Sorry for the late reply, but hopefully this is still useful for future paddlers.
I’ve spent some time in the Mazu 55. It has a great bucket and is very comfortable. The bucket is not as wide as on the Nelo 510 (Gen 1), more similar to the Nelo 510 (gen 2), but narrower than on the Think Eze. The Nelo 520 (2018 model) bucket is similar to the Eze. For me, the bucket shape of the Nelo 520 and the Mazu 55 is the most comfy.
In terms of stability I think the most stable to unstable of the beginner skis is: Nelo 510 G2 (most stable), Nelo 510 G1, Mazu 55, Think Eze and Nelo 520 (the most "unstable" (it has tiny less primary stability, but tons secondary making it very stable).
On the flat, I find the Mazu 55 decent quick for its dimensions (500 cm / 55 cm / 10–15 kg) - i paddled the glass fiber layout. It’s definitely faster than the Nelo 510 (no surprise, given its 10 kg lighter and made from stiffer materials). I don’t have enough side-by-side data to make an unbiased comparison between the Think Eze and the Mazu 55 on flat water, but my gut feeling is that the Mazu 55 is faster, at least from how it feels on the water. I also believe the Nelo 520 (WWR) is the fastest of the beginner skis. For reference, I’d say the first-generation Fenn Mako XT feels faster on the flat than both the Mazu 55 and the Eze, and minimally faster than the 520.
In downwinds, I really enjoy the Mazu 55. It’s very stable, easy to accelerate, and catches runs pretty nice. Overall, it’s a better downwind ski than the Nelo 510. The Eze performs similarly to the Mazu 55 in these conditions. Nelo 520 is in my opinion the best downwind ski: more agile/responsive so its easier to read/feel the waves.
Fenn XT, Sipre Marlin M, Nelo 520, Think Eze.
Braca IV, Gara Odin S, Orka Minni Pro std.
