Liquid Force Kites Focus 138 x 42cm 2017 Kitesurfing Review

Liquid Force Kites Focus 138 x 42cm 2017

Reviews / Twin Tips

Liquid Force Kites 12,160

At A Glance

Liquid Force made its way from wakeboarding into the kite industry back in 1999. Since then they have been developing an ever-growing range of equipment. Dedicating themselves to innovation, continued progression in design and robust build quality.

Boards are one of Liquid Force’s many high points, and they have an extensive range. One key player in the 2016 board range is the Focus. This low-rocker, medium flex board features channelled tips with toe side and heel side channels. Targeting those looking to progress from initial learning stages through to high-end intermediate riding the Focus excels at riding fast, hammering upwind and popping like Pringles.

The 2016 Focus is jammed with tech and built to last. Looking into design features, we see a profiled wood core surrounded by a liquid poured Urethane rail, inline inserts and a matt finish to give it that pop of colour without adding too much extra weight.

The Focus comes with the Liquid Force Fusion pads and strap set.

Sizes: 134 X 41 / 138 X 42 / 142 X 42.5 CM

On The Water

Hitting warp speed on the Focus was a doddle! With its shallow rocker, it picked up speed incredibly quickly and continued to give a fast, smooth ride throughout the session.

Controlling the Focus was effortless the channels on both the tips and rails of the board gave the board a grippy but flowing feel. Carving from edge to edge was smooth but give it some back foot pressure and those channels lock in and secure you to the water. One bonus with the Focus is there is very little spray from the nose of the board when riding, a real blessing in choppier waters.

Whether you’re sending it or popping some grabs, the Focus has a grippy yet snappy release. Perfect for those hooked freestyle moves. At slower speeds, the Focus can be slightly harder to get off the water than a non-channelled board, give it some more speed and an aggressive pop and you’ll fire off the water. Upon landing the Focus has a great blend of comfort and grip, it soaks up heavy landings and gets you back on track quickly. For those struggling with landings, you will need to point a little further downwind to ensure the channels on the Focus don't bite, but for those who want to come in fast, your laughing.

The Fusion pad and strap set are very comfortable. As with any pad/strap set up spend some time experimenting until you get them set perfect. They come in two sizes: S/M and L/XL so if your feet are smaller than most opt for the smaller set.

Overall

The 2016 Focus is visually stunning combined with robust construction and technology to give you a high performance freeride/freestyle board. Perfect for those wanting to progress to the next level and make everything that much more impressive. Boasting a fast, smooth controllable ride with incredible pop and grip the Focus is a fantastic choice.

Videos

This review was in Issue 58 of IKSURFMAG.

For more information visit Liquid Force Kites

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By Robin and Sukie
With years of kite sport experience combined, you can be sure you’ll be receiving the highest quality of knowledge on the best equipment the industry has to offer.

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