Speedball from Shinn

Yep there you go, no one does a review like mike birt! Hence why I have referred quite a few crew to him. Really worth emailing if you want the low down on the shinn range or airush products. Just admire his knowledge and ability to verbalise it.

cool cant wait cauncy...

Copy and paste of a review on Kiteboarder forum by a kiter trying the 18w at a demo day.


Review:-
I've been lucky enough to have a demo of the W18 Speedball. My main TT weapon of choice is a 135 Dundee (upgraded from a Luigi 2). I also have a 140 King George for lighter winds
The first day I used it was typical up down April wind, 13 - 20 mph I was on a 12m Reo (normally I would be on a 14 Cat riding my Dundee) wind was cross on, almost on shore. typical erratic mush with knee\waist\chest high waves popping up now & again
My 2nd day was at Pembrey on a low tide, so a mixture of flat, mush, waves out back. Wind was similar to the above, but dropping off to less as the session went on



Mike B wrote:Some bullet points to start...
- Big range, very big... there is width, so it forgives and starts to build speed quickly, but lets the speed build with exceptional efficiency, and creates a lot of apparent wind. You can develop a lot of board speed for not a lot of power. - For heavier riders it offers a lot of drive for you to push against.

Builds speed very easily, as easy as the KG for getting up on. Does not feel as big as the KG. It carves up wind stupidly easy. No leg burn, like the KG. Once up on the plane, you can generate apparent wind in the lulls. You really can ride them out. Im 95-98kg



Mike B wrote:- The larger W18 feels TINY for the planing potential offered, and for heavier riders it's somewhat of a revelation for mainstream all-round use. It has attributes of low speed flotation, small feel and efficiency that I have not seen combined in one single board so far. The W18 was the first board I tested and after 3 runs I had to stop and look for the sizing for I was utterly convinced I had taken the smaller board (no joke).

Completely agree, it does not feel like a big board. It feels small, but yet feels big when it needs to. It's a very strange sensation. Because it feels small, you think you better be careful over the mush etc, because you think it's going to dig the front in. It doesn't, it floats over it. Makes you laugh because you "Got away with it, that time"



Mike B wrote:- Stable and smooth at high loads / speed, not the Monk, but as good as any shinn has proven to be in the last 3 years.

Very, very stable. I could not unsettle the board at all. I tried



Mike B wrote:- Carving ability is excellent - a real standout feature. Not only a very stable entry to the turn but highly effective arc, cutting round hard corners with very little drama. In this it is like a surfboard, not the slashy water spraying blast of the Monk, but a very natural initiation with progressive bite and stable drive through the turn, something not offered by any of the other shinn boards. Traditional twins do skip around at this transition point - the speedball engages and bites without any drama.

Yes, it does feel very surfboard like. It is very easy to whip the back foot round without much effort, surprising considering the big fins on it. Seriously easy to experiment with your carving. The only way I can describe it - you are a weeble, weebles do not fall down. You can kind of wobble, go top heavy over balanced, but because the board is wide, it makes you feel planted, a bit like your feet are fixed to a solid mount, you 'wobble' then you can just lean back and away you go. it's very weird, but also good




Mike B wrote:- Very resistant to lulls, the width and slippery efficient feel just punches straight through them like they are not there.

Very resistant to lulls, just keep moving that kite and you just ride through it. Amazing



Mike B wrote:- Has huge float and buoyancy when speeds decay to a crawl - makes for a very easy fun board to experiment with if the kite power drops to zero for a split second.

At pembrey I was trying to catch up a couple of waves down wind from me, I missed them, I got there as the white water was there. First time I took it easy, it is white water and I am on a TT after all. It rode over it, like it wasn't there WTF!?
So I went looking for white water, just to see. Yup, the white water was not a hinderance on this board, it just floated over it at any speed. Amazing. The KG can not cope as well as the Speedball. It was a good as a surfboard in this area, but you're riding a TT



Mike B wrote:- Is excellent in whitewater / confused choppy breaks - allows you to mess about with impunity, especially if you are medium to heavyweight.

