Banana Hammocks - The Kiteboarder Magazine

est
Kristin Boese’s pro model board has been designed from the ground up to be the
ideal board for women. Photo Gavin Butler
designer’s
corner
designer’s
corner
Thanks to the ION’s improved strut to leading edge attachment, Operations
Manager Martyn Hogg had no luck while trying to break the kite with full slam
down nose dives in Morocco. Photo Richard Boudia
FLEXIFOIL
The KB Signature Pro Model is Best Kiteboarding’s response to the requests of female
riders for a board that is ideally suited to their size, shape, weight, and preferred styles
of riding. It is a freeride/freestyle board with a strong focus on easy handling, precise
control, and comfort. While many women’s boards are simply downsized versions of
larger men’s boards, every part of the KB Signature has been considered with women in
mind. Pro rider Kristin Boese unveils what other changes we can expect for her signature
board, now in its second year.
What design characteristics are considered when
making a board specifically for women When making
a board for female riders we really have to consider every
aspect of it. What you don’t want to do is just shrink a
men’s board as things don’t scale the same way in three
dimensions as they do in two. So we started with no
preconceptions about how to make the board; each design
choice was tested. We tested several different sizes and
variations of width and length based around my signature
model from last year. A selection of five different bottom
shapes were made, and the fastest and easiest to ride shape
was selected. We refined the layup to give a little more pop,
testing several variations of biaxial and unidirectional glass
to blend torsional and tip to tip strength and flex. We then
refined the stance widths and heel offset positions for the
inserts and finally had one last round of tweaking the rail
shape and outline to bring everything together. During the
development phase I was also lucky enough to get some
great input from some of our KB4girls participants around
the world who got to try different prototypes and also had
some influence in the graphic design process.
Is the footpad and strap system different from what
is offered on the Armada twin tip boards The KB
Signature uses the same insert and pad/strap combo
as the Armada V2, so you get the comfort of the double
density pad with a full-width air sole heel and also the ease
of use of the fit block attachment system. The
Product Name
Product Category
Sizes Available
KB Signature Pro Model
Women’s specific twintip
130 x 40cm
straps can be adjusted for very small feet so
they work well for girls and women. The stance
widths are much smaller than the Armada,
trimming 5 cm off the width and also offsetting
Release date: December 2010
it towards the heel rail more. Biasing the inserts
towards the heel rail means you can edge the
board with less strain on your calf and Achilles tendon, especially if
your legs are not super strong.
What are the most significant changes to the 2011 KB
Signature Pro Model board compared to the previous model
For the 2011 KB model we completely changed the construction. It
has gained the deep section ABS rail for added durability. There’s a
new PVC core surround, which places high-density foam around the
rail and tips protecting the wood core and reducing swing weight.
The inserts are all A4 stainless steel this season; previously they were
marinized brass which is a little softer. Finally the top and bottom
sheets are new, with a thick, hard high-gloss top sheet revealing
sections of the wood core, while the underside gained a matte finish to
help reduce drag and make the board plane as early as possible.
Will this board have a limited run like the 2010 model The KB
Signature model is slated for a full production run this year. It will be
available all year round.
What level of rider and type of conditions is this board best
suited forThe board is designed primarily for intermediate and
advanced riders. Beginners may prefer a slightly bigger board in the
beginning but will feel comfortable on the KB Signature very quickly.
It’s as suitable for freestyle as it is for freeride and it will be the board I
compete on this year in any freestyle competition, no matter if it is big
air, wakestyle, or even boarder cross.
Is there any reason why a woman would want to consider the
Armada board range instead of this one If you are over 5’9”
and 160 lbs. then you might be better off with a larger board. The
134 Armada is as close as you will get to the KB Signature model
in a larger board. It is all personal preference though and I would
suggest to every girl to try the KB Signature model and make up her
mind on the water.
Anything else you would like to say about this product
Being able to develop a girl’s specific board and to do so with the
input of so many other female kiters around the world has been an
amazing process and experience for me, which I enjoyed very much.
