For those lucky enough to attend the 2011 Surf Expo, we are sure you are as excited as we are about the awesome range of new kitesurfing products lined up for 2012.
For everyone else who couldn’t make it, we thought we would share our top 10 favourite products spotted at the Expo for 2012.
Slingshot Joint Binding
The transition from your traditional strap binding to full wake board style boots is made easy by the new Slingshot Joint. It gives you that secure lock down feel while still enabling you to eject and kick out. Putting these bindings on your board is like having a brand new board! They give you the ability to land harder and go faster, while offering the stability and support of a wake board boot.
Slingshot Joint Binding
Check it out: Slingshot Joint Binding
North Skimfish Board
North Skimfish Board
A really great kiteboard for those not so great kiting days. Make your ride more enjoyable and fun.
This board cuts upwind easily in light wind, rides smoothly in chop and performs on key for strapless tricks. Its hydrodynamic shape, rounded nose and hips, with a fish-like tail, make carving in the small surf effortless.
Check it out: North Skimfish (Link no longer exists)
Wainman 7.5 Mr. Green Kite
These sexy kites are sure to get you noticed on the water. The 2nd generation Wainman Rabbit kites added 3 new sizes to the team. The 6.25 Gypsy, 7.5 Mr. Green and 10.5 Punch. The gang has fine tuned their already awesome line-up so be sure to add one to your arsenal.
Wainman – 7.5 Mr Green
Check it out: Wainman 7.5 Mr. Green Kite
Litewave Lace-up Sandal Binding
“Girl-friendly” binding that really hugs your feet. Its patented design keeps the strap secure on your feet while the foot pad is independently secured to the board.
Litewave Lace-up Sandal
This is what Dave says about his product:
The patented Litewave Lace-up Sandal is the best foot-to-board connection available. A 6” wide lace-up section covers more of your foot for more edge control than a footstrap.
The injection moulded pad is soft and superbly contoured to keep your heel locked in, form-fit your arch, and a toe-shelf lets you really hang on with your toes. Cool thing is that the lace-up part uniquely attaches to the footpad independently of the screw that holds only the pad down to the board. This makes it super easy to attach and remove, much like a wakeboard binding.
The Hybrid Lace-Up Sandal comes standard on all Litewave twin-tip boards or is available separately.
Two sizes: S/M (women’s) and L/XL. Black only.
- Extra wide instep
- Heel curb
- Toe ledge
- Injected EVA base
- Unique thermoform top texture
MSRP: $149
Check it out: Litewave Lace-up Sandal
Kite Repair Kit
FixMyKite.com Kite Repair Kits
Unique quick fix kite repair kits that won’t break the bank. The one of a kind Sleeving Kit only costs $5.99 for example and every product has online demo tutorials.
I saw their product at the Surf Expo and was impressed.
Check it out: FixMyKite.com
Flysurfer Speed 3 Light Wind Kite
You have to see it to believe it. This kite flies in virtually no wind, no matter the size of the rider. Work is not in the way anymore when you can kite any day! Truly one of a kind product with the longest hang time in the biz.
12M, 15M, 19M & 21M – wind range is as low as 4 knots.
Flysurfer Speed 3 Kite
Check it out: Flysurfer Speed 3
Jimmy Lewis Fly Weight SUP
Why have all the fun on your own? Get your kids in the water with the ultimate kids’ SUP. Awesome for waves and flat water, complete with full nose deck pad. The 8’ x 26 x 3 1/2, 87L board comes with a thruster fin set.
Check it out: Jimmy Lewis Fly Weight SUP
Liquid Force – Twin Skim Board
Liquid Force Twin Skim Board
Expand your horizons with this skim/wake skate board. Pop an ollie or rip the waves! When it comes to water sports, Liquid Force is on top of their game. Its 51” x 20” design can be used without fins and straps so you can really feel the waves.
Check it out: Liquid Force Twin Skim
Lavacore Thermal Protection
Stylish yet comfortable, these polytherm suites will keep you warm and going strong. The PU film layer provides water resistance and great protection from wind-chill. Products range from extreme to mild conditions.
Check it out: Lavacore Thermal Protection
Cabrinha QuickLink Bar
Cabrinha QuickLink Bar
The new QuickLink control system has been created with the rider in mind. Ergonomic for the unhooked rider, and a new easier to operate 2nd release system for the beginner rider. A complete redesign of the chicken loop swivels for smoother untwisting of lines. Keeping the 2011 recoil spring system makes grabbing your bar effortless & always within reach.
