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Showing results for tags 'MBS'.
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So here I was landboarding in thick grass come to the end of my tack, thinking the ride was a tad wobbly. Bugger, one of my front springs of my MBS Comp95 matrix trucks popped out. No spring to be found, only lots of sheep, hey it's New Zealand. So I put an order in for some new springs direct from MBS USA. They arrived and check out the difference, the oldies have permanent offset of 10mm, no wonder they popped out. Suppose that is normal wear, old ones were from when I originally bought the board. The egg shocks will also be replaced as they have shrunk as well. Ride should be a lot more solid when the new ones are installed.
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My straps came apart (gave me 4 years worth, which ain't bad) last weekend. I can retro fit something to get me going, but I'd prefer to get something more solid or durable. Anyone have any MBS bindings? All I need is the strap (x 2) that goes through the metal ring and back to the L-bracket on the board. I can then fashion my straps to go around it. Otherwise, I may have to buy the whole kit. Thanks in advance
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Just after a spare MBS grab handle for my MBS Core 95 board. Or a way to apply any twin tip grab handle would be appreciated. Thanks -
Unused but they have picked up some surface rust and a few scuffs/scratches from the 4 years they've been laying around, first in Pari's garage and then mine. They still look good and function perfectly. $130 + postage
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I thought I'd try Joes trick and listen to music while land kiting @ Elwood park. Managed to break the screen on my phone. Took to a phone repair shop who over phone said $109, then $150 in store, and then $200 when I returned to pick it up.. So I said no. Give my phone back! Because I don't like the increasing price game they seem to play. Made appointment for Apple Store instead, was running early so stopped in food court and had wallet stolen. ( school kids grabbed it and bailed real quick ). Apple open my phone and see sticker from the other repair shop and say will not replace screen under warrant for free when it has been opened my somebody else.. FFS. i tell them I've just had wallet stolen, phone replaced for free....... KARMA.. now i I need to ring around to get new drivers licence etc etc.. LUCKLY DIDNT HAVE TOO MUCH CASH ONBOARD.. Could have been way worse if I had money in wallet for my Snowkite trip this weekend! Or just sold a kite.....
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Hey guys, just asking for advice. Recently my work has asked us all to park our cars in a new carpark about 400m away from work and walk. I don't mind the walking, but sometimes when the wind is up, I wish I could just street kite to and from work, especially as it's clear of trees and all asphalt. There is plenty of room with a bonus slight downhill section right into work, but a slight up hill from the car. It takes about 5mins to walk, but I reckon it would take me less than 2 mins if I could street kite. What short line kite would you recommend, and I assume it would be flown purely on handles? I have a Peter Lynn Viper 2.6m kite which would fly really nicely on handle but I have yet to try it. Or would a NASA be better, as I would not waste time trying to inflate the kite? Yeah something that I can just pop open and go? An umbrella?! LOL
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I need to replace my rusted bearings on my MBS Core95 board with vector (is that right?) trucks. Can someone point me as to where and what's the size and make of these bearings? I think there are two versions on the MBS site but I am not sure which would suit my standard hubs. Thanks
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I am moslty into downhill mountainboarding. I had two other boards other then this but the Pro 6 has been the best board so far. I am only 14 so it is a perfect free stlye board for me because of its reduced spin weight (its shorter so it is easyer to spin) I have used it with a kite twice is it is a very good board for this I did not buy this board compleat but it it mostly how it is supposed to be other then i have regular matrix trucks on it rather then the lighter versions The Deck: The deck is a power lamnit deck, very stiff and you get a lot of pop out of it. Bindings: The F3 Bindings are very good compared to any other bindings i have ridin in, they hold your feet in but they are also easy to bail out of if needed, the ractch strp is very nice and it is very easy to adjust Trucks: Like i said i have the regulat matrix trucks but they arnt any different other then that they are heavier They are very good and absorb a lot compared to skate trucks, also they are a lot harder to get speed wobble Very nice turning (depends how tight u adjust them) Hubs: The allumin hubs are very very nice, i only have these because i cracked my plastic ones, they add a little weight but are a lot stronger and just look nicer The Board All around: It is a very good board, has a lot of pop and is short so easy to spin. It is good for freestlye or kiting but for younger riders could be used for almost anything It is great with a kite also you can keep a edge goign cross wind withoout lossing blance and it is easy to turn upwind if you want to All in all it is a very good board that is made for kiting but can be used for anything u want i used mine for down hill for a year be for even useing a kite with it (also i had 2 small of a kite for the wind conditions and never got it up) but i got to use it in outer banks NC and got a few good runs in, it gose well in hard packed sand but u have to be goign pretty good to go in softer sand, do not try 2 ride it in soft sand, it has skinny wheeles and u stop almost insatly and with a kite that isnt the funnest thing in the world. By : mntboardr893- 1 comment
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- Alex Brown Pro 6
