Hi Guys and Girls,
A review on the new North WAM (Wave Attack Model) Surfboard.
Rider: Weight = 90 kilo ,Level (advanced)
Style: Surf
Weather: 15-26 knots
Build Quality:10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: I own a shop and school and sell this product
My Comments:
Firstly, I don't expect you to believe this review being that I sell this board, but will write up honestly in any case and then ask you to demo to confirm or debunk my review.
The 6' WAM looks bloody beautiful as soon as it comes out of the wrapper, excellent fittings and accessories.
The board was tested in frontal onshore conditions in medium to big surf (head to dbl o'head) at Little Island outer reef break off Hillarys.
First thing I noticed was how smoothly it rode out through the chop to get to the break. It didn't bounce at all and felt very fast through the water. It was amazingly comfortable through the chop and made getting out there easy.
Once on the wave, it was very quick and held speed nicely. The grip in a turn was phenomenal and it cut the tightest of turns effortlessly. It actually took a bit of time toget used to the responsiveness in turns, but the real joy was just in it's general rideability. So smooth and controlled at high speed and low speed with generous planing area in the tail to keep the board moving when the speed was slowed from a vert attack.
The board has glass fins using Future Fin system (strong). Footstraps are adjustable by pulling a little strap as you ride or pushing a button to release. Nice!
This is the most amazing board I have ridden in the surf and it certainly allowed me to ride at the level I thought I did rather than the level I actually did 
We have further reviews on this and other boards and kites here :http://www.aksonline.com.au/index.php/board-reviews/north-kiteboards.html#WAM
Again, don't believe a word of it, but if you are interested, grab a demo and see for yourself.
Cheers,
KH
KH when you get the North Free Style Fish on the water can you do a compairison to the WAM?
My partner is torn between the two boards.
Hey Crazy Canuk,
We have the new Freestyle Fish here in the truck too, just waiting for a day when we can get out and put it and several other boards through their paces. Waiting to review the Jaime and X-Ride too. I actually bought up the remaining stock of the 6' WAM boards after riding the current one. So sick!
Check the new website the day after the next windy! 
Cheers,
KH
yes, I am _very_ interested in the FreestyleFish as well!
So please let us know how it works!
Thanks!!!
Hi Wal,
IN the conditions I rode in, gusty, squally onshore and double overhead, I thought I'd have more fun strapped.
The board has wicked deck grip front and back so if you removed the straps, I have no reason to believe the board would ride in any way different to the way it performed with straps. No need for wax either which I prefer personally.
On Thursday I'm going to head to Scarbs to test ride the new Freestyle Fish and hopefully get back on the WAM again (can't wait).
If you can get away and come down to the beach whilst I'm there, you'll be more than welcome to test ride any of the new boards or kites.
On that note, we get our new 10m Vegas Demo kite on Friday! Wooohoo! More toys to play with.
Cheers,
KH
Hi Peeps,
Sorry for the delay, I just re-read the questions posed. I actually did write reviews on both boards on my website but failed to deliver a comparison, so here goes.
2010 WAM vs 2010 FSF
Firstly, the obvious difference is in size, the FSF is 5'2" as opposed to the WAM being 6'. The FSF is snub nosed and is a bit wider than the WAM which is more traditional in surfboard shape.
The WAM has concave through most of it's length with exception of the nose, the FSF is flat. Wam has soft rails until the front thrusters where it fines up and becomes a sharp release edge ending in a rounded Pin tail for handling speed better. The FSF has more volume and even softer rails for more forgiveness in less ideal conditions and greater stability and the tail is rounded square.
WAM uses Pinhead fins for speed and grip whereas FSF has Fathead fins for lower speed grip and intense lift.
There feels like there is a little more "toe in" on the FSF for tighter snaps and lower speed hacking away at the face where WAM can be driven faster and used in bigger conditions.
