skim boards, all hype?

[kiteingcolin]

after trying and owning a number of skim boards i have to say they are a pile of marketing hype,

 

a good twin tip is at least 200% better in my experience,

in silly light winds a good stiff big twin tip planes as fast,(ext nobile is way faster) flys upwind much higher, you can jump a twin tip, you can handle strong gusts on a twin tip,

 

in my world and my experience skim boards are good for only one thing,

--the for sale section,

 

but when i owned a few i belived they were great fun,

 

but that feeling lasts for as long as a W**K, (great saying from a girl i employed from ireland) makes me giggle a lot!

 

you never see a skim board being used all day?! or at all?

 

i recomend that you try one, but hold the cash!

 

good job they are cheap!

 

 

only my thoughts, sorry guys,

 

i have had a good big glass of whisky, and need to vent a bit of steam on the skim,

ruddy waste of cash!

 

for me:)

 

 

 

 

 

you can object, but i bet you use the twin tip when you can, and sell the skim sooner than as soon as!

__________________

[harry_a]

i thought the same...then tried a skim it was great fun!

 

sure if you have a flydoor or something you can go back and forwards and do teeny jumps, but wheres the fun in that? skimming makes marginal winds fun as youre doing something different.. i thought skimboarding felt like a completely different style of riding and gives you more freedom to just mess about, which- lets face it- is the whole point of kiteboarding! so either you can be all serious and practise your moves in a halfhearted way with a big board or you can kill it on a skim, fall off and just have a big laugh!

 

like at the BKSA training i did last week everyone was complaining that they couldnt get any height off raleys etc, and getting ****** off..whiile i was screaming past on chris bull's skimboard sliding it around and just generally enjoying myself!

 

 

..my two cents

[jamesnaishuk]

Colin

 

while i respect your opinion i do think it is a load of balls, i dont think it is reasonable to relegate skimboards to the scrap heap. yes they are a chalange, no they are not for everyone, but it doesnt mean that they are ****e.

 

on the same basis i am utterly enjoying the fun that an unstrapped surfboard gives me, does it plane the earliest? dont know, dont care , is it the best up wind? not bothered i am having fun, can i use it in a wide range of conditions?, half the fun is finding out and on todays efforts i think i am getting there.

 

the best thing about this sport is that there is a choice of what we ride and depending on what that is there is the challenge that it puts in our way.

 

in short just get out and ride what puts a smile on your face, but in reference to your last comment i kited for 4 hours today in stupid chop through to flatish water ( as flat as the solent gets) and not once did i wish i had a twin tip

 

james

 

naish UK

[SHU]

I agree with you all!!

[Derek Rides]

Skims are what they are, if you're stupid enough to think they're something else then who's fault is that?

 

Anything that makes kiting fun isn't a bad thing, expecting more from it than it is, is probably the bit that's wrong here and Hype? What Hype who's hyping them? Make your own we did it as kids years before kites...

 

Have another drink - the answer to your problems is probably at the bottom of the bottle..

[kiteingcolin]

i am sober now and about to start work on this windy day,

just checked my post which i know will upset a few,

but i standby my long considered thoughts on the skim,

 

they are a waste of ££££ for most kitesurfers, (not all james, i agree)

but the blurb/hype that is used to sell them is partly to blame for many guys like me to get sucked in and throw cash at the thing, so yes i expect the "trade" and owners to not like my thoughts on this. but i will use the forum to wise up the newer guys out there to what might be not suitable for the majority

 

and after speaking to many kiters on the beach i am not alone, i wasted a fair amount of cash and a bit of time on the skim, they will suit very very few people,

 

in fact i have not seen one being used for months, but when they were hot news there were a fair few around

 

if they are good for a few , then lets see a few being used,

 

i wont hold my breath

 

and i repeat to the guys who might be tempted, try it first for at least a few hours, not 10 mins like i did before you part with good twin tip cash,

 

this is a public forum, not a trade forum, lets keep it that way,

[kangaroo]

....precisely why so few bother with surfboards or skims they are a challenge and require more skill, more suptle footwork and alot more delicate kite flying in low end winds

 

those who can do - it requires very little ability to ride a twin tip - i have lost count how many people cant even attempt to carve a board properly

 

same as windsurfing - few could do a carving gybe which was a basic manourve......

 

i agree an hour is more than enough....unless you have true down the line surf on a surfboard

 

also warm weather helps - i wouldnt spend long in deepwater in 10 degrees on a skim but i would in surf on a surfboard

 

its a different aspect to the sport - very satisfying for those that can have success - best thing i ever did was buy a skim cos my carving on my surfboard has gone thru the roof........then again i dont w anna fall off here cos its gone cold (20 degrees)

 

not controversial colin its just your opinion.......

 

no speed sailing WTF is that about..............yawn

 

mart stoked after harbour wall session

[jamesnaishuk]

i contrubute to this forum as a kite surfer, suggesting that i keep my nose out as i am trade rep and as i am the only one from the trade who has commented on it i find that a bit of a cheap shot.

 

i am not promoting any product in my reply so i struggle to see what i have done wrong.

