Hey I'm an intermediate rider and currently ride 2010 north Jamie pro 132cm board. I'm 80ish kg And 180cm tall and just wondering what sizes most guys ride. (flat water as I surf in the surf) I have been using a 135cm a bit lately (2011 Jamie pro) but feels quiet a bit bigger. Is there much advantage going bigger or smaller? The 132 seems to move much better (though I have been riding this board for ages. And if I keep the 135 it is an upgrade!! Cheers. (also straps not bindings)

174cm. 84kg. - Nobile NHP 131. ( but will go back to a 128 on my next board)

I have no idea why people ride 140cm even 135cm boards (depending on size ) IMO they are too big.... At my weight on a 132cm I can get going in 15-16knots on a switchy 8m

Smaller boards also allow to to hold down more power in higher winds = massive boosts

My very first board was a 138cm. My second a 132 cm and the third a 126cm cardboards (which to this day was my favourite board RIP) now back to 131cm

harry potter said...


I have no idea why people ride 140cm even 135cm boards (depending on size ) IMO they are too big.... At my weight on a 132cm I can get going in 15-16knots on a switchy 8m

It depends on the rocker and the type of board e.g. freestyle or wake.

I'm 85kg and got a 128 and a 140 (ProX and cab custom). One freestyle one wake, different shape, rocker, flex and they are both absolutely different to ride but both fun.

But, for a freestyle/freeride board I wouldn't go bigger that 132ish except if you regularly kite in under 16 knots.

183cm
80kg

Nobile NHP 134x44

harry potter said...

174cm. 84kg. - Nobile NHP 131. ( but will go back to a 128 on my next board)

I have no idea why people ride 140cm even 135cm boards (depending on size ) IMO they are too big.... At my weight on a 132cm I can get going in 15-16knots on a switchy 8m

Smaller boards also allow to to hold down more power in higher winds = massive boosts

My very first board was a 138cm. My second a 132 cm and the third a 126cm cardboards (which to this day was my favourite board RIP) now back to 131cm

I think to answer your question, the reason boards have gone bigger again is the the move from C's to high depower. In the past you needed a small board to hold the kite, these days the kite can depower so much you can go to a bigger board and have a larger range. Having a large board with a bigger rocker is also much softer through chop, so if you can have a large soft board and have a similar range, why not?

yes the 135 is much wider (i think 1 cm wider) which makes a massive difference. im riding north vegas with the twinnie and i have a decent quiver of kites to not worry about lightwind board. so is the slower rotations worth easier landings on the big board? or just keep the smaller one? (and not upgrade to 2011!!!) (i own both btw!)

Im 185cm and 75-80kgs and rode a 132x40 for a number of years, then switched to a 134x42 board with more rocker and love it. So much more forgiving being a lanky fella.

The problem on the 132 (north jamie) was that I felt my stance was never wide enough. So now on the 134 i find the stance is pretty much spot on, if im on super flat water i usually adjust the foot pads out further for greater pop. (better leverage, but less forgiving etc)

78kg, 184cm, I have a Wainman Joke 138 which has quite a wide stance and is just a real go-to board... does everything really... wake bindings, freestyle, freeriding but is plenty fun to play about in waves (though I admit you really should get on a surfboard for such). Best board I've ridden by some distance.

Freestyle twin tip board design was for a while getting smaller and smaller however some of the more modern boards in the last few years have borrowed bits of snowboard tech and they've levelled out or even upp'ed a bit in sizing.

My previous board was a 135 Cab Calibre, I was contemplating getting a 133 next but then tried the larger Joke and dispelled the small board myth.

Shannon Best Pro Series 124x38.5, in waves, chop, flat water, any coditions really. 180cm and 80KG too.

Here is my theory.

At first boards were long, stances were small and boards felt sluggish and big.
So boards were made shorter and shorter, but stances remained small.
As riding styles changed from oldschool to newschool, a bigger stance was required. So now boards are getting bigger again to accomodate this wider stance.

120-130cm board range is from the early days of kiteboarding. Today with the wider stances boards can easily be 135-140cm or bigger without sacrificing the snappy feel.

Obviously there is no need for having the efficiency of a 140 board. So here comes the beauty of all of this: simply add rocker!!
Youre now riding a 140 with the efficiency of a smaller board. So you wont get overpowerd.

Besides the enormous advantages of rocker, your bigger board will also land a lot easier because of the greater surface area. Landings are essential for newschool riding you know.

To confirm my theory: there were a few guys understanding this principle a few years ago. Nowadays I see more and more companies going bigger, adding rocker etc.

There is no point in riding a small board. Except if you are riding oldschool only.

I used to wakeboard on a liquid force squirt, all of 123cm. Water was always butter flat, I rode a 135 tempo the other day with bindings and it felt too short. Chop makes a massive difference. I'll be buying around 140 for my boot board and 135 is my cruiser, I weigh 85 and 177 tall.

Cheers guys I forced myself to ride the 135 all day today and by the end of it was having heaps of fun on flat water. I'm glad most people suggested to go the bigger board as it is also newer!