January Sale

January sale now on at Board-worx.com, get 10% off everything.

Resin8 Kitesurf boards now here

After months and months of waiting the resin 8 kitesurf board have finally arrived freshly made to order.
After the worlds leading wave Kitesurfing specalist including Ben Wilson and Top hat. choosing to ride resin8 surf boards over any production kitesurf boards and high customer demand. Resin 8 have made very few number of there surf boards on pre orders with foot strap inserts and a added layer of 4oz fiber glass to the top making board a little more heel dent resident but leaving the board with its performance flex.
Boards come deck and fins only leaving foot strap and pad set up complete open to customers preference.

Check Board-worx.com for all sizes and shapes available.

Slingshot have finally made a 6m Fuel

After 10 years of the fuel Slingshot have finally made a 6m to fill the gap between the 5m and 7m.
6m should be the good balance between solid switched on power and high enough range to ride when its completely nuking.
The 6m has a complex multi panel layout ensuring precision shaping in every part of the kite, Leaving no baggy open canopy spots witch can end up creating drag instead of power and lift.
Cant wait for 30knots plus.

Slingshot Rally 2011

Had my first blast with rally, a few days back. This is one pretty powerful kite, a lot more gutsy than I thought it would have to be honest. With so little bridling it has a fairly direct feel. It wasn't the fastest turning kite I have ever used, it actually reminded me of a waroo, it was smooth and easy. it never snatched me, the power was delivered progressively, and I can see the directional wave riders loving this kite, smooth and easy with no nasty surprises. The bar pressure was good, giving good feel to where the kite was, but never feeling heavy. The kite was a dream to inflate as it only has three struts, it is super fast and quick to get up and out on the water. Jumps were nice and floaty, giving nice hang time. A nice and friendly kite from slingshot, and fits in well, in there range.
See the prices of the Slingshot rally Kite Here

Had our first good look at the new F-one bandit 4 2011. The wing tips are a lot bigger now, and this I told reliably gives the kite a much quicker feel in the air. There are only three struts, but as the wing tips curve round at a strong angle this gives the impression it is a 5 strut kite. The bigger kites have been made with a more open canopy, and as the kites come down in size they are slightly more C shaped. There was a lot of talk about how the 14m is the same power is the bandit 3 15m and the 12m will be as powerful as the 13m bandit 3. The feeling of the kite, is to just to give the kite more feel, a more direct feel , the bandit 3 was pretty good, but for 2011 it has a very sensitive feel. Still has a great wind range. The wing tips give the kite a quicker turning ability. As there are only three struts so very fast to inflate. Looks like the bandit has just become a even better kite, stunning.
Click here to find out more about the f0ne bandit 2011

Underground Speed Board

Just got this new speed board, Colin Moore talked me in to this crazy idea, having seen a few videos on you tube, so just got this new speed daemon, a 139-27cm for when the speed course is looking flat here off the back of Whitstable, The footstrap pads have had to be cut down as they are just to wide for the board, this is going to be so much fun, just need to get the GPS speed watch sorted next, so any one wishing to have a go, maybe we will have a current speed full time running contest running, use your own kite, just grab the board and the gps and will will start a page of everyone's current speed, any one fancy that?

North Vegas 2011 Kite

Just had my first go on the new 2011 North Vegas, Now when I was told there was no difference really in shape between the Vegas 2010 and the 2011, I wasn't really expecting to much. I was told there were a few minor upgrades, a few tweaks and small changes.
The Change that I brushed over was the canopy now uses a new lighter weight, but stronger double rip stop material D2 Technoforce, kite materials change so often, I just though blah blah blah.
Using this kite compared to last year was amazing, I guess when you lighten the kite so much ( same as if you lighten a car) the kite just feels so much more precise in the air, everything feels lighter faster and more accurate when flying it. I had a few comments that the kite material felt like crepe paper, but I am assured the material is stronger than ever, it certainly looks it with a double weave running through the material.
The kite itself some how feels stiffer, and when flicking the 14m back ( yes you read that right ) the jumps were just breath taking, line tension seems tighter and consequently the control over the kite feels more reassured. All the 2011 Vegas's have a slightly friendlier new school attachment points, I didnt use these as I love my 14m to be super fast, might have to try those on my 10m though. The wind range seems to be slightly better low end than the 2010, and as I said turning speed seems better. Brilliant ,just love this kite Again!!!

