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At approx 19stone, I knew I needed a board that could take some punishment, and the Furnace Creek has more than held it's own. I've had the board for 18 months now, bought second hand, and it had barely been used by the previous owner. I've used it three times on grass, the rest of the time on the beach. The board itself appears bombproof. I can stand in the centre of the board with both feet and it does not bottom out on me. The velcro on the bindings is adequate for this board, but better bindings would probably be better depending on your use. The channel trucks have three settings, each giving a different amount of resistance when turning the board. The top of the board is almost entirely covered with black grip tape, which is not the most pleasing thing to look at. Since buying the board I have changed the bearings once and cleaned and regreased the new ones once. The scrub replacement bearings are just £10 for a new set, so no great expense to replace them. As a heavier rider, I found a fair amount of involuntary movement on the board (not quite speed wobble), but that was corrected by adjusting the trucks. You also have the option of changing the egg shocks if you need to. I have abused this board a great deal, and all things being equal, I would have thought it would have given up on me by now. After 18 months of beach use, some of the trucks are starting to rust, but better maintenance by me may have prevented this. The 9" primo tyres it came with are still going strong, and the deck itself is as strong as ever. It isn't as pretty as the series II, not as light as the other Scrub boards, not as trendy as other makes (MBS, Trampa etc), but for durability for the heavier rider, you cannot fault it. By : ZoMbooLio

just baught a land board and thought i'd share it with you. firstly cost. i paid 99 pounds new from argos. thats a very good price for an adult sise board not like the scrub lion canion which is a junier board with wider foot straps i didnt expect much asi baught it coz it was cheap. the overall package is very impresive though i was very pleased with the item when i got it home. it came with a very robust teather, a spare set of land boarding springs (longer), an adjustable spanner and allum keys, everything you need. the spare set of springs are to replace the heel side springs if you want to just ride the thing with no kite as the fitted springs are shorter heel side allowing a right hand bias on steering to compensate for kite pull the board feels heavy compared to a skate board but im not sure how it compares in weight to other mountain boards. RIDING a very smooth ride with outstanding turning circle. a bit tricky to learn on as the springs are not that tough and your boddy wieght will easily lean the board over till your heels or toes are almost toutching ground. this makes you feel unstable when looking at the kite (stationary only). if its a gusty day and the wind drops off you use your heels to stop you falling backward naturally, well this motion whilst standing still on the board leans it over and unballances you. end product you'll spend an hour or so standing on it falling off standing on wobbling. until you and the board find some middle ground. on the move this ease in lean is what gives the great turning circle and when under pull from the kite the board is as steady as a rock so its a bit of a trade off, and i suppose after a while you will dislike the more rigid (skateboard truck) type boards. it glides over ruts and bumps with ease. the adjustable foot straps work well, dont have them too tight or youll get your feet trapped. board quite bouncy has a 100kg weight limit i weigh 95kg and its fine. occatioal speed wobble when kite is on top and you are really motoring. to sum up i like it, its robust and sturdy its a little twitchy and takes abit of getting used too but that to me says it will be fun stable and smooth usually means dull. its really responsive i think it could doo with slightly stronger springs to take out some of the wobble factor im going to try mine with the mountain board springs in ill let you know how i get on but for the money this board is great has many fetures of the dearer boards at less cost exit do a model (raider 159 pounds) with extra springs i think this may be an improvement. ps. if you use it on the beach rinse with cold water (not sea) and wd40 will stop rust. happy boarding stay safe By : DNash

This was my second board after riding an old scrub '39 to death. First impressions out of the boxare that it looks good, usual flexifoil standard of quality, from the looks of things it could stand up to one heck of a beating. Of course i wasn't ready to board until I had planted my racekites.com sticker on the underside . Ride comfort: The flexifoil range of boards has a very uniqe bend to the deck shape which is supposed to counterbalance the pull of the kite, making the ride more comfortable, but all i found was that the bend meant you were almost always up on your toes which could get very uncomfortable. The bindings are just normal velcro like seen on most boards, they are fairly comfy, but one of mine tore after about 6 months of riding, again because i was on my toes so much. Ride quality: The board comes with channel trucks but no shocks with which you can set them for riding styles. No problem whatsoever with the trucks other than this, ther work fine (no as well as mbs matrix, but i dont have £110 to spend on new ones) they are a bit heavy, but i will get onto this in a sec. One other problem with the deck is that because it is so long it bottoms out in the middle often (although I am a meaty bloke) Weight: By no-one's standards a light board, weighs the best part of 10 kilosso if you are into jumping stay well clear of this. I could get jumps in with my '39 and nothing with this. But then again, this is marketed as a racing board, so really it is trivial. The board comes with regular diamond tread tyres which are fine, but i decided to get the same 10" tyres as fitted to nosno boards... WOW!! it goes over anything and you don't ever even feel it. Build quality: I've been riding this board for over a year and a half now, and it is still fine except for the binding tearing. The deck is still fine and in great condition, the trucks and hubs are still pristine. The left rubber grip tape is falling off, but whatever, who ever cared about that???? Overall a reasonable board, very heavy and long, but if you want a board for long runs go for it, although if yo uare serious you might want to get better, comfier bindings (i know i spelt it wrong) and bottom line it's flexifoil so i dont think it's gonna break for a while yet, but if you aren't sure whether or not to get this board i'd honestly consider getting a scrub instead... OVERALL : 2.5/5 btw im sick of long heavy boards now so i'm getting a lion canyon pro!!!!! By : 300678