I have just as passionately worked on the KB Signature model as I
have worked on setting up KB4girls and am very happy that Best is
backing up my efforts to support female kiters around the world in
such an awesome way.
Now in its fifth year of refinement, the ION is Flexifoil’s
hybrid C-kite. Many riders have commented that the 2011
model flies through the window much smoother with
constant power and is not as reactive to gusts. What did you
do to accomplish this There’s 5 cm more travel on the center
line on the bar this year giving a bit more gust control and depower.
The kite has seen the usual year after year refinements in shape
and canopy accuracy but most work was done on the construction
applied to the whole Flexifoil range.
Were any changes made to the bridle Only slight fine tuning
was done. No major changes were made this year but we have
been experimenting with some unique bridle configurations for
future kites.
Flexifoil developed a new strut to leading edge junction for
the ION 5. What did this accomplish and is this new feature
also on the other kites The new strut to leading edge junction
is much stronger and stiffer than previous years. This improves the
solid feel of the kite and feedback to the rider and also makes the
kite much more resilient to max power nose down crashes. I tried
as hard as I could to break one in Dakhla, Morocco, much to the
amusement of local riders who couldn’t break it either! The new strut
to LE junctions can be found on all Flexifoil kites now.
Did Flexifoil change anything else on the construction of the
ION 5 The leading edge closing seam is considerably stronger this
year. We tested samples to destruction and we saw a 40% increase
in burst pressure to around 19 PSI (this was on a test LE section,
please don’t try putting 19 PSI in your IONs!).
Will previous ION fans notice any differences in the kite’s low
end grunt, high end wind range, or boosting ability and hang
time How about turning speed and relaunch Yes, especially
if coming from an ION 3 or previous IONs. ION 4 riders will notice
the extra solidity, canopy stiffness, and construction improvements.
ION 3 owners will notice hang time and boost improvements and the
wind range is bigger with more low-end power and more stability in
high winds. Relaunch was also improved with the increased stiffness.
What level of rider and what conditions is the ION 5 best
suited for The ION is best suited for intermediate or advanced
riders but a beginner should have no problems on an ION either. It is
intended to be a kite that you can progress on as far as you like for
The ION is Flexifoil’s all around performance kite which excels for both freestyle and
wave riding. For 2011, Flexifoil focused on integrating new construction techniques and
materials to produce a stronger, more refined product. Operations Manager Martyn Hogg
helped us find out more about what you can expect from the 2011 ION.
freeride or freestyle riding and also works exceptionally
well in the waves. Just watch Billy Parker ride freestyle
or watch Sean Mertens in the waves if you want to see
how far you can go! The kites will handle all conditions:
Smooth, gusty, flat, chop, or waves.
What upgrades were made to the one pump
inflation system All we did on this was
increase the length of the neoprene covers.
We rarely have any failures or complaints on
the single point inflation system; we’re very
happy with it!
Does this kite and control system
offer 100% depower The ION and its
control system offers “more than adequate”
depower. The depower has been slightly
increased in the new ION while bar pressure
has been decreased.
Do you have any tuning tips for riders so
they can get the best performance from
the ION 5 in various conditions Yes, learn about
rear line tension for trimming kites. It’s not as straight
forward as using the shorter knot for more power. The ION
benefits from having less tension on the rear lines. Getting
the kite trimmed correctly can make a huge difference to
any kite’s performance.
What is your warranty policy on kites We will
repair or replace any product with failures due to a
design, manufacturing, or material fault. When we assess
warranty claims we will always look for signs that the
customer has damaged the kite causing a failure but
even if this is the case, we try and help get the customer
riding again as soon as possible and at minimum hassle.
Customer satisfaction is extremely important to us.
Product Name
Product Category
Sizes Available
ION
Hybrid
7m, 8.5m, 10.5m
12.5m, 14.5m
Release date: Available Now
60 thekiteboarder.com
thekiteboarder.com 61