Please help....I`m having a kitemare deciding what kind of board to get.

It took me 15 years of surfing to finally find the shaper who could build the perfect boards for me and I don`t want to wait 15 years to find the right kiteboards, I`m already gettin crusty!

How do I go about chosing a kiteboard? There are just so many and I really have no idea about what really works for me and what won`t.

Like surfboards I suspect you need at least a few sessions on a particular board to really get a feel for it. So....... I have been trying as many as I can by begging people to let me ride their boards but I still just have no idea.

I currently ride a surfboard, a 185 liquid force TT and a 137 wave tray. I really like the look of the wave from loose boards but without riding it I can`t tell if I`ll like it or it`ll be just another board.

Does anybody have a good rational for choosing boards or is it a bit like kites, Everyone thinks that the one they`ve got is the best?

you can go try those boards to get a feel, then go get urself a LF drop series and see how far ahead they are in board design.
simply amazing.

Gstar,

Thank you for the kind words, you are dead right the only way is to try the boards.

We are getting a little light on 2005 demo boards at present as we have started to sell them off.

The good news is 2006 boards will be in early September and available for demo. There are some real interesting ones in the range this year as well as our mainstream boards.

Two words of advice for anyone looking for a new board don't get one that is too small. We see a lot of customers that have been sold a small board only to find it has poor bottom end and minimal improvement in top end. Buy a board that is comfortable and has a wide wind range. Going out over powered with a small board is not the way to go. Secondly don't make judgements on boards until you have riden them, two boards can look very similar and they can perform totally differently, subtle changes in concave or rails, matched to the correct rocker and outline, does not happen by chance.

Ian Grose
Airborne Kitesurfing
Rear 11 Howe St.
Osborne Park
www.airbornekitesurfing.com

Hey Glaucus,

No, I dont think so. I reckon you can pick a good board within half an hour of riding. A good board is not necessarily a board that does anything in particular for a broad band of the population but rather a board that will feel immediately comfortable with and produce a particular result for YOU.

You are not the same as any other rider on the waterneother in body shape, nor style, so why would one board be great for everyone? A great board is a board you feel at home riding. A board that feels nice under your feet and is not painful or difficult to ride. And offers you the characteristics that suit the way you ride on the water you ride on.

Allow 30 minutes to get used to the new shape and if you don't like it in 30 minutes then you are going to have to adjust your riding style to suit the board rather than find a board that suits the way you ride. Whats easier, changing the way you've been riding for a year or finding a board that is a joy to ride from the get-go? If you answer yes to the latter, are you prepared to modify or change your riding style every time you get a new board? I reckon it will hamper your riding progression.

Try lots of boards and make up your own mind, and listen to no ones opinion, they are all correct ... for them!

Good winds always,

Three important things that are sometimes overlooked when evaluating boards are;

* Type and size of Fins......
(experiment, they can make a huge difference in the boards performance).

* Custom Stance
The location, stance width, and ducking of the straps (or bindings) has to be a personal choice.
Small variations can improve comfort and control.

* Lightness
The board needs to be a feather.
Every ounce counts.
And yeah, it needs to be strong. It's a fine line to draw.

its not the overall weight of you and the board thats important.

If you think of an analagy like wheels on a car, lighter wheels are better. Lighter wheels has more of an effect on performance then having a lighter chasis. (its because wheels are unsprung and rational mass btw)

Lighter boards are more maneuverable, its easier to hop over chop, there easier to control in bouncy chop and it would be easier doing board offs (Im not game to test this point though, might look like a kook).


Same question could be asked about control bars, why don't we make them out of steel?

i like a board with a bit of weight.
Like to feel like i got something under my feet.