Kiteboards: Small Vs Large - Versus Ep 08 - MACkiteboarding.com
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- Опубликовано: 4 дек 2017
- If you’ve been kiteboarding for a while, chances are you started on a smaller board. In 2017 the industry has trended towards larger boards. So is this just hype or here to stay?
10 years ago if you learned on a smaller board, it was for good reason. Kites haven’t always had the de-power that they do now. A lot of kite control started with the board, this is still the case with more aggressive kites like C-kites or even performances kites like the Dice and the Fx.
While these kites have much more de-power than their predecessors. Much of the kite control is still depended on the board. Conversely, this is much less consequential on freeride kites.
To new riders, I highly recommend a bigger board for the ease of use. To the experienced riders out there looking for a new board, I would say, don’t be afraid to go a little bigger. There are a lot of advantages going with a bigger board. If you’re paying attention to our industry and similar board sports like wakeboarding and cable boarding, you’ll see this is a common trend across the board.
So what do you get out of a bigger board?
For starters, it’s going to have more planeability. What that means is with a larger surface area, you’ll be able to get up on the board with less power from the kite. It’s also really nice on those gusty days with holes in the wind.
Opting for a larger board help power you through the holes in the wind. I’ve also found going for a larger board with a little more rocker makes for softer landings without sacrificing much pop. We’ll talk about rocker more in the next video.
What about smaller boards?
Some people still prefer smaller boards because they are lighter and you can go out a little overpowered with your kite. You know what, I totally get that. To give you perspective, at 175 pounds, I choose to ride anything from 140 cm to 144 depending how much rocker the board has. I also tend to favor boards that are a bit wider.
When I learned, I actually learned on a 135 cm. That’s a pretty big difference in boards and when I did ride smaller boards, I loved having my kite powered up as much as possible. You actually almost have to if you want to get any air or pop.
Now, what I realized is when opting for a bigger board, I had to change the way that I rode a little bit, but for the better. This is when I first learned about using board speed and technique for popping and boosting. The benefit for using a larger board is that you can ride a little underpowered and frankly, learning new tricks doesn't hurt near as bad when you're not lit up all the time.
So to this, I would say each to their own. Riding juiced up on a smaller board makes for it’s own unique style, while riding a larger board and using a smaller kite makes for easier progression and softer falls albeit, it will take you a few sessions to learn how to ride underpowered.
What is an appropriate board size for you?
It comes down to rider weight and you’ll want to consider the stance width as well. Opt for a board where you can stand comfortably with your feet in line with your shoulders or ideally just a bit wider.
Check out this great video Blake Olsen did on board stance here:
• Kiteboarding: How to S...
Regarding weight
- Under 100 pounds choose 115 cm to 127cm.
- 100 to 150 pounds choose 132 to a 138 cm
- 150 to 170 pounds go for a 135 to a 141cm
- 170 to 200 pounds, opt for a 139 to 145 cm
- 200 pounds and up, go for a 144 to a 165 cm.
So that’s it for this week. Next Wednesday we’ll talk about flat boards vs Rockered boards and the following week we'll cover construction basics like carbon, wood or the other various materials used and how they impact your ride.
As always please let us know your thoughts on this subject. Let's do a survey, comment what size board you use, how much you weigh and the size kites you pair it with. That way people doing research on boards can hear not only what I had to say, but what you had to say.
I'm sure their will be plenty of good feedback in kiteforum.com
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I was ready to quit kiteboarding when I first started. Had no board sport experience and my learning curve was huge. Until someone suggested I try a larger board. It was singlehandedly the one thing that got me going and kept me in the sport. Liquid Force Overdrive was the board. I still use it. Was like a lightbulb went off. I do think there is a point of diminishing returns...IE-- I'm not sure I'd put a beginner into a 160 or anything. However, I also wouldn't go smaller than something in the 140's. I would say almost every beginner should start with something around 140-145 and with decent width also. Another great video Rygo.
Instructions above give light weight riders relatively much bigger boards than for normal/heavy weight ones. Planing on the water is about weight vs board area, if you weight twice as much you should have twice as big board to have same loading on the water. If you weight 100lbs there is not available (except custom made ones) suitable board for you for high jumps or old school. If you weigh 160lbs and your friend weighs 210lbs and you have same sized boards don't wonder why your friend jumps much higher in high winds - it is because he can edge much harder with his smaller board to his weight. Most light weight kiters don't understand this because they have never tried small boards, they just keep on losing the edge and bouncing in the chop with their over-sized boards...
