TKB Test Week 2022 Write Up

TKB 2022 Freeride Test Week

Testing was great this year. As in the past we test the gear for a week in La Ventana in January. The team consists of about a dozen kiters of various levels to get a well rounded review. This year we had kites, wings, twintips and surfboards and foils from Airush, Cabrinha, Core, Duotone, Eleveight, FCD, F-One, Flysurfer, North, Naish, Ozone and Slingshot. We were all excited to test out the new materials being used in the Duotone SLS and D-Lab kites and boards as well as the new Airush Team Ultra and Nitro wing. We had great conditions ranging from 15-30 mph and were mostly riding 8-10m kites. It was a little light on the first 2 days and then it turned on for us the rest of the week. We foiled on 6 to 9m kites on the first two days and the rest of the week we just foiled in the mornings as the wind was filling in. As the wind filled in we switched to twin tips and surfboards on 8-10s. Most days were in the 18-26 mph range. Unfortunately I did not ride any twin tips this year after tweaking my foot by getting it ripped out of a strap while foiling on the second day. After that I had to go strapless for the remainder of the trip. Most days began with 1 or 2 tech talks from representatives from each of the brands. The would go over the line, review the updates to the new gear and answer any questions that we had. The talks are quite helpful and would encourage us to try gear that we would not normally gravitate to. Below are reviews of some of the Surfbaords, Foils and Kites that we tested.

Gear Reviews:

Kite Surfboards Boards Scale 1-10: 10 being the best FCD Boards- FCD boards are always a pleasure to test. Their construction looks very simple, but they are remarkably light and durable. FCD uses a high strength Ifoam core, which is hard to work with, but so worth it when you get to ride one. They have nice flex and recoil, which makes them feel remarkably similar to a true high-performance surfboard but much more durable. No paint or layers upon layers of different materials, FCD has followed the live simply approach and the results speak for themselves. FCD Blunt For me this would be my go-to. I ride mainly in pretty light, side-on wind with waist to shoulder high waves and this board is really fun. The reason I would choose this board is its ability to pick up and carry speed as well as upwind ability. Great for strapless freestyle, but also likely the easiest transition from a twin tip. Its parallel rails drive upwind without trying to turn further up wind as you edge harder. The Blunt is a super fun board that I think most people will really enjoy in the most common conditions. I would be on this board until its about head high, then it’s time to pull out a bigger board. Speed generation 9 Edge to edge 6 Upwind 9 Pop 9 Landing 8 Traction 8 Chop handling 8 Bottom turn 7 Weight 8 Durability 8 FCD Hog The Hog has a wide outline which gives it more speed and float for lighter winds or smaller surf. This is a standout traditionally shaped board for all around riding. The Hog was super fun in the 2-3’ surf we got for a couple of days in La Ventana. It could make tight turns, whip around from left to right and would take all the front foot pressure you wanted to give it. Drives out of turns with speed and get you thru the mushy parts to the next little section. It’s air game was quite fun as well the wide mid-section catches air nicely and holds it on your feet. If you like a traditional surfboard shape and you ride in marginal conditions like the bulk of us, this board would be a great choice. Speed generation 8 Edge to edge 8 Upwind 8 Pop 8 Landing 7 Traction 9 Chop handling 8 Bottom turn 8 Weight 8 Durability 8 FCD Shrike The Shrike is their high-performance shape. It is ready for pumping surf and high wind. The Shrike will not hold you back when the conditions line up. It is still remarkably efficient, gains and carries speed well, really wants to lay over and dig in its rail and throw buckets. Sadly, we could not test this board to its potential in La Ventana, but really did enjoy it. Again, the simplicity shown thru all the FCD boards. They never felt like they were holding me back or I had to overcompensate for anything. Great boards. Speed generation 7 Edge to edge 9 Upwind 8 Pop 7 Landing 7 Traction 9 Chop handling 8 Bottom