Rider: 180cm, 75kg, advanced
Style: Strapless Surf
Weather: various
After posting 2 previous reviews on both these boards, and since then having a good spread of conditions to test both boards in, i thought i would write a comparison to help people that maybe stuck between the two.
(yes i may be repeating myself)
The boards i tested where the
2013 NORTH WHIP 5"8 (5'8" X 18 3/4" X 2 3/16)
and the
2013 NORTH KONTACT 6"1. (6'1" X 17 1/2" X 2 1/8)
These boards are quite different.
The WHIP features a new tail for this year (now has a batwing/round) but overall the design is pretty much unchanged.
The board runs a relatively flat rocker, with a wide and chunky mid section, with a quite wide tail.
The fin config is a fulltime quad (FUTURE box) which complements the mentioned wide tail well.
The KONTACT is a much narrower shape with straighter rails and a thin, tight rounded pin tail.
It also carries quite a lot of both nose and tail rocker and comes in a thruster (future box) fin config.
Even tho these boards a quite different to ride both are quite enjoyable in there own right.
SO HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ONE IS FOR ME??
I finally had a chance to ride both boards in powered up right hand (forehand) bare away conditions.
(all my other testing has been down in backside conditions.)
Straight away the WHIP flew out through the whitewater.
Was a lively ride but also quite bumpy and chatter-y.
I put this down to the wide profile and flat rocker.
The KONTACT was a much smoother deeper sitting ride and handled the chop in a much more relaxed easy manor.
Both went upwind with ease, but having a nicely powered kite, helps this too.
On the wave, it was a slightly different story.
The WHIP is a loose and poppy ride.
Being slightly overpowered at times made for sketchy bottom turns and a excessive amount of tail side out of the top turns. (don't get me wrong, some people like this)
Due to the flat rocker, doing airs off the top was also a bit risky as nose diving occurred a few times.
The KONTACT was different.
powered bottom turns and powerful (give it as much as you can!) top turns where a breeze.
yes the lines (turn shape) where a bit longer and drawn out, but this meant you could hold more speed and power through to your next section.
Having the nose and tail rocker also meant you could go hard and vertical in hollow close out sections and the board rode through no problems.
So enough reading....
If your someone that wants a fun, more forgiving, light wind, mushy wave surfboard then the WHIP is a go.
If you like riding over powered, with straps and in bigger more powerful waves.
then the KONTACT is for you.
Best thing is try and get a demo, but overall both boards suit their market well and you wont be disappointed.
enjoy happy shredding.
Thanks. Got the Whip and am looking for a second board now as it is a nervous little bastard on bigger days. I'm 92kg and 6'4 so its really too small a board for me.
I hear good things about the Kontact and although I've always bought North, I've recently had a bad customer service experience with them so am reluctant to give them my hard earned $. So I'm considering the F-one Surf 6'2. Mitu's weapon of choice.
The Kontact really is a big wave slayer, loves the long drawn out turns, carry's loads of speed through as said above, gives you so much confidence from half mast to double when you don't want to sketch a powered bottom turn when there's a dragon breathing down your neck.
And to anybody looking for a board in-between these two you really can't go past the WAM, a great configurable all-rounder that sit perfectly under the Kontact. (My quiver is 5' 10 Kontact, 5' 8 WAM looking at a 5' 10 to fill the gap). In Gero so wouldn't really have use for a whip. I ride both boards strapless and on bigger days chuck a leggy on the Kontact
great comparison mate 