Agreed

I had an open mind with this board. I wanted to see what it was like
To me it's like a KG, but not as big. It felt better, esp. when smashing my way out back through the waves. When you use the wave as a ramp it lands so smoothly, it really is like landing on an air bag. It carves, it gets me going on a 12m when others weighing 20 - 30 kgs lighter were on 11's
It feels like a surfboard, but clearly is not
It feels like a skim, in that you can slash it around, piss around, do what you can in lighter winds without worrying you are going to lose your power, send the kite and off it goes. But it is not a skim

I did manage to compare my Dundee at Pembrey for a short period. The Dundee, for me, felt better when I was pushing on, finding more speed. The Reo seemed to work better with the Dundee than the Speedball. I seemed to find a top speed and could not get it to go faster. I rode in, jumped on the Dundee and managed more speed.
Was it my technique because I ride the Dundee all the time or was it the board? I wouldn't like to say. But at the time I was blaming the kite
The ride on the Dundee was short lived, the wind was dropping I could not get up wind, I could only just hold my ground, mostly losing ground. Jumped back on the Speedball and I was rocketing up wind agin. Eventually I couldn't get up wind any more, I could hold ground, was about 13 mph on a 12m
13mph is normally Zephyr world for me
As I was walking back in, my GF came up and was struggling a little on her 130 Monk & 8m VX. She rode off on the Speedball, I warned her she wouldn't like it.
On paper the board is too big for her at 60kgs
She loved every minute on it, she stayed out until she was too tired to kite any longer. Amazing was her response, it's so forgiving, carves well, a great all rounder. Works very well with the smaller kite. Much, much better than the KG for weight. Jumps well, lands well. and no leg burn


I wanted to hang onto the board for longer, get a couple of powerd up sessions in on it. But the demo days took it away from me :(

For me it has the best of my King George & the ease of use I get from my Dundee, plus the skim feeling I get from my LF fish
I love my Dundee, the Dundee is my weapon of choice, the KG is less used.

A Speedball would make a good replacement for the KG as it is a better all rounder with more feedback and it rides like it is on rails. Point it where you want to go and it does as it's ordered

Eppo said " It was like the board gives you what YOUR individual style wants…well it feeds it back to YOU, rather than dictate HOW you should ride."
HIt the nail on it's head

I want another go :-)

and sorry for the long post

End of Review.

Mike is there anyone in Melbourne Demoing these boards My old TT has seen better days and this board sounds perfect going from surfboard to having some old school TT fun. The great thing I think is that it would work really well with my 17 metre Zephyr. At 90kg and getting lighter (Missus has lost weight so now I have to) it would be a tossup between the 2 boards as my main TT. Awesome review guys best I have seen...

Eppo could you tell me how many boards and kites you have and what they are...
It seems you are the gear guru....

How much you weigh man? What winds we talking about?

it's all comprimise man in the end. the new cat (and the old) is very very different to the rebel. The rebel is more higher aspect, great for hooked in boosting and the like. While some people rate them in the waves I frankly think they were rubbish, doable but I'd rather be on a Evo or a Neo if I wanted to wave ride with a north kite.

But that's just me. The cat would drift much better, lower aspect, 3 strut everything adds up to a better wave kite. I'm yet to have my 14m in the surf and the winter isnt here yet to try the 8m (of which I have heard good things about in the surf). But again it is no Reo.

But the cat even the 2013 wont touch the rebels boosting ability. The boosts are fine though, very controlled, very useful for chucking in some freestyle stuff. That's where the cat would and does supercede the higher aspect free rider we know as the rebel. Looping, rolling, board offs all easier and the cat unhooks okay to..not as good as the C4 obviously.

So it all depends on which way you want to go with your riding. The cat will not develop apparent wind like the rebel...and indeed much less than the edge of course which kills them all with the apparent wind development.

You could get away with either the 12 or 10 depends on your weight and the winds you get. Reo will always be the much better wave kite. But it falls short in terms of all round performance of the cat.

Or you could stick with your rebels and upgrade. they have changed significantly since 2009!

Again depends on what riding you envisage. It's all comes down to comprimise in the end. I love my edge, love it...but when cracking out freeride freestyle the cat wins. But when it comes to speed, ease of use and boost height and hangtime the edge is a clear winner by a mile. it all depends...


there is another option you want to pursue...the Liquid force NRG...boosts unreal (better than the cat, nearly as good as the edge) but it drifts unbelievably well...as I've said many times now, this kite still perplexes me. A high aspect kite that drifts as good or nearly as good, or as good as you need to be more precise as any wave kite I've been on. The 10m would be all you need with a zephyr as it has a decent low end. The cat has a good low end (2013) but a fair bit of this is generated by grunt rather than apparent wind build up like the rebel, the edge and the NRG.

Another to maybe consider in the peter Lynn Fury...another high aspect kite that turns real quick. I will be getting on one soon froma friend but until then this is only a maybe.