134 and 142. Width is more important, IMO, when talking bigger boards for light days. My 142(LF Overdrive) is really wide-45cm I believe. Great video Ryan but I wanted to mention the width thing. I will say this.... when I was first learning, going to a bigger board was probably the single most important aspect of getting up and riding. It made a TON of difference for me. I would advise anyone just starting to start with a big board. You won't outgrow it as it will evolve into your lightwind board. Keep up the videos. thanks
Michael Bradley Cheers, that's a great point I forgot! Agree 100% Width makes a huge difference. Thanks for the input. - Rygo
Great comment! Agree.
Awesome video! Thanks for the all this knowledge!
Vinicius Fonseca You got it my friend! Don't hesitate to request anything you'd like to hear about. - Rygo
thanks for the video!
I'm 5'10 and 140 lbs, usual windspeeds are between 20 and 35+ knots. Spot is wavy and if not on right tide the spot can be very choppy in-between the waves. Therefor a bigger board usually makes up for a bumpy ride. I use a Jaime 133 with Duotone Dice 5-7-9m2
Really great video and timely for me. I’m looking to upgrade from 2015 Crazyfly Shox 136x41. I’m an ocean rider, 140lbs, like carving and small airs 😁. Usual wind speed is 15-20mph, lotsa chop. Looking at the Shinn Glitch 135x42. It gives a little more surface area, and I’m hoping that it can be a light wind option for the 14-16mph days. Am I too hopeful here?😅 I have no idea how the difference in width will affect the ride either. Would love your thoughts. Thanks.
141. 200 lbs, 6'2" I like it and actually want a smaller board as well to depower my 14. Board works well with both my 10 and 14
I am a TOTAL beginner at kiteboarding but a longtime alpine snowboarder. I ride very long boards (185cm) but narrow (20cm). I love the length for stability and edge hold at speed. But, to my point, I like the narrowness for quickness of transition from edge to edge and the ability to hold it high on edge during a carve.
Anyway, my question is, does my thinking on snowboard width and ease of edge transition apply to kite boards as well? Also, if you go wider does it make it proportionately more difficult to hold the board up on an edge? My personal goal with kiteboarding (assuming I can do it at all starting at the age of 67) is to learn to carve similar to how I do on a snowboard with heel side/ toe side transitions at some speed and pulling some G’s. Probably too old for much ‘air’. I’m still just at the stage of learning kite control so have not been on a board yet. Thus, my conceptual framework is limited. Thanks for all your informative vids...
Start foiling for snowbording in pow feeling.
You guys should do a destination review to St Lucia - Coconut Bay. It is the best kept secret of the Caribbean, great destination! If you want to do it let me know and I can hook you up with the locals and the resort.
That's an awesome idea. I actually visited St Lucia in 2014. We'll be doing more Destinations episodes starting spring 2020. I'll keep that location in mind. Thanks for the recommendation. - Rygo
Hi, I'm 170lbs and I currently ride a 17 Cab Ace 135. I ride in really choppy conditions and its often hard to dig in to hold my edge when overpowered. I know i can go down in kites but I don't mind being overpowered Should I go up in board size ? I was thinking of getting a 2018 Cab XCaliber 138. I'm still fairly new to the sport (1 year of going upwind) and am mainly focusing on boosting and learning new tricks.
Great comparison! Any comments on ability to edge on bigger board in stronger winds?
Cheers! 🤙
bookeaterintube Thanks my friend. It's relative to how powered you are on your kite and how much rocker the board has. I'll go more into rocker next week. That said, if you are juiced and you have a big flat board, you'll pick up a lot of speed so it would be more difficult to hold an edge. Having more rocker will slow you down so it would be easier. All that said, just pick a smaller kite with a bigger board and you'll be fine. I hope that helps! What gear are you riding right now? - Rygo
Thanks a lot Rygo! I'm riding in North East Scotland. I have Crazy fly Raptor 137x40 and RRD easy kite 148x45!!. I'm still learning and I'm thinking about all round board which is somewhere in between ie 143. Your video helped me a lot in making my mind. Cheers!
Bigger is better 🤘
Right on-thanks for sharing your opinion, my friend. 🤙🏽 Good winds! -Aaron
Thanks for the video! What surprised me when you talked about big boards was how small they were. I make my own boards, but ride almost always my 160 and almost never feel the need to go shorter. It's fairly narrow, 39.5 I think, and fairly straight, not unlike a Slingshot Glide. I made it for light wind only, but now use it almost exclusively (partly because I only travel with one board). The surface area would not be much different to a wide-ish 145. I'm 175 pounds like you.