turn 9 Weight 8 Durability 8 Core 720 1^st off the construction update is a big deal on these boards since I last rode one 2 years ago, they are lighter and not as hard and ridged. Making for a more responsive board that is much more comfortable to ride. The 720 is relatively flat, rectangular board. It is aimed purely at strapless freestyle. It scored some of our highest marks in speed generation and pop but suffered in the wave categories. I wish we could have tried the smaller sizes, the 5’3” feels like it is for big guys and or light winds. I think the smaller sizes would have scored a bit better in the wave categories. Speed generation 9 Edge to edge 6 Upwind 9 Pop 9 Landing 8 Traction 8 Chop handling 7 Bottom turn 5 Weight 8 Durability 8 F-One Mitu Carbon Pro The Mitu has been a benchmark high performance kiteboard for a long time. And it had been 4 or 5 years since I had been on one. With the entrance and honing of the Slice and the Magnet, the Mitu has gone purer wave and less freestyle. They are narrower and have less volume than previous generations, making it ride much smaller than some of the previous versions that we have known. I used to lean towards the 5’4” and the 5’6” and now I am leaning toward the 5’8” and 5’10”. The new Mitu is super-fast rail to rail, edges really well, eats chop up, and has not lost all of its aerial prowess. It is still offering great pop and soft landings. The Pro Carbon Construction did not disappoint, it was one of the lightest boards in the test and it held up to our rather brutal testing very well. Speed generation 7 Edge to edge 9 Upwind 8 Pop 8 Landing 8 Traction 9 Chop handling 8 Bottom turn 9 Weight 9 Durability 8 F-One Slice The Slice has also come a long way since our last encounter, the last version I have used had a stepped rail in the tail and was generally flatter and more rectangular. I really liked the changes. The Slice is more of a true all-around board, but still leans more towards the freestyle side of things. The narrower tail allows it to track better, turn quicker and land softer. Speed generation 9 Edge to edge 7 Upwind 9 Pop 8 Landing 8 Traction 7 Chop handling 8 Bottom turn 7 Weight 7 Durability 8 Duotone Whip D-Lab D-Lab is the new high end construction from Duotone. It is the lightest version they make and it features carbon innegra and reflex memory foam shock absorption in the deck. This board delivered in La Ventana. It was the most tested directional board we had, and it was very rarely left alone. Perfectly at home in La Ventana, the Whip can freestyle with the best and then take a surf session without losing a beat. Sure, there are better down the line surfboards and boards that are strictly freestyle. But the Whip does it all better than most. If you want something that is a versatile as you are, ready for whatever the weather brings you, here it is. Compared to the other Tomo boards the Whip has a little more rocker, slightly more rounded profile with a wide point moved towards the front foot. This allows the Whip to drive thru turns, carve like a true surfboard, and have great pop and soft landings. The D-Lab construction was great: light, lively and great shock absorption. It suffered some pressure dings during our relentless testing, but it took a lot of abuse from many people, including a 10-mile bay crossing, and was no worse for wear. I would always rather a board that took the abuse rather than transfer it into my feet and knees. Duotone designed the Whip for the most common conditions, and it delivers. If you are riding huge slabs or purely freestyle then there are other boards, but I think it’s ideal for the vast majority of sessions. Speed generation 9 Edge to edge 7 Upwind 9 Pop 9 Landing 9 Traction 8 Chop handling 9 Bottom turn 8 Weight 9 Durability 8 Hydrofoils: Kite and wing foils Scored 1- 10, low to high Ak 830 Tracer Solid all-around foil, freeride oriented, well balanced, Glide 7 Balance 7 Low end 8 Top end 7 Lift 7 Stall speed 4 Weight 4 Duotone 1500 Spirit Surf Lots of lift, can ride very slow, tends to increase the lift as you increase speed so the faster you go the farther forward you need to lean. It feels pretty natural, but it is something you have to get used to. Glide 7 Balance 7 Low end 8 Top end 5 Lift 8 Stall speed 3 Weight 6 Cabrinha 650 Very thin, high aspect foil. Build for