Rider: 80kg , beginner / intermediate
Style: Freeriding, Surf,
Weather: 12 - 27 knots

My Comments:
I'm looking at a light wind twin tip and am interested to hear if anyone has had any experience with either or both boards and how they compare. I was considering the North Spike 153cm but not sure what size in the Shinn (146 vs 150)? I know the Textreme option in the Spike is $$$ but is it worth it?

OR tell me what other light wind twin tip I should consider ..
PS: Already own a SB and want to keep my TT skills up in light wind.

Cheers
Dave

hey Dave, Yep have owned both these. Currently have an OR Origin Lite and a 146x 46 King Gee.

150 x 50 is the one you want. 146 x 46 is a great board but more of a big boys TT than a LW specialty. My Lite kills it for LW.
Getting 2-3kt+ better LW on this board than the 146. I had the 146x50 King George which is a very similar board and it also killed the 146x46 by miles for LW.

I wasn't impressed with the Spike. I was so excited b4 it arrived, it was the biggest let down I have experienced in LW. It would do it but it was frankly a log.
Also for those day's around 12kts when I would prefer to put up the 12m and a big board it was hopeless. It kept submarining under smaller kites.
All these other's ride under anysize smaller kites fine, which is great when you have one in the repair shop or when borrowing/lending gear with mates.

The 150 is not a Sports model. It does all the tricks, & way easier than the Lite but it is still a proper LW TT so you have to push it a bit harder.
I can do all the move on the Lite but it is all kite technique as popping this mumma is probably not going to happen.
The Lite probably has a little lower range than the Shinn but I've never had them at the same time so I can't be sure and in any case it wouldn't be by much.
The Shinn is a clear stand out in the LW options. If money wasn't an issue, that's the one I would get.

Pattiecannon, thanks so much for your in depth reply.

I though I was a bit ambitious in my post to try and find someone who had ridden both boards let alone owned both but you certainly came up with the goodies :)
Your above explanation & experience with them has certainly shed ALOT of light on where I am now leaning ... and that's a pretty solid lean to the Shinn at this stage.

I'm glad you mentioned the size of the Shinn also, I was looking at the 146 but if its just a larger TT than no point, I might aswell go whole hog if I want to play in the LW conditions and the 150 x 50.

As far as $$ are concerned I think it's pretty much the same between the King Gee & Spike. I'm going to start hunting around and keep an eye out on the buy/sell section to see if one comes up OR when the shops start clearing their 2015 stock.

Thanks a heap,
cheers
Dave

Hey Dave, no worries m8,
I'm a bit of a light wind hog so I've actually tried and owned more than a reasonable share of big TT's
You can edge harder on the BB TTs so in shorey's hitting waves and turning heaps you can make
better up wind than a door, which mean's more tricks. This is pretty rare but it does happen.
The big KG has this same rail curve and edge, so you have best of both world's, it's very hard to beat for the LW fun dept m8.

Nige from East Coast Kitesurfing has an order for 2 KG's just about to be sent from UK this week. You could tag onto that order and will do a good rate better than the shops. Nige is one of the original Shinn dealers in Australia before the shops got them.

Happy Shopping Dave
Cheers

Has anyone has any good experience with any Shinn dealers in Perth?

Just ordered my King Gee 150 x 50 and now can't wait for it to arrive ..

Cheers Nigel from East Coast Kitesurfing for hooking me up.
Now the slow painful count task of counting the days until it arrives ....

AussieDave,

Ive got the King Gee 150x50, had a real struggle getting one as all the dealers I contacted back in November both in Oz and OS had no stock, but eventually got hold of one and had it delivered by mid January.
Only had about 12 sessions on it but really loving it, I'm a big guy 115kegs+ and it really gets me going. I used it mainly down South Eastern Victoria through January but now back in the Philippines where I live and its just a hoot to ride.
Addmitadly I've not had a lot to compare to in the bigger board department apart from my old AirRush Switch 155 from 2006 I've mainly used surfboards or tried out other guys boards but they were in the 135-140 range.
I think you will be pretty stocked with it!

Regards
Tim

Cheers for your feedback Tim .. I've been looking a little while and trying to buy a demo from someone to get a better price but it was impossible. In the end had to buy new but got a good deal so now I am waiting ... waiting .. waiting ...

Can't for it to arrive and will let you know how it goes...

cheers
Dave

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AussieDave said..
Has anyone has any good experience with any Shinn dealers in Perth?

I know it's too late but for next time there is a shop in scarborough who sells Shinn boards. SUP, SURF, KITE or something similar. I found them good to deal with. Was helped by an experienced Kiter there with a funny name who was really good.

I'm a big fan of Shinn and North twin tips. The board to get is the Spike textreme it is light, stiff and very fast. The King Gee is far heavier and more cumbersome. The normal Spike would be similar to the King Gee in performance and weight. The North boards have better fittings than Shinn boards however the King Gee is a nicer looking board.

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speed brother said..
I'm a big fan of Shinn and North twin tips. The board to get is the Spike textreme it is light, stiff and very fast. The King Gee is far heavier and more cumbersome. The normal Spike would be similar to the King Gee in performance and weight. The North boards have better fittings than Shinn boards however the King Gee is a nicer looking board.