Ozone need to consider a high aspect free ride kite that sits between the cat and the edge...a smaller zephyr even. I really think this would be a bloody good kite and bloody good seller.

Oh yeh go and demo a speedball...lol....

Eppo thanks for the feedback... I do love to boost and thats what I love about the rebels they are really easy kite too boost. I will demo the catalyst over a weekend and see if I like it...

You are right about the zephyr in smaller sizes it would be really cool more high aspect but not as high as the edge... Believe it or not I have taken the Zephyr out in the waves with my big board and it is a load of fun... Guys just watch on the beach and twiddle their thumbs.

Just watching your other post I also like the waimans they look powerful like the rebel but drift well in the waves. The guys from Stonker in Torquay have been on them for ages... Maybe thats the compromise. Like the feel of the ozones though... hard choice... its just money, hard on a new teachers wage and kids.... lol

SHINN SPEEDBALL W 18
LENGTH 132
WIDTH 47
FINS 58MM
CONCAVE 55MM
OUTLINE FIN TO FIN RAIL 100MM
2X STANCE WIDTH 3 X OPEN CLOSE STANCE
2 DIMENSIONAL 3.5 MM THICK RAILS
WEIGHT 3.6 KG FULLY DRESSED
PADS THICK BUT FIRM AND WELL PADDED STRAPS WITH A PULL TO TIGHTEN STRAP AND A PULL BUCKLE TO LOOSEN
3 SESSIONS OZONE EDGE 9 16 TO 22 KNTS
OZONE ZEPHYR 14 TO 18
OZONE ZEPHYR 16 TO 20
WATER CONDITIONS SMALL TO DECENT SWELL WITH GENERAL CHOP ON THE OUTSIDE AND BUTTER FLAT ON THE INSIDE
FIRST IMPRESSIONS THIS BOARD LOOKS TT ORIENTATED BUT NOTHING QUITE LIKE WHAT YOUVE SEEN BEFORE WITH A ROUNDED NOSE AND AGGRESSIVE VERY WIDE OUTLINE WITH VERY CLOSE TO TIP PAD POSITIONS HUGE LOOKING CONCAVE , BIG FINS, VERY THIN ON THE RAILS AND VERY FLEXIBLE, ALL IN ALL BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED VERY SLICK
ON THE WATER IT INSTANTLY FELT VERY DIFFERENT THAN A STANDARD TT AND COULDNT GET MY HEAD AROUND THE SMALL FEEL EVEN THOUGH IT A BIG WIDE BOARD ON THE PLANE, VERY SCATEY FEEL WHEN FLATTENED OUT THEN ENGAGED THE RAIL FOR A LOCKED IN FEEL VERY SOLID, IT FELT SOMEHOW SKIM AND SNOWBOARD IN FEEL ON THE WATER, WITH EFFORTLESS INTERCHANGING OF STANCES SWITCHING TO TOESIDE WAS SO SMOOTH THE BIG CONCAVE WOUL BRING IT ROUND THEN YOUD FEEL THE TIPS ENGAGE TO COMPLETE THE MOVE ALL VERY SMOOTH, CARVING ON THIS BOARD WAS A MAJOR STANDOUT IMO GOING FULLY POWERED ON A FULL RAIL IT NEVER ONCE SKIPPED OR FELT LIKE ITD GIVE EVEN TONIGHT IN 18KNTS ON A 17MTR FULLY POWERED . YOUR FOOT POSITION LOOKED AND FELT SLIGHTLY STRANGE AND HAD ME THINKING ID BURY THE NOSE ON THE OUTWARD TACK OVER THE INCOMING SWELL, BUT NOT ONCE, ID SAY THE BIG CONCAVE HAS THAT COVERED,RIDING ON THE OPEN OCEAN WAS A SMOOTH SPRAYLESS RIDING EXSPERIENCE, BUT THIS BOARD LOVES TO BE RIDDEN ON THE INSIDE AND IMO ITS WHAT ITS MADE FOR, DOING BIG ROUNDHOUSES ON THE INCOMING SWELL AND BREAKS, HOLDING UP ON THE WAVE WAITING FOR IT TO FORM, NEVER ONCE DID IT BOG EVEN IN THOSE CMON GIVE ME POWER MOMENTS, THEN A BIT OF TOE PRESSURE DROPS