speed, requires a fair amount of speed to get on foil and then it’s quite efficient. As most high aspect foils it does not carve as well but it does glide. Would recommend for people who like to ride fast. Glide 8 Balance 6 Low end 6 Top end Speed 9 Lift 5 Stall speed 5 Weight 3 Slingshot Phantasm 635 Small and loose. This is one of the smallest foils I have ridden. It was loose, but not too squirrely. High end freeride foil. Rides fast, can carve, very agile. Glide 8 Balance 7 Low end 7 Top end 8 Lift 6 Stall speed 4 Weight 3 North Sonar 1500 The Sonar and the Ozone Apex looked very similar and performed quite similar. I would be hard pressed to identify one or the other in a blind test. Both come up at a very low speed and can accelerate to a remarkable speed for their size and shape. They are both large and low aspect so you would assume slow and stable, but the top end and the glide were quite remarkable. Beyond that they are both quite stable and ready for freeride, waves or winging. Glide 7 Balance 9 Low end 9 Top end 6 Lift 8 Stall speed 3 Weight 6 Ozone Apex 1200 Same, same, would recommend for learning, progression, freeride and small waves on a kite or wing. Very fun, accessible and user friendly. Glide 7 Balance 9 Low end 9 Top end 6 Lift 8 Stall speed 3 Weight 6 Slingshot 63 infinity Possibly the heaviest foil in the test, it was also the bounciest. It reacted to all the turbulence in the water making a bouncy ride. Beyond that it is a slow, stable low aspect foil that can freeride or wing. Glide 6 Balance 8 Low end 8 Top end 5 Lift 8 Stall speed 4 Weight 7 F-One FCT Gravity 1800 Great intro wing foil. Gets onto the foil at a low speed and is quite stable. Fun and predictable. Easy to ride. Carves nicely. Great on waves, but the top end and glide efficiency will hold you back once they get over chest high as with any foil this size. Glide 6 Balance 9 Low end 9 Top end 5 Lift 8 Stall speed 3 Weight 6 Kites: Scored 1-10: 1 is a little, 10 is a lot Duotone Neo SLS Very similar to last year’s Neo, but the SLS material allows it to have the same rigidity in a slightly narrower leading edge that is pumped up a bit harder. This leads to a slightly faster, more responsive kite that does not dive down the edge of the window as much as the standard Neo. If you are a Neo fan, this one is sick! The Neo flies farther forward than most surf kites and boosts like a competition kite. The power per meter feels true to size unlike some of the older generations that were more powerful. The new shape also gives it more top end. Overall great surf, foil and freeride kite. Bar pressure 5 Turning speed 8 Power per meter 6 Boost 8 Hangtime 8 Stability 9 Upwind 9 Duotone Dice I was really surprised by how much I liked the Dice as I am no freestyler. It feels like it sits farther forward than previous generations but has not lost any of the stability that it has been known for. The Dice always feels very connected and ready to respond to input. Sitting farther forward gives it more lift for higher jumps and better lift for transitions. I would be stoked to take this into the surf with its effortless drift, but I don’t think I could hold onto my board during strapless airs because this kite has a lot of lift. Overall, great kite! Bar pressure 5 Turning speed 8 Power per meter 6 Boost 9 Hangtime 6 Stability 9 Upwind 8 F-One Bandit XV High performance freeride/freestyle. The Bandit XV wants to boost! Fast, responsive, and very in control. Boost and hangtime are remarkable. The power per meter is not as high as some others, so I would recommend sizing up if you like riding lit. You won’t regret it, Bandits are not slow, the large sizes absolutely rip. Bar pressure 5 Turning speed 9 Power per meter 5 Boost 9 Hangtime 9 Stability 8 Upwind 9 Eleveight RS Cabrihna Switchblade on steroids. Power and performance. Lighter bar pressure and more responsive while very user friendly and very consistent. It’s a confidence builder that encourages you to try new tricks. Bar pressure 4 Turning speed 7 Power per meter 7 Boost 8 Hangtime 8 Stability 9 Upwind 8 Naish Pivot Pretty similar to the Eleveight RS, but more bar pressure. Really fun kite, ready to take on waves, freeride, or foils. Solid lift and hangtime. Easy to boost. Bring it! Bar pressure 8 Turning speed 6 Power per meter 7 Boost 8 Hangtime 8 Stability 9 Upwind 8 