lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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Light Wind Kite or Light Wind Board?
The wind speed averages will be dropping for a couple of months by the end of June and I'm keen to maximise my time on the water by getting some light
wind kit.
So do I get a kite - I'm thinking a Naish Fly - and use it with my 142 or do I get a board which will work in light winds - Probably a surf board as i
am not a fan of "doors"
I cant get both so which do you think is the best choice - Kite or Board?
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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Kamikuza
Posts: 6415
Registered: 1-9-2005
Location: Shiga, JAPAN
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Easy answer - get both 
The Fly is a good kite but the Flite is better in all aspects IMO.
If I were you and money/Minister of Finance was a factor, I'd go for a lightwind surfboard. Then you can play in waves too with smaller kites when the
wind picks up.
I love my door though...
How about a Mako King? Ask Buzz about them...
Yeah... I got a kite. Or two...
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lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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yeah both would be nice  . unfortunately neither are cheap options and both
would enslave me to my credit card balance for longer than I would like. I will end up with both eventually i'm sure 
Thanks for the heads up on the Ocean Rodeo gear, I don't think you can get the Flite in the UK yet, none of the OR dealers have one in stock. It does
look like a good design though - very similar to the Naish Fly/Park but 4 strut and with those venturi things.
I was going for the Fly because Its the pretty much the only freeride oriented Light wind kite around. I don't want a big heavy race focused kite like
a Zephyr or a turbine. + of course I have Naish control bars already and know the kites well in terms of set up, maintenance and tuning.
A surf board would definately get more use. lightwind riding with my 12m, and there are some great wave spots where I live. but at the same time it
wouldn't cover really light winds - it would just make 14kt sessions better. The 12m Park still wont fly properly in 10kt.
Hitting the road on a 2 week kite trip in mid June so I have time to think about it a bit more. I will organise some demo gear to try on the trip.
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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Kamikuza
Posts: 6415
Registered: 1-9-2005
Location: Shiga, JAPAN
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Checkout the Slingshot closeouts on their 2011/2012 surfboards - they're good prices and good boards! I'm eyeing a couple up here too...
Flite comes in a 15m too, which is, according to the website, more of a chuck-around kite. Hard to believe that the 17 is the
parS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n'ride version cos it's so fast!
I've flown the Fly, as I said... it's VERY stable, you can trim it just right with the stopper and it'll just sit in the sky. Does OK in "light wind"
for the tiny guys but for me, I wanted a bigger kite. It does pull downwind a lot, I found it very hard work in the legs to fight it upwind. The Flite
rockets upwind; it's just a better kite. Jumps were much the same, as was the feeling of using the kite. The Flite is pretty light too, I think I
measured it as 3.8kg.
Your thinking is the same as mine - get a surfboard to play around on when the winds not there 
Yeah... I got a kite. Or two...
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lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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Thanks Kami, I think its worth me getting in in touch with a few of the Ocean Rodeo dealers to see when they might have demo kites available.
Was it a 2012 Fly you tried? I heard they didn't have great upwind ability and also that they have improved it for the 2013 which is the one I'm going
to get a demo session with.
I'm around 80kg and won't really being trying to ride in anything less than 10kt. I usually get the foils out and ride on the beach when its really
light.
I really like the slingshot boards - getting lots of recommendations for them.
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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PHREERIDER
Posts: 5781
Registered: 2-13-2008
Location: SC
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Mood: chilled....but ready to SAIL!
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board is first element for light.
easiest is DOOR-like TT . BIG and slick ...eventually you just need more kite, FS which are very efficient in light but skill is needed to put it
together. ozone zephyr is powerful tube on low end most light wind tubes are kinda the same and good up to about 20.
the directional route works just requires different skill set than TT, a board around 50liters + with a darty quad set up. actually quite fun... my
TT v. directional really about the same low end. works well for lighter riders like <175.
AND the one that beats all, no matter the kite could be anything 12m or better, a race board its like the directional just all business, very fast
! i have ridden and had some fair rides but truly humbling...since my strapless surf has progressed confidence with a race would be better, but no
urge AT ALL to get one.
