers will embark on a 40km […]
The stand-up paddleboarding scene is growing strong in Central America and with the Pan American Games’ SUP surf and racing segments attracting the world’s top talent and being dubbed the “closest thing to the Olympics” for our sport, all eyes will be set on this exciting part of the globe and its leading athletes. To […]
The 2024 kicks off with the first official brand signing announcement to spark up the buzz in the SUP racing world: Italy’s pro SUP legend and the SUP surf & foil master shredder Tommaso Pampinella has joined the 404 and Hippostick Team Europe! “We’re super stoked to have Tommaso in the 404 Euro Squad! He’s […]
If there’s one name that has been synonymous with the sport of stand-up paddleboarding it’s Danny Ching. From SUP Coaches meticulously deconstructing and analysing his paddle stroke technique to Danny’s own data-driven approach to mastering SUP methods and applying the same objectives in the development process of new race board and paddle designs, the SUP […]
Use of cookies
This website uses cookies in order to make it easier to use and to support the provision of relevant information and functionality to you.
Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.
3rd Party Cookies
We use a set of third party tools to provide information on how our users engage with our website so that we can improve the experience of the website for our users. For example, we collect information about which of our pages are most frequently visited, and by which types of users. Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!