Being me, i didn't want the box, left that at the shop. Next, the sheer good looks of this board mean once again Scrub prove themselves as a board maker of significance. Immediately i removed the ankle strap as this somehow cause me a slight disturbance as i once escaped a board on a downhill run (without kite) and then had the thing hit me in the head because as the recoil on the spring coiled bungee type material. Where to start, small hill in Irvine for a test run without kite. This is the first board i have come across that can take my weight without screaming get off me you fat git to me. I'm 5"10 and a 117kg that's around 17 stone i have ruined a flexideck owned by my brother cause it couldn't take my weight well thank you scrub here is a board with real control for the slightly weight challenged. The rear slide on a downhill run bought back memories of broadsiding skateboads as a child but it never feels like it is going to escape you. Next out with the frenzy 04 hook up and away we go tearing around the the green at irvine with some aplomb you get a good clean ride from this board even at ful tilt with an overpowered beast of a kite. All told, a good board with wicked slide ability and decent landing even for me i do advise keeping the tyres at the lower end of inflation as this seems to help with slide as opposed to full inflation which nearly snapped my ankle. At around £160 its a snap, hours of fun and an extremely good board for straight downhill runs or with kite. By : Ted Hedonist

Once I had decided that kite landboarding was the direction to go in, the next step was to decide on the board... I am writing this review in retrospect - I purchased my mark 1 Flexdeck back in the summer of 2003, and I am aware that there is an updated model now available. However, I would like to offer my opinions on the original flexdeck for those of you in the second-hand market, and also those of you considering the new model, as I don't think there is that much difference between the two decks. Here goes... My first consideration was 'kite-specific' or 'non-kite-specific'. At the time, flexifoil's funny shaped decks were a fairly new invention, and I figured I didn't have the balls to try down-hill boarding (!) so there was little advantage to buying a 'non-kite-specific' board. In my head, kte landboarding deserved a 'specific' piece of kit, and therefore I went with the flexifoil boards. Next consideration - which size?? Three sizes available - airdeck: small - kavadeck: big - flexdeck: somewhere in the middle. Basically (as I'm sure most of you will know), a small deck is great for freestyle tricks and jumps, and a big deck is best for cruising and picking up speed. Supposedly. I'll come ack to this point later... Being a beginner, I went with the theory that midde is best - this way I could try a bit of freestyle (if I was good enough), and a bit of speed (if I was good enough). And that was basically my decision made. I purchased my Flexifoil Flexdeck. Unfortunately, I then didn't use the board at all for two years. Living inland, I found it very difficult to board on the local park, and soon forgot all about the board. It was only earlier this year when my passion for kiting returned that it started to get some use, and I now feel able to comment on it. So - was it a good decision??? Lets see... Point 1. Quality. I've looked at a fair few boards now, and for the money, I don't think many compare to the flexifoil build quality. I've heard reports of trucks cracking and decks snapping, but I have had no problems with mine, and I have never actually spoken to a flexdeck owner who had a problem with quality. The board itself feels sturdy enough, and is nicely engineered with a slight curve to the upper surface. Foot straps are very secure and fully adjustable, and the trucks and wheels seem to do their job well. Graphics are simpe but further the 'high quality' image - nothing too over the top. The veneer with the graphics on the top side of my board did start to lift in a few places after heavy use on the beach, but this was easily fixed with a tube of super glue. Hasn't been a problem since. Point 2. The ride. The ride is good - comfortable and smooth. The 7" tyres are wide enough to take in the bumps on hard sand, but maybe a little small when the sand starts to get a bit soft. (It is worth noting that the tyres are wider than those on my friend's MBS Core 8, so I can only assume that the flexdeck is better on soft sand than a lot of other boards.) Again, you feel the quality of the deck and feel very happy to lean back against the pull of the kite. I personally think it feels very secure when you're speeding along the beach. The deck doesn't have much spring in it compared with some of the other boards I've stood on, but I don't feel I'm a skilled enough rider to comment on the effect that has on the ride. The only thing to watch out for is the speed wobble. This has been well documented as a problem, however I find it easy enough to counter the wobble: as soon as speed picks up you simply have to really lean onto your back foot keeping it totally flat on the deck, whilst steering with the front foot. Keeping your back foot sturdy greatly reduces any wobble. If this is still a problem you can tighten up the trucks, but obviously you then lose manouverability, and I personally don't think this is necessary. Point 3. The shape. The shape of the board aims to give the rider extra heel-side bias to stop the kite pulling you down-wind all the time. It works, and possibly is a little over-effective at first. It is very easy to end up facing upwind and coming to a powerless stop. Again, this is easy enough to counteract with plenty of toe-side pressure on your front foot, but I have to admit, this can leave you aching after a day on the board. I think this boils down to experience on the deck. I rarely ache after a day on the board now, and I think this is down to the way you distribute your weight on the board. Place most pressure over your back foot keeping it flat on the board but with your foot right in the foot strap so your toes are on, or just hanging over, the toeside edge, and use your front foot for lighter compensatory steering movements, and it seems to work brilliantly for me. I guess its personal preference whether you'd rather compensate for toe-side or heel-side bias. Point 4. The size. This is where I get confused. I like the size of my board. I can do everything I need to do with it. I don't really understand how adding an extra few inches, or a few more pounds of weight makes much difference to the ride, or the board's capabilities. Correct me if I'm wrong, but when you jump, not only does the kite have to lift your board off the floor, but it also has to lift you. Similarly, to go fast, not only must the kite be pulling the board, but it must also be pulling you. Surely the bigger factor in the capabilities of the board is the size of the rider standing on it. A heavy rider will surely struggle to jump as high as a light rider regardless of the few pounds of added weight in the board strapped to their feet. As far as I understand, the size of the board is only going to make a big difference to a real pro rider who knows exactly what they're doing. To me, going MOR is fine, and I'd recommend the flexdeck as a good (?) size. Conclusion. I think the Flexdeck is a great board - high quality, nice to ride. If it broke tomorrow however, I'm not sure if I'd go kite-specific again; I'm not convinced that there is that much of an advantage to the heel-side bias and it does mean that downhill boarding is out of the question. I have realised that down hill boarding is actually good fun, and contrary to my earlier suspicions, I do have the balls to give it a try!! For this reason, I think my next purchase would be a traditionally shaped board. Having said that, if you are in the second-hand market for a board and a mark 1 flexdeck is available, you're likely to get a great deal on a very high quality board (as the mark 2 is now in the shops), and for the kiteboarder who knows exactly what they want from a landboard, and who wants to go kite-specific, the mark 2 looks pretty good to me too. For kiteboarding, you wont be disappointed with a flexdeck. I think my best advice to anyone buying a landboard is go to your local shop and stand on a few. Pick the one that feels best to you, has the prettiest pattern on the underside, and falls within your price range!!! By : RJBarry

