Got hold of my pyramid & Cube 87L
I had the chance lately to try out the pyramid in good side off 3ft+ and the cube in more mediocre side on fluky conditions and both didn't disappoint.
Although same literage, they couldn't be more different both in dimensions and how they feel and behave on the water:
Pyramid: Interestingly the pyramid feels bigger; it feels safe underfoot, goes quick into planning (quicker than the previous model) and doesn't feel as selective as previous model (I also have the previous model Pyramid 82L which i find much more exclusive, full on big wave down the line surfing, which is what i like about it). This model feels more approachable; i wonder whether the rocker is slightly flatter, surely feels that way.
On the wave, it sticks to its DNA, coming alive when the wave stands and powers up, it excels in long drawn out bottom turns, engaging the whole rail, driven off the front foot; as you shift weight back onto the heels and push the board up into the lip, the board redirects instantly and keep its speed down the wave as you can focus on your next move. I don't think there're many boards in the market who can challenge it in these conditions; the bigger, more vertical and hollow a wave is, the more the Pyramid will feel at ease and most other boards would show their limitations.
The opposite is true as well, the more average the conditions are, the more average the board becomes as well; although i feel like it's not as pronounced as the previous model. In small waves, it'd feel slow, not reactive, unresponsive and generally not fun; that's when the cube comes in.
Cube: Interestingly the cube feels smaller; much smaller, which is probably due to how short it is. It caught me off guard at first: the nose would dive, i'd have to position my feet further back onto the board behind the mast when on the pyramid they'd be comfortable on each side of the base. It gets to planning just as fast but differently; you sort have to move your weight back sooner and pump, when the pyramid is more of a progression from front to back. Once planning, it feels lively, playful, you find yourself hunting for ramps, changing directions easily and quickly.
On the wave, it prefers short powered up bottom turns off the back foot, it turns in the pocket keeping all the speed required to hit the top turn at full speed ... and the top turns, the more pressure on the back foot the better; it throws a ton of spray, redirecting instantly, fins sliding out and recovering, always feeling under control; it's just super fun. I had so much fun despite pretty crappy conditions and the few waves i caught with it put a smile on my face. I can't wait to get out there in small to medium waves, side / side on and stamp that back back foot into the bottom turn and into the lip.
Honestly, i can't really compare those 2 boards against each other, it's like comparing apples with oranges; i love them both and for different reasons, in different conditions and i can't think of a situation where they'd overlap. Which board to use is actually a clear choice depending on the conditions; here in Victoria, we have both types of conditions, which sort of makes it worth me having both but if i had only one type, i'd only have the one board.