kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=196&t=2384413
Interesting topic going around... any opinions? Hopefully you'll have tried both..
I haven't tried Raceboards yet as I am not interested in racing.
V
We've bought and/or demoed a few raceboards over the years. They promised a lot but never really delivered. Too hard to ride to be really good in super light winds. Too fragile. Too expensive. Quite uncomfortable. Ridiculously dangerous fins.
We have settled on the Airush Sector 60 as the best compromise. Mega fun, robust, really easy to ride and quite good performance. Carving turns on small waves on a Sector 60 is pure joy.
I am close to buying a foilboard for similar reasons. They look like they're heaps of fun and they offer something over and above the normal kiteboarding experience. The only negative at the moment is you have to buy one to try it out. Fortunately the prices are starting to drop from "total ripoff" to "quite expensive".
raceboards are easy to ride nowadays , definately not fragile and not uncomfortable . Sessions over 2 hours are no problems .
Very easy to ride in super light winds more so than a sector . Yes carving turns on the sector are much easier but i think in terms of delivery they are fantastic .
I own both a sector and raceboards and the sector doesn't come out of the garage now and i will sell it . I have my slalom board for that .
I think the development of raceboards was part of the problem, and it might be a problem for foil boards.
The North Race LTD 2013 was a pain to ride but definitely better than the 2010 model. There's not much incentive to drop a couple of grand on a raceboard when the next model is going to make it obsolete overnight.
Foilboards were $4000 and can now be had for under $3000 and seem to work much better from all the videos. $2000-2500 would be much nicer price point.
true but raceboards aren't redundant as quick as you think . Sure the top guys are on the latest but they should be . Skill plays a big part of it and any 2013 board will still be competitive for at least another 12 months if not more .
True, but ... we were looking at raceboards for lightwind fun and coastal cruising. We're not interested in racing.
Skill is great, but who wants to need extreme skill to have fun? I have lost count of the times I have ridden past guys on raceboards swimming in because they have dropped their kite while trying to deal with a recalcitrant board.
Obsolesence is an issue because it affects re-sale value. It's a major pain to buy a board for $1800 then to be stuck with selling it for $500 a few months later.
well yes then raceboards aren't designed for cruising but isn't this thread about raceboards becoming obsolete for course racing ?
which i don't think they are .
Formula Raceboard is a different class. The Formula Race scene is bigger than ever before with over 400 ranked racers worldwide and this won't change for a while.
Generally you can make pretty much anything at home but very unlikely you will get anywhere close to the high end stuff available.
If you want to be competitive and fast out there you have to invest in some decent gear but if you just looking for a light wind option and cruise around then pretty much any race board or foil will do. A Sector is not a race board!
A raceboard kit has a similar price to a foil set up.
A race board is a race board for racing 
For those that were hoping for some unreal light wind board because they seen this big ass thing they were disappointing.
And then for some other people and industry players thinking all the masses of kiteboarders would give them a go are probly also disappointed.
With kitboarders generally being a free and easy bunch and not to committed to anything except when the wind starts to blow it was a big ask to think a lot of them would commit to racing on a regular bases, not everyone in our community is cut out for the highs and lows of racing and lots dont have the time to do it.
And if nobody else in your area got one you can hardly race yourself!
That leaves the people who use them for regular racing and not to many of them are disappointed 
You would be if you wasted your money on a so called approved Naish race board. It's a lemon, that has a stamp of approval n is pretty much worthless.
Gorgo you are in for a harsh shock when you try a foil board if you think raceboards are hard to ride or dangerous - Foil boards x 200 the skill and way more dangerous in 18knots plus with the most narly crashes I have had in 14 years of kiting. Foil boarding is a top end niche kite style and it may look nice and easy and be COOL at the moment but I would offer some advice in try one before you buy - you are in for a shock - at 10 knots they are fun at 20 knots plus they a mind bending scary -
IMO kite racing is a maturing style at top end and the new hype is foiling - personally I prefer a raceboard as it is more fun - I find foiling pretty boring but will continue to ride as over l.ong distance they are the machine of choice and its fun and challenging to learn new skills.
Kite race board racing is pretty fun and easy for a new racer to join and hassle the best on the start line - kite foil racing is different as the learning curve is huge & painful.
Over the last few month I have seen 2/3 guys who have built there own foils excited by what they have seen on web - to be crashing and falling off session after session and getting no where - they would have been way better to buy a $500 raceboard learn the required skills and then jump onto a FOIL - THESE French dudes have been foiling for many years and make it look super easy
The Formula 70 class isn't going to die any time soon, it is fairly well established world wide with lots of events. It doesn't appeal to the majority of the kiting community as it does require quite a lot of time, skill and fitness to reach a competitive level. They go upwind well but the back leg burn hardly makes it worth the effort especially if you are just out for a tour/cruise. I don't think you will see too many guys buying raceboards for free riding. Also I think quite a few people got burned buying dud boards which is a shame. Since getting a foil my raceboard has been gathering dust, I'll only pull it out for an event.
