FloRider
Member
Posts: 202
Registered: 10-7-2009
Location: Mesa, Az
Member Is Offline
|
|
Best kiteboard size opinions
I am seriously considering a kiteboard and wanted some opinions on sizes. I am 6'2" and 180lbs. I am looking for the help because I have never
kiteboarded before, and there are no stores in Arizona for me to consult with or try demo gear with. Since I am one of the only people that I know of
in the Phoenix are that kites consistantly, I thought the PKF members might give me some ideas.:roll:
Thanks in advance.
16m Slingshot Fuel
16m Naish X4
15m PL Synergy
11.5m Best Kahoona V2
3m Beamer III
GI Conflict
3B Kiteboard
Burton Custom
|
|
PHREERIDER
Posting Freak
Posts: 5781
Registered: 13-2-2008
Location: SC
Member Is Offline
Mood: chilled....but ready to SAIL!
|
|
to start around 140cm-145cm, should get you going. concave bottom is nice for control as well. lots of threads here, hit the search and look
around
|
|
snobdr
Unregistered
Posts: N/A
Registered: N/A
Member Is Offline
|
|
Bigger is better. When your learning you want more float, big board small kite. Im about the same size as you and learned on a 161 with a 12m kite.
Really now days its not just length you can ride a shorter board thats wider. say 134 by 43.
Like i said though start with something big, for a second board i would look in the 140-145 range as an all around board.
|
|
nwsurfwakeskate
Member
Posts: 494
Registered: 21-10-2007
Location: Port Ludlow, WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: itching to ride!
|
|
I would say there is more information needed before we can really give you a good answer.
1. what surface conditions are you planning on riding in? ie. rolling waves, surf, chop, flatwater
2. how much do you weigh
3. what wind range will you be riding in most frequently
4. what size kite are you planning on using most
5. what style of riding do you want to pursue. ie. cruising, big air, wake style, surf
|
|
arkay
Posting Freak
Posts: 1793
Registered: 23-10-2008
Location: Oregon
Member Is Offline
|
|
While "bigger" is better, that does not mean length. What's important is that you get a board that wide. What you're going for in" bigger" is more
surface. Whatever board you get make sure is _at_least_ 40 wide. Honestly, length is less important; but beginner/light wind boards tend to be in
the range of 138/45 to 150/40. I saw a 128/55 the other day, but i think it was really a skim board
I agree with nwsurfskate that you really want to understand what kind of riding you want to do and what your local conditions are so that you can get
a board that fits. Board are expensive, take time and get the right one. While a mako OR 150 is perfect for my conditions, and I love this board
, it might not work in your area. The best board and style, and for that matter
the best kites, are generally what other people in your area are using successfully. Go with what's proven to work in your area, not marketing hype
or equipment that been proven to work in other areas.
US503 - Manzanita, Oregon
Fixed Bridal: Flexifoil Sting 1.2, 1.7; Rage Acid 2.5m, 3.5m, 4.7m, 6m | Peter Lynn Vapor 11.2m, 16.1m | NPW 7m
Depower : Peter Lynn Venom 2 13m, 16m, 19m | Peter Lynn Phantom 15m | Flysurfer 2.5 SA 19m
LEI : Flexifoil Atom 7m, 9m, 12m; Mutiny 8m
Land rides : Libre Hardcore; Libre v-max; Peter Lynn XR+W | Rollerblade Coyotes! | Ground Industries AK Pro
Water rides : Slingshot Misfit 134; Ocean Rodeo Mako 150; North WAM! 5\'10
4 Sale/Trade: HQ M1 5m, Flysurfer Pulse 10, PL Venom 2 16m, PL Venom 19m
|
|
DenisLaMenace
Senior Member
Posts: 870
Registered: 9-3-2007
Location: Montreal
Member Is Offline
|
|
One thing to consider while your are beginning on the water is to go with a bigger board and smaller kite. you can focus on the board instead of
trying to manage the power of the kite.
Spleene make awesome boards, that ride smooth and go upwind very well
I started with a RIP 138x44 and it was good enough for me at 185. Width is more important than length.
Now I ride a a RIP 134x40 most of the time for the last 2 years. In fact I have tried other boards, and I am back riding Spleene. Just love them.
Don't use a DOOR for starting even if they perform excellent in light winds, the flat rocker and square outline is not forgiving for learning.
The rocker, and outline of the RIP make it a good all-around board.
|
|
nwsurfwakeskate
Member
Posts: 494
Registered: 21-10-2007
Location: Port Ludlow, WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: itching to ride!
|
|
I see a lot of schools basically saying exactly what Denis said. big board small kite. this is fine for most people but personally I hate small kites.
my reasons why is that they are very touchy, fast and unforgiving. I have had too many times where I'm 20ft in the air and my kite is about to hit the
water. leaving me to free fall back down and splat.
I like big kites because they are slow and give me lots of time to react. plus when I'm floating through the air the bar inputs I give the kite do not
have to be as precise as they would be on a smaller kite.
