Ruben Lenten has left, it seems in a bitter way as well. Alex Neto is gone too.
Any ideas on the shakeup? Or who will be joining Best instead?
I heard that the Spanish investor who bought best a couple of years ago said that he would pull the funding for Best kites if he was not making a profit by the end of 2015. Seems as though they have not reached there goal, which kinda explains why they have not released and kites for 2016 except the Rocca. I don think Ruben and Alex are going to be the only ones leaving...
I feel like Best did the whole apple thing - bulk advertising on an overpriced product. But seems like they didn't have the quality to back it up
as much as I get what you are saying about best (I just looked at a 9m 2016 GP $2100AU without bar??) I think build quality and simplicity in design and usability is just about all apple has going for it? if your talking about the performance or compatibility along with price then yes you have a strong argument. I'm sorry I have just never heard anybody complain about the quality of an apple product and no they arnt made to survive falling off the roof of your car at 60kmph.
Select to expand quote
mywisdom said..
as much as I get what you are saying about best (I just looked at a 9m 2016 GP $2100AU without bar??) I think build quality and simplicity in design and usability is just about all apple has going for it? if your talking about the performance or compatibility along with price then yes you have a strong argument. I'm sorry I have just never heard anybody complain about the quality of an apple product and no they arnt made to survive falling off the roof of your car at 60kmph.
Why am I typing in this yellow box....
What flying cab is sayin is, Apple have great products, bulk advertising and overpriced items. Best just had advertising and overpriced items.
Select to expand quoteINTHELOOP said..
They are now focused on ruining the Virgin/pkra tour..
fixed that for you
Select to expand quoteUnderoath said..
mywisdom said..
as much as I get what you are saying about best (I just looked at a 9m 2016 GP $2100AU without bar??) I think build quality and simplicity in design and usability is just about all apple has going for it? if your talking about the performance or compatibility along with price then yes you have a strong argument. I'm sorry I have just never heard anybody complain about the quality of an apple product and no they arnt made to survive falling off the roof of your car at 60kmph.
Why am I typing in this yellow box....
What flying cab is sayin is, Apple have great products, bulk advertising and overpriced items. Best just had advertising and overpriced items.
Bang on
Yes it is a pity that a role model like Ruben left BEST. But it was not in a bad way. Ruben wants to develop "free riding" to a whole new level and wants to be able to ride gear whatever he feel like. I'm looking forward to see how he will push the level of free riding and storm chasing.
In relation to our Spanish investor, he is fully involved in BEST kiteboarding and has great plans for the future. He has a vision and new ideas and is a mad kiteboarder. The whole BEST family is very excited about these upcoming ideas and we will continue to develop innovative and reliable gear. For sure the industry climate is not easy at the moment - to many brands for a small market.
The 2016 line up is released. Roca and Cabo are available in your local stores since October. The new TS will be released in February.
Happy new year and all the BEST - Ride with us in 2016
Robert - BEST kiteboarding Brand manager Australia
Select to expand quotedownwinder76 said..
Yes it is a pity that a role model like Ruben left BEST. But it was not in a bad way. Ruben wants to develop "free riding" to a whole new level and wants to be able to ride gear whatever he feel like. I'm looking forward to see how he will push the level of free riding and storm chasing.
In relation to our Spanish investor, he is fully involved in BEST kiteboarding and has great plans for the future. He has a vision and new ideas and is a mad kiteboarder. The whole BEST family is very excited about these upcoming ideas and we will continue to develop innovative and reliable gear. For sure the industry climate is not easy at the moment - to many brands for a small market.
The 2016 line up is released. Roca and Cabo are available in your local stores since October. The new TS will be released in February.
Happy new year and all the BEST - Ride with us in 2016
Robert - BEST kiteboarding Brand manager Australia
Good to hear 
I hope Ruben uses his contacts, marketability and experience to launch his own kite brand. I would definitely be interested to see the results if he did.
That would be financial suicide. I get that he's "famous" (but not by real world Kylie Jenner / Lebron standards) but there simply isn't room for more kite brands. It's such a niche market that i bet the majority of kiteboarding companies arent really that profitable. Too many brands and I would imagine a kite/bar/lines probably cost $200-$500 to manufacture so you need to sell a lot to pay for wages / premises / R&D etc not to mention all the wanky videos to far away destinations featuring several different riders etc.
Select to expand quoteaxion said...
I hope Ruben uses his contacts, marketability and experience to launch his own kite brand. I would definitely be interested to see the results if he did.
Really? I bet he would come up with an all new 4line c kite!
And just maybe it would be a megaboosting megalooping machine that no one else is currently producing because most kite brands are catering to the mass market which essentially revolves around 4-5 kite styles. Ruben has always defined himself as an extreme niche kiteboarder. Niche products can be very successful you could argue the car industry is overcrowded and companies like Pagani and Koenigsegg can carve out niches so why not here?
Anyways will probably never happen and we will just continue to digest the same general kite products just thought it would be nice to see and would be a great shake up to the industry.
Select to expand quoteaxion said..