Check it out: Cabrinha QuickLink Bar
As always, we would love to hear from you in the comments below. Did you make it to the Surf Expo? Tell us what gear you think is going to be hot in 2012, or if you’ve been lucky enough to try any of these products, what you think of them! And if you’d like to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to see how far we’ve come with kiteboarding, and what the future holds for the sport, here’s a nice overview of the history of kitesurfing.
Written by
Jessica Winkler
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Great article Jessica, here’s my opinion on some of the new gear:
I can’t decide between the LF Twin Skim or the North Skim Fish. I really want a new kite specific skim since my old WZ fiberglass skim is on it’s last rides. I did get the dimensions of the Skim Fish after seeing it in person and it is 138x50cm, and looked to be somewhere between one and two inches thick, which should work very well in light winds and small waves. Maybe better than any other skim I’ve ever tried? The nice thing about the Twin Skim is the blunt tail for ollie power on one end, and the other end has a more rounded pin style for better carving ability. It was a little heavy in my opinion, but sometime that helps keep it from flying away while trying airs or bouncing around too much in some chop. The construction appeared to be top notch and bullet proof, like all LF boards.
The North Nugget was a nice looking light wind/small wave surf shape at the Surf Expo too. It’s 5′ tall x 21′ wide x 2.375″ thick with a step rail design. The step rail gives you increased volume by being thick at the middle of board and tapering (or “stepping”) down to thin, performance style surf rails on the sides. Additionally, it also has cool, art-deco style graphics like the Skim Fish, and u can see the wood laminate on top side of board, which I am a big fan of! Wood laminate composite style surf boards are becoming almost common place due to their incredible flex, strength, sustainability, and they are less harmful to the environment to produce. I don’t know if it can compete with my 2011 Airush Choptop LW Active 5’8, but I sure would like to ride one and find out for myself.
I have personally ridden some of the new Cabrinha 2012 kites with the new bar. The kites seem pretty similar to last years models with stylish graphics as usual, and the new QuickLink control bar is very nice. Some new features include a molded composite chicken loop assembly and a below bar swivel for the leash and center line. That means when you untwist your lines, the leash will not wrap around your chicken loop at the same time! Some other manufacturers have this feature and it’s nice to see Cabrinha adding it to their bars, I twist my lines a lot and some above the bar swivels don’t always work.
The Cabrinha QuickLink quick release system has some new features, such as a secondary quick release, so make sure you test it out on the beach before you try it in the water. There’s a small ring and pin system that releases the chicken loop assembly from the red IDS line in order to completely cut away from your kite, that is the secondary quick release. If you don’t reassemble it correctly, you might not be attached to your kite the next time you pull your primary quick release. Food for thought, kite safely and responsibly, good winds.
N8
Nate@KiteSurfJax.com
Hey Nathan,
Thanks for taking the time to comment here, and for your valuable input on the latest gear you have been looking at.
Wow man, this comment is almost like an article on its own!
We really appreciate you sharing all this info, and the effort you went to post it…
The new Cabrinha QuickLink system certainly does look interesting from what I can tell, although I haven’t tried it. From your description of the secondary quick release system and the caution you advise when reassembling it, I am wondering if this couldn’t perhaps make the system a bit over complicated and fiddly to use. I am a firm believer in keeping things simple but reliable of course, and most of all, idiot proof…
Disclaimer: I haven’t actually even seen the system in real life, so it is possible that there is no reason for concern…
Thanks.
Brendon
Thanks Nate!! I totally appreciate your information on those products. It’s so valuable to everyone to hear what people have experienced and think about gear. I have not had the luxury of riding those style of boards yet but really look forward to it.
The Cabrinha bar I am using now and must say i really like it. For me it’s nice to have some of the bar pressure taken off & be able to reach my bar if I let go of it. Two things that are more noticeable to women.
It was also great to meet you at the show Nate, look forward to seeing you again!!
Cheers,
Jess
Wow there is some beautiful, inventive and useful stuff out there these days. The show must have been amazing. Kitesurfing has truly come of age now. It seems we are past that gimmicke stage, finally.
i love Kitesurfing. i ‘m coaching in DUbai.
amazing article. thank you