Some of you probably already know that I have given up flying kites and am now just concentrating on mountain boarding, so I hope you accept my review as a former kiter and somebody who still likes to see what’s happening at racekites. After selling my rookie2 9m, I used the funds to purchase a shiny new MBS Comp 16 pro 2005, I bought it in America from MBS and got it delivered to my brother-in-laws house in Houston while we were there on holiday, this saved me £70 on the UK purchase price (just don’t tell HM Customs!). What you get The deck is a reverse cap composite (not to sure what this means) but it is very light and strong. The 2005 deck is slightly stiffer than previous models and has new graphics, and apparently is supposed to be harder wearing, so less prone to scratches and damage. The deck also comes pre-drilled for a grab handle, to move the bindings, add a foot-plate and to move the springs on the trucks (nice touch). It is a similar shape to a snow board (but shorter) and has 35 degree kickers for the trucks. MBS matrix channel trucks – black plastic top (the bit that attaches to the board), there have been some concerns expressed about these being plastic and that they may be vulnerable – but they are bomb proof, there are no reports on any of the forums of these failing. Silver alloy arms, with yellow egg shocks and springs. The tension on the springs can be finely adjusted with the allen keys or move the springs and egg shocks out to make it a stiffer ride. The trucks are v brake compatible (no benefit for kiting, but good for the nervous down hill!). The trucks are finished with the light weight rockstar hubs and MBS T1 tyres, which are a softer compound so are extremely grippy, but more vulnerable to puncture. The bindings are the coloured (black and grey) F3 ratchet bindings, with sandpaper type grip on the deck, which clamp you feet firmly to the deck and are easy to adjust (more about these later). Out of the box It came ready assembled, and the deck was covered in cellophane, then had all the fittings bolted through it – pain in the ass to get off but the deck was immaculate. There were some comprehensive instructions, a ride guide and the toolkit (a couple of spanners and some allen keys). First impressions Comparing it to my Silver Reef – I didn’t like the deck shape, thought the graphics were a bit naff (some bird of prey motif) and the 8inch tyres looked like they would have had trouble riding over an ant (not that I would promote animal cruelty!). But this all changed at the speed of a... mmmmm... MBS comp 16 pro going down hill with a grinning former kiter now atber on board! The problem with Houston is there are no hills, why my brother-in-law would ever decide to move to such a bloody flat place (except that BP paid him a huge relocation package to work there and he doesn’t board!) and he doesn’t own a pump, so the first week of my ownership was spent skating on flattish tyres up and down his road. Why didn’t you by a pump I hear you cry – no point really, got more than one at home and Houston has got to be one of the flattest cities on earth, except for the freeways! Back at home we took both boards (as I am hanging on to the Scrub) to my local spot – by this point the board shape and smaller wheels had definitely grown on me (still not sure about the bird of prey!) and I couldn’t wait to ride it. Downhill this board is a dream it is light weight (6.8kgs), the deck has a bit of give when you climb on – jump on it and the pop launches you, and the flex makes the landing soft but without feeling spongy or like you are going to keep bouncing like a power ball! Once you get moving this board is fast and stable, those trucks completely eliminate speed wobble, I was carving confidently where before I would have screamed and hung on for dear life. The bindings allow you to confidently carve tight turns especially toeside. On my silver reef, I always had the bindings set so they would hold me in but so that I could easily step into them and then left them alone so I didn’t have to keep strapping and entrapping 3 layers of Velcro. The ratchet bindings are easy to adjust, and combined with the grip tape they clamp your foot to the board. I never appreciated before what a difference this makes to the steering, you end up not just using the downwards pressure to steer but also the lift against the binding. This makes the steering much more positive and me more confident. I can’t tell you how important it is to be well strapped in when jumping, otherwise it can be bye bye board! (this is the voice of experience, had a separation from the board while jumping with my silver reef). My concerns over the smaller wheels were unfounded, they take all of the terrain that I ride in their stride (or role!), and those T1 tyres stick, when I powerslide the tyres tear the grass up rather than the tyre sliding over the top, even in the wet. Powersliding took some practice to get used to and you have to slightly lift that back foot. I would have loved to try this board out while I still had the kite, the weight, pop and flex would make jumping a dream. No speed wobble and secure bindings make for a great in control ride and get this board moving and it goes and goes – it will role much further under it’s own momentum that the silver reef. Overall This is a superb board. The way it looks has grown on me, this is mainly because of the way it rides – you can tell it has been developed for pro riders. My confidence is growing the more I use it, tighter turns, bigger jumps and more speed. This is the Porsche 911 turbo of boards – I can’t recommend it highly enough. I am confident that use it with a kite and you will not be disappointed, in fact you will have a huge grin on your face and be thinking bring it on – more speed, more air, I never want to stop. Well that’s how I feel when I am riding down hill! But unlike you guys I now have to get off and walk back up the hill before I ride again!

I'm 5.6 and weigh 10stone, I'm using the board with a bullet 4.5 and 3.5. The board appearance: Looks nice with an eagle head on the bottom and orange explosion on the top deck. The footstraps are pretty good, easy to adjust and most importantly get into and out of. Under the straps is a non-slip rubber mat which does actually help and as I said doesn't impead those emergency bale-outs. It would be nice to have some non-slip across the whole of the deck but that can always be added. Two carry or grab holes are provided, I use them for carrying but those who use a blade may need them to rescue the board as they disappear into space... To ride: It's nice. Steady and safe are the watch words. I've done some speed runs around 20mph and the board behaved well without chatter. I use it on grass so I'm not sure how it travels over sand. The board turns nicely with more of a carving action than a snappy turn. My 10stone turns the board quite well but you could change the springs/dampers if you find it's too much/little. Freestyle: Haven't tried it. The bullets don't really offer any support. What I would say is that the board is quite heavy and gives away 1kilo to a lot of opposition so I'd guess there are better boards for this. (The weight does give it more stability in a straight line). As I mentioned it has grab holes so it could be used for tricks. When I come to get a jumping kite the board should do me fine as my mere 10stone should compensate for the extra weigh of the board - it is only 1kilo after all! Would I recommend it? If you want a pretty standard all rounder then yes. If you want to spin, slide and jump I'd say there are better boards around. By : Fedaykin

the box came on my birthday as a suprise from my wife ripped apart the box to be greeted by a shiny new board read the instructions and put the wheels on in record time looks wise its good good design and looks hard wearing feels nice and flexible and feels like a good stance for me im (5'7) now all i needed was a kite so untill then i decided i would use it on hills and get used to the board how it turns etc the first time was brilliant went up the hill looked down it and thought god im going to die stapped my feet into the triple velcro bindings pointed it on a diagnal and slowly went forward picking up speed quite a bit faster than what i thought i would so i turned and the board did just as i asked seemed really easy to turn so i carried on a few more runs down the hill and then i started going straighter it felt like i was going about 20 mph when i came off but what a rush i couldnt stop grinning like a cat lying there in pain smiling my head off got up and ran back up the hill to have a great day playing and learning how to ride. i have a radsail pro 4m i use with it at the moment and they go well together after learning to slacken the trucks to make it better on the beach the wheels rubbed on the side of the board and has taken the board to the wood where the wheels touched and after about 2 months use at the beach the front tip of the deck the design seems to be coming away a little other than these little quibles i love it bindings could be a bit better but do the job By : chickenloop

This board looks nice enough and is reasonably light weight. There are still plenty of options for upgrading and you can even add brakes if you want (perhaps for downhill riding). I haven't been to a suitable hill near where I live, so I am unable to comment on the downhill abilitites of this board, but I do snowboard and the MBS Core 16 offers a familiar stance for me. Quite how well it would ride is another question as I'm sure that snow gives a lot more then any grass surface. On the beach I have found the board to be just fine - if anything I am the problem. Sometimes I have got into soft sand and then powered up my kite only to find the board stubbornly refusing to move. When that happens I have been able to get out of the bindings with no fuss. I look forward to getting to grips with this board and hope that it proves sufficiently durable. AfterI have been riding on the beach only a couple of times I have noticed that there is already signs of wear on the surface where my shoes have worn away the finish. By : NutSoft

My first board!!! I love it!!! It cost me £90, cheap as david dickinson I think! and I hav'nt looked back since. It's about 4ft long (Nearly as long as me ladies!!!) and is comfy. The deck is made from chipboard and maple ( I think) and is very strong. I've only used this board once with my samurai 5m. It was very boring and I soon ditched the kite in the car and took my board to the steep slope on white horse hill. I deflated the tires slightly and away I went! the board barely bounced but when I got to the bottom I found it hard to skid stop so I just jumped off. I find the board very satisfying and would recommend it to anyone! My special friend has a silver reef and I tried using that but it wasn't much of an improvement on my lion canyon, and It costs alot more. It turns nicely, bounces little but on dirt it tends to hurt when you fall off funnily enough!!! But that's not the boards fault! Sadly after riding on dirt it is sometimes a good idea to clean your board (especcially in all the screws and stuff near the wheels that I feel are pointless to know the technical term of) It is important to clean them as dust can cause friction in the bearing and screw up your board) I've bashed my board around alot and it is still strong as ever. I highly recommend this board because it is cheap, relianle, strong and versatile. Don't go and spend an extra £100 on a different scrub board because they aren't much of an improvement. Love your board and it will love you in return!!! P.S The brake system you get on some boards is rubbish and takes alot of the fun out of boarding. The brakes wear down quickly and are difficult to replace. Also I advice not wearing the ankle strap that ensures your board does not run away if you fall because the momentum it gathers on steep slopes can hurt if you come free from the board and it drags you on your front. ouch! By : joey wizz

As my first delve into traction kiting I chose a 3.6 Beamer which was accompanied by an Exit Raider mountain board, since the beamer has received a plethora of quality reviews, I thought I would give the all but unknown raider a shot. To say the raider is a lot of ride for the money is an understatement, I purchased mine from Gruntys (a fine retailer) at a slightly discounted price, having first played at my local (expensive) retailers premises. My first impression of the board was that it had a sturdy feel to it, I must admit there is a good reason for this, the whole thing is a little heavy compared to other boards in the same price range which often have carbon laminated into the deck whereas the raider is an all maple affair. This aside this deck is strong!!! I’m a not insignificant 98 Kg, which in old money comes up at about 15½ stone. To which on occasion ive added passenger weight! When it comes to the ride and handling, the Raider scores high. On hard sand at speed ive never had any wobble. On grass doing jumps (or trying to) there is plenty of grip and sliding turns are a synch with a couple of extra psi, a dewy morning and a bit of weight transfer. And on the really rough stuff this has to be the most confidence inspiring ATB ive strapped myself on to! Now they always say the proof is in the pudding but really it’s in the riding, ive met a lot of riders at our local kite spots and exchanged views as well as gear, many of these guys have an above average budget for kit. This said ive had problems getting the Raider back in exchange of the GI, Kheo or Hyline ive borrowed, people seem to love the Raider for its adjustable (bullet-proof) trucks which don’t rust , creak or bend even after all the abuse they have received. So in conclusion I have to say that the Exit Raider is great piece of kit, good choice for the heavy or heavy handed boarder, perfect for the under or over confident and probably the lowest maintenance of the price range. (all ive changed is the fixings from “as standard” to stainless steel and only because they look nice) TRY IT, YOU MIGHT LIKE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What can I say about this board, in a nutshell it seems to be a good beginners board. Now until recently I had never kite boarded before till my friend started teaching me with his Flexifoil Airdeck and Bullet setup. A week later and I went to my local kite store and tried out a couple of boards for myself and walked away with a shiny new Scrub Reef II. What you get : Board (four pneumatic wheels and a plank !). Toolkit : Three allen keys and two spanners and a board leash. Priced around £150-160 Ride : To begin with I decided that using a kite with the new board might be a recipe for disaster so I headed to a local Park to try out some gentle slopes. Straight away I would say that the ride is lower than the Flexifoil Airdeck and because of this seems to be more stable with less lateral rock making it easier to ride. The downside of this is that the Reef's steering is not so responsive but smoother larger turns are the order of the day, this could just be my ability level. Picking up speed on the board is comfortable and it doesn't seem to develop a wobble even at higher speeds. There is quite a lot of flex in the board and as I weigh around thirteen stone it did feel slightly creaky but a couple of jumps soon put my mind to rest as nothing broke. Using the board on a shallow slope with a long run makes even a newbie like me look like an expert with wide sweeping turns and a good stable ride. Construction : Overall the board seems fairly robust if a bit on the heavy side however if like me your not looking for big airs this shouldn't be a problem. Nice no-slip rubber grip sheet where your feet go on the board, with pretty standard simple to use velcro strap bindings. Standard skateboard style trucks easy to assemble onto the board. Overall : This is the first time I have attempted to review something but I felt compelled to do this as I haven't felt this comfortable / at one with a new item since I skateboarded as a lad. Usually it takes you a while to get used to a new piece of kit be it kite / board /whatever but somehow this felt right. Please give the Reef a try and see what you think. By : Dachad

I bought a kheo Air-S of ebay at the end of October last year, it has taken me this long to write a review thanks to the superb British weather (I suppose it is winter and what can I expect!) After a lot of research I was torn between the Scrub Silver Reef II and the Air-S as they seam to have similar characteristics and were priced about the same, due to a limited budget the second hand ebay route was my preferred method of purchase. The Air-S is a beginner/intermediate board primarily sold for the freestyle market because of it’s light weight and deck flex. The graphics on the standard board are blue and orange with Air-S on the underside, mine has a custom paint job which added to the appeal of this board. The bindings are hard wearing and adjustable (I’m still using them fairly loose so that I can step out of them), the grip pads hold my feet in place with the bindings loose even when it’s wet (I haven’t yet tried them in sand). Even though mine is a second hand board all the nuts and bolts are rust free and the wheels run very freely and smoothly, so it appears it is going to be hard wearing. The board comes with skateboard style trucks and Diamond tread 9inch tyres. I have been using the board on a soggy sports field and when I get it right, I have been shooting off down the field at approx 5-10mph (I know it is slow, but I’m just starting out!) the board is nice and steady and feels very stable. This is helped by a low centre of gravity. Boards with skateboard trucks are prone to developing a speed wobble, I’ll be able to comment on that when I am able to get up some more speed! (Maybe in the summer on a nice smooth beach and with more experience!) I have also been going up and down the road (skateboard style) popping jumps and trying to avoid running over my kids who think this is great fun! For jumping I think this board is going to be a dream, it’s weight and flex are fantastic making it east to jump and cushions the landing. I have also tried it down hill at the weekend, and that was excellent fun, and provided more experience of board riding – it’s just a shame I had to walk back to the top of the hill! Overall I think this is a great board, It’s light weight, hard wearing, appears stable and has got good flex and pop. I think I will get a lot of use out of this board for a long time and will still do me when I am doing 30mph down the beach getting some huge air!

I got my flight deck one year ago and this is how it's held up and what I think of it. First thing I had to do was install the bindings.They are G.I. roots bindings and came with detailed instructions as to where to lay out the holes and stuff but they didnt suit me so I ended up with extra holes in my board...live and learn .Only you know what works for you.The bindings are comfy and durable. I board on sand so I ordered slick tires.My other board had some knobby things on that were so slow i thought there had to be something better out there and I was right.Kinda suprised slick tires havent caught on,Kudos to G.I. I wiegh 200 puonds so of course the board has pop.It's made of maple and the concave feels good .Flexs when you torque really hard in a carve.Might be stiff for a lightwieght though. The trucks are outdated now,G.I. has beefed up some aspects,changed some geometry and just improved an already good design.The have cool cubes that let you stiffen or soften the action.The only thing I dont like is the friction pads .They keep your ride stiff and seem to require keeping an eye on cuz I lost one and and 3 others came loose but they are cheap to replace and e.z. too I use my Flightdeck as a kiteboard and beat the snot out of it and after 1 year I am still very pleased.All it does is inspire you to style out and push yourself. Cost is O.K.,Handling superb....10 out of 10 points from me Rick McGaffey By : windthing2

If your looking at a good freestyle board that wont break the bank then go for this great board... Its so light it'll have you jumping around and sliding whenever you want to. The construction of the board appears to be good with solid attachments that seem take some hard use and abuse. The graphics on the Air-S aren't as elaborate as some of the other freestyle boards but the blue and black pattern with orange writing "Air-S" is enough to add a bit of style. This is a great board, it has plenty of flex in it which makes for some nice soft landings when you get that high jump that you've been waiting for, its diamond tread tires give plenty of grip on sand or grass to make tighter turns possible even with the skateboard style trucks. Like I said above, the Air-S is for the boarder who wants to have some good fun without reducing the bank balance too much, for the price you pay you get a great board which is well suited to kiteboarding and tricking due to its light weight. By : FlyinScotsman

i just thought i'd pop a comment for the last review of this board. The deck is made of wood; lots of it, wrapped in fibreglass and whatever else. this board is very good. super stable, light and the new decks are something else. i find the stance a little wide but i have since become used to it. The matrix trucks look cool, however i am still sceptical of the plastic baseplate, even if i do own the stronger varient. the easy adjustment of the springs with an alun key is a great idea, just doesn't really work too much, still, it is handy. The tyres are great, very grippy and light. shame i got a puncture just jumping around on my patio for the first time. i soon cured this with my old earthboard tyres, however i think that there are other ways that people have come up with. Anyway, this board is brilliant and with a few adjustments and more research it could just be sensational. By : Hinch

My main aim of getting this board was to kite-board but i often use it for freestyle riding and a bit of mucking around. Now where to start... The board arrived a week after i ordered it from http://www.atbsports.co.uk with a free leash (safety device) and eggshocks (makes the suspension sweet). Assembly of the board was realtively easy. Step 1:fit bindings, step 2:attach wheels step 3: attach top hats and put in suspension springs and eggshocks. EASY. Before you go out its best to tighten everything up apart from the wheels too much as u may damage the bearing covers!! My first ride without the kite was a bit daunting with the bindings etc but i got on fine and i was turning and going alond nicely REMEMBER SAFETY GEAR. The performance of the board is excellent and it is rather light. The bearing u get with it are top class which makes for a great ride and the 8 inch tyers help to give a smooth ride over obstacles. The suspension is also great and can be adjusted to aid turning or to stop speed wobbles. Now onto using it with me kite... The kite i use for boarding is a 4m blade by flexifoil which is a great allround kite but not so good for competition buggying. My 1st attempt was what you could say rather interesting as i didn't really know what to do. But me being me everything went great and i was going up and down the field for around 10m at a time and then going back the other way. The board handled the terrain perfectly. Afer a few days of riding i was able to get upwind easily enough etc and the board was comfortable on the feet and easy enough to get off of in case i need to bail! The board has performed at a great level since i got it before christmas and the only problem i've had is with the grip tape. It wears away rather quickly but as long as its dry u dont slide out. Im very pleased with my board and i've not had many problems with it. I believe its been a good investment although u can get a new buggy for cheaper. if you need more info u can e-mail me and here's a few good sites to visit. http://www.maxtrack.com/ these guys make me board http://www.atbsports.co.uk the place i got me board from and they have loads a info on board and a great message board. to end it all this is a great board that will soon a beginner up to near expert level By : Mabster Balmain

when i first got this out of the box my reaction was ",,,?," it is a very odd looking board . its very shiney and almost looks like a toy. this is due to the two wheel approach that loko have taken with the design. i almost dissmissed the board the first time i stood on it, as it rocks when it is going slowly. its like the antithesis of speed wobble, at slow speeds it rocks, but at high speeds it is very stable! This is an advanced board, its certainly not a good choice for a beginner to kiteboarding. before i got this board i had learned on a mongoose pro cam, I can board pretty well, (i can slide, land some jumps and im currently trying to get the hang of riding blind) but the first time i took the board out with my kites i had to learn again. it is a completely different style of riding, you need to keep your weight 40/60 on your back foot otherwise the board will simply not roll. in this way it may be more suited to kitesurfers. also you cannot lean as far back when you powerslide or you will end up on your arse. After trying it with the kites in moderate winds it was time to test it at downhilling. It is meant to have greater cornering characteristics at higher speeds. I tested this theory by throwing myself down a near verticle ledge into a 90' turn within 10 meters of the initial drop. on my first 4 attempts i hit a tree but on run 5 i glid round the turn at around 20-25mph. no wobbles and i was still confident for more speed. myself and a friend went to a park to test the no-wobble theory further by letting him tow me down hills and hard packed paths using a bike. we hit speeds of around 30mph and yet there was still no speed wobble. its time to talk about size...im only 5 7" and i find it is almost too narrow in stance for me. infact i wish i ahd bought the 115 option. if you are at all bigger than me do not get this size! The only difference between the sizes is the weight, the largest board (120) is lighter than most intermediate channel truck mountain boards so dont forsake the extra stance width for a weight difference of about about 100g. my only grope about the board (now im used to it) is that it doesnt come with footstraps and they need to be bought seperately. loko however have released a new binding which is the dogs bollox. Sadly i have no photos of it but it is very simlar to the ones on the new mbs boards and it attatches easilly to the 4hole drilling that comes on either foot pad on the board. if this review does get anyone to buy a loko board over a regular mountain board here is my last pearl of wisdom... PAD UP AND PRACTISE ON A VERY SMALL HILL BEFORE YOU TRY IT WITH A KITE OR YOU WILL GET HURT!!! IT IS VERY DIFFERENT. By : alsdair mcdonald

A strange looking board at first, but it really stands out from the crowd, even when covered in sand and crud. All black, abit knight rider-ish (he probably had one in the boot:-) ) The price is quite reasonable and on a par with the other mid to high priced boards, but the straps or bindings are extra, they do however offer some flexibility in adjusting your foot stance, with the plates having about two inches of rotational adjustment. The construction appears to be bullet proof,powder coated steel at the ends and a carbon connector between them to give flex in the board, and it works too,people upto 16st have bounced this board. The two sizes are identical in every way except size to accomodate your natural stance (shorter=narrower) although both could be used by any rider. First impression of the ride were strange as the board rocks under foot, and takes a few minutes to get used to. For mtbing the board likes quite hard terrain for the best grip, but is quite happy on all except muddy ones where it has a tendency to slip and slide under you, put it on a steep road however and just make sure you have all the protection on as this board really shifts, the nice bit is there is NO speed wobble, take the straps or bindings off and you could even street luge with this. At all speeds the steering mechanism seems progressive, and carving runs are easy and relaxed, a feature ? of the design means that as the heel or toeside forces increase, it will reach a point where the trailing wheel will start to add some steering input allowing very sharp turns. For kite boarding this board is more suited to fast cruising as it is relativly heavy, but jumping is still possible. on the beaches where standard boards dig furrows (in reasonably packed sand)this board is more likely to leave a wide tyre print. Power slides are just a case of leanig back while cutting the kite back across the window, no more sand builing up in front of the board to tip you over. As this board gets moving, and you start to lean against the kite the front wheel almost anticipates you by starting to try and edge upwind, which you can either use or get a bigger kite and use the extra grip to get more speed. At low speed the rocking motion can make life awkward as far as balance is concerned, but i think thats a practise issue. A great board that is really well suited to downhill speed and kiteboarding speed runs and isnt too bad at all the other stuff either. By : Steve

