Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

In need of a new TT

Forum for kitesurfers
John-B
Frequent Poster
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:48 pm
Local Beach: Troon Scotland
Favorite Beaches: Pigs Bay El Medano
Style: Having fun!
Gear: 2017 Airush Union 6/9/12 and 135 Shinn Ronson
Brand Affiliation: Airush/Shinn
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby John-B » Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:22 am

Got to disagree about a board being a board at the end of day.

The shaping (although some look the same), mould, internals, layup, composites, flex pattern etc etc all make a huge difference.

A good example are the Shinn boards - the tech was not there to create them as they are a few years back (otherwise someone would have) and the amount of work prototyping and testing them (coupled to Mark's experience) are why they are so good. They are not just some 'similar' design popped out in some factory and you can tell this when you ride one.

There are other examples of this but there but a lot of boards out there that are based on happenstance and an almost follow the herd mentality with very little innovation - look at happens when take a different approach with the Mako!

How far can TT design go - much further when the technology to do so allows them to be produced cost effectively. They will be lighter, stronger, more resonsive and dynamic. Jsut look at how the design, size and shape have changed in the last 10 years and although they might look more similar over the last few they are vastly different internally - people are genuinely surprised when they try some newer boards becasue thier old (big brand) one really was just a plastic coated plank with fins stuck on it!

Westozzy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2918
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:25 am
Local Beach: Mandurah
Style: Freeride, wave
Gear: Rebel, Vegas 2012
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby Westozzy » Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:43 am

Good points john, to clarify this very experienced guy, a big school owner and retailer over here who gets to ride just about everything, was pointing to the fact that the shinn range isn't the only board that using modern technology you have mentioned. There are other great performing boards out employing the modern advances in material and design hence the shinn range isn't the be all and end all. It would be foolish to assume so.

I'm just getting a little worried the focussed hype is exceeding the reality. As I said they are superb boards but there are others. To counter this it is great to see crew passionate about their gear. Just trying to (probably in effectively ) to strike some balance.

John-B
Frequent Poster
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:48 pm
Local Beach: Troon Scotland
Favorite Beaches: Pigs Bay El Medano
Style: Having fun!
Gear: 2017 Airush Union 6/9/12 and 135 Shinn Ronson
Brand Affiliation: Airush/Shinn
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby John-B » Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:12 pm

Westozzy wrote: I'm just getting a little worried the focussed hype is exceeding the reality. As I said they are superb boards but there are others. To counter this it is great to see crew passionate about their gear. Just trying to (probably in effectively ) to strike some balance.
I know where you are coming from :wink:

There is some good stuff out there - some of it different to the Shinn but equally as good or even better at what it is meant to do and then there is stuff emerging that aspires to be like it. This means in the last few years there are more good boards in general (if you can't innovate....).

IMO the original Monk was a game changer - paradigm shift in design and thinking (partly realised through tech advancement). The hype has built gradually from the Monk and even the naysayers (surley it can't be that good) if not blown away have to admit it is a special board - look at some of the feedback on forums in general and it is people with credability who are buying them - not just fanboy pimps (Apple users lol!).

Put it this way - I choose to ride the Shinn stuff and the Monk especially and could be on other boards/brands and I'm not driven by anyhting other than I value my time on water... God knows up until the Monk I have probably averaged 2-3 boards per year and sometimes owning multiples for different condtions :thumb:

Westozzy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2918
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:25 am
Local Beach: Mandurah
Style: Freeride, wave
Gear: Rebel, Vegas 2012
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby Westozzy » Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:26 pm

Yeh I will agree with you there John. The monk was a leap and still is the benchmark for all out aggressive intense speed riding.

As I said I'm a big Shinn fan, but I have ridden some exceptional boards in the past year that are as good ( well maybe not for the above mentioned specific riding) hence I'm just offering some perspective.

And for me and my riding in wave orientated ocean I still maintain the 2013 mako is something very special indeed of which none of the shinn boards have made me think I should be on them. Even the speedball.

