Hi Stuc,

We sell the Airush Crossover and also the North X-Ride. It would apprea that both boards are designed to achiev the same objectives ie, all terrain riding (bit of chop, bit of waves, bit of freestyle).

The North X-Ride is comfortable through chop and has got good holding power when powered up. It gets this through a constant concave bottom shape and nice flex.

The Airush Crossover has a little less flex than the North X-Ride but is a very smooth ride also due mainly to the twin concave. It's got more of a pronounced raised centre section of the oduble concave sort of like a narrow "V" in the middle.

Stability of the two boards is different. The X-Ride is a more stable board and you can load off the fins a bit more than the Crossover. If you push the back of the board a bit hard on the Crossover, it will slip and cavitate the fins. My thoughts on this are the fins are inadequate for surf style riding and should in fact have the same Code 60 fins which come on the Hammer.

Pads and straps on the X-Ride are adjustable and cushion is adjustable too. Airush have super comfy pads but the footstraps are a bit stiff and may cause you some pain.

Bottom line is both are good in chop, both are good at freeride, X-Ride I think is better at surf riding whilst the Crossover has Wake fins. X-Ride feels faster through the water possible due to fins. These are only my thoughts. I have further reviews on both boards on my website

http://www.aksonline.com.au/index.php/board-reviews/airush-boards.html

and

www.aksonline.com.au/index.php/board-reviews/north-kiteboards.html

I think you should come and demo both boards back to back and make your own decision.

Cheers,

KH