Last weekend FSR Industries and North put on a Demo day at Largs, the difference was that we actually had wind, and not just the normal hot air discussions from total lack of weather action. As soon as I got there I pumped up my kite and set the goal - ride every board that Josh laid on the beach.


I am going to try and be specific as I am prone to rant, but I think I did anyway

Proseries CSC - the new Pro construction boards are really light - they feel so good under foot due to the very freedom this seems to create. I liked the way it cut through the chop and knifed on an edge, the fins for this were the small ones as it was the small board 5'3" - you could really lay hard into the turns and it gripped well - luck for me I got to ride in in some shoulder high surf the next day - side shore - it surfed FAB very tight turns which were either rail to rail or really flat of the lip which the compact surf design allows for. I was hoping for a smaller option this year as the Whip 2015 smallest board was a bit big for me - the new Whip and Pro CSC have addressed this for smaller riders - everyone who rode this board was over the moon with it.
It did not hobby horse at all. Cons: no straps but this is specifically a strapless board and the plugs would have affected its strength and performance. I would leave off the front pad - it takes your foot away from the deck double concaves and limits grip IMO.
BEST conditions and selection: All round board where you have small to solid medium waves, fun to serious surf where you have one board to buy, freestyle strapless and dedicated strapless riding it will take solid waves if you can only get one board and is the total all round pick for top of the range boards. This was the take home board if you have to pick one at the end of the day for me.
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Pro surf:
Same construction as the Pro CSC with that super light feel - the board is more where you want a traditional style of shape - it creates a more arced rail to rail turn and is a better option for medium to bigger surf or surf of any type where you are drawing a thruster style surfboard turning. Arc and rail to rail. This board too is no straps and the construction leads to a very nice light feel. I would highly recommend this board for those who would normally look for a standard solid wave surfboard but are now looking to ride a dedicated kiteboard that responds similarly
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The WAM
this board is the total all rounder - with a dedicated rocker for smaller waves and the more standard North construction so the price point is lower. strapped or unstrapped. for me I rode the smaller board and it did feel quite small - its important to pick the board to your weight per the north recommendations - the WAM is for good medium to strong wind and onshore waves and wavelets where you love a classic surfboard shape - it wont take on big swell like the Prosurf and Kontact but still can be ridden in more all-round conditions
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The Nugget
this board is dedicated upwind power machine - the larger model is 30Litres and is quite large so again its important that you pick your board on your recommended weight. I still found the board good under foot for the larger size (Im 70kg) so for flat water and lighter wind it would be really good, the smaller nugget in the Pro CSC construction allows for upwind and freestyle stubbie type (skimboard) fun.
I really liked the light construction feel in this board - it still turned and arced well through the turn. Also my son paddle surfed it in small waves and had a blast. It you have light wind and small waves or flat water and like the additional skim board fun feel this is a great board.
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The Whip
last years whip was a sensation - again for me the smallest board was a bit big - so the addition of a 5'2" model was excellent. I got to ride the 5'4" which felt quite similar - there is an improvement in the nose with a double concave to reduce nose digging in. the board is more classic North construction and therefore a bit heavier in feel - so if you like that more glassed solid feel rather than the light as a feather feel of the CSC this is the board - price point also a bit lower than the CSC - this is the best all rounder for chop and fun waves - you can ride it in bigger surf but it does max out in heavier waves and chop - I have some more man mountain mates who ride it in all conditions. for me as a light weight rider I prefer the Pro CSC.
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The X-ride
Twini time: I am a pretty average twini rider as I really only ride surfboards, but lately I have been trying to master some baisc moves that I want to take to the surf, until I get it happening on a twin tip I cant try it on a surfboard as I don't want to snap it. I dragged an old unamed twini out of the shed and found that I really sucked, the board was making my attempted moves a mockery. I rode the Xride after the Team Series, but I found the Team Series a bit harder to ride (I know its a great board for those better riders but I need help) so I jumped on the X-ride and it totally rocked. the board was tracking perfect and felt like a surfboard like I could relax from the start and not dig the nose in immediately. then I pulled out a few back rolls to toeside and viola - loved it. I just ordered one :-) 135cm for 70kg rider was perfect.
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The Soleil
I rode the Team Series and like I said I know its awesome as the twintip crew state, but for me I think it must require higher skills. It is designed for competition riders in the upper level so I cant really comment. At this point I thought well twinis seem to need a lot of effort and would say I felt pretty green. but I jumped on the Soleil and it was very small - Josh said 'thats not got much in it Daz' but I hit the water, and it tracked - the nose stayed up well - I relaxed and rode it smooth as silk and threw a back roll or 2 and some toeside action - it was fun (thats when I jumped on the X-ride and they felt similar) and thats when I got told the boards have been similarly designed.
The Soliel is designed for the girls but it would not worry me if it was my board - I really enjoyed is easy riding feel - its quite flexi and that seemed to translate into a smooth nice chop free ride

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That was a fun day (and the Pro CSC in the waves the next day)

Daz

A common comment of course - but the difference with the kiteboard is significant I think as the vanguard is designed to produce speed at surfing pressures (full body weight gravity) the kiteboard is for lighter body weight - kite lift power and more speed - reports are that the vanguard is really out of control on speed on a kite. Just my thoughts.