Enter foiling... a completely different aspect of kite boarding. It's important to realise though that there are foils for racing (Sword, Spotz ect) and foils for freeriding (Carafino's, homebuilds ect..). I think free ride foiling will appeal to the majority of the kiting community as it is a great way to get out in light winds (sub 12 knots) with your 12m kite and be blasting around having a great time. For me the steep learning curve was part of the appeal of it. If you are sensible and stick to 10-15knot days when learning it is no more dangerous than learning on a raceboard (do wear a helmet tho). The feel of kiting in silence and being able to go upwind/downwind touring botany bay all day with ease is the appeal to foiling. Having a race foil means I can train for racing by trying to go as fast as possible or just take it easy and go for a cruise (something that I would never do on the raceboard).
To me at the moment there seems to be a huge influx of brands making racefoils but the big market will be in making an affordable, robust freeride/freestlye foil that appeals to the rest of the kite community.
Anyway I now have a raceboard going cheap 
Select to expand quotedoycle said..
Anyway I now have a raceboard going cheap
+1
Not that I got out on my race board much - but the foil, am on it very chance I get.
As Johnno said I found the learning curve is way harder than any other board I have tried but the rewards are awesome. Upwind performance like no other, scarily fast downwind speeds and smoothness that means you can ride for a lot longer.
Still have a lot of learning to go but highly recommend it.
+2 for the foil (although I've never had a race board, I did consider it)
Built my 1st foil last year -went through the learning pain. Gifted first foil to a mate - made a second one. Currently building the 3rd one.
I hate big kites - and with the foil I use my 8m kite when other are slogging on 17metres. To me it's the best thing to happen to kiting since kites got depower in 2006 or so. I really look forward to the 10-15 knot days now!
Mostly I like just cruising around - you can pretty much become a kite "tourist" and cover huge ground (or water) at amazing angles to the wind - up and down with no chop bounce and almost complete silence. I don't care that I might look like a chimp on a unicycle - in my mind I'm the coolest 
mofo on the water
My last thought as others have said before me
Formula board + high skill & fitness
Foil race + High skill ++
which really means@whoAreYou.com
If you want to be fit & manly + go formula racing
If you want to be a lady gaga boy = go kite foiling
actually I'm going foiling tomorrow maybe I'm bi-kite race board/foilable
Select to expand quoteINTHELOOP said..
A Sector is not a race board!
Theres the proof in the 'race boards becoming obsolete' discussion. Not only are Sectors obsolete already - they are not even race boards anymore.
I think there was a time, just a year or 2 back, that they were THE raceboard you just HAD TO have.
Total respect for the serious race boarders & foilers out there but I seriously think that if racing is going to gain any wide appeal amongst the kiting community there has to be a TT class at regular race days for the huge no. of kiters who would love the thought of going hard & fast occasionally but arent serious enough about it to do the hard 'race/foil board' yards or spend the big 'race/foil board' $'s.
Doesnt have to be too serious, or a true racing class. Just an opportunity for a great social day out with a different bent on your riding & the chance to bolster the interest & audience participation in the serious side of racing.
And a way to keep our community coming together rather than growing apart.
Select to expand quoteJohnnoKeys said..
My last thought as others have said before me
Formula board + high skill & fitness
Foil race + High skill ++
which really means@whoAreYou.com
If you want to be fit & manly + go formula racing
If you want to be a lady gaga boy = go kite foiling
actually I'm going foiling tomorrow maybe I'm bi-kite race board/foilable
i'd agree with the colour choice of your new raceboard :)
Select to expand quoteswinginginthewind said..doycle said..
Anyway I now have a raceboard going cheap
+1
Not that I got out on my race board much - but the foil, am on it very chance I get.
As Johnno said I found the learning curve is way harder than any other board I have tried but the rewards are awesome. Upwind performance like no other, scarily fast downwind speeds and smoothness that means you can ride for a lot longer.
Still have a lot of learning to go but highly recommend it.
I was impressed by your skills in light winds the other day on your 7. I think your going to give the "pros" a good shot at the race this year.
Select to expand quotepuppetonastring said..INTHELOOP said..
A Sector is not a race board!
Theres the proof in the 'race boards becoming obsolete' discussion. Not only are Sectors obsolete already - they are not even race boards anymore.
I think there was a time, just a year or 2 back, that they were THE raceboard you just HAD TO have.
Total respect for the serious race boarders & foilers out there but I seriously think that if racing is going to gain any wide appeal amongst the kiting community there has to be a TT class at regular race days for the huge no. of kiters who would love the thought of going hard & fast occasionally but arent serious enough about it to do the hard 'race/foil board' yards or spend the big 'race/foil board' $'s.