Anyhoo, a question: You've obviously experimented with board sizes more than me - I'm usually happy to be riding at all. Any comments or thoughts on what the disadvantages of such a long board might be? Where I might be holding myself back? (I'm just a normal, average rider - no crazy tricks - just riding around and jumping up and down.)
Jeff Rickard sorry I missed this comment last week. There are a lot of things that come into play with board design so it would be impossible for me to know any real advantages or disadvantages to your design without using it. That said, with those dimensions it reminds me of older mutant boards that bridged the gap between Twin tip and surf. The only things I can think is that the board might be a bit more difficult for rotational tricks and less incognito while traveling. That said,, it sounds like your enjoying it and traveling with it! If I were you, I'd demo other boards, taken note of design characteristics and modify if you enjoy making boards. I'll run this by Tucker here on Monday. He's a shaper so maybe he'll have something to add. Cheers - Rygo
I can confirm that a 160 board is a bit of a pain to travel with. But that said, once you have to fly with something longer than a standard suitcase it almost doesn't matter how much longer it is. The airlines usually allow up to 158cm bags for sports equipment, and I've never been given any grief over my 161cm bag. I have been wondering if I can make a split-board version of my 160 so it can pack into a normal suitcase.) As for the rotational tricks - I can't comment as I don't do them (yet). I'll trial some other boards as you suggest. Any comments from Tucker I'd love to hear!
thx for The Video :X
is Wakeboards usable for Wakestyle kiteboarding ?
It's possible depending on the board. A fast cable board can work okay if you have power. The Slingshot Refraction is an awesome wakestyle board however and not a far cry from some of their wakeboards. Cheers - Rygo
202 lbs and riding 138x40 flexifoil hadlow freestyle board, my first board was rrd 146x46 10 knots board. Not sure yet if i need more custom board.
You could always experiment. At 202, something in the 144 X 43 Range might be really useful. That said, you've likely gotten very proficient with your 138! - Rygo
I have a Jaime textreme 133/40 and love it!! (I am 180cm tall/small)
Yiimbob Yew, the Jaime Textreme is a really unique carbon board. So much to love about that kiteboard. - Rygo
Interesting, im 179 and 190 pounds (86 kg). And often have a feeling on my 137/41 carbon raptor that I want a one size bigger board. Exception when Im overpowered. So 133/40 for me would be enjoyable only with lots of wind
Is it recommended to use a slightly bigger Board when using Boots?
I weight 190lbs , ride only with Boots and have the choice between a 141/42,5 and 137/41,5. (eleveight Commander) Right, for lighter Winds the bigger Board would be better but if it's blowing hard and I want to be overpowered to Jump as high as possible, Im not sure if a big Board like that is a good choice. What sizes does the "Woo-Guys" use?
Where are you heading in Mexico? I am a desert rat so my home site is in the Sea of Cortez only 3.5 hours from Phoenix. 165 lbs. My small board is a 135 x 41 Xenon LaLuz which makes for some fun rides in normal windy conditions. For the light wind session saver I'll pull out the CrazyFly LW 154x44 and ride in minimal wind while others wish they had one, also a fantastic board for beginning riders learning to upwind but will be a permanent valuable part of the quiver.
190lbs. Mostly 154x41 Crazyfly. When it's windy, 122! I've been riding the 154 for about 8 yrs, and it's been interesting that it used to get comments like "That's enourmous! What are you doing!!?". These days it's just seen as normal. I'm only 5' 8", and I find the big board has a stance that is just a bit too wide for my comfort. Thanks guys, a great piece on boards.
Phil Horder It's funny how things change. Cheers!
Great Video Im a big fan of your videos as they're not biased.
I ride 138cm slingshot vision and it works good all around. Would you recommend going 140cm or bigger in order to notice the benefits of a bigger board?
Thanks my friend. You might find that you enjoy it. I've gone a little bigger every year and I never seem to regret it. How much do you weigh? - Rygo
@@MACkiteboarding same as you, 175lb
@@sergemann5951 Right on. I'd say go for it. This year I went all out on the Slingshot refraction 147. I would have thought that was crazy at the time I made this video but I'm digging it. The Vision is going to be wider so 140 would be awesome for you. - Rygo
Rygo, are you looking at your self on the flip out screen...? :-) Anyway, always great videos. 💐
Tomas Knutsson 😂 haha. I think I used a cell phone on this one! Cheers. - Rygo
why not take into account the width of the board? This is about planning area, where the width is actually more important. E.g. the board 140x41 has smaller area than 135x44... I ride Supershinn 137x44 at 90kg and it fits great.
