Kitesurfing Surfboards Reviews
North Kiteboarding Charge
North Kiteboarding have put a lot of effort into their surfboard range, and it shows. Shaper Jaimie Scott has been working hard behind the scenes to bring three shapes that will cover all bases in the surf no matter what the conditions throw at you. The Charge is, as the name suggests, the stick to take out on the bigger…
North Kiteboarding Comp
Strapless freestyle is a force to be reckoned with these days, the GKA World Tour put it firmly on the map a few years back, and it’s here to stay. While you can ride any surfboard without straps and make it work, increasingly more brands are specifically creating sticks for the needs of the pro riders. The Comp from North…
North Kiteboarding Cross
One thing North Kiteboarding have done well is the naming of the products; everything is almost self-explanatory. Charge big waves on the Charge, win strapless freestyle competitions on the Comp, and if you want something in between, well then the Cross is that crossover board between strapless freestyle and charging big waves. It borrows similarities from the other two boards…
Odo Kiteboarding Compact Series
The Compact Series from Odo Kiteboarding holds 3 different sized boards, and have been designed as your all round go to board for both small waves and freestyle. The Compact Series we have on test is similar in design to the Pro version, however, does not have the carbon. The board is a bit heavier compared to the Compact Pro…
CORE Kiteboarding Green Room
The Green Room, from German kitesurf manufacturer CORE, is an all-out big wave machine. Designed for those riders who seek only the best waves our planet has to offer, this is a dedicated board for dedicated riders. The Green Room is made from a PU blank for that all-important flex and feel, with a glass coat for the classic surf…
Odo Kiteboarding Compact Pro Series
With a huge boom in strapless freestyle over the recent years it’s no surprise that we are seeing many new additions to this market. Odo Kiteboarding is a relatively new brand so to speak (2014 onwards), however they have a great line up of goodies already. We recently got our hands on some crackers to put through their paces. We…
Slingshot Angry Swallow
A Glance The Slingshot Angry Swallow is back again for 2019 with fresh graphics and a new tail design for even more freestyle performance. Designed for real-world mushy waves and strapless freestyle action, there will be many happy people see the continuation of this classic board. Sticking with the wooden design, Slingshot have incorporated large carbon stringers on both the…
Cabrinha Cutlass
An entirely new board from kitesurf giants Cabrinha Kiteboarding, the Cutlass has been designed to suit those real-world conditions of smaller waves and lighter winds, and for those riders who mix it up between freestyle and classic wave riding. The Cutlass has a short, broad outline with volume added at the nose of the board which will carry you through…
Airush Mini Monster Convert
The Mini Monster Convert from Airush sets out to bridge the gap between a light wind freeride wave weapon and a capable foil board. Its got some very fish looking aspects, such as the full nose and the winged tail, and the volume is high and distributed in the centre of the board with a full nose too. The rocker…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Slice
The Mitu Pro model has been one of the defining boards of our generation, selling more surfboards than any other model on the market. For F-One to bring a totally new stick to the product line is interesting, how do you make something better than arguably one of the most popular surfboards on the planet? The answer is to make…
RRD Salerosa V4
The Salerosa V4 is a classically styled surfboard from RRD with a modern twist. Up front, it sports a classic surfboard nose shape, but out the back, a more modern quad fin set up sits underneath a squared off swallowtail. The board is aimed at a wide variety of conditions from onshore to big side offshore waves. The profile of…
North Kiteboarding Pro Whip CSC
The CSC series of boards from North have been around for a few years now; this new Pro Whip CSC replaces the Pro Series CSC from last year. North have reduced the number of boards in the lineup, this year both the Wam and Whip come in two different constructions. Before North had these boards and then had different shapes…
CORE Kiteboarding Ripper 3
The CORE Ripper 3 is an all out performance kite surfing short board. A classic design with classic surfboard construction. The Ripper 3 has been designed as a middle of the road board between strapless freestyle and big wave charging. The Ripper 3 has an active foam core, this translates as being made from closed cell Polyurethane which not only…
CORE Kiteboarding 720
CORE have a strong surfboard range for this year, with riders like Willow River Tonkin on the team it’s hardly surprising. His weapon of choice when it comes to strapless freestyle is the aptly named 720. The board has a classic glass coat, which surrounds the closed cell PU foam core. Inside this is a vertically laid wood stringer, which…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Mitu Pro Model
If ever there was a surfboard that needed no this is it. The Mitu Pro Model has been in the F-One line up for a long time now, and it is synonymous with World Champion and legendary wave rider Mitu Monteiro. Over the years the shape has been tweaked, and the sizes have changed slightly, but the premise is still…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Mitu Pro ESL
The Mitu Monteiro pro model range from F-One has been a hugely popular design. One of the world’s favourite wave riders Mitu from Cabo Verde has an insane amount of talent and is a good bloke too. His boards have been developed with F-One for a few years now and last year saw a new shape coupled with the HD…
Ocean Rodeo Jester
The Jester is part of Ocean Rodeos ‘Mako’ series, which has its own die-hard fans the world over. Billed as the first kiteboarding ‘funboard’ the Jester has been designed as a board for everyone to play around in the surf or the flat, or a bit of both, with an emphasis on pure fun. The Jester comes in a relatively…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Signature Series
The F-One Signature Series has sat alongside the immensely popular Mitu Pro Model for some years. This is a very much more surf-orientated design with a thinner outline, thumb tail and quad fin set up; it is strikingly different from the Mitu range in terms of shape. The Signature Series is Raphael Salles’ go to board when he is wave…
North Kiteboarding Pro Series CSC
