North XRide vs Naish Momentum/Motion vs Shinn Monk

[sustan]

Sup Guys, I'm looking for a board for my father. he's 64yrs/ 80kgs/ 6ft3, been kiting for 3 years and he mows the lawn all day with a big smile. He doesn't jump or pop or carve or anything. His current board (crazyfly raptor pro) is too stiff and his knees etc. start hurting after a while of riding in choppy stuff. I'm looking for the smoothest riding board possible which is not power hungry to get going, has no face spray and not too skatey. I wanted to get him Nobile NHP but you don't get them here. I can get the ones above but I cant test ride any boards otherwise I would. What do you guys think? cheers!

[ColdWeatherKiter]

Havent ridden any of them, but based on what i have read the xride is your best bet.

[Kitemanmuc]

I have ridden them all and they are all very different.

First off, mad props to your Dad!!

The Shinn Monk is a sick board, but its not necessary for your dad. If your dad isnt planning on throwing an occasional s-bend, you really dont need that board. From Shinn i would recommend the Bronq.

The North X-Ride is perfect. I highly recommend this board. Its smooth, flexes nice and is just all around easy to use.

Naish. Dont recommend. Stiff boards from my experience.

The only other board I would recommend you look in to is the Carved Imperator. Top of the line. Bar none.

[tautologies]

The Naish motion is a nice board. Feels soft and smooth. I ride the Momentum which is great for choppy riding but a bit stiffer.

I find it really weird that people give advice on board they have not ridden. I am sure OP can read the marketing material himself.

Wunderlich: Did you really find the Motion stiff? Did you ride this years? Even if the Momentum is a bit stiffer it doesn't ride that way because it just cuts through chop so well. Neither the motion nor the momentum has any spray in the eyes.

[sarc]

Take a look at the OR Mako 150; super easy on knees, excellent for chop, can be fun when you want to throw spray but also easy and relaxed when you want to. It cannot do freestyle but I don't think your dad will care! Very good for older folks I think. Its only drawback it that it's just OK as light wind board, it does not like to go upwind underpowered (but it flies upwind when normally powered)

[Kitemanmuc]

The Naish motion is a nice board. Feels soft and smooth. I ride the Momentum which is great for choppy riding but a bit stiffer.

I find it really weird that people give advice on board they have not ridden. I am sure OP can read the marketing material himself.

Wunderlich: Did you really find the Motion stiff? Did you ride this years? Even if the Momentum is a bit stiffer it doesn't ride that way because it just cuts through chop so well. Neither the motion nor the momentum has any spray in the eyes.

Hey! Yes i have. I have to admit not a 2015 or 2016. I used a 2014.

Compared to the Shinn and Xride it chatters. The Shinn and Xride are top of the line with Carved in my opinion. The Naish boards are nice, but second tier imho.

[edt]

that's the regular crazyfly raptor pro not the graphite one right? you shouldn't be aching just mowing the grass in that board. I am willing to bet that the board is not set up correctly. When you have a board on a wide stance you need your feet need to point outward. When you have a board with a narrow stance your feet have to be more parallel. What is his preferred stance? Narrow or wide. If it is narrow check the straps and make sure that the toes don't point outward as much. If it's a very wide stance, take a look at his feet. Are they straight on in the straps? Or is he pointing his feet a little bit inward even tho the straps are pointing outward? If he needs a narrow stance you have to make sure that the toes don't point outward as much. so check the fit first that's the most important thing. Pros don't think about this much because everyone sets the straps or boots very wide so they can land hot and have a very duck stance, they never set it up with a narrow stance, which is what might be what he needs. check when he is riding that he doesn't have a knock kneed stance where the knees bow in the legs knees should be slightly bent and neither bow in or out.

[Kitemanmuc]

that's the regular crazyfly raptor pro not the graphite one right? you shouldn't be aching just mowing the grass in that board. I am willing to bet that the board is not set up correctly. When you have a board on a wide stance you need your feet need to point outward. When you have a board with a narrow stance your feet have to be more parallel. What is his preferred stance? Narrow or wide. If it is narrow check the straps and make sure that the toes don't point outward as much. If it's a very wide stance, take a look at his feet. Are they straight on in the straps? Or is he pointing his feet a little bit inward even tho the straps are pointing outward? If he needs a narrow stance you have to make sure that the toes don't point outward as much. so check the fit first that's the most important thing. Pros don't think about this much because everyone sets the straps or boots very wide so they can land hot and have a very duck stance, they never set it up with a narrow stance, which is what might be what he needs. check when he is riding that he doesn't have a knock kneed stance where the knees bow in the legs knees should be slightly bent and neither bow in or out.

I agree with EDT

[Séb]

In the Shinn lineup my choice would be the Monk. I own both the Monk and Bronq and the Monk is a softer board. I often had severe knee pain in the past but I never ever had pain in my knees while riding the Monk. The Carved Imperator is a nice board but a much stiffer board compare to the Monk or even the Bronq that fit in between. I can't comment on the other in your list.

[Kitemanmuc]

In the Shinn lineup my choice would be the Monk. I own both the Monk and Bronq and the Monk is a softer board. I often had severe knee pain in the past but I never ever had pain in my knees while riding the Monk. The Carved Imperator is a nice board but a much stiffer board compare to the Monk or even the Bronq that fit in between. I can't comment on the other in your list.

The reason i recommend the imperator is because of the rails. I dont think its the stiffness of the board, its more the chatter you get from the chop. The imperator will mow it all over like butter. The Xride will too.