The Nugget is getting a mix of skim and surfboard - its pretty cool to ride rather than just being an upwind tracker only

Thanks for the in depth write up there Daz.
Yes Daz is a north rider on SA, but if you can look beyond this, there is some good info for people looking to buy, with a real world outlook.

Thanks again daz

NickT said..
How about a disclaimer: sell North maybe?

Hey NickT

I forget here that not everyone knows me, I have been riding North for 10 years, I do not sell kites or boards I just Team ride and report on the gear that I like and ride the gear that I like - I don't sell anything and don't make any money out of kite sales. I have a business that does not relate to kites or surfing in anyway.

I genuinely just love to report on the gear I ride

Daz

dazza5172 said..
A common comment of course - but the difference with the kiteboard is significant I think as the vanguard is designed to produce speed at surfing pressures (full body weight gravity) the kiteboard is for lighter body weight - kite lift power and more speed - reports are that the vanguard is really out of control on speed on a kite. Just my thoughts.

The Nugget is getting a mix of skim and surfboard - its pretty cool to ride rather than just being an upwind tracker only

total copy of shape I mean. maybe tomo/firewire weren't clicked on enough to patent the design.

perhaps they did with the Vader and why the "pro-csc" only looks like a half copy.

HighzaKite said..

Don't team riders get free or heavily discounted gear then on sell them to the second hand / demo market so that's not a form of income?

You can't help yourself, give it a rest.

I've met Dazz and he loves the sport.

He doesn't have to explain himself, all he is doing is enjoying the stoke.

HighzaKite said...

high as a kite said..

HighzaKite said..

Don't team riders get free or heavily discounted gear then on sell them to the second hand / demo market so that's not a form of income?

You can't help yourself, give it a rest.

I've met Dazz and he loves the sport.

He doesn't have to explain himself, all he is doing is enjoying the stoke.

that was just a general question not pointed at anyone and I guess anyone that does know is not going to fess up.

I would prefer to read reports from riders who are not affiliated with a brand or shop, people who actually pay from their own pocket for this stuff.

Unfortunately my BS detector ran out of batteries and I was interested in North boards. Now all interest is lost.

Disclaimer next time please.

You have to remember he's from Adelaide. . Great place and people.

Not full of rednecks and kiwis!

And pimps like Seabreeze

ok point taken. keep ripping.

HighzaKite said...

high as a kite said..

HighzaKite said..

Don't team riders get free or heavily discounted gear then on sell them to the second hand / demo market so that's not a form of income?

You can't help yourself, give it a rest.

I've met Dazz and he loves the sport.

He doesn't have to explain himself, all he is doing is enjoying the stoke.

that was just a general question not pointed at anyone and I guess anyone that does know is not going to fess up.

I would prefer to read reports from riders who are not affiliated with a brand or shop, people who actually pay from their own pocket for this stuff.

Unfortunately my BS detector ran out of batteries and I was interested in North boards. Now all interest is lost.

Disclaimer next time please.

Well if you are after non-biased pimped reviews, forget Seabreeze. . And most magazine's and catalogue's. That's why kite's cost what they do when you have the latest model compared to say a 2-3 year old new kite. Imho

disclaimer. . I love to kite. .love to kite


Tom's kitchen 1 n 2 is the goods. .

I am sorry to bang on more on this because I actually want the topic to be dropped on my personal life.

but just in case people think I have a shed full of the latest gear and the demo gear means nothing to me

my boards are:
2015 Kontact that I replaced last year having ridden my previous kontact since 2008 (2009)
my 2014 proseries that I still ride and would love to update but it does not fit the budget yet - but maybe next year when I save up like everyone else
my 2005 twin tip that I have ridden for all these years - but just decided to order a new X-ride this year because my old board sux and is peeling

when I went to the demo day I did casually rock up and ride all the boards so I could review them, I had the best afternoon for a long time it was fun and the crew were great.

Anyhow

thats full disclosure now, everyone knows enough to bore them senseless

Dazzel

I don't think Daz riding north gear in this instance had any impact on his views, it was a North demo day... not a comparison between brands just feelings of the new gear.

