New kite board

[MikE mAy]

ok, ok, i know it's still winter but with the recent warm weather and a sketchy knee i'm looking forward to water riding.....

i'm looking at a new kiteboard for spring. i'm a bit of a quiverophile and want something to augment my freeride board and my lightwind WLF. something perhaps a bit more newschool oriented. something wider, boxier and stiffer. i've got a schweet deal lined up on a sky pro up in the gorge, but i'm worried it may be a bit too big. it's 136x41 i think. i'd perfer something used, but also have some cash to spend on it and want to do it right.

anybody got any suggestions?

what's everybody drooling over for boards this summer?

[Marty Lowe]

I am cheep when it comes to boards also.

I have had 4 different (smaller) Liquid Force boards.
Loved them all, and they just keep getting better.

Cloud 9 sells them, so you can see before you buy.

The Recoil 132 is my favorite right now.

-Marty

[Kenny]

Hey Mike,

136 x 41 is not a bad size around here since our wind is so inconsistent.

I agree, it is silly to pay full retail for boards. There is always so much hype about the new boards, but it seems like there is never anything revolutionary, just a tweak here and there. You can probably get a really good deal on a used board on ikitesurf. I suggest reading up on the kiteforum to find the type of board that fits your needs. There are so many boards out there now that it is tough to decide on one.

Kenny

[btjsfca]

Since we're talking about boards, I'm also looking into getting a new one come the summer season. But I've been riding this manky, old yacht of a litewave (158! and probably doesn't plane as early or well as a modern 135).

So, I've got less than a clue about boards in the water, and I want to get one that will serve me on the 9-11m SLE days. I'll hang on to the boat for the marginal days, of course, so I can go a bit smaller than a general purpose board. I want a small and carvy board that will handle the chop.

Been looking at the LF Recoil and the Crazyfly Raptor.

But, the issue is size. I'm light (140lbs), and boards are no doubt quite a bit more effective these days than they were in 2003. So, are we talking 128 or 132 as the best size for me?

Thanks for any input.

-J

[Kenny]

Justin,

There is not a whole lot of difference between a 128 and a 132. Unless you are a pro rider, you are not going to notice a lot of difference. I would keep the manky LW for lightwind days and pick up something in the 125 - 130cm range.

How do you stay at 140 LBS??? I need to feed you some cinnamon rolls!

Kenny

[tjacques]

I sprung and bought the crazy fly pro cruiser, 136x 46. opted for width. when i took it to florida it was nice. for me i can handle it in a variety of wind. I had one before but lost it to the columbia. it was 145x 45. problem was it would not fit in travel bag. the 136x46 is just as good in light wind and is better in higher winds, also fits nice in travel bag. 2 cents

[Lisa Moss]

My suggestion would be a board in the 130-135 range because the winds out here are gusty. I have a 123 (I'm 100 pounds) and it worked great elsewhere, but out here its a little small for the lulls. I wish i would have gotten the size bigger. My husband weighs 140 lbs also and rides a 142 which is great for the lighter winds but too big for everyday riding. Our next board will definitely be in the 130-135 range. Of the kiteboards I've riden (Cabrinha, Naish, older Liquid Force), I definitely prefer Naish's boards.

Lisa