Last week I tested out the RRD Toxic Wave. Its looked like just what I wanted for a more wave orientated board, yet still keeping the twin-tip ability to ride it switch without gybing. The toxic wave is 148cm long, which gives it a bit more length and volume to actually ride the waves without being to bulky for the some basic tricks and boosts.
The toxic has a thruster fin setup at the back end of the board, which aid in doing real nice big carves compared to a twintip. If found it a little hard to get a real hard edge at times, with a bit more time on the board I'm sure I could improve my edging technique for this board.
My biggest dislike of the board was with the footstraps. I normally ride Airush board which have some of the best footstraps in the biz. Admittedly, the straps are symmetrical so you can gybe, but as the board rides still rides well switch, I would rather setup some more comfy straps each session depending on which way you would mainly be riding the waves.
I'd really like to try the board again in some better wave conditions, it would have been perfect for my 20km cross-off waveriding downwinder in Esperence last weekend. A new 08 kite is higher up on the shopping list though, so I'll have to suffice with my Airush Hammer in the waves for now, which isnt a bad thing.
The demo board was courtesy of SOS Surf in Fremantle, Perth.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
2008 RRD Type 9
A couple of weeks ago I had a chance to try one of the new 2008 RRD Type 9 kites from the guys at SOS Surf, my size of choice being the 7m. I bailed work early that day and took the kite down to Melville where the polies normally go. The wind was a bit on and off, and I thought it might be too light for the 7. When it picked up little bit again I quickly setup and got a launch.
I took off, sined the kite back down, and oh crap, I almost crashed it into the water! The kite just flew across the window before I even realised. I took a couple of tacks to get a feel for it, then started with some basic jumps and front rolls.
It had been a while since I'd done any (intentional :P) kiteloops, a few hard spankings takes the fun out of it a bit. With this tight turning lil ripper, the confidence levels were up again. Get some speed, crank, load, pop, really crank it, whooosh yeaaahhhh!. splash. Did a few more, with cheering from the shore (weeeee!) and some with clean landings, this thing is a kiteloop machine. What a rush :)
Despite the jumps, kiteloops and average wind, I managed to stay upwind the whole time, which was pretty impressive for such a little kite. It ate up the gusty wind quite well and the power delivery in the turns/transitions was noticeably more constant compared to my other small kite, an 8m '06 GK Sonic.
The frigid weather and dropping wind cut the session short. While Ben had a go, me and Kat jumped up and down to maintain some feeling in our extremities. Afterwards Ben commented that it was the best kiting he'd seen me do, which was really just his way of saying 'about time you did some more big ballsy kiteloops'. Can't wait to give this kite another run.
I took off, sined the kite back down, and oh crap, I almost crashed it into the water! The kite just flew across the window before I even realised. I took a couple of tacks to get a feel for it, then started with some basic jumps and front rolls.
It had been a while since I'd done any (intentional :P) kiteloops, a few hard spankings takes the fun out of it a bit. With this tight turning lil ripper, the confidence levels were up again. Get some speed, crank, load, pop, really crank it, whooosh yeaaahhhh!. splash. Did a few more, with cheering from the shore (weeeee!) and some with clean landings, this thing is a kiteloop machine. What a rush :)
Despite the jumps, kiteloops and average wind, I managed to stay upwind the whole time, which was pretty impressive for such a little kite. It ate up the gusty wind quite well and the power delivery in the turns/transitions was noticeably more constant compared to my other small kite, an 8m '06 GK Sonic.
The frigid weather and dropping wind cut the session short. While Ben had a go, me and Kat jumped up and down to maintain some feeling in our extremities. Afterwards Ben commented that it was the best kiting he'd seen me do, which was really just his way of saying 'about time you did some more big ballsy kiteloops'. Can't wait to give this kite another run.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Gale force
Today is one the windiest day I've seen (and felt!) on the charts in Perth since I've started kiting. Normally at work I can't hear anything outside but today its really roaring at especially as the gusts hit. The graphs from seabreeze.com.au show a cranking 40+kts at Ocean Reef! A couple of dedicated kiters were out at Scarborough on their 5m's.
I'll have to get a little kite one day too so I can take on the elements the next time its this wild. Check out this vid of some big boosts on a nuking day in Wales.
I'll have to get a little kite one day too so I can take on the elements the next time its this wild. Check out this vid of some big boosts on a nuking day in Wales.
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