If you're ever having trouble with a specific skill or trick, it's always wise to really look at your kiteboard. Many times, simply changing your board dramatically improves results and is easier (and less expensive) than changing kites.
For example, stiff boards are fast, but has trouble in chop and going up-wind. A board too flexible can be slow and difficult when 'popping' a jump with. Large fins are great , biting chop and loading for big air, but make releasing those technical tricks difficult. Short wide boards are great for low aerial freestyle / wakestyle moves, but can be skatey when well powered or riding outside of flat water. To help you choose the best board, we've put them into four categories (see left).
We are often asked if you can use a wakeboard in kiting. Well, of course you can, but you will likely find wakeboards offer a very different ride than a true kiteboard.
Wakeboards are designed to be thrusted off the tail, riding behind a power source at higher speeds and on typically flat water. They are heavy, acting as a counter weight aiding rotation speed in the quick jumps off boat wake. Their stiffness and rocker are designed for hard landings.
Many find using a wakeboard behind a kite increases the learning curve and difficulty levels. While many use a wakeboard in kiteboarding's first stages, they often put it back on the boat and search for a KITEboard.
Why? Kiteboards are noticeably lighter (weight is one of your worst enemies in this sport), more flexible, have a flat or single concave bottom, and much different fin shapes and placement. This allows a board to hold an "edge," as well as increase upwind ability.
(0 items)