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Kamikuza
Posts: 6415
Registered: 1-9-2005
Location: Shiga, JAPAN
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Yeah, probably a 2012… I liked it otherwise, but I couldn't see what the noise was about with the Fly, it was ok as a 'light wind' kite and it
didn't seem to do anything better than the Crossbows, except turn quickly.
The Flite though—SO much better!  every aspect of what a kite is, is better
than the Fly.
I can get people not into doors—I prefer smaller boards but being big 'n' heavy, I can throw them around a bit easier. They work for me 
Had a lot of fun 'riding' waves on them too, which is why I look for a surfboard thing this year.
Yeah... I got a kite. Or two...
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Sier_Pinski
Posts: 189
Registered: 4-27-2013
Location: Missouri City, Texas
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I was thinking of getting something like a Slingshot Glide as my first surfboard. I take it that there are no major disadvantages to using a bigger
board if you are not going to use it for freestyle purposes--will the board work just as well in high wind/choppy water, for example?
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Kamikuza
Posts: 6415
Registered: 1-9-2005
Location: Shiga, JAPAN
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For chop, you want a board with a soft ride - flex. I think 
High-wind will depend on your kite options - you can go to smaller kites sooner, which may mean rigging more than one kite sometimes.
Glide is quite narrow for a light-wind board, IIRC: they're only 40cm wide? You want 45 or more. Length is secondary to width, rocker and profile.
Yeah... I got a kite. Or two...
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Sier_Pinski
Posts: 189
Registered: 4-27-2013
Location: Missouri City, Texas
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Yeah, I don't know any of this board-science stuff, I just saw the Glide as a light wind board option in a brochure I got. I'm just a landboarder, so
I'm not too knowledgeable about kitesurfing physics. I know that there are many other options for lightwind boards out there; I'm just too lazy as of
yet to research them all. 
Thanks for the advice.
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lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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Has anyone tried some of the other options - Blade Fat Lady, Epic Infinity, Ozone Zephyr? I've flown the Slingshot turbine but its too slow for my
liking.
@ Sier Pinski The glide is a a lot of board at 160cm. If you have not kitesurfed before it may be good for getting your waterstarts but not a lot
else.
Learn on something of more standard dimensions and it will take you a good long way into your kitesurfing career. You should at least be riding upwind
consistently and turning before you start looking at specialised equipment unless light winds are all you get to play with
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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Kamikuza
Posts: 6415
Registered: 1-9-2005
Location: Shiga, JAPAN
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Tried the Infinity v2. I think there's a review on here... not my cup of tea.
Seriously, I keep banging on about it but the Flite is a stunningly good kite. I was out on it again tonight… so much fun! Try one if you can, I
think you'll like it!
Yeah... I got a kite. Or two...
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PHREERIDER
Posts: 5781
Registered: 2-13-2008
Location: SC
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Mood: chilled....but ready to SAIL!
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i been on Tri's ozone zephyr 17m , definitely a choice unit for light. and several different door combos .
VAN's carbon DOOR, can't remember the size, + the zephyr, upwind and a few small jumps in light 10-12, super flat water. for 200# about as much
as you can get for TT. a skilled lighter guy could rip it up. for simple low technical application TT set up its hard to beat.
these units are big and slow, kinda the nature of the beast, but power deluxe.
have to stay light wind riding can be done. standing starts give greater access. and the net power balance is tedious. not really a beginners
starting point.
ozone zephyr/door combo +1.
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van
Posts: 1177
Registered: 8-22-2006
Location: sugarland-richmond Texas
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Mood: ride ! ride ! ride !
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The door you used at JIBE was a 159. I really like Don's Zephyr with the door.
US-00 ( That\'s right baby .. double O!!)
Engines:
8m charger, 10m Scorpion, 15m phantom, 19m venom, 5m npw9, 8m npw-ha, 9m switchblade , 14m Ozone Catalyst
Rides:
VTT Black Widow, VTT Stinger Race, Flexboardz Haize, Trampa , Spleene HT Door 59, MTH custom twin tip
713-499-0100
http://www.shopvtt.com
http://www.vantantech.com |
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van
Posts: 1177
Registered: 8-22-2006
Location: sugarland-richmond Texas
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Mood: ride ! ride ! ride !