No point being overly precious, go and demo a few things then make your own choice see if it relates to others.

i still think anyone doing a review with any invested interest should state so at start of the review.

also i think after watching that tomo video about the vanguard design etc i hope north gave him some form of kudos

the only board here im interested in trying out is the whip but why would i give the money to north when the designs been jacked where as i can get the vader kite edition or vanguard kite version and support individual designers that way?

Great observation P.O.P.

(again i'll disclose that i work for North, as i know breezers love transparency)


Simply because a board has a chopped off nose, doesn't mean its the same board as a TOMO Vanguard or any of his other models.
North in no way thinks that's we designed this concept. We simply saw that such an innovation, is too good to not use in kiteboards and respect the original designer.

I personally have owned a number of FIREWIRE surfboards, especially TOMOS. Yes there are models available in both surf and kite construction, from F/WIRE, but i have never used a kite specific model. I have kited on a few of my surfboards tho.

P.O.P is correct.
The Vanguard, for me, generates so much speed, and unless your riding it in super small, gutless, under-powered waves it was quite hard to manage when kiting.
Saying that, with more rocker and a more "powerful" shape. the VADER to me would be a far better option.
I also recently bought an EVO, and even tho i love the thing for surfing, i again feel that that it may have the same issue as the Vanguard for kiting.
But might hold in a little bit more, due to its rocker.

From the NORTH side of the things, there are 2 models we have, that utilize the CSC (compact surf concept) Vanguard style.

The WHIP, was in the range last year and suits a lot of riders as an allround, small wave board.
Its has great early planning, a super loose feel, can use straps if you wish and works well in choppy conditions. For 2016 we added a 5'2 size, for smaller riders, especially chicky babes.

The PRO CSC, is totally new. It uses a new LIGHT TEAM CONSTRUCTION, which aims to give the strength of a standard kite style surfboard, but with the feel of a polyester surfboard. The added feature the CSC has over the WHIP, is that the tail is tighter, so it surfs powered down the line better.
It also feels lighter, so its easier to throw around, especially on your back hand. The other feature is that the CSC has no strap inserts. It means the board can flex thru the front foot better and doesn't encourage deck denting around the inserts.
I've been riding the CSC 5"3 since June, and so far its held up really well. Not showing any signs of damage and the deck denting is minimal.

The other feature worth knowing is that all NORTH surfboards, for 2016, have a new MULTI FINBOX. It holds future fins no worries, both stock NKB and after market, but the screw lugs enter the box from the side, meaning if there is tolerances in the length of the box, the fin can still be safely secured.
Unfortunately it won't fit FCS. YET!

Either way, NKB or F/WIRE there will definitely be a board that suits. Its just a matter of finding a shape that you like and construction you like the feel of.

Bring on boardies, boards and barrels.

Yewww!!

HighzaKite said..

mate I just got a S/H Vanguard 5'4" and 6' the bigger one I hope to use as a LW option or for surfing if my paddling ever gets any better

loving the Vanguard, no its not too fast but does snappy quick turns. it feels like a surfboard but turns like a TT

only issue I have had is gybing, doesn't like foot too much forward and jumping over whitewater a bit trickier with flat nose rocker, but I am learning to have my feet further back.

not my paint job but here is my baby

Yep definitely on my list for paddle surfing If you hear of any more S/H 6 footers let me know...I also saw a guy ripping on a Lost "Bottom Feeder" at my local break in shoulder high surf.. That board had some serious speed... but anyway I guess thats for the surfing forum!

SeamenStains said..
Can you still use decent Future fins with the new box or do you have to use the North crap that comes with it?

Wondering which Futures fins you think are decent vs. North fins?

I've bought 3 sets of Futures and so far think I prefer the North fins on the Nugget??

Need more time to tell for sure - though thats the initial impression.....

Stayfan said..

Hausey said..

SeamenStains said..
Can you still use decent Future fins with the new box or do you have to use the North crap that comes with it?

Wondering which Futures fins you think are decent vs. North fins?

I've bought 3 sets of Futures and so far think I prefer the North fins on the Nugget??

Need more time to tell for sure - though thats the initial impression.....

Huh ?

What's so crap about the North Fins? You tell me?

They are fibreglass, the flex seems right, foils seem pretty good, out lines ? ? Compared with the fins on North production boards years ago they are awesome!

I got the Futures Lost Seaworthy and the front fins are huge and stiff in comparison. Tried the front Futures on the Futures JC1 - small and stiff. So much preferred the North front fins than either of these Futures.

I wanted to try the rear fins with more rake so the Futures Lost Seaworthy and also and got some 4' Futures Tech Flex - haven't been able to compare, so I'll sit on the fence until we get some Northerlies. Our windy season isn't happening ATM so haven't tried theses Futures enough to really compare.

From initial impression these Futures all seemed stiffer and it's a different feeling in the turns - less 'whippy'?

IMO the fins chosen by North for the Nugget were good.