10 Tips When Demoing a TwinTip

fassn8 · Since 24 Apr 2007 14 Posts

Original article posted on TrakDat.com:
http://www.trakdat.com/blog/?p=66

It's that time of year again. The time when all the manufactures have released their 2011 gear and you're likely considering some new toys. I for one am a serious gear head and can't help myself from wanting new stuff each year. Let's face it, you do too. Anyway, I thought I'd put together a couple articles about testing new gear. So with the help of Susi Mai (Cabrinha), Tom Court (North), Bill Tai (IKA Olympic Ambassador), and Adam Rodriguez (Liquid Force) I've put together the first article in the series to help you choose your next TwinTip board. As someone once told me when I started kiting, “It’s called kiteBOARDing. The board is a big part of it.”

Demo Rule #1 - Minimize the number of variables in any demo.

“It's always best to test one thing at a time (kite or board, not both at once) since you can then really focus on it and it's very clear what you're doing.” -- Susi Mai, Cabrinha

There's a few things you should know, before you get on the water, when it comes to trying out a new stick. You should first understand what each element of the board means and why the manufacturer has chosen it.

“With boards there are a few essential variables that designers work with, understanding what those variables mean can help reduce the confusion when trying out boards, and minimize the number of boards you need to demo. Remember, there is no free lunch, everything has a tradeoff” -- Adam Rodriguez, Liquid Force

1. Rocker - Lay the board on the ground bottom side down. As you look from end to end you should see some degree of curvature in the board with the tips being higher than the center. The amount of curve is called “rocker”. More rocker typically means softer landings and a smoother overall ride in choppy conditions. However a board with more rocker will tend to be slower and have worse upwind ability compared to flatter boards. Note - If you ride with boots, you’ll definitely want more rocker.

2. Flex - Meaning how flexible is the board? Generally speaking more flex will give you a softer ride in the chop and provide you with softer landings from your jumps. The tradeoff is that you can’t “load” the board with as much force when you’re trying to jump. So a stiffer board will often be described as having more “pop” off the water. Taking a board in hand on land and flexing it in the middle is basically a useless way to test flex...the flex you care about is in the tips, not the middle. Take if for a ride to really know.

3. Outline - A board with narrow tips will have worse upwind performance than a board with wide tips. However wide tips usually means a harsher, less carvy ride and can lead to more spray in the face.

4. Bottom contours - Board designers love to put channels and concave on a board. These can help with board tracking, landings, and a smoother ride. Don’t get hung up on finding a board with or without a specific contour. Try a couple and see what you like. Remember the bottom contour is just one of many board attributes.

5. Avoid “aspirational features” - Make sure you’ll actually use the “features” described by the manufacturers. For example, if a board features significant channels for better finless riding when hitting kickers and rails, but you don’t ever do this (or even know what it means), this feature shouldn’t really matter to you. Just because Ruben or Dre’s board has XYZ doesn’t mean you’ll kite like them.

6. Fins - Fins are some of the most expensive parts of a board. G10 fins are the nicest you can get, but not many board companies supply them these days. larger fins help with carving while smaller fins give the board a looser feel and make it easier to land complicated tricks without the fins catching if you don't land it just right. Contrary to popular belief, big fins do NOT always help with upwind, in fact the additional drag may actually make going upwind more difficult.

7. Stance - A wider stance makes landing complicated tricks easier. It also helps in overpowered conditions as it gives you more control. A narrower stance can give you less spray in the face and often easier upwind performance in underpowered conditions. Try this: Before you go out on the water, squat down on the beach and jump into the air as high as you can (without the board) 2 times. When you land the second jump, don’t move your feet. notice how far apart your feet are. Notice the angle of them. It’s likely that you’re toes are pointed a little outwards (referred to as “ducked out”). Now match that stance on the board by adjusting the pads. Don’t be afraid of a wide, ducked out stance. Try it. Don’t be afraid to move the pads. I’d avoid boards or straps that don’t offer you many options in terms of stance. Glued down pads on a TwinTip SUCK.

8. Foot pads - Perhaps the most misleading pieces of equipment when it comes to demoing a board. Here’s what I mean: Let’s say you’re taking a brand new Porsche 911 out for a test drive and the drivers seat has a big piece of plastic poking you in the back. Unlikely I know, but go with it for a minute. This piece of plastic is really painful. Each turn you take, each exhilarating acceleration results in utter pain in your back. You’ll likely not enjoy the ride. You’ll certainly not be able to remember exactly how the car handled in corners. You’re test drive of the vehicle will have been thwarted by one small thing. Foot pads are the same way. When you step into a board, you’re essentially standing in the drivers seat. If the pads aren’t adjusted perfectly, it’s unlikely you’ll enjoy the ride. It’s also unlikely that you’ll actually be demoing the board itself since your experience will be dictated by the pads. So... Take your time on the beach to adjust the straps to your liking. This includes, the stance (see above). It’s best to get the straps wet first then adjust them to allow for any stretching in the water. If you don’t like the straps during a demo, you’re probably not goint to like them down the road. But remember, straps can be changed. The characteristics of the board can’t. Consider asking the shop/rep if you can put your own straps and pads on the board. This is the best way to appreciate the actual board and compare it to the one you’re riding now. Bottom line, make sure you’re demoing the board and not just the straps.

"Anything that bothers you on your first demo is going to get worse, not better. If the straps aren’t 100% comfortable, replace them or move on." -- Bill Tai (IKA Olympic Ambassador)

9. Location, Location, Location - Make sure you demo a board in the same type of conditions that you usually ride in. If you normally ride in flat water don’t demo boards in the surf and think it’s gonna be the same. Best thing to do is to test boards at your local spot. Also, if you’re in the market for a new board try to demo a few on the same day. It’s hard to remember how they feel a few days later.

“It's important to try and demo boards in the same spot and preferably on the same day, as conditions can really affect the way some gear feels.” -- Susi Mai, Cabrinha

10. Have a list - Put a short list of moves/movements that you can repeat on each board. For example, if you put each board through the same general set of turns, jumps, and landings you’ll get a good sense of how each performs. Note how the board goes upwind, how it handles chop or waves, how it feels going toeside, etc. Try it all, but make sure you test each board the same way.

“I try the same few tricks dozens of times on each board so I know exactly how each one feels.” -- Tom Court, North

At the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference. What works for me may not work for you, but hopefully these tips help you find the board of your dreams. Let me know.

-Jason