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Quote: Originally posted by Sier_Pinski  | | I was thinking of getting something like a Slingshot Glide as my first surfboard. I take it that there are no major disadvantages to using a bigger
board if you are not going to use it for freestyle purposes--will the board work just as well in high wind/choppy water, for example?
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You are down the street from me so just let me know when you want to try out my door
US-00 ( That\'s right baby .. double O!!)
Engines:
8m charger, 10m Scorpion, 15m phantom, 19m venom, 5m npw9, 8m npw-ha, 9m switchblade , 14m Ozone Catalyst
Rides:
VTT Black Widow, VTT Stinger Race, Flexboardz Haize, Trampa , Spleene HT Door 59, MTH custom twin tip
713-499-0100
http://www.shopvtt.com
http://www.vantantech.com |
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lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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@ Kami - I'm on it! it doesn 't seem to be available anywhere I have tried yet. My goto shop doesn't stock Ocean Rodeo unfortunately. they are great
at getting me demo's.
@Phree - Thanks I'm hearing good things about the Zephyr from others too. I can demo it at the same place i am demoing the new Fly so its on the list.
When I say light winds i'm looking for something to work 8-14kt I can get a great session on the Park 12m at 14kt + . I'm not really after something
which will work right down at 4-6 kt
Rapidly progressing away from the beginner stage. 4 weeks ago I could barely get upwind, now i can slide turn, carve turn on both edges, ride upwind
toeside, do frontside 180's and I'm starting to pop and boost.
I want to ride light wind to maximise my time on the water but also because it will force me to work on perfecting my stance and kite control and make
me a better rider overall.
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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Kamikuza
Posts: 6415
Registered: 1-9-2005
Location: Shiga, JAPAN
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If you can ride a Park 12 in 14 knots, a 17 Zephyr or Flite will rock.
... I still can't ride upwind toeside or toeside at all, in my goofy direction
Lightwind is great for trying out new stuff... especially when it's steady.
Yeah... I got a kite. Or two...
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mdpminc
Posts: 292
Registered: 1-5-2010
Location: Kitchener, Ontario
Member Is Offline
Mood: so want to get out, but no free time :-(
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Don't forget about line extensions,
our local guru Mark the "Extender" Markite is the extensions and a light wind specialist  around here.
If anyone can milk the air that is barely moving, he is the dude to ask.
I am sure he will have a good combo to recommend for light winds 
Foils: Phantom2 15, Aurora 19 custom, F-1200, S-840, JN Luis 10, JN Randas 8
Inflados: Ocean Rodeo: Flite 17.5m, Rise LW15m, Razor 12m and 10m, Prodigy 7m
Boards: Mako Duke, Mako King, 6'6" Bushman shortned to 5'8"
Land 'n snow: "Tsar" RC2000 Nobile, 150 SantaCruz TT with IceBlade, 159 Mongoose Grand Slalom
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lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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yeah 14tk is the bottom end of my Park. Naish reckon 12kt but its really hard to get speed in the upstroke when you are doing big Power stokes off the
water start. Apparently they improved the low end in the 2013 model (mine is 2012) sweet spot is 15-20 but it will handle more. I tend to change to
the 10m if its getting over 20.
I love toe side! I find it easier to get my weight off the board and on the kite when i'm on my toes. I struggle to slide round on my goofy tack
though and goofy heel to toe carves are also harder but i can get them on the bigger kites. I can't pop at all when i'm goofy, so frontside rotations
are out too!. Heelside i am pretty even with either foot forward.
Pretty much settled on getting a kite. the board can wait. on my third day of no kitesurfing at the moment but 14-17 forecast tomorrow and then more
nothing!
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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lunchbox
Posts: 1248
Registered: 3-13-2007
Location: Agoura Hills, CA.
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Mood: Feeling Lucky...
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Board!
IMHO, if you got waves...ride a surfboard!
I haven't tried the 'surfboards' from kite manufactures but when I looked at their lineups, they seem awfully small to me...I'm about 210lbs so I need
volume and a little more length. And our waves here are more mushy as opposed to punchy.
And if you want to surf with a kite as opposed to kitesurf, just get a regular surfboard. You'll lose the durablility aspect of course, but get more
of a surf feel IMHO.
...and if you want to go in light wind, a longboard is another option...I tried mine a few times and had a blast.