Both boards have insane grip and control albeit at different speeds and both carve a pretty mean chunk in the wave face. The WAM has a wider speed range and therefore bigger wave size range to the FSF. Both boards have awesome grip and control making it easy to rip a tight turn.
At the end of the day, the two boards shouldn't really be compared as they're for different conditions. If you look at the North range of surfboards, you have the FSF, then WAM, then Kontact. These three boards are basically for different wave sizes. FSF for small waves and freestyle, WAM for small to the large side of medium, and Kontact for large waves.
The FSF is a great board for beginners learning the wave craft as it's so stable and easy to ride but also is insanely snappy and versatile enough for advanced riders looking for a freestyle wave board in waves equal to, or smaller than head height or thereabouts. It's a fun board for throwing around in small waves and is awesome in most Perth conditions. As a strapless board it will open up the freestyle element in waves with the grip rails making it a bit easier to handle the board in the air.
The WAM is for everything from 2-3 foot up to about 8 foot and handles it all with relative ease. A really beautiful board to ride and quite easy, would be an ideal board for anyone in to waves.
WAM is a more conventional style wave board and is suited to most riders wanting versatility and fun with high performance. There isn't any drawbacks that I could find with the WAM, and the only drawbacks with the FSF are it's lack of ability in bigger waves, but again, you'd buy the two boards for different reasons, it's just knowing what you want the board to do as to whether either of them will suit your purpose.
I hope this makes sense, it rambles on a bit. You're welcome to demo either board if you are interested. The full reviews on each board are here : http://www.aksonline.com.au/index.php/board-reviews/north-kiteboards.html#WAM
Cheers,
KH
Thaks for the reviews, I just wanted to add the Kontact, a board I have hours of water time with.
The kontact is simply the best board that I have ridden, by far, and I have ridden lots, often it is stated as being the large wave board, however I must say that I think this is often from ease of making the statement and trying to simplify the classification between North boards. It is far more than that, the Kontact is the board that I choose once I am powered up, I use it in small to big surf regardless, the reason is that the speed and chop that kitesufing demands in powered conditions and the ability to lay down a bottom turn at your top speed and slam a reo regardless of the bit of chop or white water make this my board. I also have a FSF and it is defintely the small wave onshore fun board, but you can't drive a rail into a turn at G force as it will slip and slide, it is skatey and nible and fun, but put it into powered wind with bigger bottom turning and it will slip, its natural state of fun in small onshore surf.
One reason I chose the Kontact was that after ridding the 2008 rocket fish, another great board, it was one of the few on the market around the 17" width, and others are 18" plus. I wanted a board with this straighter rail for speed and rail gripping reliability, tear drop shaped boards will be possibly feel fuller and more surfboard like in lighter conditions but not 20 - 30 knot chopped waves, and in most surf you will get some of that.
the Kontact offers a lot more that just big wave surfing, it offers powered, serious rail to rail, laydown turns and big spray, just check these photos:
(Silver Gath is me with my Kontact)
www.southcentralkiteboarders.com/Port%20Willunga%202009.html
I can't compare the Wam and I look forward to getting into one.
Hey Dazza,
Good insight and you're absolutely right, the Kontact is good if you're into riding super powered and fast. Usually that kind of speed comes hand in hand with big waves hence the association with big waves but yes, when ridden fast, in powered choppy conditions, it's a great board and will stick it!
I compared the 5'10" Kontact for my comparison and I weigh almost 90 kilos. I rode it in small to medium waves and it just wouldn't get going, too gunny for the waves I was riding and so relegated it to the bigger waves arena, especially now when the WAM works so well.
The WAM overlaps a lot of what the Kontact can be used for IMHO, whether it will suit your riding is another question, depends on how fast you ride and how hard you like to hit it.
All three are awesome boards and are worth a demo if you get the chance.
Cheers,
KH
hi guys,
have any of you other than Kitehard tried the WAM 6'0?
And of course if Kitehard has something more to say abt the WAM, I would really appreciate to hear it as well!
Thanks and good winds!
