I am cautious about addressing this topic because I know that surfboard feel is very much a personal thing. But for me it is what kitesurfing has become all about - so it deserves discussion and shared input from others.

After years of twini-ing and then gradually getting into waves I have finally arrived at my personal kitesurfing Nirvana - carving turns in waves. Any kind of waves - chop, beach break, One Eye - it does not matter. I just love the feel of being in the waves, in the moment, responding to the elements while carving turns!!

With this objective, which boards excel? I bought an F-One Mitu for the promise of flex and "camel-deck" feel .... and I was not disappointed. It is lively, fast and super responsive off the tail. I took it to Mauritius in all size surf and loved it so much more than my old Naish Global. Couldn't wipe the grin off my face.

While in Mauritius several of the Aussie contingent were raving about their Delta Designs boards - with the new flute concept adapted from Tomo's designs. I had tried a Vanguard and liked it a lot - although not as much as the Mitu. I have also kept a special regard for Margs and its locals (who rip) since first windsurfing large mainbreak way back in 1984 .... and I do like to support local. So when Seabreeze threw up a used Delta Designs board with flutes I couldn't resist and bought it.

I have now had 3 sessions on my Delta here in Sydney - 2 x NE and one Southerly Longy. Put simply - my new (used) Delta Designs board is just awesome!! Amazing positive drivey feel, great in committed full rail carves ... but loose and flowing too. It also rockets upwind like a dream. I cannot wipe the grin off my face - but now it's bigger than when on the Mitu.

My experience in summary : When it comes to judging the "feel" of a surfboard the marketing hype holds a lot of truth - but nothing beats the feedback of other riders .. and of course test rides.

So what is the experience of other riders who crave feel and connectedness with their board over everything else?
What other boards put "smiles on dials" and should be test ridden by those of us who seek "feel" and are too time poor to try them all??

For the record I have no affiliations, buy my own gear and post simply to share my experience.
Note 1 - I am not into airs - and I know the Mitu excels at airs
Note 2 - My money is where my post is - 2017 Mitu is for sale on Seabreeze (for much less than I paid for it!)

good review about the board. As soon I find extra money I will get one.

Interesting post. If i am correct the Delta uses a PU blank, similar to normal surfboards. Normal surfboards simply feel the best. This may be why the Delta feels so good.

A lot of the big brand boards are made with Europe in mind, as they are a much bigger market than even the US. Hence why a lot of experienced riders don't like them, they just don't suit our conditions. In Europe right now I'm told about half the riders are riding surfboards on flat water.

^^PU all the way


can't blame those euro riders for wanting to get some "skill" up on the slop or ponds to do that one trip a year to one eye, or Maui or Margs/WA. Trying to follow the dream of the likes of mitu or Keahi
the surf marketing has seemed relentless these last few years!

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bjw said..
In Europe right now I'm told about half the riders are riding surfboards on flat water.

Do you work for the Bureau of Statistics? Sounds like you have access to very reliable sources......

It's all calculated in Fahrenheit so you wouldn't understand.

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Livit said..

bjw said..
In Europe right now I'm told about half the riders are riding surfboards on flat water.

Do you work for the Bureau of Statistics? Sounds like you have access to very reliable sources......

I think BJW is referring to the trend of flatwater freestyle surfboard riding???

The Marty Littlewood Delta Designs Re-Vamp, is the model the OO has scored on the secondhand market. I've been riding them for a couple of years, starting with the Vamp which had no flutes in the tail, then Marty sent me instructions on how to have them put in and a local board repairer did a job on my Vamp. I loved the drive the flutes gave the board, they gave it drive through turns and helped it gain speed. Marty's shape is honed from years, actually decades of riding Margs and other WA breaks, the boards love speed and big turns. I've now got a smaller board having shed quite a few kgs since moving away from the city and ride a 5"7" now, its my new favourite board, (although I've tried lots of others).

The board I love and I keep going back to is my 2013 5'6" x 17" x 2" 20Lts 2klg Smook custom which use at One Eye , INDO and down the line Vic waves Yes PU blank and Epoxy I am 80klg and 59 LOVE WAVE RIDING on my back hand Pic Indo trip

Refined, high performance shapes, less volume than I can paddle. PU glassed in epoxy, extra glass for some longevity.