North Carve I rode the 12, it was the biggest kite I rode on this trip, so the scores may be low because of that. It was a very stable, user-friendly kite. Nothing stood out good or bad, which is a good thing. It worked well. Bar pressure 6 Turning speed 6 Power per meter 6 Boost 7 Hangtime 7 Stability 9 Upwind 8 Slingshot SST To me most Slingshots feel like they are larger than advertised, more powerful but less responsive than most other kites their size. Great for larger guys and rewarding when you boost. But requires a bit more effort to edge upwind. The SST has a lot of power. Size down 1 to 3 meters if you want to be able to fully depower the kite. That is what stood out to me most, beyond that it was a good kite. Bar pressure 7 Turning speed 6 Power per meter 9 Boost 7 Hangtime 7 Stability 8 Upwind 7 Slingshot UFO Remarkably fun foiling kite. Large wind range with lots of depower, incredibly light. Obviously, the reduced structure lends itself to more flutter, but so what, it’s quick, nimble and will fly in very little wind. Ideal for kite foiling. Bar pressure 4 Turning speed 8 Power per meter 6 Boost 4 Hangtime 4 Stability 6 Upwind 7 Flysurfer Soul2 The boost and hangtime of the Soul2 are way better than an inflatable and the wind range is also easily 2 times that of an inflatable. I got to ride the 8m and was riding it when everyone else was on 10s to 14s. Its so efficient and the shape is so high aspect that it can get going in very little wind and yet has amazing depower allowing you to ride it totally lit if you want to. The Soul2 flies farther forward in the window, which can be disconcerting on the beach when it flies over your head, but the stability is amazing, and it can easily float there without needing attention. That ability to fly so far forward give it it’s ability to boost so high and adds 10-15 degrees to your upwind angle of attack over an inflatable kite. Admittedly it does not turn as fast as an LEI kite. Boosting with a Soul2 requires being more aggressive turning it back down from above you but it is super rewarding when you get the timing down. Get ready to break your woo scores. You will be thankful that it goes upwind so well after jumping and soaring downwind. The stability and water relaunch are quite remarkable. It never fell out of the sky, even with all my flailing, and it practically relaunched itself when I did crash it. Its drawbacks are its complicated bridles, slower turning speed and different launch and landing techniques. Additionally, I would not take one into the surf because it would be a mess if it got hit by a wave. The Soul2 is absolutely amazing for freeride and foiling and I think that for most people the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, especially if you are in a light wind area or are on a foil. Bar pressure 5 Turning speed 5 Power per meter 9 Boost 10 Hangtime 10 Stability 9 Upwind 10 Single strut kites: Naish Boxer, Ozone Alpha v2, Core X-Lite, Airush One, Ultra and Ultra Team. Preface: I really like single strut kites. They a super light and thus can often be a little quicker, more responsive and offer better drift than 3, 4 or 5 strut kites. Gone are the days of really low aspect 1 strut kites that have much more power than a similar sized 3 strut. The new generation still offers solid low-end power they are a bit higher aspect giving them a larger wind range and much more depower. Single strut kites do flutter when depowered and can flutter when turning sharply. Personally, this does not bother me as they still deliver the desired performance, but to some it’s a deal breaker. They are often best for foiling and in the waves, although brands are starting to make one strut school and “beginner kites”. Don’t take that as a lack of performance, rather that they perform so well that they can be put in the hands of novices and deliver stability and user-friendly performance to anyone. Which ultimately, we all want a user friendly kite. They likely won’t win king of the air, but are a great platform for light wind freeride, wave kiting, and the small sizes are exceptional for foiling. Ozone Alpha V2 The V2 has been updated for more performance. The V1 is still in the range as the catalyst, Ozone’s beginner friendly kite. The look of the V2 is similar to the RPM with its open C shape. The V2 sits a little farther