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Can I firstly say that I used this board before I got into Kiting and so i only used it at a downhill mountainboard course Called Out To Grass near malvern in herefordshire. This was my first mountainboard that I chose because I found it hard to see any problems highlighted in reviews of the board and I knew that I could rely on MBS quality to give me a good start to mountainboarding. Plus I found a bargain priced comp 16 on Ebay with pads and a helmet for £200. First time i went up the hill I chose to ride down the beginner slope which for a beginner slope was amazimnglyfun and lots of fun from the word go. The MBS's f3 bindings locked my feet right onto the board giving me ultimate control and I found myself whizzing down the hill, weaving in and out and going over jumps on my 3rd or 4th time down the hill. I thought i was ready to take myself down the Slopestyle route that crossed over into the boarder x track and I was soon flying down with only minor crashes to speak of. All I thought was wow, this board is great. Even though I don't have this board anymore, as a kiter I can see this board being very good as a kitelandboard with the only downside may be that some could find it a little heavy to jump easily. But with enough wind, anything is possible...Hehe. And to cut a long story short, this board is amazing for beginners to learn on and is responsive, forgiving and gives the rider lots of confidence to go flying down hills and you'll find yourself trying to pull off 180s at the end of your first session. Highly recommended to a beginner to mountainboarding but although a little pricey brand new, you can find amazing bargains on auction sites or second hand online or the equivalent. P.S. if your thinking of starting mountainboarding, go to a course such as 'out to grass' as they will always have people on hand to help you out as a beginner and most importantly, the courses are brilliant at accomodating for all abilities of boarder. By : Harry Russell
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This is a new board for 07 and replaces the Comp 6. Specs: Price £245 (haggle I got mine for £225) Cam lock F3 bindings T3 tyres (red) Rockstar hubs (white) Stainless steel fittings Vector channel trucks Weight 5.9kg Axle-to-axle length 88cm I have owned this board for just over four months now. Due to its short size this board is not really for beginners or for general cruising, the shortness can make it a little twitchy underfoot (a longer board around 100cm provides a more stable platform for learning and cruising). But its short length makes it ideal for progressing into freestyle trickery. The deck has a lovely pop to it, which is great for getting that extra bit of height to nail a grab and also really softens those big heavy landings if you don't quite nail the redirection. I weigh over 11st and so far have never had the deck bottom out on me i.e. where the deck flex's so much on landing that it hits the floor! The Vector trucks which are a hybrid of skate and channel trucks. They're lighter than most channel trucks and more stable than skate trucks. They come with orange pivot bushings as standard and I found these a little to stiff for my liking and have changed them for the softer white coloured ones. Carving is a joy on this board with white rubbers, I can carve 180deg within a 4ft radius! Heelside to toeside downloop transitions feel firm and solid on this deck even if the lines go slack halfway round. The shortness of the deck and the lightness of the Vector trucks means most tricks just flow instead of being forced! Heelside to toeside slides and snaps are so easy its almost funny and rotations in the air are easier due to the low spin weight of the board. Grabs are also easier as there is less swing weight on the board its much easier to get the board up to your hands. I still cant get board off's so I cant comment on them but Im sure they would be easy with this deck LOL. The T3 tyres offer hoooge amounts of grip on sand but its easy to snap the deck round to toeside. A friend I ride with has the same board and he uses the less grippy T1 tyres if he's riding on grass as he feels the T3's offer too much grip. Pro's and con's: Pro's: read above! Con's: I dislike the cam lock F3 bindings. OK so they wont tighten them selves up when you kick it off mid jump but there's times it feels like I've broken a finger trying to undo the cam lock. I like to change my bindings for varying weather and beach conditions, and this is a chore with the 'cam locks' I managed to egg a wheel with in the first few hours of owning the board, and also managed to mangle one of the trucks on a big landing. But after sending pic's to MBS I had a replacement sent to me within the week, with an email saying they had never seen one that bent and that they are now changing the design and casting of the trucks. They also sent me the softer white rubbers for free! So that's one that should sorta go in the pro's section above. Conclusion: The MBS Comp 90 is a great freestyle board and unless you regularly jump over 10ft and do 1240's in the air and going pro this board would suite most beginner, intermediate freestyle riders. It holds down loads of power thanks to the T3's carves wonderfully thanks to the Vector trucks and has great pop and flex in the deck with out it being to soft for the bigger landings. I have come down hard from jumps of 10-15ft and kicked it off from the same heights to and apart from the truck the decks held up great, apart from a bit of paint flaking of from the side rails. The biggest person I've seen bouncing on one of these was around 15st and the deck looked fine, but there isn't many 15st freestylers out there. I would say if you under 11st use the white rubbers for ease of carving and over 11st I would stick with the standared orange rubbers for a more stable ride.The cam lock thing is just personal (I like ratchet bindings) and the bent truck is just me as I have broke every board I own. But all in all I would highly recommend this board to any rider looking to get into freestyle boarding! By : eazyrider
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I’ve been kite skiing on snow all winter and wanted to get a landboard to use this summer and finally decided on an MBS board due to their reputation, and luckily for me, they are headquartered near where I live. So off I went to Colorado Springs, Colorado to meet directly with the MBS company reps to discuss their different boards and which one to select. I decided on the Pro 6 since it was designed MBS with one of their pro riders, Alex Brown, for kiting and it had the best fit and feel of the different models. Specifications: Weight – 6.2kg Length – 105.8cm Deck – Sandwich Composite (stiffness rating 4 out of 5), can handle riders up to 250 pounds Bindings – F3 Cam Locks Tires – 8” Hubs – RockStar Pro Aluminum My first few “rides” were down small grassy hills to get a used to riding on the new board. Next, I’ve been riding in a grass field powered by a 3.5 meter Pro Foil kite. My runs have all been down winders given my lack of experience landboarding and the small dimensions of the fenced in field I use. What I like about the board is that it is responsive to turning inputs and it has a lot of spring or give in it to absorb rough surfaces and to lean against the pull of the kite, and hopefully, as I get better to help in jumps. I really like the F3 bindings over the other ones I tried because they are easy to adjust and hold their settings securely, and the padding material allows my tennis shoes to slide out easily if I’m out of position and get pulled off the board. I’m able to get out of them and land on my feet when overpowered by the kite. The tires work well on grass if the pressure is fairly high to give them a firm feel. I had a leak in one tire and ordered 2 new inner tubes and a repair kit directly from MBS and it came within 2 days. Replacing the tube was quick and easy. The board seems to be made of high quality materials and should stand up to any misuse I might give it as a beginner.