I'm riding a rad little 4'11 shaped by katana. It's like a skateboard and Perth metro is my skatepark.

It's not surprising that local surfboard makers can make you a good stick for kiting. Some of us have been saying this for years!

PU blank with epoxy resin all the way.

I'm riding similar to Ben,4'11 custom Vader - composite construction but not too stiff.

The Smook Vader style boards look sick, that's pretty much what I'm riding, but thrown together in my shed shaping setup.

I also highly rated getting yourself a grom surf board with light glass job and putting a few patches on for strength. The flex on a normal surfboard (especially 1 5/8" thick grom board) is amazing! Just make sure you get them cheap as they don't tend to last...

I'm loving the PU, but I've not tried the epoxy thing.

What glassing do they do with epoxy? Does it change the weight? Do you get this indents?

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bjw said..
I'm loving the PU, but I've not tried the epoxy thing.

What glassing do they do with epoxy? Does it change the weight? Do you get this indents?

If you just look at the board you cant tell the difference. Similar glass layup ie 6 and 6 + 4 or whatever spins your wheels.

Epoxy has a lower density in comparison to polyester resin (ie 'normal' resin) so it should result in a slightly lighter board.

You still get indents like a normal board, but probably less. Unless its really bad the indents do not crack like an onion as a normal board does. Epoxy is rated much better for shatter and impact resistance and will bend instead of fracturing.

I believe this is a far superior construction to the traditional PU/PE construction. I think epoxy has long been marketed as 'uncool' by the surfboard industry because it is far superior to polyester and epoxy over PU boards last much longer meaning less recurring business for board manufacturers.

I know my shaped does epoxy but hates it. It's harder to work with and apparently is super cancerous. But surfboards are moving towards that.

Epoxy is stronger and can be lighter especially if bagged we were getting boards down to 1.8 klg with bamboo and 6oz glass. Also there are new Epoxy's coming out Eco and acrylic which will be testing soon on Smook boards

Yep, epoxy resin is stronger and lighter.

The cancerous comment is bull** thou IMO.

The VOCs in polyester are superbad for you / cancerous, and also get you super high (and kills your braincells just like sniffing paints...).

Don't get the same problem with Epoxy. Issue with epoxy resins is the Aimine in the hardner which is a sensitising agent. It builds up in your system and if you get enough you effectively become 'allergic' to it.

Either way you should always use a proper mask and get good airflow in your glassing bay.

Epoxu resin PU blanks for the win in kiting thou.

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bjw said..
In Europe right now I'm told about half the riders are riding surfboards on flat water.

I never heard more crap. Show me sales statistics and I'd maybe think about having a go at believing it.
Truth is more than 90% of people are riding twin-tips everywhere. This little piece of info you've been told seems to be spread a lot by various parties with an interest in flat water surfboard comps... I've yet to see any info on paper or with my own eyes to support it.

Best surfboards are PU blanks shaped by people who actually make proper surfboards, haven't seen many kiteboard companies get it right imo.

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sir ROWDY said..
Best surfboards are PU blanks shaped by people who actually make proper surfboards, haven't seen many kiteboard companies get it right imo.

But I love how my board matches my kite!

@Rowdy. It was hearsay. I've not been there. I've been told there is a crap load of guys riding surfboards in bay slop.

Agreed that PU feels unreal. Surfboard shapers still have the edge. I'm yet to feel a production board that rides as good as custom that wasn't made for kiting.

2013 Cabrihna Skillet for me at the moment, I bought a newer stronger (heavier) Cab Proto, and it felt like I was towing something in the water behind me.
Keen to try the TOMO Vanguard/Vadar

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bjw said..
I've been told there is a crap load of guys riding surfboards in bay slop.

Don't believe everything you're told. There's definitely people doing it, but I doubt it's even anything close to 20% let alone 50%.

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RosieKB said..
2013 Cabrihna Skillet for me at the moment, I bought a newer stronger (heavier) Cab Proto, and it felt like I was towing something in the water behind me.
Keen to try the TOMO Vanguard/Vadar

Try a nice shaped PU board, you will loose your mind.