forward in the window than the V1 offering more lift which is great for traveling upwind while tacking. Additionally, the kite is a little more responsive. Still has medium bar pressure and medium turning speed. It has medium bar pressure and low vertex stability which requires a bit more effort to keep from fading down the edge of the wind window towards the water. To compensate for this, I might use a slightly larger bar to give you more leverage and make the kite livelier. Bar pressure 7 Turning speed 6 Power per meter 7 Boost 6 Hangtime 6 Stability 8 Upwind 8 Naish Boxer The Boxer has the same medium bar pressure/vertex stability thing going on. Maybe just slightly more bar pressure and sitting just a little deeper in the window than the Ozone Alpha. But is more reactive, turns quicker in a tighter arc with a bit less effort. All around sweet foiling and wave kite. The positive note about the bar pressure is that you always know exactly where the kite is and what it is doing. Bar pressure 8 Turning speed 7 Power per meter 7 Boost 6 Hangtime 6 Stability 8 Upwind 8 Core X-Lite Light bar pressure, very responsive and agile. Great drift. Performance wise pretty similar to the Airush Ultra. Sits slightly deeper in the window, and a little lower aspect for a bit more sheet in and go. Bar pressure 4 Turning speed 8 Power per meter 8 Boost 7 Hangtime 7 Stability 8 Upwind 8 Airush Ultra Light, fast, nimble, immediate power available at all times, reliable drift. Medium jump height and hang-time. Great for strapless airs. Does not drop you or hang for so long that you will lose your board. Bar pressure 4 Turning speed 8 Power per meter 7 Boost 7 Hangtime 7 Stability 9 Upwind 8 Airush Ultra Team The Ultra Team has a Ho’okipa leading edge and lighter bladders. Ho’okipa is a hydrophobic woven dyneema cloth. It is the latest new age light strong materials to go up against Aluula, with the advantage of being a lot easier to work with. The Ultra Team has a narrower leading edge and struts allowing it to sit slightly farther forward in the window, and the shape is slightly higher aspect than the Ultra. The narrower Hokipa LE requires a few more PSI. Lighter, faster, more vertical, and built to last. The Airush rep Hunter was even able to throw megaloops on it. This is likely the lightest kite on the market today. Bar pressure 4 Turning speed 9 Power per meter 7 Boost 8 Hangtime 8 Stability 10 Upwind 8 The Airush One The One is a tuned down ultra without the dyneema load frame in the canopy. It is slightly lower aspect, thicker leading edge and sits a little deeper in the window making it extremely stable, it has a bit more power and reacts a little slower. This is still a great kite freeride, surf and foil kite. Would recommend for learning, light wind, freeride, and the small sizes would be great for beginner to intermediate foil and surf. Bar pressure 5 Turning speed 7 Power per meter 8 Boost 6 Hangtime 6 Stability 9 Upwind 7 Natural Disasters: There has been a theme of natural disasters happening at home during the last 4-5 years of testing down here in Baja. We have had fires, flooding, and landslides back home while we were here testing, then Covid landed in 2020. Covid canceled 2021. This year Santa Barbara got a 1’ tsunami from Tonga, a litany of crazy news stories around the world which we brushed aside but then omicron finally broke thru the Baja barrier. This year my wife Brooke joined me for the 1st time, and we almost couldn’t come on the trip because I got Covid 10 days before our departure. My case was a very mellow one where I just had some congestion for 4-5 days. But we were not allowed to join the test week without a negative test, and I was only able to produce one 2 days before our flight. And Brooke by a small miracle survived my case without getting it despite my efforts to share it with her. So, we made it, landed in Baja, healthy and thought we had avoided our annual disaster. But we didn’t. Omicron was already in Baja and Brooke got it while were down there. Symptom free, but Covid positive, we were forced into quarantine after testing positive the day before our flight home. Which kept us in La Ventana in quarantine for another 4 days. Could have been worse. If you have any questions about this stuff or any other gear. Feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help.