Kitesurfer.us Demo Days

The Month of October was demo time at Kitesurfer.us Tried 3 boards and 2 kites, and the following is a detailed review of the equipment.

On the board side, I had some amazing runs in light winds going strapless on the Wainman Hawaii Wide Style 5'8" surfboard in small waves. First time in my life that I really felt like I was turning on a wave. The 3 fins in the back allow for great turning and also amazing upwind ability. Find a good break up wind? You're there in 10 minutes! When the conditions got mental in Nahant with overhead high waves, I put the straps back on. Now to catch a good wave in those conditions, I think I just need more practice. Jumping is insane, coz the carving response is so direct.

The Wainman Hawaii 130 cm Blunt Twintip is a great board for doing tricks. I'm more of a wave rider, so I found that I sometimes dug the nose, it required a style of riding which isn't totally my speed.

Now, the Ocean Rodeo Mako King 165cm is my kind of craft! I rode it today at Pleasure Bay and it was a thing of beauty. It's such a smooth, soft ride, like sitting in the back of a Caddie. Riding toeside is delicious and stable. The concave bottom gives you insane upwind ability, and I am now waiting for a solid wave day to change the fins and footstraps around to ride it 'mutant' where it doubles as a directional and a twintip. This is a bold innovation, and I think they are on to something. More reports will be forthcoming when I can score a wave day. Halloween had me a little distracted.

On the kite side, I think the Wainman Hawaii Gypsy 7 is a must for anyone's quiver. Super responsive, slow when you want it to be, fast when you need it to be. Immense range. I had many of my best sessions to date this month with that baby. The Wainman Hawaii Bunny 5 is a little squirrely. I think you have to be way more finessed with your kite handling to get that thing to hop, but I'm sure it can be done.

Jean Dunoyer
Team Rider
Kitesurfer.us

Session Pictures: