Well, I'm extremely happy with this board!
I started with an Exit Toaster; those of you lucky enough to have tried one, would know how heavy and un-freestyle these things were. Even though it was not a kite-specific board, it was good enough to learn the basics on, but once i got better and started to board jump, I needed something else, since my toaster was so heavy it knocked me off balance when jumping!
I had tried a friend's Core 8 once, and liked the feel. Eventually i ordered one for a great £149.99. Once the TNT van had delivered it and I had opened the box, I was amazed at the simplicity of putting the thing together, a lot easier than putting my old Toaster together, that was a REAL nightmare; one of the wheels had to be hammered on to the axel because of the bearings jamming, so I was not pleased. The Core 8 was quick and easy to put together, just place a few washers etc and tighten, and you are ready to ride.
TOTAL DECK WEIGHT
The weight of this board is SUPERBLY LIGHT! It is perfect for me, a very light board for a very good price. At an honest 5.4 kilos, I was extremely surprised when bouncing about on it, it seemed to be a part of my body, if that makes sense, like when a racquet feels like a part of your arm when you are playing tennis.
DECK
The flex is just right. Flexibility of a deck/pop is down to a rider's preference, and this is just right for my 52kg weight. A lot of bigger people seem to like the flex in this board too, for example, Mbs rider Mark Berry; he rides this board and kicks butt with it. There is a lot of flex in the board, but it does not bottom out on me when landing hard on jumps. The flex in this board seems to take all the strain off of my knees which is very pleasing.
There are 2 holes in the centre of the deck, for a grab handle to be placed. Even if you are not board-offing (if you are, the weight of the board makes it less of a strain on your arms), a handle helps a lot for carrying your board, and grabbing it in awkward situations, for example, if you are a bit overpowered on your feet and need to grab your board whilst you are scudding downwind on your feet, a handle is a lot easier and safer to grab than say a truck.
I personally do not like the Mbs grab handle because it is metal and is stiff, unlike my north kitesurfing handle, which is foam with a metal core, allowing me to bend it into desired positions.
Also, the deck has extra holes for different types of trucks; this board can have almost any setup, and can be tailored to your needs.
The deck length is good for me, but some people find it too long, horses for courses to be honest.
WHEELS
The wheels on this board are nice, at 8 inches in diameter, and have a T1 tread which grips well, better than a diamond tread in my opinion. On the other hand, the rockstar hubs are not very good. Mine are becoming less circular every session, because of repeatedly jumping with the board. If you do not board jump, then this is not a problem, but if you do, may i suggest rockstar pros? These will last longer, and look blingtastic! 
TRUCKS
Well, mine haven't bent...yet, and I am sure they won't anytime soon. They don't really suffer from speed wobble, as long as I lean against the kite's power. Down-hilling, speed wobble kicks in at around 30mph roughly, if your trucks are tight.
BINDINGS
The F2 bindings on this board are perfect for my size 8 (42) feet. Unlike some bindings, these do not stick to your feet as if they are glued to them (and brake ankles), nor do they constantly slip off. A+ bindings here.
PROS
* Very light board, making it good for freestyle, or getting through the baggage people at the airport without paying excess due to being overweight 
* Good flex, soaks up the hard landings on jumps, taking strain off your knees to a good extent, and having enough pop for new-school style moves, if you are into that
* Unbelievably great value for money, you get a lot more than you pay for
* Can be modified to your liking without taking a knife or drill to it
* The wheels are good
* Bindings are great in my opinion
CONS
* May not have the right amount of flex, depending on what you like
* The Rockstar hubs supplied bend under strain
If you want a board for cruising along, or the most extreme freestyle, consider this board. It has changed the way I ride completely; some times I forget it is there, on my feet because it is so light. The price is very reasonable, and there is not much that I can find wrong with this board, and I have been using and abusing this thing for one season now; especially when learning to jump, I used to kick the board off of my feet if I got over 10ft, and it is still in one piece with no problems at all.
POP 8.2/10 It is great for me!
DECK LENGTH 7.9/10 Good for me, maybe not other people
COST 9.5/10 Can't find a better board at a similar price
BINDINGS 9/10 I love them!
WHEELS 8/10 They rock!
ROCKSTAR HUBS 6/10 They don't rock very hard, to say the least
TOTAL WEIGHT 9/10 Superb!
TRUCKS 8/10 Pretty darn sturdy, for me
Author : sym170
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