I think kiteloops are cool but I'm going to shy away from them because I'm not in a hurry to blow up my knees. so big kites really fit me well.
if you have too small of a kite you won't have any fun though. not enough power to jump and you'll just be underpowered overall.
bigger is not always necessarily better either. wider boards are more difficult to hold an edge on in choppy water and also give you less leverage
against the edge.
I ride a Lunacy 132x42 as my primary board because it has huge load and pop potential, edges well due to its concave and planes very early. people
around here have nicknamed it the "mini glide" because of its lightwind ability. When the wind really picks up i can still hold down the lunacy but I
often prefer to switch to a litewave 125 board so that I can ride slower and edge through chop easier. I am 6'1" and 190lbs
FYI most guys my size would not ride a 125cm board ever. instead they would switch to a smaller kite. personally I like riding it a lot!
a long narrow board with lots of flex is probably going to give you the most forgiving ride. the smoothest board I ever road was a 158x41 Custom
Cabrinha board. the guys around here that ride in big windswell and chop swear by the Ocean Rodeo Mako boards. they don't jump as well but they seem
to be by far the best carving and chop munching boards out there. But again it really depends on the conditions you're in.
|
|
FloRider
Member
Posts: 202
Registered: 10-7-2009
Location: Mesa, Az
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks for the advice guy's. I never really considered the width of the board as being that important. But I can see how it will help. I plan on
riding on fairly flat surfaces for starters because we have some lakes around here with decent wind. After I get some experience I will take some
trips to the ocean.
I have a 15 Synergy and a LEI 16m Cabrina black tip. I will start out just cruising, but will eventually move on to jumping because big jumps are my
passion.
16m Slingshot Fuel
16m Naish X4
15m PL Synergy
11.5m Best Kahoona V2
3m Beamer III
GI Conflict
3B Kiteboard
Burton Custom
|
|
nwsurfwakeskate
Member
Posts: 494
Registered: 21-10-2007
Location: Port Ludlow, WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: itching to ride!
|
|
I would say look at the Slingshot Lunacy 132 or possibly the 135 if you are in light conditions.
I think the lunacy 132 could possibly be my favorite board of all time. it seems to do everything really well with speed, jumping, early plaining and
upwind as its strongest points.
I bought mine used off of ikitesurf for about $350. they seem to go pretty cheap as used boards so shop around and you should find a good deal.
I would highly recommend changing the foot pads immediately though. the straps are great but the slingshot doyle pads are terrible. get some air-force
pads. commonly relabeled as Ocean Rodeo Bliss pads. they seem to be the standard for a lot of new boards coming out. including the 09 spleene,
flyboards, underground and ocean rodeo boards.
|
|
FloRider
Member
Posts: 202
Registered: 10-7-2009
Location: Mesa, Az
Member Is Offline
|
|
So NW is that a picture of you?
16m Slingshot Fuel
16m Naish X4
15m PL Synergy
11.5m Best Kahoona V2
3m Beamer III
GI Conflict
3B Kiteboard
Burton Custom
|
|
nwsurfwakeskate
Member
Posts: 494
Registered: 21-10-2007
Location: Port Ludlow, WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: itching to ride!
|
|
yep
|
|
FloRider
Member
Posts: 202
Registered: 10-7-2009
Location: Mesa, Az
Member Is Offline
|
|
I'll have to keep looking for a used Lunacy cause there was nothing neer 300 when I checked. $300 I could do, but anything more than that is more than
I willing to put up for a used board.
I see you got a 2009 board, were you ever able to try a 2008 Lunacy? Any thoughts...?
16m Slingshot Fuel
16m Naish X4
15m PL Synergy
11.5m Best Kahoona V2
3m Beamer III
GI Conflict
3B Kiteboard
Burton Custom
|
|
nwsurfwakeskate
Member
Posts: 494
Registered: 21-10-2007
Location: Port Ludlow, WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: itching to ride!
|
|
I think the 08 and 09 lunacy's are basically the same with different graphics. don't quote me on that though. there could have been some other small
improvements.
I would definitely pay the extra for the 09 though since it is really really nice having a high visibility white board to spot when you have to body
drag back to it. the 08 lunacy's were black which made them a little harder to find in the water.
|
|
nwsurfwakeskate
Member
Posts: 494
Registered: 21-10-2007
Location: Port Ludlow, WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: itching to ride!
|
|
|
|
snobdr
Unregistered
Posts: N/A
Registered: N/A
Member Is Offline
|
|
I just picked up a liquid force wlf 140 for 325 brand new.
|
|
FloRider
Member
Posts: 202
Registered: 10-7-2009
Location: Mesa, Az
Member Is Offline
|
|
Quote: | Originally posted by snobdr
I just picked up a liquid force wlf 140 for 325 brand new. |
Where? seems like a slick deal.
16m Slingshot Fuel
16m Naish X4
15m PL Synergy
11.5m Best Kahoona V2
3m Beamer III
GI Conflict
3B Kiteboard
Burton Custom
|
|
snobdr
Unregistered
Posts: N/A
Registered: N/A
Member Is Offline
|
|
found on ebay
|
|