Softest landing board

[rightguard]

I'm just learning how to pop and send jumps... it's beating up my knees and back. What is the nicest softest landing board?

I ride in Chop... Maui... some waves, 170lbs I'm not a supper aggressive rider, just want something to help my body out.

Thanks

[Peter_Frank]

There is some differences in how hard a board will "feel" on the impact, true.

Generally I would say, that boards that are good for waveriding (rockered, curved lines and soft edges) will be much softer. And not too wide either - is also a plus....

BUT, I honestly think that the soft landing mostly depends upon experience and practice - so as you are new to jumping you will get many "fall like a rock" landings - but dont despair - it will disappear when you get more mileage under your wings, and you will be able to land feathersoft most of the time

So you can just wait, save your money, and look forward to everything getting softer from now on, with a few "tough falls" now and then

Peter

[rightguard]

Thanks Peter... I feel like I'm getting the hang of sent jumps, even though they are small, it's the pop jumps that seem like a hard landing. Do those get better too?

Right now I'm riding a mako 140 and I like the board but my knees and back are not liking kiting these days. I've also been riding way more than I usually do so that doesn't help, although I'm getting better.

To me smaller with more rocker would be good, but all the big rocker boards get so wide.

[hapa13]

Go into the Neilpryde Maui and see about trying out either the 136 or 140 Custom. Tons of rocker, curvy outline and one of the softest, most stable landing boards out. You'll only notice that on load and pop jumps though (that goes for any board). Smooth as silk in chop too! Softening the landing on sent jumps has nothing to do with the board. Those are all about kite control.

[sisky]

another thing that you want to consider is bottom contour. Flat or simple single concaves land hard!! they dont help to displace water. Look for a board that has single to doubles, double through, or with channel contours. Another factor is flex. A stiff board makes for a stiffer landing. pretty simple...medium flex boards tend to still generate good pop and make for butter landing!!

I would say check out a Liquid Force Influence...

[rightguard]

I was going to try out the Custom this weekend but they only have a 140 on the rental floor. I think I'd like to get a smaller board... but it will be fun to try.

[tswierkocki]

Look for a board with a double concave running the full length of bottom of the board with a noticable spine running down the center. I was amazed at how much softer my landings were when I switched from a single concave board to a one with a double concave.

[hapa13]

Rightguard - Don't be afraid of the 140. It's the same size you currently ride anyway. This board has more rocker and outline that anything else you've ridden so far, so staying in the same size as you're currently used to will be a fair test. The Custom likes to be ridden a tad more powered up than your Mako anyway. If you try and like the 140, then you'll love the 136 (especially if you plan on only using it with straps and not boots). Talk to Sam or Darby over there. Perhaps special arrangements can be made for a 136 demo with enough notice.

[rightguard]

I tried a 134 Liquid force Contact... I really like how small and light it felt but I kept digging the front of the board and it sprayed me like crazy.

I would like to find a smaller board than the mako 140 that had a nice soft landing, but then again maybe that has more to do with the style of the board than the actual size.

I will try the custom 140 this weekend.

[The111]

Yup, the Mako lands like a rock. I'm pretty decent at sent jumps by now but still screw up my timing every now and then on a huge one and come in for a stomper landing.

One thing that helps: make sure you land back foot first. The other thing, of course, is kite control.