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There you are, confronted by a multitude of mountain boards, all different lengths, colours, styles.... freeride, freestyle, cruisers..... TERRIFYING! This is the situation I was in when I started out. Totally unsure of what I wanted in a board. "what's that handle thingy on that huge board?" I naively asked. "that's a brake" replied the keeper of the toys. "ching" goes the till as I manage to lift the hernia inducing conveyance off the shelf and trundle it out to my car. That's the history of my toy.... what are the stats on the beast? Well.... it's BIG it's LONG and it is "probably" the heaviest board about at the moment. 134cm long 10.5kg! 9 inch tyres on industrial strength hubs The reverse cap composite deck has some cracking looking graphics, gives lots of flex and sits nice and low on the matrix trucks. This is the most adjustable board I have ridden. The trucks are adjustable for differing pressures on the heel and toeside, the bindings are ratchet style and adjustable for offset on the baseplate's. This may not sound too important BUT if you have a dodgy knee then the board can be set exactly as pleases YOU not someone of a different size and ability. What do I use this for? Well, downhill mountain boarding and kitelandboarding. Start with the downhilling.... now I am NOT as quick to heal as I once was so the addition of the incredibly comforting brake system means I will tackle descents that I wouldn't dream of without. The length of the beast means that as you go faster it stays stable for longer, this is fairly important as a good speed wobble Will throw the beginner off quite easily... remember those wrist guards boys and girls!..... The bindings can be clamped down nice and tightly, ensuring a much reduced chance of a foot being knocked off of the board if you should get some accidental air. Ahh.... getting air.... this isn't the board for those wanting to do lots of huge airs in a freestyleee way. The heavy nature of the thing means it is much better aimed at the larger rider who only wants smaller jumps. From the moment you drop in to a run this board inspires confidence, just bend your knees and keep looking where you want to go, it will take you there..... no need to worry about the odd lump in the way either....at 10.5 kg it could cut through a herd of cows!! I ride with the setting much harder without the kite, it means that the low speed turns are much harder but as you gather speed it holds the wobbles off and prevents turns being so quick it flicks you clean over the high side of the board. The adjusting of the trucks takes seconds and is done with the excellent tools provided with the board. With the kite..... if you want to break the landspeed record with a kite.... try it with a 26x!! You can hold HUGE amounts of power before it gets unstable or slides without your wanting it to. Slacken the truck pressure off and it turns sweetly and quickly, allowing carves that other boards just can't match. Jumping.... well.... it IS heavy! You will get air but it is harder to come by and your ankles will feel every KG of the board! I am not that great at the freestyle trickery but I am informed that once you get it spinning you carry on spinning. There are a couple of points with the board that annoy over time.... you need a big car to carry it in the boot, most will require a seat dropping down to move it. The weight gets tiring if you have to move the board a long way from car to playzone. The final one is NOT specific to the 26....... the quality of some of the components is really awful! These boards are staggeringly expensive yet I have known people get through bearings in one beach visit, decks to fall apart in a month, truck springs to turn to rust after ONE beach session and perhaps most disturbing.... bearings to rust onto axles requiring truck replacement! I have had my 26 for two years now and have no plans of selling it, I have coated all exposed metal in grease and clean and regrease regularly and have had no other problems, the thing is showing "battle scars" but no worse than could be expected, even the graphics are holding up to saltwater, sand and the odd jet washing! Who should buy one of these? The larger rider will appreciate this board, it wont suddenly turn because you moved your head! The rider who wants to do some cruising with the odd jump thrown in, NOT the other way round. The rider who wants wind powered and gravity based fun. If you see me trundling about on mine, feel free to ask for a try... they aren't the most popular board out there because most people seem to be obsessed with saving a gramme here and there.... this board would be first at the buffet table and last to leave!! If you get the chance, give one a try. By : adamski
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MBS comp 16 (05) Long Term Test Specs * Weight - 14.5lbs / 6.6kg * Length - 45.9" / 116.5cm * Truck width - 16" / 40.6cm * Tire height - 7.6" / 19.4cm Package * Board – Pre Built * Instructions * Riding Tips * Tools The boards was bought pre-built I don’t know how they arrive from the manufacturer. Overall it’s a good package with clear instructions, its obvious that the board is aimed mainly at the down hill market from the instructions and images. Setup One of the great things about MBS boards is all bits are interchangeable so you can buy a board with skate trucks and F2 bindings then upgrade later. The Comp 16 comes with the best bindings and trucks in the range. The bindings fit my feet perfectly in there default settings but they can be adjusted for height and width to suit each rider. One of the things that attracted me to the MBS range was the adjustable channel trucks; I tend to have the heal-side set really stiff to allow for riding powered up, and the toe-side really loose for toe-side riding. Setting up the trucks is very simple and quick which makes thing easy when fine tuning the board. I would recommend people to spend the extra time setting up the board to suite there riding style. Build Quality This is very difficult, overall the board and components seem to be pretty much indestructible, I am not one of these people who take the board apart after every beach trip to clean and oil each bit before re-assembling. At the most it gets brushed down; sometimes it even gets washed down. Secondly my board gets a lot of beach time and is often used by new riders as a demo board. So far it’s stayed together pretty well. On the down side the colour has faded and my board is now lilac plus the springs, ratchet bindings and truck adjusters have rusted. The hubs have taken on the shape of a pentagon from rough landings and the board laminate is starting to show signs of wear and tear. The rust and hub distortion set in early on in its life. Its unfortunate but the overall build quality is let down by the individual components, this gives the board a scruffy and cheap appearance. Riding When you slip your feet into the bindings the board just feels so comfortable, in my opinion F3 are some of the best bindings around and hold your feet firmly but comfortably. There is plenty of flex from the board to soak up rough terrain, but it is lacking slightly in pop. The board is quite long compared to some of the newer freestyle boards, but this aids stability when cruising or going for a speed run. It’s also one of the lighter boards on the market for its size, which helps when getting airborne. When fully powered up there is good lateral grip from the tyres on sand and grass, even when so powered up the board is constantly sliding it still holds a tight line. I have my board setup with firmer egg shocks and tend to have the heal side set very stiff, this is great for riding powered up but not that good for down hill riding, so I can no comment much about using the board downhill boarding. Customisation I have added stainless steal bearings (Highly recommend for beach use), harder egg shocks and I am about to add cam locks for my bindings (Same as new Alex Brown Board). Next I plan to add Matrix Lite’s. Conclusion Firstly remember this is a 05 board MBS have addressed the quality of components and now use stainless fittings on the 06 / 07 range, which shows they listen to feedback. The comp 16 is a great all-round board; it inspires confidence in any rider and feels comfortable on your feet, even after a whole day of riding. It’s not the shortest board and smaller riders may struggle a bit, it’s not the lightest board on the market but I personally am not a good enough freestyle rider that board weight makes that much difference. If you want a good all round board for cruising and freestyle with plenty of adjustment the comp 16 is a good choice. It is only let down by the quality of finish on a few components. Author : Steve(Bear) -
After wasting £80 on a shoddy Exit board (wish I did more research first!), I decided that now I'm officially into mountain boarding (not necessarily with kites) I should upgrade and get a better board. At first I tried out a friend's Scrub Regolith and decided it simply wasn't suitable for someone of my size - far too much flex and I was grounding out on the hills. It seems all of the Scrubs were fairly similar. Then I tried another friends' short Trampa deck on Scrub channel trucks. Much better but too short for 'the hills'. Then on eBay, I managed to secure an almost mint MBS Core 16 for £120. It's the perfect length to combine downhill stability with manouvability. It's features: - fairly light stiff deck, not ideal for freestyle but perfect for my needs - cool graphics (wolf/moon) - F2 bindings, which are my favourite. F3 bindings don't cope well with my flat feet! - matrix channel trucks, with yellow shocks - rockstar hubs with lightweight T1 tread tyres So all in all a pretty damn good package for what I paid! Took it to the top of Waseley Hills near Brum for it's maiden use. Padded up and gave it the straight downhill test. Almost no wobble whatsoever (estimated speed 25mph?) - very stable so gave me the confidence to try out a few more technical routes. Once I got used to the fact the trucks were stiffer than what I was used to (a few understeered turns and a lot of bramble cuts later) I was carving the hill with ease. My personal opinion is that MBS Core series boards lead their price range field. Just want a Comp Pro now! By : davekermito
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Firstly, I love this board! It looks cool and works. Here's why... I bought this board in a package with my Beamer 3.6 from Tradewind kites, Reading. I tried a few boards in the shop, but this one stood out due to its price and lightness. It is very very light. I am glad I bought a light board as I tend to walk to my flying site and it's a lot easier with a light board. The board seems very good quality. i understand that MBS are a big player in the board world and mine has been faultless. I have flung it around, ridden over rough ground, fallen off and generally abused it. It also has to deal with my bulk. There are no marks or scratches whatsoever the finish is very hard wearing. This board has skate truks, which I may upgrade but they work fine. The do however look flimsy, a source of apprehension when I first got it. It has a slightly cheesy four colour graphic on it, a wolverine or wolf type thing against a moon. Hmmm. However the colour palette is in my favourite dark blue purple so it's pleasing on the eye and contrast is good. If it had not worn so well I would have covered it with stickers but there are no scratches so the graphics stay. I primarily use this board with my kite. I have been downhill with it a couple of times but did not neccesarrily enjoy it. It comes with a 'light' setup, meaning that the deck tilts very easily under your feet. this caused me problems early on, but tighten it up with the supplied spanner and it sorts it out. The bindings are very comfortable and adjustable. I found that this board performs very well. It steers easily, absorbs bumps well, but not so well you cant feel what is going on. It has a lot of pop in the deck, so much that it did not look right when new, but it supports my 15 stone + bulk very well, never bottoming out. I have experienced speed wobble with this kite, but all you have to do is relax and ride through it. Tightening the nuts on the trucks helps with this a bit. All in all I am very happy with this borad. It is functional, and looks cool (to my eyes). It has proven very robust too. Excellant By : panthro
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Herein lies a tale of woe and light hearted despair, but I'll get to that later. I have flown kites since I was old enough to stand on the beach and hold a string and have spent my early years flying the little diamond shaped stunt kites with the cute tails. Early highlights included hitting a dog on the head, hitting my dad on the head and a little kid grabbing the "cute tail" and pulling it off. So as you would imagine for as long as I can remember I've been hooked on kites and doing outdoorsy things, and in time honored fashion I progressed to the more challenging art of flying delta wings. When I was 16 I saw a friends dad flying a 6ft Flexifoil Stacker and that changed everything. Now my goal was not flying side by side with some chums, it was to get dragged as far down the beach as possible. I wanted to fly the most ridiculous and overpowered stack of wings that I could. I'm now 23 and have had my fill of 2 line kites, recently I was left hanging to the handles of a big Blade (2) for dear life while it basically did whatever it wanted to. I also sat in a buggy and got dragged down the beach (the second half no longer in the buggy) by a rampant CQuad, so the logical progression for me in this sport seems to be 4 line kites and kite boarding. We've all been there, wanting to go flying but with the tree tops as active as my dad on a Sunday afternoon so I wanted a board that would let me use kites when it was windy, but one that would also let me do some downhill stuff when it wasn't. Enter MBS - MBS have recently released a new range of boards for 2003, principally the Core 16, Com16 Pro and the Comp 26 X. I was attracted to the MBS range by the apparent build quality (like a Flexi kite) and the depth of improvements that had been made in seemingly every aspect of the boards design and construction. Being a beginner to the sport I obviously picked the Core 16 and despite some impressively naff graphics it had everything that I wanted. Most importantly the bindings are not too restrictive, making it easier to bale out in a beginner-on-the-fly emergency (or so I thought!). Then there was the overall weight of the that board which at under 7kg should allow me to progress to some aerial