North 2011 Bar 5th element / trust Kitesurfing Bar

Just had my first peek at the new 2011 bar and lines, there seem to be a few subtle changes to the bar, a clear red push away quick release I guess this makes it easy to see if the quick release mechanism is full of sand. Where the 5th line comes out of the base of the quick release there is a nice polished metal insert, I had rumours last year that the line could jam here but, I never experienced this. The grip, has been nearly got a quilted like feel to the grip, I tried to take a close up of this area, it surly is a dream to hold this year , I think they called this sticky grip , I would call in comfort grip. There were a few people that seemed to snap the chicken spigot off for 2010 and there seems to be a slightly pliable spigot for 2011. I am sure more subtle differences will appear but they I think are the main ones so far.

North Jaime Pro 2011 Kiteboard Angled Fins

The bottom of the new Jaime pro seems to be very interesting this year.The Fins have been angled so instead of them going in a direction of 12 to 6 ( like the arms on a clock) they are more like 11 to 5, so they are spayed out. The idea behind this is, as most riders always ride their boards on a rail, so the board is at a angle. If you angle the fin so it is when riding in a more down ward direction, you get more grip, as the fin is tracking in a more vertical plane. So for 2011 the fin sizes have been reduced in size to make the board even looser, but due to the angle you get the same amount of grip due to the slight angle, a stunning idea by North love it.

Slingshot Fuel 2011 Kitesurfing is it now a wave kite?

It seems the big news for the 2011 Slingshot fuel is the lose of some struts, it seems it is following it's little brother, the RPM and turning in to a three strut kite. Maybe slingshot want the kite to cross over a little more, giving the kite more wind range, and better turning ability. Rubens influence seems to strike again with the new crazy graphics. Loosing a few struts will reduce weight , and help the kite settle back in the wind window either in waves or during big freestyle moves. I am sure slingshot will give the Fuel it's legendery super strong build quality. Can't wait to get my hands on one.

North Select 2010

Well, I got bored of the Shinn Luigi, I loved the luigi, but at 44cm wide, I decided I would come down to a more traditional width and for the strong winds, I fancied something more 41-42cm so I opted for the expensive North Select 135cm.
Now to be fair I have used the Select before but that was courtesy of North in Cape Verde and it was in perfect flat water between huge waves, and the board was a dream there, but we are back to reality now and using it in short sharp Whitstable chop, and in brown water.
The problem I had with the shinn was when it was blowing over 35 knots I had a problem with the board loosing a edge and skating away from me, and my thinking was a slightly narrower board it would hold more power.
The Select is super light, the first thing you notice bumping off small waves is the weightless feel under your feet, it is incredible, then back that up with a slightly softer flex the board is super smooth even silky smooth even through even the worst chop. I read the old bollocks on the north blurb and they talk about it being a magic carpet ride, well, I hate to agree with them but it really is. I just smooths out the ride for you, and cuts through anything.
With full carbon through the tail, it has an impressive spring or pop in the tail of the board, and it is wonderful to load up and release and still surprises me just how high the board gets with even a small amount of input. The crazy looking fins seem to give a great bite, but still loose enough when you want to slide it about, if there was a down side, maybe it is the super gloss top that can mark up easily. I am very heavily in love at the moment.

Litewave Spirt and Hybrid lace up Binding.

Had a lovely feeling Thursday night, had a bit of personal service, no not that type of service, did have Dave on his hands and knees though, but he was Adjusting his new straps around my feet. These kitesurfing foot straps are a little different, as the laces completely open and the tongue that covers the top of the foot Velcros to the side walls of the lace walls. This covers the whole of the top of the foot and gives a very secure feeling, add this to the pad that has a massive drop where your toes go and you feel so secure in them, locking your toes over the edge, even in boots this can be felt. You just nip the laces up tie them in a bow and push them up between the tongue and the strap walls and you have a tidy no nonsense strap. They come is two sizes a 5-9 and a 8-12, they are £94 but are free on the spirt board, that I hope will be £399.
The spirt was a 132-40,137-42 and a 144-44m, I rode the 144cm in about 14knots on a 14m ,I am about 100kg and found the Spirt a very comfortable board to ride, typical litewave feel, just friendly and well manor ed, not the lightest board, but keeping the super strong litewave philosophy alive. The board carvered and jumped nicely and went up wind no trouble at all, another old friend from Litewave designs.