John-B
Frequent Poster
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:48 pm
Local Beach: Troon Scotland
Favorite Beaches: Pigs Bay El Medano
Style: Having fun!
Gear: 2017 Airush Union 6/9/12 and 135 Shinn Ronson
Brand Affiliation: Airush/Shinn
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby John-B » Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:41 pm

Westozzy wrote: And for me and my riding in wave orientated ocean I still maintain the 2013 mako is something very special indeed of which none of the shinn boards have made me think I should be on them. Even the speedball.
I will be old one day too :rollgrin:

Westozzy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2918
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:25 am
Local Beach: Mandurah
Style: Freeride, wave
Gear: Rebel, Vegas 2012
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby Westozzy » Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:09 pm

Ha ha good one !!

I also have another squared tipped TT that I push the limits as much as my 40 yr old body will allow ya bugger!

fdvj
Frequent Poster
Posts: 428
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:57 pm
Local Beach: lancing
Style: freeride
Gear: naish nobile
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby fdvj » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:43 pm

Westozzy wrote:Ha ha good one !!

I also have another squared tipped TT that I push the limits as much as my 40 yr old body will allow ya bugger!
Keep up you 2 younguns I am nearly 42 and started riding with boots last year.
I would also say go for a shinn, I have had 3 now and if you ride in chop a lot then you won't regrett it. Of the others if axis are as good as underground used to be then they are worth a look. Crazy fly also revive praise in the chop. Slingshots look good this year but can seem stiff and heavy. I did not have the best experience with cabrinha boards.

L0KI
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2817
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 1:17 am
Gear: .
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby L0KI » Fri Apr 26, 2013 6:41 pm

I am 54 and have more wear and tear on me than many.
Rode a Mako 150 for three years and added a Mako King and a Mako 140.
The Shinn boards (I had a Luigi, then a Monk, now a Supershinn) are just better than the Makos in every way.
My Makos are all gone, sold them, they were just sitting in my garage and getting left there.
I have no reason to favor one brand over another.
The Monk goes faster/better/smoother through chop than any board I've ever been on.
Shinns all have that same equal front/back foot pressure thing that Mako owners enjoy, so the back leg never burns and your session can be super long just like on a Mako.
You can jump any Shinn better than any Mako, and some of the Shinn models are suited to hooked in jumping and some have the pop that unhooked kiters want.
The only Shinn that ever needed extra kite power to tank upwind was the original Monk, and the Monk Forever fixed that.
The Shinn line has a range of models to suit freeride, chop/wave, and flatwater freestyle/wakestyle kiters.
None of them are going to be the full on super stiff, wakestyle board that a Tona Pop is, or a Cabrinha Custom, or Best Profanity, Liquid Force, Slingshot stiffy boards are though.
Not sure what Kami means about the graphics, the topsheets are super glossy and the fit and finish on these boards is the normal European (Poland and Austria) level of quality.
The fins are top quality and the pads and straps are made as well as anything out there, but their feel is a matter of taste, they lean towards the cushy side of things.
Have not heard a word here from any of the Shinn reps in USA or UK, so I don't think what I've read here is hype.
People who have ridden the Shinns rave about them because they are very, very good.

Westozzy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2918
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:25 am
Local Beach: Mandurah
Style: Freeride, wave
Gear: Rebel, Vegas 2012
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby Westozzy » Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:33 am

Fair enough old broken. I had a monk and that sat in the shed and now is sold.

Agree on the faster bit and load and boost bit, but that's it. And in the waves, the mako is far better in my opinion.

Shows you how each individual experiences things differently and is looking for different things.

Two guys I ride with also spent a lot of time on the monk, now on the mako. Could be due to where we kite maybe?

Also I would say John B is one of the main promoters of shinn boards (who writes a damn good review by the way and is great to email for advice) on the forums.

Again just addressing some balance here that's all. Fantastic board range, but not the be all and end all as some make out.

User avatar
Kamikuza
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 7057
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:49 am
Local Beach: Sabae Beach
Favorite Beaches: Ol' Stinky
Gear: This, that, the other
Has thanked: 220 times
Been thanked: 193 times

Re: In need of a new TT

Postby Kamikuza » Sat Apr 27, 2013 1:51 am

The Shinn boards are just too plain and dull to look at :D _I_ could do better in the graphics department!!! :D

Found a site with Axis Vanguards on sale... getting a quote on shipping soon. Always wanted an Underground board - from my home town, y'know...

BTW I own and use a Mac and I fucking hate it. I enjoy my Mako, but find it a hard board to jump with.


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Aberdovy kiter, andylc, arjas, Baidu [Spider], Bing [Bot], DanielorDani, decay, Google [Bot], htsc, xoen and 403 guests