What No One Told Me Was It Has Auto-Gybing" — Tim's Grip 3 D/LAB Demo Day Review

Some of the best feedback we get on Duotone gear doesn't come from a press release — it comes from sailors who've spent a day at the beach swapping boards and sails in real conditions. That's exactly what happened at our recent Littlehampton demo day, where long-time Worthing sailor Tim G got his first proper go on the new Duotone Grip 3 D/LAB, and came away genuinely surprised by how it gybes.

Tim's no stranger to good kit — he's currently sailing Dyno and Pyro — but the latest D/LAB range had been getting a lot of attention, so he wanted to see what the fuss was about. He took out the 91L Grip 3 on a Thruster tri fin setup, paired first with a 5.3m SuperHero, then dropping to a 4.7m as the wind built into the mid-20s. Here's what he had to say.

"What No One Told Me Was It Has Auto-Gybing!"

That's how Tim described his first run on the Grip 3 D/LAB — and it's a fair summary of what the 2026 shape update has done. The board is built to be fast to plane and forgiving through gybes, which is exactly what Tim found: move your feet, think about the turn, and the board simply keeps you planing through it.

A Big Step Forward for Progressing Wave Riders

The 2026 Grip 3 has had a significant update, and the brief was clear: keep it fast and easy to plane, but make it more forgiving and more accessible for everyday UK conditions. Tim's gybing experience lines up exactly with that goal — the Thruster fin configuration gives earlier tail release for tighter, slashier turns, while the updated shape keeps the board stable and predictable underfoot even as you push harder.

It's a board that genuinely suits the South Coast: fast enough to reward committed riding, but forgiving enough that you're not fighting it through every turn. Whether you're stepping up from an entry-level wave board or looking for something more capable than your current quiver, the Grip 3 D/LAB is built to make that step feel natural.

The SuperHero Sails: Easy to See Where You're Going

Tim wasn't only impressed by the board. He also picked out the SuperHero sails for their generous window — the kind of clear sightline that lets you stay focused on your wave or turn through a gybe, rather than sailing half-blind. It's a small detail that makes a big difference to confidence when you're committing to a manoeuvre.

Watch the Demo Day