tricks. Finally the channel trucks made several spring settings available to the user allowing the board more to be tunable to the riders skill level. (As you will see this was all fine in theory !!) Once I had the board home (Power Kite Shop gave much quality service and advice from what could well be the best hidden shop in the country!) it was easy to build with all the pre- drilled holes marrying well with the trucks and bindings. I put the board together with uncompressed springs on the inside position using the yellow eggshocks - essentially providing the least amount of damping. Out on the field with a bullet 3.5 I immediately found the board to be too twitchy and unstable for my apparent lack of skill, so out came the tools. (MBS provide tools with the board but the springs and bolts are easy to lose when in the field so be careful). With the springs set to the outside position on the trucks (these adjustable trucks alone make this board a good option for beginners in my opinion) I tried again with the Bullet and found that I could hold what seemed like a reasonable amount of power and speed going downwind. Its amazing how much smaller a space is when you have wheels on your feet and I soon decided to try my hand at the other half of the equation, downhill boarding... This proved to be both mine and the boards first mistake. Having no previous experience on anything remotely similar (snow/skateboard etc.) I started on a suitably gentle slope and was immediately impressed by the board. With my weight centered instead of leaning to one side it was both stable and predictable (those adjustable trucks again) with the deck having enough flex to soak up any bumps. (Word to the wise here, I started with 20 psi in the tires which had me going nice and fast but did mean that I was largely reliant on the deck for cushioning over bumps and stuff.) After falling off a few times, trying a few bunny hops, falling off some more and generally carving down the slope I upped the ante on a long smoothish 1 in 3 slope and had a lot of fun, no falls. Impressed by the predictability of the deck I went tried again that evening, and so begins my tale of woe and light hearted despair... Beginners do not ride switch. End of story. Please if you are a beginner, learn from me and spend longer than 2 hours riding regular before going to switch. I overbalanced on a little slope, fell backwards, feet stuck in the bindings and I dislocated and fractured my shoulder. Bigtime. So in conclusion if you want a board that you can use for both kite and downhill activities I wholeheartedly recommend the Core 16 for the reasons listed above. Yes these sports are dangerous but if you are smart and not like me then common sense should steer you clear of most accidents. By : Peter Watkinson
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OK.......so now I know why we have the reviews section.......it's not to keep all the newbies well informed/educated on which gear to buy.......NOOOO!! it's so that when there's no wind at all we experienced dudes and dudettes have something to do!!!! so expect reviews on everything from MBS bearings to the holes in my shoes in the next week!!!! but tonight Matthew,I'm going to be the MBS Core 8 reviewer.......... INTRODUCTION I'm pretty new to this kiting malarkey,I only started in February or March and have found the learning curve to be very steep,yet more enjoyable than I could have possibly imagined.I started on a Super 10 and within 2 weeks,had progressed onto a Crossfire 4.0(kiting should be classified under class A narcotics!)which was just as quickly followed by the board I am going to review here.............. THE MBS CORE 8 This board usually retails for £150-£165 and is designed as a higher end beginner board.It is made from what MBS call "Powerlam Composite" and is designed to give both "pop" and "forgiveness". The bindings are MBS F2 bindings and to finish the package,you have the MBS skate trucks and Rockstar hubs with T1 tyres. The graphics have been described as "naff" before,but I quite like them. You receive the board with everything built up except for the wheels,this takes all of about 10 minutes to do with the spanner provided and before you know it,you'll find yourself standing on your board in your room pulling 180's and making swooshing noises as you pass another imaginery tree!!! On standing on the board,you will be surprised at just how small and comfortable it is. I had seen ATBs on TV a few years back and thought that they looked cumbersome,but on strapping yourself into this board you will instantly feel a connection due to its short length and light weight.The bindings are great,just place your feet in,pull hard on the straps and your feet are now stuck to the deck SO, DOES IT GO THEN???? Well yes! it does!...and then some!!! I started off using this as a downhill board as I had no real idea on how to get moving with a kite.Being from Scotland,I had no real difficulty in finding a hill and me and my fellow newbie mate made the trip to try "downhilling" Now I was never a skateboarder....but I found this board awesome!!!(note to self....no wind for whole of next week.....get out boarding again!!) I set up a fairly lengthy slalom course and was getting some great times in with no speed wobble whatsoever and some of the turns that were being carved were just crazy. We then went on to set up a couple of jumps and had great fun with the board just soaking up everything we threw at it....the only downside being that for every trip downhill......there's an equally long trip uphill(note to self.....forget boarding!!! go to beach and sunbathe!!) SO WHAT'S IT LIKE FOR KITEBOARDING THEN? FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC!!!! Now I've eventually got my Kites under control,this board does everything I ask of it....cruising?? nice!! I have tightened up the trucks ever so slightly and I can whizz up and down the beach at St Andrews all day and it's not speed wobble slowing me down..........it's my lily livered keester!!! I reckon I must be hitting at least 15-20mph sometimes though and that's scary enough!!! Airs?? not a problem!!! I've had some huge airs of at least 2'3" and I'm still breathing!!! only kidding....I actually had a 10' air on Sunday(my first!-hence the big landing!!) and come down on the board a bit harder than I should have done but it made no difference to the board at all!!! I weigh 13 stone and that's about average so this board will do fine for the majority of peeps out there SHOULD I GET ONE OF THESE THEN? not before I tell you the bad points....the finish.....maybe it's just the board I received,but I've found the finish on one side to be very slightly shabby but being honest that's my only gripe....this board may not be as bombproof as a Trampa,as cool as a Flight-lite or as cheap as a Deimos.But you have to realise that this board is a combination of all that is good in a board and set at just the right price!!! I've been using mine fairly heavily for 4-5 months now and it looks like its asking for the abuse levels to be turned up to full power for the next 6 months just to scratch an itch on its back!!!!! So yes!!! if youre reading this review because you're wondering which board to buy and you've got a budget of £150-£160 then buy it!!!!! you will love this board Enjoy your MBS Core 8 Dawson By : DawsonCreaks
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Picture a never-ending almost perfectly flat, expanse of light brown, sun-scorched nothingness baked by 100 degree F. temperatures. This forbidding locale comprises the shores of the Sharm, a bay area near Yanbu Al-Baha, a fly-blown town on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. This is the only Saudi location marked on Race Kites' map of world locations. This expanse was once living coral. But over eons the water receded, the coral was flattened and worn smooth by wind, sun and sandstorm, leaving a gritty surface of small gravel, and seashell with the occasional small outcrop of resistant coral rock. This is where mikeskor and his MBS Comp 16 call home. I ordered the Comp 16 from Kite-High, an American online dealer for $450 U.S. plus $150 for express mail shipping to the college where I work. Less than two weeks later, I picked up a large rectangular box in the mail room. Clutching it tightly under one arm, I scurried off to my digs and ripped open the box. (I am after all a big impatient child of 56 with a new toy.) I had no idea what to expect. I'd waffled over what to order, having never even seen a mountain board before or anyone on one. Was it to be Core this or Comp that? Was it to be the biggest board or something smaller? I am, at 187 lb. unclothed (an unpleasant sight indeed), near the upper end of the prescribed weight for the Comp 16. Add clothes, pads and boots and I'm at the upper limit of 200 lb. In the end I ordered by price and image, thinking if I paid a little more for this racier model, the quality would be a little more. Later I found Race Kite's website and was vindicated. People said nice things about the Comp 16. I also vowed to keep my weight down by dieting. I didn't want to crush the thing. On ripping open the box, I found this shiny, black and blue thing, like a large skateboard, only without the wheels yet. In the centre of this simple uncluttered deck was a splash of white with the name mbs Comp 16 and a dark-blue graphic of an eagle in flight. It really wasn't very impressive. Also in the middle were holes to affix a grab handle Then there were the bindings! As a snowboarder, I could relate to these. They are the ratchet-type. You click them down until they are as tight as you like. Under the bindings, sandpaper material is glued. Your boot can be firmly fixed to the deck and won't move around. But as a new mountain boarder, this wasn't what I wanted. I wanted the bindings loose so that I could jump out quickly in case of imminent crash or loss of balance. And in fact, I did jump out quite regularly or fell out as my kite pulled me forward flipping the board over. As a result of these mishaps and not having the bindings tight, the padding on the bindings has become prematurely worn and frayed. As my balance and skills improve, I have developed the confidence to gradually make the bindings tighter and tighter, which give you wonderful control over the board's steering. Next I unpacked the wheels and tightened them onto the hubs, then released them half a turn so that they would spin freely. The instructions were fairly straight-forward. The 8-inch knobby tires came already inflated to about 50 psi. However, they don't look particularly robust. Nevertheless, after running them over quite sharp-looking coral rock without a puncture during the last six outings, I have to concede that they are holding up quite well and I am developing more confidence in them. One of the biggest problems initially for me, was that once I got mutant kite flying and pulling (I call my Venom 10m mutant because it has been patched so many times and has even had its broken battens replaced with aluminum tubing) and I was moving joyfully along on the board, I would inevitably put more pressure on the heel side and go upwind to places I did not want to go. Then I realized I could adjust the turnability of the board by depressing the springs using an allen key. By depressing the springs the board became harder to turn, and I went (more or less) in a straight line. Then it dawned on me that if I depressed the spring on the heel side more than on the toe side, I could make it harder to turn upwind and easier to turn downwind. Now I was really onto something. I've left the board with this turning bias and it works a treat. I can now steer anywhere I like. Initially, I was worried that the hubs might give way under my weight. The fear was there as I first practiced on the board in my living room while watching Martha Steward on TV. It was especially there when rattling over rough ground and rock. But this fear has proved to be unfounded. The board is robust enough to hold me but I'm not sure I would exceed the manufacturer's recommendation of 200 lb. This board is plenty fast, as fast as your nerve will allow (mine usually doesn't allow much.) And no speed wobble. I've lately just gotten up the nerve to go out on the road near my spot with it. During a three-hour stretch on weekdays, you might see one car on the road so it's safe enough. Nothing like humming down a deserted two-lane, highway with your kite pulling overhead. What a rush! The board goes upwind fine too, really as close to the wind as your kite and nerve will allow. I'd like to be able to make knowledgeable-sounding utterances on jumping using words like "pop" and "float" but I just can't. I'm not at that level yet and I don't know whether I ever will be. (I use a kite which is mainly too small for the wind conditions and short lines to boot.) I'm content just cruising around on my coral field and moving serenely up and down my deserted highway. Is this board worth the extra coin you pay for it? Definitely. I like it very much and feel I am getting my money's worth in sheer pleasure. The only thing I've been wracking my brain about is what exactly does "Comp" stand for? Is it "competent, composed, competitive or compelling ?" All of these might apply. For me though, in this lonely desert kingdom, it can only mean "companionable." By : mikeskor
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After a bunch of research (including reading all the reviews on RaceKites.com) I finally selected a Mountain Board to kite with. I purchased the MBS Comp 16 from an online retailer in the US. It was delivered today. My first impression is one of quality, detail in constructions, and that this board is substantial. I had never had the opportunity to actually see a board in person. They are large and pretty heavy! Although the board itself is smaller than a snowboard, the total package with trucks and wheels very closely resembles a snowboard. It feels like one, too. On first blush, it has the same ride and manners as my favorite snowboards. The Comp 16 is springy, yet very solid. The bindings are well designed and very comfortable. The deck is thicker than I expected, but feels lively and has plenty of "feel" to it. More in my detailed review... Since the UPS man delivered it just today (a day early none the less), I obviously need to spend some "quality" time with it, but I already think I am falling in love! Details: Board The board is a wood core board with composite cap much like a snowboard, but upside down. I can say this not because I have read any marketing info on the board (which I have), but because I can actually see through the board in some of the holes drilled to adjust the bindings. I will get