Great addition my friend! Thanks for the input. - Rygo
because of the importance of rocker ....if you have a wide short board with high rocker then you still have a small wet surface area and therefore limited upwind abilty and hard landing ....width does not make up for lack of length the kitebaord has a high rocker .
Hello ..i am beginner and using 140 size cabrinha spectrum and my body weight approx 170pounds do i need to change or i can use the same..
So sorry, I missed this comment! Yes, the 140 spectrum will work fine. How's the progression coming along? -Rygo
230lbs 12 liquid force solo, 13.5 Best Kahoona, 17.5 Ocean rodeo. 146 x 42 liquid force and a lightwave board that is around 160 x 44. when the wind is 12-16 mph i'll use the lightwave board and my 17.5 kite. takes about 18 mph to get me up on the 146 board and the 12m solo.
Hey can I send you some gear questions? I'm your same weight and just getting started and would love some tips.
Hi, thanks for share this useful information, my question is: i am 75kg, i use boots and usually i ride in winds between 15 and 30 knots, in your opinion which of these two sizes should you choose, 139x42 or 142x43?
Gonçalo Palma that depends on your style and what board you are using. If the board has a lot of rocker do the 142. If it's a flat board the 139 will be a better fit.
Ok, thanks.
Hey Rygo, had a few lessons last year and really want to get into the sport this season. I'm ~175lbs and already bought 9m/12m Fx with a 44cm bar. Having a wakeboarding background i eventually want to progress onto riding boots. What type of board would you recommend buying? Do you guys have any experience with people learning on medium/high rocker boards? Cheers
EE Z Yeah it's totally possible it just makes going upwind a lot harder. You can boot up a flatter board too. While you can do any wake trick behind a kite, they are different sports with different tools. A lot of pro riders ride a rockered board because they ride so powered up. With that FX you'll want a fast board for pop. The air rush live wire is a great board for unhooking. The Liquid Force Echo is the perfect blend of wake yet efficient. Feel free to give me a call today and we can talk about options. 800 622 4655
Thanks. Unfortunately im from the eu! Had an eye on the Slingshot Misfit/Crisis, since im not really comfortably going upwind yet. Do you reckon the Echo would be beginner friendly enough to get comfortable with a kite? Plus point def. is that it is ridable at the cable. Really appreciate the vids, keep it up!
EE Z No worries, if you're into wakestyle, and you want a faster board, get the Slingshot Asylum. The Misfit will be easier to learn with but the Asylum is a great middle ground. I think the newer Echo has more rocker now but I found it easy enough to ride upwind.
Hey again! Im kinda stuck deciding between 2018 Vision/Asylum. The vision has 2mm less rocker than the asylum, but it is also 1cm shorter with its 140cm vs. the 141cm asylum. I'll be riding straps until i feel save handling the kite. Btw. are you guys planning on doing a Vision vs. Asylum? Cheers
EE Z They are both great choices. As a newer kiteboarder, even with wake experience, you'll be a little better off with the Vision. It's not going to hold you back at all. You'll progress fast and likely love it for years to come.
i have two boards that i enjoy riding. My first one is a Spleene Rip HT 139x47. It has little rocker and it fairly stiff compared to my other board. i ride it with a 15m or a 13m kite on lighter wind days. My other board is my go to everyday board and its my Tona Pop LTD 138x41.5 with a bit more rocker and a lot more flex. I use this board with a 9m 11m and 13m kite. I am 160lbs both boards go up wind very well with the Spleene being slighly better. The Tona has softer landings and i dont catch my edge as much as i do with my Spleene. My Tona i use slingshot rad boots and on my Spleene i use a set of Spleene pads and straps.
Do you think a 134 slingshot asylum is the right size for somebody with 135lb? Or would you take 138? Cheers
At your weight, you'll be just fine. That is a great size for you. The Asylum is a fast efficient board. Cheers - Rygo
Thank you! Keep up the good work :-)
You should also mention board width as board 138x43 has more surface area than 140x41
Good point !
Great comment my friend. I love how the comment section always fills in any details I miss! Thanks for contributing to the conversation. - Rygo
agree with width comments - more important than length
I weigh 165lbs, I use Best GP 9, 11 & 13m kites, and I ride a 130*40 Naish Monarch (with straps). I got a good deal on the board, I definitely regret buying it however.. It is too small, in combo with kites that have a narrow windrange I spend way to much time and energy crawling back upwind, this slows down my progression.. I am looking to buy a low to medium rocker board of around 136..
oh btw, I do love the Naish Monarch!