Doesnt have to be too serious, or a true racing class. Just an opportunity for a great social day out with a different bent on your riding & the chance to bolster the interest & audience participation in the serious side of racing.
And a way to keep our community coming together rather than growing apart.
They have been holding twintip slalom races at some PKRA events and it seems to be popular - even with some of the top freestylers.
There are occasional 'open' slalom races with short legs in strong wind, where the it tends to equal the many different types of boards out - like in the slalom race in this.
Select to expand quoteterminal said..puppetonastring said..INTHELOOP said..
A Sector is not a race board!
Theres the proof in the 'race boards becoming obsolete' discussion. Not only are Sectors obsolete already - they are not even race boards anymore.
I think there was a time, just a year or 2 back, that they were THE raceboard you just HAD TO have.
Total respect for the serious race boarders & foilers out there but I seriously think that if racing is going to gain any wide appeal amongst the kiting community there has to be a TT class at regular race days for the huge no. of kiters who would love the thought of going hard & fast occasionally but arent serious enough about it to do the hard 'race/foil board' yards or spend the big 'race/foil board' $'s.
Doesnt have to be too serious, or a true racing class. Just an opportunity for a great social day out with a different bent on your riding & the chance to bolster the interest & audience participation in the serious side of racing.
And a way to keep our community coming together rather than growing apart.
They have been holding twintip slalom races at some PKRA events and it seems to be popular - even with some of the top freestylers.
There are occasional 'open' slalom races with short legs in strong wind, where the it tends to equal the many different types of boards out - like in the slalom race in this.
?rel=0
they aren't twin tip slalom races they are slalom races and the guys winning are on race/slalom boards.
I fully agree that twin tip racing is fun and anybody can do it. If you really enjoy racing on twines or in general plus you like speed and going fast then a race board or similar is a lot more fun :)
Select to expand quoteINTHELOOP said..terminal said..puppetonastring said..INTHELOOP said..
A Sector is not a race board!
Theres the proof in the 'race boards becoming obsolete' discussion. Not only are Sectors obsolete already - they are not even race boards anymore.
I think there was a time, just a year or 2 back, that they were THE raceboard you just HAD TO have.
Total respect for the serious race boarders & foilers out there but I seriously think that if racing is going to gain any wide appeal amongst the kiting community there has to be a TT class at regular race days for the huge no. of kiters who would love the thought of going hard & fast occasionally but arent serious enough about it to do the hard 'race/foil board' yards or spend the big 'race/foil board' $'s.
Doesnt have to be too serious, or a true racing class. Just an opportunity for a great social day out with a different bent on your riding & the chance to bolster the interest & audience participation in the serious side of racing.
And a way to keep our community coming together rather than growing apart.
They have been holding twintip slalom races at some PKRA events and it seems to be popular - even with some of the top freestylers.
There are occasional 'open' slalom races with short legs in strong wind, where the it tends to equal the many different types of boards out - like in the slalom race in this.
?rel=0
they aren't twin tip slalom races they are slalom races and the guys winning are on race/slalom boards.
I fully agree that twin tip racing is fun and anybody can do it. If you really enjoy racing on twines or in general plus you like speed and going fast then a race board or similar is a lot more fun :)
Ok they are open slalom races but Gisela Pulido won the PKRA slalom in Fuerteventura 2013 and AFAIK all the girls were on twintips. Even men's winner Kerneur used a twintip in some of his races.
The clip from Mexico had 2 race boards and 4 twintips in the race. The raceboards won but they were two of the best slalom racers in the world against guys on twintips who are not used to racing.
Slalom Fuerteventura 2013.
The reason why I initiated this post was that I went onto Kiteforum.com and was a little surprised to see the popularity of foils.
I started foiling last year in November and cannot get enough of it. It is completely addictive, so I cannot agree with those that say foiling is 'mowing the lawn'.. but I will concede that the learning curse is harsh and very steep - I am proof of that. It was hard to start but I am super stoked to have done when I did.
Still almost no one on the Goldie except for another dedicated mate.
But the point was that this 'craze' is going nuts overseas. The suppliers cannot keep up with demand.. what does that tell you?
V
Select to expand quoteSir V said..
But the point was that this 'craze' is going nuts overseas. The suppliers cannot keep up with demand.. what does that tell you?
V
Given there have been foils available for a very long time it tells me not to many have been interested in foiling except now is the right time for racers and it is the racing foils that are mostly taking off.
But in 12 to 18 month all the guys that race will have one and things will settle down not long after.
Got me beat why they never really took off before, but who knows the fact racing is driving the main push at the moment the rest may just see the foil as a genuine contender for the average punter and may just give it some legs for a few years 