Everyone's entitled to there opinion, even if they haven't owned both boards, don't know what they're talking about and are basically making stuff up.
Corrections I would add to the above are, " the normal spike is a heap of S**t and isn't even in the same league as the KGee." & "the Spike is WAY lighter than the Bizmark which is what the spike should be renamed".

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pattiecannon said..

speed brother said..
I'm a big fan of Shinn and North twin tips. The board to get is the Spike textreme it is light, stiff and very fast. The King Gee is far heavier and more cumbersome. The normal Spike would be similar to the King Gee in performance and weight. The North boards have better fittings than Shinn boards however the King Gee is a nicer looking board.

Everyone's entitled to there opinion, even if they haven't owned both boards, don't know what they're talking about and are basically making stuff up.
Corrections I would add to the above are, " the normal spike is a heap of S**t and isn't even in the same league as the KGee." & "the Spike is WAY lighter than the Bizmark which is what the spike should be renamed".

Looks to me you are committing the same offence you are accusing him of. Have you ridden the Textreme Spike?
I agree with speed brother, having been a little disappointed in the Spike I had a few sessions on the Spike Textreme and it is a totally different beast!
Not just lighter, it's incredibly fun and manoeuvrable.

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AussieDave said...
Cheers for your feedback Tim .. I've been looking a little while and trying to buy a demo from someone to get a better price but it was impossible. In the end had to buy new but got a good deal so now I am waiting ... waiting .. waiting ...

Can't for it to arrive and will let you know how it goes...

cheers
Dave

Received my KG 150x50 last week, excellent construction and very impressive finish.
first outing was yesterday in 10-14kts on my 14m rebel. I was the only guy out and amother guy had just come in on his 17 zeph with 138 gambler.

I didnt think hunk I would get up and running to be honest as the wind was really light close to the shore and it took considerable effort to dip the kite enough to get me out of the water but once I was up and running the board ca,e into its own and I could easily hold speed and really lean into it... The board flew upwind and even when the wind died to at times it didn't drop me straight back into the water as I expected with previous boards.

overall and super impressed from my first lawW moving experience and can't wait to get a few more goes on it to see how well the board handles.

would highly recommend this board but to be honest have never ridden the texture me so not fair to comment on it .

ps. The footpads it comes with are super super comfortable and hold your feet well in place ( I currently have a broken small toe and no pain from it at all)

Great to hear Aussie Dave,
How r u finding the board now? We are having a ball on the ones that landed over here.

I was actually the first to get a go on one which was awesome in around 8-10kts on a 12m Prodigy and favourable current (against the wind)
Seriously light wind for a 12m and power for tricks. The Origin Lite proved it had better upwind and planing but when it came to throwing down,
there was no competition. This new board handles like a big TT. The old 146 x 50 King George was an awesome board in it's day but was hard
to carve a wave transition with. This is all history now. I am so stoked I can borrow their KGee when it's light ;p and yep those pads are in a league
ahead of the previous pads from Shinn. The boys have had over 3 sessions now, one in around 12kts on 12m and a 10m day on their 17's included.
I rode the Origin 142x47 while we were on 12's and ol m8 was killing me for upwind on the 150x50 KGee. This is pretty rare that i am smashed for
upwind as this is my standard TT so it was good to see him throwing Darkslides, Grab frontrolls, and big boosts really easy. I definitely want one!

Seriously no "LW board" feeling about these Twintips for me. Would be great to hear how it's going for you.
Cheers

That's a very aggressive comment from someone who doesn't know my board riding history. SPIKE TEXTREME, speed, weight, footpads, early planning. carbon composite costs a little more but you'll never need to upgrade. North have been making light wind twin tips for years and they have nailed it with this baby. The other board that rates a mention is the nobile xtr. Doesn't get going as early as some but is a great twin tip for a heavier rider or anyone sailing in inconsistent light to moderate winds.

Meant to add my 2c worth a few days ago, have not ridden anything North for a while so cannot comment on their boards. I've ridden a few Shinn boards though and thought I would get one of their bigger boards for low winds up here. I ride in surf only, and if I can't going with my 17 Zephyr and the 1.46 King Gee, then its not really worth the effort. The 1.46 will get me going from around 10 knots upwards, and once its a solid 16/17 I'll switch to a surfboard, and or a smaller kite.

I've had 2 sessions on it now and in total about 2.5 hrs. I really like the footpads and straps, very comfy. Fins are just the right size, I've always had t change to smaller fins on other boards, my previous LW board was the 1.55 Cab stylus. The Stylus had a pinch more bottom end, but was nowhere near as comfortable to ride and felt very big and cumbersome, I did not like riding it in the surf up here and thats why I sold it.
So far I really like the KG though, tracks upwind great, has great bottom end, can be ridden toeside, easy to turn and can hold a hard turn well. It has felt a little skaty at times, only on my first ride, and prob because I was so used to riding surfboards, second ride this was not an issue.
I am going to take to the rails with some sandpaper, they are just way too sharp. Rails are very thin and overall the finish of the board is excellent, very easy to assemble, definitely a lot of care and thought gone into the design and finish, high quality product.