more into the bindings, next. The board has nice clean graphics involving a Raven (I love Ravens) and is blue. The construction looks to be top-shelf although if I lived in a ocean climate, I would probably spend a little time making sure all the holes for inserts and the binding are sealed. They are not currently. I am excited to see how the board slides on rails and other "features". The cap on the bottom of the board has a glossy finish, but I wonder how hard it is and if it will be grabby. The top of the deck has two grip tape foot pads. Trucks The bindings are metal and composite and have a very different design than my traditional skateboard trucks. They use dual coil springs with elastomer "egg" shocks inside the springs. I have the yellow egg shock. I guess the orange egg is stiffer. The tension in the spring adjustable via some bolts that protrude up through the deck. When you tighten them down, the bolt top moves down toward the surface of the deck. I have not adjusted the tension of the Matrix trucks and am waiting to get some time on the board before I do any adjustment or tweaking. The axel of the Matrix trucks is a solid bar of metal that will allow for grinds. I am interested to see how the polymer base holds up. The range of motion of the trucks is less than on a traditional skateboard. I am interested to see how the board turns. Bindings The bindings are a pretty simple affair, but seem to be well constructed. There are two (each) metal, L-shaped plates that serve as the attachment bases for the binding strap.The strap itself is comprised of plastic, rubber, and high density foam. There is a racheting mechanism that allows for pretty precise adjustment. I wonder how much I will adjust the bindings and whether the ease of adjustment will actually become a bother if I accidently change the setting after finding the perfect tension. The buckle itself seems to be better than my snowboard bindings. I am interested to see how it holds up. Wheels The wheels and tires are polymer and rubber, respectively. I understand the tire has an inner tube. We will see how well they endure the goathead thorns that plague my bike tires. I better Slime the tires ASAP! The manual suggests a lower inflation pressure to keep speeds down. This concept seems less applicable to my intended use with a kite. The tread pattern is knobby with a center strip that is continuous. This makes the wheel suprisingly smooth and quiet on the hard surface of my garage floor. Summary I am impressed with the Comp 16. Having only seen photos and video of the board, I don't have much to compare it to in the mountainboard marketplace, but based on my 20 year experience with snowboards and skateboards, it seems to be well built utilizing technology I am familiar and comfortable with. The trucks are of a modified design compared to what I am used to, but appear to be well built. I am excited about my new acquisition and look forward to hundreds of hours of fun, ahead! I will post updates to this review after I have some time on the board. By : diablo943
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I personally have been downhilling on mountain boads for a year or so now and i have been through 2 boards already and am on my third. I started off on a 50 pound Kheo Bazik in 2004 and in summer 2005 i advanced onto a Sol 16 with NoSno soft bindings. I liked the pop of the boad and i improved much quicker. But after Christmas 2006 i decided to take the plunge and buy a Comp 16 Pro. 150 squids later i was the pround owner of a second hand 2004 comp 16 with a few of the finer trimming missing but the main parts still there. Now came the metamorphosis this review is all about. I chose to combine the best features from both of my boards (I still had the Sol 16) and make my 'ultimate' board. Its stats are: Comp 16 Pro (2004) deck MBS quadshocks trucks Trispoke hubs NoSno soft bindings Red T1 tyres Assembly: The first major obstacle when building a mountain board is to dissassemble the boardswithout stripping any heads. My tips for avoiding that circumstance are to a) go slowly and push down hard to avoid it stripping the head. After that the only other obstacle is drilling holes for the new trucks. This is actually very easy if you take apart the trucks you want to drill holes for and use the baseplate as a template for the drilling. Make sure you clamp a piece of wood to the bottom of the board to stop it splintering when the drill comes through. After you have done all of this final assembly is easy. The only major part for me was the bolts needed to attach the bindings to the comp 16 as they needed to be a different type due to the inserts MBS supplies. The scresw cost about 90p from a DIY shop. Performance: Well for me this board is close to the ultimate setup for downhilling for me. The Trispoke hubs are stronger than rockstars even though they are heavier in my opinion they perform much better. The red T1's are light, grippy and very good looking and for me they are the best tyres on the market. NoSno soft bindings are amazing i would reckomend them to anyone with any board. They are like F3's without any chance of your feet coming out and the ability to have snowboard like control without having to wear snowboard shoes is very liberating. They also help you get higher for freestyle as the board seems to stick to your feet better so all energy goes up rather than in shifting your feet around. I have never had a foot slip out with these bindings! The trucks i chose are lighter than matrixes and so i chose them instead and in my opinion they perform better and for freestyle they help alot. As a whole this board is a beast, it munches through freestyle and while it wont go in as many places as 10inchers can go it will go over some pretty bumpy stuff. I have taken it to over 20miles per hour and no sign of wobble and i think it has the potential to go much faster. In short i would reckomend building your own board from bits for any one who like me finds board on the market good, but not good enough or someone who is just looking for a bit of a challenge. Go forth and create!! John By : jackass
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MBS comp16 pro – update. Just thought I would post an update after living with my board and putting it through its paces for the last 6 months. The Board The deck is a composite and is very light and strong, it comes pre-drilled so it is easy to attach a grab handle move the binding positions etc. This could cause problems if you wanted to put a different make of truck on – but IMHO I can’t see why you would want or need to. The MBS matrix trucks are light weight (though not as light as scrub channel trucks) and highly adjustable, from just tightening the springs with an allen key or moving the springs position and changing the egg shocks. The trucks are also v-brake compatible for beginners or for single track riding (when there is no room to powerslide!), I have bought a v-brake for riding in the alps but have not yet attached it, though it looks straight forward enough. The trucks are finished with the light weight rockstar hubs and MBS T1 tyres, which are a soft 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 and I have added MBS heel straps. I have had the board 6 months now and ridden it in loads of different conditions, including getting soaking wet and in a really hard frost and