LiteWave Designs Lightwind Wing Kiteboard

LiteWave Designs Lightwind Wing Kiteboard.
Dave popped in from California on Thursday, bringing down with him a few new toys, the spirt, a conventional twin tip and the new Wing shaped board. Well after a little chat we hit the water, North east and pretty flat water as the wind was barely 14 knots.
For all of you that know me I am a fat boy, to many pies and to many beers and go in a little past 100kgs, so 14knots is a little light for me. I took my trusty Vegas 14m ( again all who know me will tell you that this is my kite of choice up to 25 knots.
I took the spirt to start with 144-44cm and I had a pleasant enough ride, very easy and fun, a conventional shape and just kept ground for a while. Then Dave beckoned me in for a go on the 153cm wing, ( to be honest, I have riden a flydoor and I didnt much like it, so I was not that keen) Slipping my feet in to the straps ( liked the deck pads, they have a really big drop where your toes go, so you can get great grip) I dived the kite and went straight under, this board has very little rocker line. A bit of a reshuffle and started again with more weight over the tail and I was gone, literally gone .
From just holding my ground I was 100m up wind the first run. The kite was powered and I was ripping up and down, well more up up up and up, after 5 runs I had got to wankers point and needed to turn off down wind. This shape of board really does cut and I mean cut through the 6-12' chop, in fact feels weird as it doesn't slap, just cuts, does not really ride up and down just slices through the water. A good friend terry had a go on the board and he said the same, a smooth ride, and it shouldn't of been, no slip, just silky smooth, as Terry said it was Cushty.
The board sells for £469, so seems a very fair price for a board that gives so much pleasure. ( I have taken one if any one wants a demo.

Flexifoil Ion 5 2010
Just seen the new Flexifoil Ion5, (Pictures lower down) This is really going to appeal to those kitesurfers who want a good reliable performing kite who arr not to interested in handle passes etc, but still want to have a good performing kite. The kite seems like it has gone back and taken all the good things of the solid performing ion2 and the higher performance ion3, and then fused them together.Different sizes giving slightly different feel,the 14.5m giving great low end grunt, and still pretty tight turning, at the other end of the extreme the 7m being a fast but not silly , bee on steroids fast.The Ions keep there legendery solid feel with great manors, not trying to set the world a light but being a trusted friend in the sky.
The Ions now have reinforcements on every leading edge segment seam, those of us that do a lot of self launching will love this type of attention to detail, as is the dump valve on both wing tips.
The bar is very similar to last years but has a slightly longer throw on the depower line. Typical flexifoil easy on the eye colours and there you have the new Flexifoil Ion 5.

Wainman on a shoe string

What a giggle, Lance found a Wipika freeair AR3.5 that we think is a 6m projected, real old school talk for what we think is about 8m. Lou Wainman type low end two line real wake style kite. No safety, No depower, No trim strap, this is Kitesurfing for the real man.
After launching the kite it was quite obvious there was no steering, This little beast was dragging Lance up the beach in 18 knots. The outside knots did little, to help this, so we turned our attention to the cross over line, and moved that. Even more scary now the steering didn't work at all.
A semi controlled crash and a extra knot was added, and a controlled launch, was achieved. I cant stress the low end grunt that these old two line kites give. Steering is still not fast, but Lance now can't wait to go full old school with mega loops, If you see him coming, I would get out of the way. There is no such thing as depower, so a true case of go big or go home Kite.
If you want a kite with a little more safety or depower maybe check out other Second hand Kitesurfing Kites on our web site

Shinn Kitesurfing pads and straps

This is a review of the new pads and straps on the new Shinn kitesurfing boards. On first glance I thought these pads and straps were crap, after a quick dissing from Mr Shinn , it was quickly apparent that these simple looking pads were very far from it. This is a self mounding foam foot pad, your foot sinks in to the thick pad, and it quickly starts to mold around your foot, it is luxury. The pad feels soft enough to cushion your knees in harsh chop, but firm enough to give a direct feel to the board. The strap is good from about size 5 to size 12, with fast and easy adjustment, it seems a well designed strap, easy to slip your foot into, but as soon as you twist your foot at the slightest angle you are locked in. Maybe there should of been bright colors and stars and strips to bling these pads and straps up, to make them look a little more techy, but after slipping your foot in and riding out the first time, you will be very impressed.