Bastiaan Good call. 130 cm would be frustrating with that combo. You're going to be stoked when you size up for sure! - Rygo
185lb - 136x40,5 should I get a bigger board?
UnknownHumanoid It depends on what you like. See if you can try a friends 141 to feel the difference. Cheers - Rygo
Shinn Monk 134 x 42 with a 9m Core XR5 in anything over 20kts, less than 20kts I wanna foil, I'm 190kg in the summer and 200kg after Christmas. Newbies to my local spot (Meon Solent, UK) need to learn the difference between "wind with tide and wind against tide" so they pick the right kite, it really used to confuse me.
Iain Macaskill Thanks for the comment and the great idea. I'll do a video on that soon my friend! - Rygo
200kg, thats like 36 stone. do you mean lbs?
Scott Callahan, goodness only knows how we built the British Empire using imperial units, I mean weighing people in "Stones" does feel a little Flintstones. Anyway you're correct, I'm 90-95kg and with all the warm winter gear about 100kg. Roll on Summer.
i am 13 and use 9.7.5 kites and a 120 slingshot board and a liqid force 131board
Height?
Im 97kg and ride 134x42 and finding it at tad wide ... thou very experienced rider....
Board size is for everybody different. Some people prefer smaller boards, others prefer bigger. I always use a 132 X 39 or 132 X 41. A bigger board does not feel that good for me.
Hi I’m 200 pounds I ride a few boards. All underground , 141x42 Tahee, 146x44 future, 142x43 Styx
james sutton Sounds like you have a well rounded quiver of boards! Now that's the ticket to making the most out of any session.
Hey Rygo, I'm 203lbs (92kg), 180cm tall and ride boots with a 12m Dice. The board I have now is 140cm and is a beginner board (holding me back) and really getting into unhooking. Thinking of getting a 149cm board with some rocker. I'm looking at the 2019 Axis Tranq. Would appreciate your advice. Cheers.
Jonathan Albertini Right on. Yeah something bigger would help for sure. I don’t have the chance to try axis boards often and I’ve never tried the Tranq. That said , Alex the rider who designed it is 100% one of the most knowledgeable unhooked riders I’ve ever met. I’m sure you’ll love it. Otherwise, the Slingshot refraction or the Duotone gambler are great choices. Im running the 147 refraction these days. - Rygo
160 lbs without 5mil wetsuiti+boots+gloves, you ever heard of the shinn monk , would you recommend the 42x135 or 41 x133 , i live in ontario, winds not the greatest
Nice explanation 👌 For 66kg , 1.90m height which size would be preferable ? 136 or 138?
136 for your weight also if for your height would be better 138, you should try both
I'm 175 lbs and I ride anywhere from 132-140 depending on which kite I'm flying. Old school board-off with super high aspect kite - 132cm, Small big air kite like the 9M Core XR in thumping conditions - 135cm carbon, lower thermal winds, 13M+ freestyle 139cm super stiff freestyle boards.
I think the board material and construction adds more to riding than size. For example: 135cm vs 137cm isn't going to make that much difference but how the corners are rounded, how much flex it has in the middle and on the edges makes a big difference. You don't want a board that does well in chop but is soggy. But then you don't want a board that nice and stiff with great pop but it jars your teeth.
Also the foot straps (binding) there is a BIG difference there. For example Cabrinha H1 vs H2. H2 has much more adjust-ability but it's so heavy it changes how you ride and what board you need.
Jin Kim Lot's of great points here. I'll get into construction soon and hit the variables and trade offs that I know. Thanks for the great comment. I'm certain someone will find this useful! - Rygo
Which part of Mexico??
Noah Yves Letellier Cárdenas Progresso. Do you ride there or know of it Noah? - Rygo
MACkiteboarding yes, I ride in progreso and isla blanca
Noah Yves Letellier Cárdenas Nice! Friends have told me great things about Isla Blanca. It's on my radar for a future trip. I've really enjoyed Progeso. It's a fun spot for progression and the crew here is great!
MACkiteboarding yeah, progreso is really nice and windy but Isla Blanca is butter flat, easy to learn and progress, perfect for freestyle
Noah Yves Letellier Cárdenas That's what I'm told. No doubt I'll check it out my next trip down here. - Rygo
265lbs- 150x50 shinn king gee and a 164 spleene door, 10m, 12m north evo and a naish fly😁
how much wind to get up on that 10m?
scott callahan 22-35mph I try not to go out once wind is over that, for now. It’s not used too often.
That’s 26mph not 22.
170 lbs, 150CM OR Mako.
Good stuff but the music is way toooo loud when you’re speaking
too much bla bla bla!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then make your own video chump.