YOU DOWN AND A BIT OF HEEL HAD ME BACK UP THE FACE , SOME PRETTY GREAT DOWN THE LINE WAVE RIDES , I PLAYED CONTINOUSELY ON THE INSHORE BREAKS AND NEVER ONCE HAD TO DO A BIG OFFSHORE RUN TO MAKE GROUND BACK TO MY POSITION, SO ID SAY ITS UPWIND ABILITY IS GOOD, I WAS PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE POP ITS OK BUT NOT WHAT IM USED TO ,THE FOOT POSITIONS AND LACK OF TAIL WOULD BE THE REASON FOR THAT AND I HAD MY FEET ON THE WIDEST SETTINGS,FOR SUCH A THIN BOARD IT HAS GOOD FLOATATION AND WAS VERY HARD TO BOG DOWN , I WAS ESPECIALLY OVER EMPHISISING MY JUMPING TRANSITIONS AND SENDING THE KITE TOO FAR AND MYSELF, YOUD LAND, THE BOARD WOULD SIT,THE KITE WOULD RECOVER AND AWAY YOUD GO, MAKING IT A GOOD LIGHTWIND OPTION,
SO WHO WOULD THIS BOARD APPEAL TO, IMO ITS NOT A BOARD FOR THE MASSES LIKE A LOT OF TTS AND A BEGINER WOULDNT GET THE MOST FROM IT AND FIND IT A BIT TECHNICAL, ALTHOUGH ITD MAKE A GOOD BOARD FOR GETTING UP ON THE PLANE, IMO IT A BOARD FOR A DECENT RIDER WANTING A CHALLENGE AND A NEW EXSPERIENCE AND FOR A TT RIDER THATS GETTING A BIT STALE AND WANTING TO GET ONTO SOME DECENT SWELL AND PUSH A DIFFERENT ELEMENT, I GET PRETTY FRUSTRATED IF I F*CK UP RIDING MY TT BUT ON THIS I FOUND MYSELF HAVING A GOOD LAUGH AT MYSELF DUE TO IT BEING A CHALLENGE TO BE RIDDEN PROPERLY, AND THIS QUICKLY CHANGED AND HAD ME RANTING AT MYSELF FOR NOT MAKING THIS WAVE , OR THAT, SHOULD OF DONE THIS , SHOULD OF DONE THAT, ITS BEEN A FEW YEARS SINCE I HAD THE OCEAN RUNNING FROM MY NOSE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING IT GIVES YOU A REALITY CHECK, MAYBE YOUR NOT THAT GOOD OF A RIDER, WOULD I HAVE THIS BOARD AS A ONE BOARD QUIVER NO, BUT ID HAVE A 2 BOARD QUIVER AS THE IS TOO MUCH FUN TO BE HAD WITH THIS BOARD IMO ON DAYS YOUD GENERALLY NOT BE ARSED, I WAS HOPING TO GET OUT ON A BIG NWESTER AND SOME WESTERLIES ( IN WEST AUS ) AS AFTER RIDING IM SURE ITD BE A STANDOUT, ITS A BIG CALL BUT I RECKON A DIRECTIONAL RIDER WOULD APPRECIATE THIS BOARDS QUALITIES WHEN CONDITIONS ARNT QUITE GOOD ENOUGH, IF YOU DEMO ONE DONT JUST TAKE IT FOR AN HOUR GIVE IT A GOOD FEW SESSIONS PUT ON YOU PADS AND STRAPS SO YOUR NOT BEING INFLUENCED BY TOO MANY DIFFERENT FEELS AND ENJOY, IF YOU DONT WANT TO JUMP SHIP TO ANOTHER BRAND THEN WAIT A YEAR OR SO AS IM SURE SOME OF THE MAINSTREAM BOARDS WILL FOLLOW THIS MODEL , IM SURE IVE MISSED A COUPLE OF THINGS SO FEEL FREE TO ASK, OR IF YOUR UP HERE AND ITS WINDY COME AND GRAB IT OFF ME IF YOU CAN. ILL TRY AND GET MY HEAD AROUND POSTING SOME PHOTOS IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO , CHEERS CAUNCY

Thanks cauncy, FOR THE REVIEW! Glad ya stoked. Be perfect up there in those big gero swells. Enjoy man!

Thanks Cauncy. I put the review in word and added some breaks if anyone else is struggling:

Gee i feel like I'm back at school again

If we get it back ?? the W18 will be on demo from the shop.
Have the W16 here now.
New shipment due next week.

Great review thanks cauncy.
& thanks for the editing - CAPS just dont do it hey.