over different terrains - smooth mown hills at a centre, the dirt and features of a boarder cross course, through thick mud and freeriding over uneven ground. So far the board is living up to all expectations -it still looks immaculate, no dents or scratches in the deck, despite some serious abuse (mainly being put in the boot of the car with other stuff on top). The grip tape remains securely stuck down with no lifting around the edges. The bindings don't show any wear and tear. The trucks show no evidence of rust (anywhere) but they were dismantled and treated with white lightening not long after getting the board. The springs aren’t bowing – but you have to remember to loosen them off after riding (if you have tightened them) and are also rust free. The egg shocks are still firm (and aren’t rusting either!). The tyres have still got a good deep tread, though I have had one puncture (which was easily repaired), but certainly don’t seem anymore prone to punctures than on my silver reef. The hubs are unscratched and the bearings still running smooth and true. The Ride What can I say? The experience of riding a board is purely subjective but there is an obvious reason why this board is ridden by pro-riders the world over for boarder cross, free-style and freeriding. The ride is super stable and can be adjusted to your style/level of experience simply and easily, the Matrix trucks completely eliminate speed wobble, but provide feedback about the terrain and what the ground is doing. The deck is stiff enough to allow you to pop jumps and then softens the landing with a comfortable flex, and has never grounded. It doesn’t matter if you are riding on manicured grass, over features on a boarder-cross course or just letting rip down a rocky uneven track using the terrain to pop jumps, this board feels right and inspires confidence. The bindings and grip tape provide security so that you know that you are not going to come off, and I have also added MBS heel straps so that I can be totally locked in and in control. The only problem I have had with the bindings is trying to undo them at the bottom of the hill – but this is becoming less of a problem as they have loosened up and settled in. What a difference the heel straps make to confidence and control when going down hill and jumping - definitely wouldn't be without them for downhilling, but it will probably be a different story when I try it with a kite. They are a bit fiddly to attach and can be put on permanently using the bolts of the bindings or just threaded through. The tyres provide fabulous grip in all conditions, and aren’t yet showing any signs of wear. I tend to adjust the tyre pressure depending on the conditions, type of surface and gradient! I have had times when it is really wet and muddy that the board twitches and you feel that you are heading for a lie down or face plant, but some how I manage to hold it all together and stay in control – I think this has a lot to do with the board, being locked in, it’s stability and feel, the fact that my riding has improved (my wife now says “I can hardly walk down there and you are riding down it”) and the force! Living with it At the end of the day I just loosen the springs (just a few turns on each with an allen key) hose the dirt off, a quick wipe with an old towel so that it doesn’t drip everywhere and back up on the wall of my garage. Since owning it the only maintenance I have done was to dismantle the trucks and treat with white lightening – and I will repeat this again some time in the spring. I also do a quick check before riding it to make sure the nuts and bolts are tight, the wheels run true and adjust the tyre pressure and springs (this should be done before riding any board). But otherwise this has been an easy board to look after, it is even house trained! Value for money? This is an expensive board as the RRP is £325, but who said owning perfection is going to be cheap! But if you know that boarding is definitely your thing (either downhill or with a kite) then this board is great for beginners to experts. It comes with top notch kit, can be easily adjusted for different riding styles and level of experience. As a beginner you can learn to ride with confidence and come 6 months time when you have improved you wont need to upgrade (but for £325 you have to be sure that boarding is your thing). I think it is worth the cost and since owning it I have not suffered with board envy just a satisfying sense of well being and pride! Conclusion This is a board that was developed for pro-riders by pro-riders and this is reflected in every aspect of the board. It is expensive It is light weight It comes with top notch fittings It has a superb stable ride It is easy to adjust and maintain It is hard wearing and well made This is a kite web site and yet again I still have not tried it out with a kite – but at the end of the day this board has been put through its paces over lots of different surfaces. It is light weight, super stable, it is great for jumping with and for cruising – it will make a superb kite board. I love this board and think it has got to have been one of my best purchases of 2005, I used to have a silver reef which is a great entry level board and I have also tried a no-sno (which is a completely different style of riding). But this board sets the gold standard. If you get the chance to try one –you will not be disappointed. -
The MBS Sol 16 is a discontinued model that went out of production around 4 years ago. Now don't let this put you off because it's actually a bit of a bargain and thats why I'm writing this review. I got my Sol 16 on E-bay for £55, new about 6 months ago. I took a gamble as I knew nothing about kite boarding and it paid off as this mountain board absolutely does the buisness at 1/3 of the price of a new MBS board now. The biggest advantage of the Sol 16 over cheap Scrub, MBS (Core 😎 or Kheo boards is that they have sprung matrix trucks rather than basic skateboards trucks. The biggest difference between a Sol 16 and the more expensive Core 16 is the board itself. It's just not as flexible and is slightly (a couple of cm) shorter. The other main difference is that the matrix trucks have a slightly different mounting system on the board and don't have on-the-fly adjustment using an allen key. This doesn't mean that you can't control the damping as the Sol 16 uses the modern range of egg shocks just as the Core 16 does. Having used both boards mainly for kiting and a little downhill it's my opinion that whilst the Core 16 does ride better downhill there is little to choose when kiteboarding on the ground. The bounce in the Core 16's deck does make a difference if you are getting air and bouncing around but as a begginers/stay-on-the-ground board it is as stable and manouverable as a Core 16. Additional advantages are that it uses the same basic binding system as the Core 16 so it can still be repaired/upgraded, it has slick tyres for grass and beach speed and best of all it comes in a retro stylish varnished wood finish which is most chic! Whilst you would struggle to find a new one they go on e-bay for about £50 and are well worth a look if you want a cheap way into kite boarding! By : monkeyherbet -
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!
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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