Can anyone comment on the improvements of the 2010 FSF v. 2009?
I've seen more dialogue in the past month on the '10 FSF than in a year on the '09... not sure if that's because no one paid attention to the '09 or because this is significantly better.
Very simply, I'm buying one of these things but have the chance to get an '09 demo at 50% off (and also, the new model isn't out in my neck of the woods just yet and I'm gearing up for 10 day session in October).
Should I wait and shell out the extra cash?
Tried the WAM and Kontact without straps and they are both so easy to control in chop. The WAM is looser but the kontact has more control for getting around sections in the big stuff.
Both boards are heavy but it seems to help keep the boards on your feet. Also the deck grip works a treat so no more melting wax in the glovebox.
Hi Kitehard great review, but what is this style of board more suited for , powered up kiting or park and ride or both . I currently ride 6'2" thruster strapless in pretty much all conditions whether it's 2 foot or way over head .
Hi Taxi,
The WAM is the do-it-all board (within reason of course). It is good in 3 foot as well as 10 foot. Smooth, precise and forgiving, easy to ride either powered or with park and ride.
If you really ride super fast and want to use mostly kite power, you may be better off on the Kontact which is designed for speed and handling in big conditions.
The WAM is my one board for all occassions. Thus far, it has excelled in every kind of condition I have taken it in.
See if you can get yourself a demo on one, they're a sick board!
Cheers,
KH
Thanks Kitehard , I was just curious on the volume of the board because I like to drop in to waves as much as possible when wind direction and conditions permit , when not powered up kiting is just as fun,George from our local kite shop should have a demo board in by next Tuesday hopefully and some wind and waves would be great.
I was wondering how the WAM performs in light winds.
I have a 6'2" Airush Converse 06 or 07 model. (12m Rebel, 10-15 kt)
I find it difficult to get going in light winds using the straps, as the straps are favoured towards the back foot, obviously designed to get maximum potential for drop ins and drive (it is great when your on the wave.)
It is better strapless in light winds as you can distribute your weight better to get the board planing.
So my questions are - Can The WAM get planing in light winds using the straps without getting bogged down, "nose in the air?"
Is a shorter board 5'8" better than the 6'0" for these conditions bearing in mind I am 85 kg and ride a 6'4" surfboard for surfing.
Hi Flying High,
If you currently have a 6'2" Converse, I doubt whether the WAM will get you going any earlier than the 6'2".
Here's the thing, the surfboards, in fact ALL surfboards have their footstraps in the correct planing position, you need to be planing BEFORE you enter the straps. No board that has straps will get you going in light winds if you are in the straps.
Removing the straps allows you to trim the board by placing your feet where they need to be to balance the board for the speed you are moving at. If you are not planing, you need to stand further forward, if you are planing, you need to be further back. Without straps, you can stand where ever you need to be and adjust as you go.
Straps are for when you are fully powered up and riding fast, they give you a connection to the board to allow you to more easily do airs, and handle bumpy chop without getting bounced off the board.
If you want lighter wind performance, look at the Freestyle Fish or a Skim board. Even the Freestyle Fish which is a better light wind board, will not plane in light winds if you are in the straps until you are already planing with enough power to overcome drag. If you exert too much weight on the tail (where the back footstrap is) before you have enough power and speed, then you will stall and sink the tail again.
Hope this helps,
KH
Thanks KH
I dont have too many problems when the wind is up.
I thought maybe if the board was a little shorter with less rocker it would plane earlier and hence get going in lighter winds due to weight distribution/rocker etc.
I will just have to experiment more, maybe consider a fish and get better at strapless riding.
I am a 72kg rider, looking at getting the North WAM, and am not sure which size to get?
I mainly kite scarbs and am moving from a bi-directional Underground.
Trying to decide between the 5'8" and 5'10"
I ride a 6'2" surfboard when I free surf but want a snappy / looser option for the kite.
Has anyone of my size got one / provide advice?
Cheers
