So I just called a challenge on the biggest boosting kite, next sat/sun arvo when she's above 25 knots.... Location to be voted upon (woodies beach 3 vs the pond vs south cott)......

Now out of interest, what is the biggest boosting board??? I guess which holds it's edge the best, pops the hardest and lands decently too....

I've chosen the north team series, any experts shine some light on the matter?

Race boards go well! Holds it’s edge pretty good too .

Biggest boosting board is the one that can resist the kite pull the longest. Pop is irrelevant for boosting.
For twin tips just ride the smallest and narrowest board you can get your hands on.

Wakestyle boards with heaps of rocker are so nice on the landings and you can hold down a lot of power too.

But I reckon a fairly flat, stiff board will boost higher, it's just the landings (my landings) are generally carnage. I think its got to do with a more efficient board letting the kite run a bit more, so you get more speed and more tension when you do lock and load.

As briskites said.. Smallest thinnest board will boost best

Depends on wind. When it's nuking a wakestyle board can hold a heap of power and speed is not an issue however when it's not 30+ a flat freestyle board which is fast will be much better. Sort of the same principal with kites. A C kite in strong winds goes big but for your average strong summer day a North rebel or blah blah will be better. If you see a freestyle/wakestyler boosting in moderate winds the only advantage in gear they have over the average punter is boots. Ps a good clean pop will add a few m's

Lol small and thin .. you guys are so 10 years ago.
Kites and boards have changed so much from the highwind = small boards days.
Salty is on the money.
+If you land with the kite over your head a small thin board is ok ... if you land powered a small thin board is the last thing you want.
Even the likes of Mark Shinn and Dimitri Maramenides ride bigger boards now

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saltydawg said..
Depends on wind. When it's nuking a wakestyle board can hold a heap of power and speed is not an issue however when it's not 30+ a flat freestyle board which is fast will be much better. Sort of the same principal with kites. A C kite in strong winds goes big but for your average strong summer day a North rebel or blah blah will be better. If you see a freestyle/wakestyler boosting in moderate winds the only advantage in gear they have over the average punter is boots. Ps a good clean pop will add a few m's

It is true that you will get away with a delta kite in stronger wind. I'd still say that a kite you can throw around agressively e.g. C kites will catapult you higher. Of course you come down faster which is when a larger and higher rocker board helps you land even if slightly off balance. The same high rocker board slows you down hence lowers the ability to go big. Here is another factor. The lighter the rider the higher he'll go as long as the legs are strong enough to hold the edge down, boots help doing that.

Hit a ramp - this is the biggest boosting board - period !

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antlanglands said...
Lol small and thin .. you guys are so 10 years ago.
Kites and boards have changed so much from the highwind = small boards days.
Salty is on the money.
+If you land with the kite over your head a small thin board is ok ... if you land powered a small thin board is the last thing you want.
Even the likes of Mark Shinn and Dimitri Maramenides ride bigger boards now

Not true... You can hold down far more kite with a smaller board So 35knots 8m kite and 128cm board and I can go huge but on my 140 board in those winds with that kite I can't hold the edge when I load the lines and send the kite.
I'm 85kg and the boards are NHP (128) and cabrhina custom.

Choosing the 'right' board size could be compared to as choosing the 'right' kite size. On a kite we all know you need the biggest kite possible which can be ridden just within the limits without possessing negative consequences ie. pulling you off edge. Same with board size a bigger board will create greater tension in the kite however if you cannot successfully hold it down it is a hindrance. So yes a smaller board is easier in big winds and could be better however the further your board skills progress you will be able to hold down a bigger board. Saying that it once again depends on board type. If you have a flat board around 140 in high winds you will always struggle. My board is 141/43 @ 80 kg never had a problem in nuking winds due to channels and rocker. Also small boards suck major balls when landing powered.

Also depends on if you are boosting off waves or flat water....

Anyway buying a board for high winds seems like a huge waste of money to me

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antlanglands said..
Lol small and thin .. you guys are so 10 years ago.
Kites and boards have changed so much from the highwind = small boards days.
Salty is on the money.
+If you land with the kite over your head a small thin board is ok ... if you land powered a small thin board is the last thing you want.
Even the likes of Mark Shinn and Dimitri Maramenides ride bigger boards now

Wasn't aware the laws of physics had changed...
We all ride bigger boards now but the answer doesn't change. I made no mention of landings.

my only advice is use boots.

You want good pop, so you don't waste any of the the kites energy pulling you up.

I reckon pop goes a decent way too, the best is popping on the back or the face of a wave where you have more contact area holding your edge.... I use the north team series, but I'm tempted to try the team select and naish dub as a wakestyle....

that shape shifter K22 is one unusual piece of gear..... interesting!!!--> is it practical? Comfortable?

I use a board that looks like this, helps provide extra lift in the air even though only one rail is sharp enough to edge with




Only thing is if you leave them in the water for too long they tend to deteriorate.

^^^^^^ do you have a template for that ,Id like to make one out of discarded shopping trolleys

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Ricardo1709 said..
^^^^^^ do you have a template for that ,Id like to make one out of discarded shopping trolleys

I have a mold for this fantastic design.

But chances are if you visit Madagascar you can find one, people must often leave there gear behind or something.

I have just started thinking about selling my old twin tip and getting a new one. I mostly ride a surfboard but I do like to get the twin tip out to do some jumps when there are no waves. If it's light I will go the surfboard so I would only really be using the twin tip in powered up conditions.

My current board is pretty flat with no channels and pretty flexy 139x42 this size seems pretty good for my weight. I was wondering if a more wake style/ freestyle board with more rocker and channels would help me in jumps and allow me to scoop and pop better ( my scooping and popping definitely needs a bit of work) or if I should stick to the more free ride side of things. I would probably need a slightly bigger board of it had a lot of rocker?

I am 105kgs and mostly ride in choppy conditions

To be honest, for the vast majority of kiters, board shape, size or type is only going offer minor benefits when it comes boosting. It really comes down to skill and technique and having the balls to send it hard in big wind. I'm not saying the rite board won't help, just learn to jump properly first.