Proseries

Yes I have a new proseries board - the little red sports car model

I went smaller this year to match the rider size and weight - last years model was a great progression but I wanted more and so I took a chance and am stoked.

firstly the weight - the board is so light you have to hold it down or it will float away - with the new carbon Innegra and the cork layer to give that dampening feel of a glass board that is pressure dented - as its not the flex but the softer feel of glass that makes a surfboard feel good under your feet -

what this lead to is a really light - stiff driving board but soft feel - trying to get all those things together is difficult - so this board is a gem. Its lighter than a twin tip and as its short it suits my style of wave ridding with a bit of freestyle air added in. Effortless reos and bottom turns, effortless flicking tail slides.

Having tried it in different winds I was surprised that it will run in light wind and maintain ground - last years model definitely needed more wind and when marginal it had no upwind ability (it was perfectly fine in good wind) this year the rocker is slightly different making the centre of the board feel a little flatter - the rocker flick in the tail - I found that I can ride it like a twinni up wind with back foot up the board in lighter conditions.

This board provides a new style of ridding - its not just a better board - the lightness - responsiveness and feel is astounding, I keep looking forward to my next kite - just cant wait.

simply the best board I have ever ridden - by a million fold - no exaggeration - no hype - stoked.

Dazza

Thanks for putting the pic up of last years & the new Pro, you can see the board has more volume this year. I have the 5"11 (2013) & really enjoy riding it as its really light/fast & turns on a dime.
Not that flash up-wind but great for dwinders.

see that little carboard backed plastic package the fins come in. does anyone else feel like there opening a new toy when they do that? i still end up shreddi g layers of cardboard off then having to bend it all and try make them stick threw the now thinner cardboard.

anyways, now to my question about this board. is it possible to remove the straps and use it as a surfboard? im really after a fish or hybrid board i may possibly be able to ride with my kite aswell. i know its backwards but its what i would like..... so i need a kite company to make me a beginer surfboard.... allso why did you buy a new one? old one looks fine, and i did read the part about why you said you did but that seemed a little niggly were you that unhappy with the old one?

Haha, pro series.
I still wonder why every brand has a Pro kite or board in their range...

Kozzie

I rode last years 6'2" in 3-4ft medium strength waves - very little float - but it actually surfed quite well for stronger waves no problem - if you like really small boards - it was quite trackie but still reoed well - I would say great tow in and good medium - powerful waves - because its so small for take off not so good for small or really big waves as you would be getting in way too late, I will try the little one some time as its lighter and floatier so if you wanted an all rounder I would say go next board size up on your weight and then you can kite and surf it in good waves.

I was a bit dubious that they could be used as surfboards but now I am a bit of a convert. - wont be selling any surfboards however

definitely not a fish board as a surfboard - no way - gunnier than that


Dazz

Updated review
having had a few sessions on this board I can't help but add to the review

Mostly regarding confirmation of the upwind capability, session on last Wed I had a kite with my mate Jim who rides a 6' WAM (bamboo) with 11m 2012 Rebel - he is normally upwind in light wind with this kit, as I ride smaller boards and a 10m kite once it gets sketchy its normally me who feels it first. But this was not the case when the wind has been dropping out, so on Wed we swapped boards out in the water -

I felt that the larger WAM had the same upwind (felt a little gunnier and trackier) and after 15 mins we swapped back - once Jim said - hang on not yet I just need to catch another wave - then when we swapped he yelled out - "Man this board is awesome - and woh does it truck upwind"

when we swapped back - as soon as I swooped the kite I realized the full difference - it sits up on the water and points up wind - like 25 degrees better - (this is what it feels like) and then boom you are tracking up into the wind

Today was a real test - wind was very marginal - 14 knots -12-15 knots, but normally I change to my WAM with 4 big fins - but not today my good man - I stayed up wind all day riding the little wave downwind and then tack back up wind again, this board and new 10m Rebel set up is cooking.

I'm in the market for a new board of this type. considering a few a this point.

I find kite companies do a bad job of listing their board specs. Can you tell me the actual weight of this board without the straps?
Love to get a better info on the rocker too.

I travel so I'm curious as to how durable boards are(which is why I kind of rule out traditional surfboards). the cork layer is just under the top coat I guess, does is ding easily?

Dazza what weight are you actually?

Im 70Kg so hence the 5'11" - I think the weight calculator is good

to complete my review you might find this helps: what is the compromise? where is the board not ideal? finally I got to ride it in some big swell. with a maxed out 7m kite (depowered and holding it down) How big was the swell? well without misleading people because everyone interprets that differently it was probably 5-6ft ground swell (not how big it is when it breaks in front of the wave just to be clear no thats not how you measure swell) - fresh swell moving fast - lifting to double overhead - but its the size that feels BIG like its trying to take over - the wind speed and the wave speed means that you feel the fins can't keep up with you and the speed means you look at the chop coming up and worry a bit - that kind of day

Well it was not ideal then - I still had a fun kite and loved it all - but really it was a Kontact day - not a Proseries day - and the North speal says the same - small to medium waves - I have had it in big 30 knot wind again this wed in 2-3ft swell and it was sweet, different swell

nicor: how much does it weigh? I have straps and pads on it so I'll weight it at some point when I feel like taking the straps off - but it weight F#$k all bro - I mean nothing - you really can't feel the weight - its equivalent to a Firewire of the same proportions - weight is no longer measureable - its in space bud, just floats - its only the earths rotation and an atmosphere that gives it any reality - hope that helps

Dazzel

Thanks for your impressions.