i purchaed this board along with my kite as part of a package. kheo was chosen over other brands after investigating various mtb and kite mags and seeing the brand had some pedigree and was popular amongst kiteboarders. quality constuction at a budget were also defining factors. the board differs from other models in several areas: - longer wheelbase to promote stability - larger tyres than some of its competitors - alloy frame and ply deck as opposed to composite deck - spring trucks not skateboard trucks also i was intrigued by the grab handles built into the board and the boards slightly higher weight than its competitors. though this can be disadvavtageous if starting in light wind, the upside is increased momentum over difficult surfaces and constant line tension leading to less luffing, which had proved a problem on the beach with a friends scudda 35. first rides initially i took the board to a few gentle hills in the area often on the way to the flying site. the first thing i noticed was the softness of the elastomer suspension. while this proved to be excellent at absorbing bumps and shocks, the speed wobbles could develop on smoother surfaces which led to a particularly nasty faceplant involving me landing on the keys in my pocket at 25mph+, ouch. i found it better to leave the straps a little loose to facilitate sharp exits, something which happened a lot in the early days. the large area of the board means its easy to get comfortable when just cruising down a hill on the way to the beach, and once confidence is gained, the board can be be make to carve beautifully. out with the kite first tries were at my local beach on hard smooth sand and it was easy to get going on the board. the length promoted good tracking up and cross wind, though speed wobbles remained an issue they could be calmed by lowering my centre of gravity and pointing my toes forward. the longer length increased the turning circle compared with other boards but this could be overcome with practice. only small jumps have been tried as im still getting used to jumping while moving, but the handles prove useful though the weight is a little too much for my 4m kite unless i fly it agressively. but thats not what this board is about. its for leaning back against the pull, scything beautifully across the sand; body, kite and rider working un unison to cruise with mininal effort and fuss. slides are easy to accomplish on this board both on rough and smooth terrain (though your sense of balance has to be resonable) and though a little rattly, it rides rough ground with ease. i think the rattles are from my c**p assembly skills, not a design defect! conclusion personally i really like this board. the stability and smoothness over difficult ground are leagues ahead of the lighter, skateboard-trucked boards. this board can be used for small jumps but its forte is cruising/freeriding. its a good beginners board as it can be used most places and isnt as likely to spit you off as some. however, its quite heavy which may put some off and it needs harder shocks for beach use. but its tough as old boots and will last forever, and if you shop around you can get last years model without the fancy colours and graphics and pick up a real bargain. go on,give it a try and cruise in style. By : bushflyer

This board is ideal for learning both downhill and kiting. When downhilling it is a nice and stable board for learning on and does not get speed wobble until you are riding quite fast, a lot faster than on an Air-S for instance. The board feels strong underfoot and has enough flex to smooth out small bumps. When you start to want to jump, the board is evenly weighted so is quite easy to land, but more than just straight jumps are quite tricky as it is a relatively heavy board (approx 10kg). As for kiting, again the Flyer is a good board to learn on, it is nice and stable and turns easily. The tyres are small (8 inch) so it does need very hard sand, or grass to get the most out of the board. With kiteboarding it is much harder to get speed wobble, and it is a lot easier to control when it happens, but the Flyer can still get small amounts of wobble at high speed, especially on rougher terrain, eg beach with ripples or rough grass. For jumping I find the board too heavy in the air as it is hard to manouver, and with kiting this is quite important as you will rarely (read never!) land going in the same direction as take off, although I have had some large jumps with the flyer, just spot that landing carefully! Overall this board is an ideal beginners board, and a lot of people will never out-grow it but if air or very high speeds are what you are looking for, try somewhere else. An excellent all round board. By : Tom

I was lucky to have a go on this beauty a few days ago on the beach... The board is of realy high quality and felt realy nice to stand on. the foot straps were realy comfertable and the flex was about right. It weighed absolotely nothing and I could pull off 270 jumps without much effort while stationary. With a kite, it had the really annoying habit of going upwind, this is because the foot straps are mounted slighty behind the center line of the kite. This meant it kept you on your toes (literally!) and proved tiring to someone who is used to leaning back with kites. It was only used once by me and the kheos on the beach dominated the day. The build quality is very high and though is is a real bas*erd to steer, it could be very nice if the steerig could be altered. Flexifoil could do with working out that riders ride leaning back. Im just waiting for a off road version for jumps and hills as it could revolutionise mountainoarding. By : Rory Scammell