Search the Community

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