I really wanted to get more details on the board, but just can't, local dealer will not have demos available either because they dont keep em in stock.

So I ordered up a Magnum 6.0. Could have done the firewire, but I wanted to support a local shop.

Thanks Dazza. What a lovely looking board. Clean lines, & RED too. This is their high rocker model. How can it be fast & good upwind? Would be very interesting to get a direct comparison to the new WAM. The Proseries is the only one with carbon in it, maybe it's even lighter than the WAM?

Hey Col

Last years Proseries had a rocker through the whole board and therefore although super good in 15+ knots when the wind kicked in it was no good at all in marginal conditions - it just lost too much ground, the weird thing with last years board is that once the wind was solid it was really good at staying up wind
This new board is sweeter - they have reshaped the rocker and there is a little bit of flat section in the middle - it seems to easily ride off that upwind in very little wind - but at the same time maintain ease of use - a nice rocker feel in small to medium waves -

I would have said that last years was a pure dedicated wave board for those who only know what they want - but I can throw this board to any kiters now and they seem to love it

It also seems to have a slightly wider tail than last years and a touch less weight in the nose.

the carbon Innegra makes it so light and the cork is definitely super comfy - I will hopefully ride it up against the new WAM this Sunday if we get wind

Select to expand quote

dazza5172 said..
I will hopefully ride it up against the new WAM this Sunday if we get wind

Eagerly waiting on more information Dazzle. Please

A back to back comparison with the wam would be really appreciated any time soon cheers

Well clearly no update is forthcoming. I have zero experience with the ProSeries, but was impressed with a 2012 WAM session some time back. I chose a 5' 10" WAM thinking it should be more well rounded. I have an X-Surf as a light wind / weak wave option. I have had it set up as a tri fin for several sessions, thinking I'd persevere with that, even though most of my boards have been quads. I've not come to terms with it. Hard bottom turns slide out uncontrollably & I've found no way around that other than being gentle. My last ride I changed to Quad & couldn't believe how natural & controlled it immediately felt. Positive bottom turns, perfectly controlled sliding slashes off the top. For having the choice of setups alone, I reckon the WAM has to be the better choice.
cheers
Col

Being 70kgs dazza, I thought you would be on the 5'8? I am 75kgs and like small boards so am considering the 5'8, does your 5'11 feel really floaty in stronger winds?

At just under 70kgs and riding strapless I've gone with the 5'11" 2014 version having found the 5'11" 2013 version perfect. It feels fairly similar, I would suggest it rides slightly more similar to the Wam this year with wider tail and slight change to rocker. It provides a loose, lively, yet fairly smooth ride, good upwind ability and will allow you to generate a lot of drive and acceleration through turns. With a wider tail than the 2013 model I've found myself downsizing the fins to free the board up a bit for those super quick turns and tail slides and I think I will go for the 5'8" if they keep the extra tail width in 2015 but still having plenty of fun. Got some photos yesterday

Dazza put the rear foot strap back (alot!) and the board will turn much better, or better still take the staps off!!

Any more updates on this board?? Dazza, Paul, Col !! or what did you go for.

Hey guys

having ridden it now a lot and back to back with my other boards - last years Proseries the comparison to the 2013 model is quite distinct - the weight difference is more and more apparent as I took my 2013 up to sunshine coast (so I would not worry about it getting dinged on the plane) and I rode it all the time up there, the board is heavier and a little gunnier - where as the 2014 is much lighter (specifically to the feel on the feet) I prefer ridding the 2014 carbon board but I still like the 2013 board - just needs more wind - the 2014 board definitely reaches its peak for me as a 70kg rider in heavy chop - big wind and waves - you just cant lay down as harder rail in wave turns as you can on the Kontact, so when I am heading out in larger waves and heavy shop its Kontact all the way - I still ride my 2009 5'11" little gun Kontact - I updated the foot straps and its as crisp as ever.

the 2014 Proseries is my board of choice for light to medium wind and small to medium surf in light to medium wind - once its howling it Kontact time. perfect combination for me.

I think that I would be able to take the 2014 Proseries out in more wind and waves with cleaner conditions - but I am usually in heavier chop between waves so its not at its best. Works better in smaller cleaner waves with high wind - no worries - I think you get the picture.

Nath nice photos

Jonno Foot straps - that's another topic

Daz