And just maybe it would be a megaboosting megalooping machine that no one else is currently producing because most kite brands are catering to the mass market which essentially revolves around 4-5 kite styles. Ruben has always defined himself as an extreme niche kiteboarder. Niche products can be very successful you could argue the car industry is overcrowded and companies like Pagani and Koenigsegg can carve out niches so why not here?
Anyways will probably never happen and we will just continue to digest the same general kite products just thought it would be nice to see and would be a great shake up to the industry.
because were dealing with a few reams of fabric and some condoms with valves melted into them connected with some string
i meet quite alot of designers and new canopy sport company heads and despite how crazy and nutterish they may be there most exciteable products allways tend to be super safe training devices for the masses. sure there personal toys are being restrung and configured on a daily basis but what they are actually selling and produceing tends to be fat beginner friendly canopys with progression and development in mind.
people who are new to a sport need new equipment the people who are basicly professionals dont and are few and far between.
for years people hung **** on ruben lenten saying he had no skill all he did was boost big jumps. the last few years has been like watching rally driving become nascar.
Had the BEST souvlaki tonight. BEST ever. Ruben BEST could team up with BEST loftywinds1/2 produce BEST jellyfish pump action canopy BEST niche since tonights BEST ever souvlaki hybrid.
Select to expand quotedjt91184 said..
Had the BEST souvlaki tonight. BEST ever. Ruben BEST could team up with BEST loftywinds1/2 produce BEST jellyfish pump action canopy BEST niche since tonights BEST ever souvlaki hybrid.
your ****ing telling me i was going to comment on this **** and how the BEST Australia management of the BEST BRAND had like 20? posts on one of 2? australian kitesurfing forums must have been doing the BEST job ever
Select to expand quotekemp90 said..
axion said...
I hope Ruben uses his contacts, marketability and experience to launch his own kite brand. I would definitely be interested to see the results if he did.
Really? I bet he would come up with an all new 4line c kite!
It would be a fuel with different colors and sizes.
A better niche kite would be a proper wake style kite.
Probably only 20 riders in Australia that would use a Megga Looping Machine.
Select to expand quoteaxion said...
And just maybe it would be a megaboosting megalooping machine that no one else is currently producing because most kite brands are catering to the mass market which essentially revolves around 4-5 kite styles. Ruben has always defined himself as an extreme niche kiteboarder. Niche products can be very successful you could argue the car industry is overcrowded and companies like Pagani and Koenigsegg can carve out niches so why not here?
10000 people might "follow" Ruben but he would probably be lucky to make $100 profit on a kite that looks the same as all other kites after everything is said and done. Only kiters who really know would stop and ask questions about it so you couldn't see him selling more than a hundred or 2 a year.
Billions of people want a car designed by Christian or Horacio. They might make 50-100k profit on a car but park them anywhere in the world and crowds flock and the first thing people do is pull out a phone and post it online. I've witnessed the chaos these cars cause
1st hand but can you imagine what would happen if the FXX residing in a garage here in Perth was lapping Freo? Boys grow up with girls and cars on their walls, desktops and home screens. The hotter and faster the better but the desire is continually burning away.
That pretty much sums up the differences between the hypercar niche market and the megaloop, megaboosting kite niche market.
With all this talk of big names coming and going I thought You'd all sleep easier knowing that all 3 team members (pictured below) of team Best Exmouth are fully stoked and staying put 
Good to see Jana has been booted out of the exmouth best team for the lamb.
Can we cook that next time I visit?
Select to expand quoteMDSXR6T said..axion said...
And just maybe it would be a megaboosting megalooping machine that no one else is currently producing because most kite brands are catering to the mass market which essentially revolves around 4-5 kite styles. Ruben has always defined himself as an extreme niche kiteboarder. Niche products can be very successful you could argue the car industry is overcrowded and companies like Pagani and Koenigsegg can carve out niches so why not here?
10000 people might "follow" Ruben but he would probably be lucky to make $100 profit on a kite that looks the same as all other kites after everything is said and done. Only kiters who really know would stop and ask questions about it so you couldn't see him selling more than a hundred or 2 a year.
Billions of people want a car designed by Christian or Horacio. They might make 50-100k profit on a car but park them anywhere in the world and crowds flock and the first thing people do is pull out a phone and post it online. I've witnessed the chaos these cars cause
1st hand but can you imagine what would happen if the FXX residing in a garage here in Perth was lapping Freo? Boys grow up with girls and cars on their walls, desktops and home screens. The hotter and faster the better but the desire is continually burning away.
That pretty much sums up the differences between the hypercar niche market and the megaloop, megaboosting kite niche market.
True MDSXR6T, and also the massive difference in markets, approx 1 billion passenger cars in use globally, and I think less than 1/2 million kites in use annually. There are more new cars produced in one day globally that there are kites produced annually, puts all this kite hero stuff in perspective doesn't it?
Select to expand quotedjt91184 said..
Had the BEST souvlaki tonight. BEST ever. Ruben BEST could team up with BEST loftywinds1/2 produce BEST jellyfish pump action canopy BEST niche since tonights BEST ever souvlaki hybrid.
Haha... now I know who you are.
Select to expand quotesir ROWDY said..
Youri will be next 
.
i have seen him yesterday at woodies, riding the 2016 rpm...
best ts still is an aweson kite.