When this board arrived we thought we had made a mistake, we had ridden the 5’5” the year previously and ordered the middle sized board in the range to test. Last year the sizing went like this, 5’3”, 5’5” and 5’7”. This year the sizes are as follows, 4’11”, 5’2” and 5’5”. When the board arrived, and we unboxed it,…
Naish Kiteboarding Skater
The Skater is a square nosed, thruster setup directional board from Naish. The first thing you’ll notice when you look at this board is the outline is very similar to that of a twin tip. Naish have packed technology and high-end construction elements into this board to make it very durable while offering excellent performance. The Skater has a honeycomb…
Brunotti Boomer
Brunotti have been making surfboards and kiteboards since the very beginning of our sport. Their twin tips have graced the feet of riders such as Ruben Lenten, Youri Zoon and Annelous Lammerts. Their surfboards, however, have been quietly blazing a trail with a loyal following of hardcore riders from around the world. The Boomer is built using a sandwich construction…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Signature
The Signature series of boards have been in the F-One line up for a few years now. These carving machines are the favourite piece of hardware for Raphael Salles to go and shred the waves. While the Mitu Pro Model might catch the limelight, the Signature should not be overlooked. Built using the new HD Foam Composite technology the board…
North Kiteboarding Pro CSC
Last year the Pro CSC was a big change in direction for North as they adopted the Compact Surf Concept, which is what the CSC stands for. For 2016, Sky Solbach has been refining the design and the 5’5” is his go-to board for most conditions. When you are riding the designer’s board, you know he is going to have…
Slingshot Angry Swallow
The Angry Swallow from Slingshot is a further development of their ground-breaking T-Rex program from a couple of years ago. The 2016 Angry Swallow sees further refinements on last year’s design; chiefly it’s slightly narrower at 18” 5/16 or 46.5cm. The tail has also been redesigned, and the rear stomp pad pushed further back with the rear strap positions shifting…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Mitu Pro
Mitu Monteiro needs no ; he’s been at the top of the wave riding pile for what seems like years! His first pro model boards from F-One were an instant hit and they remain best sellers to this day. Available in four sizes this year in addition to the 5’8” there is the larger 5’10”, a smaller 5’6”, and a…
North Kiteboarding Whip CSC
The new North Whip CSC has undergone some changes this year, it was a hugely popular board last year and you’ll be pleased to hear these are tweaks rather than a complete overhaul. It’s the most versatile board in their CSC (Compact Surf Shape) line up which this year features the Pro CSC and the Nugget CSC alongside the Whip…
Slingshot Screamer
The Screamer from Slingshot is a further development of their ground-breaking T-Rex program from a couple of years ago. The 2016 Screamer sees further refinements on last year’s design; the tail has been redesigned and the rear stomp pad pushed further back with the rear strap positions shifting towards the tail too. This is designed to allow a more aggressive…
CrazyFly Strapless
CrazyFly have been making some of the world’s best twin tips for many years now. More recently they started to make surfboards and the results have all been exceedingly impressive! The Strapless follows down that path, the shape is designed for new school freestyle strapless tricks, small waves and light wind conditions. With more and more riders turning towards strapless…
CrazyFly ATV
The CrazyFly ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) is a new surfboard in their 2015 line up. Hailed as a do-it-all wave board for most conditions, it has been designed and developed in waves the world over. An impressively attractive bamboo veneer coats the strong EPS Core. There is the option to have straps on the board, which can be mounted on…
Cabrinha Secret Weapon
Now for something radically different… The Secret Weapon is a new board from Cabrinha this year, it’s a modern take on an old design; short and wide it resembles the popular fish style boards from the 70's. A brief nod to this design is where the similarities end though as there is a bunch of tech going on with this…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Mitu Monteiro Pro
The biggest news for this hugely popular board this year is the new construction. Gone is the double bamboo sandwich, and in is a new technique that F-One are calling the HD Foam Flex Composite. It is stronger, less susceptible to impact damage and also gives the board a slightly softer flex more in tune with how a glass surfboard…
North Kiteboarding Quest TT
The Quest TT has been in the North line up for a couple of years now, it’s a classically shaped thruster aimed at the riders just looking to get into riding surfboards. Due to the design remit the Quest TT has some tricks up its sleeve in terms of the design. The wide point has been pushed a little further…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Signature Series
2015 sees a major change for the F-One surfboard range, the company that pioneered bamboo construction all those years ago has now dispensed with it… In its place is a new technique that the team are calling HD Foam Flex Composite. The HD stands for high density, the aim was to build a stronger lighter board with the kind of…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Mitu Monteiro Pro Model
Everyone loves Mitu, one of the most charismatic and humble riders on the plant, the multiple World Wave Champion has a style that is hard to emulate. F-One have never produced a pro model board, Raphael Salles said he didn’t want to just stick a riders name on something in order to sell more boards. However, after working with Mitu…
Liquid Force Kites Slice
Liquid Force have really stepped up their game with their surfboard range over the last couple of years. The tech levels have increased with carbon wraps on the rails, BXP3 waterproof foam cores and bamboo veneer decks. These combine with stealthy good looks that will be sure to get you drooling in the local kite shop! The Slice is a…
Slingshot T-Rex
Slingshot have totally revamped their surfboard line up for 2014, and the T-Rex is the flagship in terms of design. It’s different, very different, from anything you may have seen on the market. By removing just under a foot off the nose the weight of the board is reduced, which makes it perfect for aerial freestyle. Whilst the nose has…