Have fun!
Flexifoil Blurr 2.5, Ozone Cult 3.5, Nasa Star 3 4.0 Ozone Yakuza 4.0, PL Reactor 4.9, JoJo RM+ 5.0, Ozone Method 5.0, Ozone Yakuza 6.0, Flexifoil
Blade IV 6.5, Nasa Star 3 7.0, PL Vapor 7.8, JoJo RX 8.0 (in route), Flexifoil Blade VIP 8.5, PL Vapor 9.4, Ozone Yakuza 10.0, PL Reactor II 10.8, PL
Vapor 16.1, PL Venom II 13, PL Charger 15, 19, Flysurfer Unity 12, Flysurfer Pulse 2 14, Flysurfer Speed 2 SA 19, Flysurfer Speed 3 21, MBS Comp 95
landboard, PL Folding buggy, PL XR+ buggy, Slingshot LFT, Lots of surfboards
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lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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I do paddle surf a little but mostly on an 8'6" long board in small clean waves. The big breaks here are hollow, heavy and have strong rips - they are
a bit beyond a casual surfer like me. I do have a 6'6" by 20 1/4" low volume thruster that may work with a kite. its 13-16kt today so I might give
that a try.
There are quite a lot of good wavespots for onshore stuff with the kite. Once I get a bit of practice on flat water I will be in the waves for sure.
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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PHREERIDER
Posts: 5781
Registered: 2-13-2008
Location: SC
Member Is Offline
Mood: chilled....but ready to SAIL!
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i have a firewire sweet potato 6'2" x (23") 56L . it is the coolest ride, i am not a surfer( well maybe i am now ) . definitely gets low wind
rides going, though i still need decent power to have fun . the start in light air a bit challenging but once up it zooms . its a quad set up with
double concave bottom seems very versatile. actually went surfing in small waves the other day and for a 200# guy its assume, to get up on it
easier than i thought. definitely a consideration.
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tridude
Posts: 4097
Registered: 10-20-2006
Location: South Carolina
Member Is Offline
Mood: Semper in excretum sum sed alta variat................alwayz in the crap but the depth varys.........
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Great board Phree and Van your door is awesome..........thankz for sharing at JIBE.......I have 6' Davo fish in quad config and is versatile and gets
going low on the Zephyr around 11 mph and 9ish on the 15m SA2............if you can find a fish shape in the 6 to 6' 2 range go for it......more
volume than the thruster shapes and IMO more versatile...........
17m Ozone Zephyr (2012)
15m Flysurfer Silver Arrow 2
12m Ozone Catalyst (2013)
10m Ozone Catalyst (2012)
MTH Colonel Reb customs 160x45 carbon, 141x43 wood
Wainman Joke & Demitri Pro
11'6 Naish Nalu
6' Davo Fish
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lives2fly
Posts: 580
Registered: 12-17-2009
Location: Outer Hebrides UK
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You know when you think you know something and it turns out you don't?
Light winds at the weekend and I ended up borrowing this guys board. A Nobile Flying Carpet 160x46. As I mentioned i have tried a couple of Door type
boards before (slingshot glide and flydoor 170) and did not like them at all.
Not sure if it was the board or that I have just got better at riding but this was amazing. It felt like a much smaller board! tacked upwind easiliy,
was really responsive in the turns and pops better than my 142 switch!
The only problem I have now is that there is yet another toy on the "must own" list! I'm still going to get a lightwind Kite first. Finally found an
OR dealer with a 17.5 Flite I can try. Nobody has the 15 unfortunately
15m Naish Fly,12m & 7.5m Naish Cults, 10m & 12m Naish Parks, 9m Naish Bolt, 6m & 14m Naish X3's, 13m PL Venom, 10m & 6m Ozone
Access,
1.5m flexi Buzz, 3.5m Flexifoil Bullet, 4.7m flexi Rage, 5.6m PL Twister II, 6.6m flexi Blade, 8.0m HQ Toxic
Flexdeck Landboard, Nobile Flying Carpet 160, Airush Switch 142, Slingshot Misfit 136, Naish Monarch 134, North Whip 5'8", Fischer Skis,
Palmer & Drake Snowboards.
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