 

point blank if you dont want me to reply on this forum about any topic even specific Naish questions anymore just say and that will be that.

 

James

[jlmusic]

dno about all this waste a whole chunk of cash business

 

think mine cost me 15-20 quid down in newquay a couple years ago. cant beat blasting down the shallows on it. half the fun is wondering when it will inevitably hit some sand and throw you off

 

when i was younger i always enjoyed throwing one down and riding it a little way but with a kite i can go a long long way on it. I dont care about riding waves with it, but then i dont actually kitesurf yet.

 

i think this thread has established that the skimboard is not for you kiteingcolin, but it has also established that there are a whole lot of people out there who do get a lot of fun and enjoyment from them.

 

I do think giving james a hard time was uncalled for too, he's a kite flyer same as the rest of us, just because he happens to be lucky enough to have his hobby as his job, as i do with music, is no reason to make him feel any less welcome.

 

thats my 2 cents worth

 

Jim

[harry_a]

kitesurfing isnt all about twintips and the latest freestyle stuff.... most people seem to forget that, and the sport is losing diversity among lots of riders because they just see passes, passses, passes and twintips all the time in videos etc. waveriding and non twintip ridiing is a major part of the sport still.. in fact if we got decent waves anywhere near me i'd probably trade in my twinny for a strapped directional and just surf and go huge...

 

out in maui now hardly anyone rides twins anymore, theyre all on strapless sufboards and skims, even lou wainman!

 

to each their own, and let people make their own decisions.. just cos you dont like it doesnt mean others wont.

[kitegirl]

Skimboards are awesome.

 

If you don't like em, don't buy.

 

I'd waaay rather be on a skim in light winds than a big board..

 

Total new challenge to ride, love the straplessness and the skatey trickery.

 

Best one i've ridden so far is Johara's finless Cyclone, had brilliant sessions in Egypt with it, whilst everyone else was sitting around in the heat.

 

Horses fa courses, skimboarding fa Dee

[kiteingcolin]

my little dig at james is due to complete forum take over by the trade on the other forum, (kiteboarder), you just get cut to pieces by them on there, i have no beef with james at all, but if the trade butt in then more often than not its to protect the trade, and who can blame them, but a lot of trade guys stay well away from the forums and that is the way it should be, then when your having an argument about a subject, the words used have no agenda to follow, that way we the joe public can understand more clearly what is being said and why,

 

sorry i did not mean to offend one of the good guys, but trade and shop sponsored pimps should sometimes stay clear of some subjects, not all! as james can jump in and offer help on naish gear as he does .

but to offer up opinions on gear,

then i say no

flexi dont do it on their own forum

best do on thiers, but that is pure best, and is good for it

 

as for the skims, i will look very hard to see the few skilled sailors having a blast,

 

each to their own,

[dantayler]

I think they're good fun,I'm not that great on them,but that's part of the attraction,bit of a challenge!Certainly more fun than going backwards and forwards on a big board in light wind,that's for sure.Still whatever floats your boat........

[Derek Rides]

Personally it doesn't worry me hearing from Trade reps, at least their advice is honest and as well informed as it can be, I dont have to take it, and I accept it is given with an element of bias.

 

What I hate and what is particularly prevalent here is the "advice" handed out by people who clearly are not in a position to give it.

 

Forums like this are great to swap experiences and given this is actually a trade forum, I'd kind of expect to get good advice about Flexi stuff which is why I visited it in the first place.

 

But what a disappointing selection of Brand Zealots from Best et al I find myself greeted by. So I find it particularly.. how to say it "churlish".. to call out some Rep who at least has the honesty to admit who he is, especially from a self proclaimed "Honest" Joe who doesn't get a single deal from anyone? Hah I dont think so, the time he spends on here it doesn't take to many back searches to find a Best connection and everyone knows how they work.

 

So dont go on my part Naish guy - stick around, the guys obviously got a drink problem. :-)

[kiteingcolin]

best connection now or in the past?

 

or any connection? ever?

 

shot yourself in the foot there matey!

[shemKSW]

I love my skim board, for a month over the summer I didnt use a twin tip once. However I tend to find from people that demo them, people either love them or hate them. Obviously you are one of the latter Col. Ill happily admit that my big, (real big), crazy fly twin goes earlier than the skim, but the skim is a great alternative, and also a real benefit in shallow conditions. I personally think its real fun trying shove its, and skate style tricks, ( Ill happily admit I rarely land any but its fun trying, when there aint enough wind to jump properly).Theres my piece on it!

[Big Damo]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2285/1794660816_9a64ff7e21_o.jpg

 

This you can ride for more than an hour... pure genius! 130x56 and goes like a bullet in all directions - even the ones you want!

 

The hanacrew raven skimboard... a top bit of kit for the fun days!

 

Not for sale!

 

 

[criticalkiter]

I had a Nobile 666 EXT and a skim board - I sold the EXT and kept the skim board.

[sidmaniac]

I agree with colin all the way.

 

He is far more experienced and more impartial than most.

 

A skimboard is a big piece of preferrably found piece of ply, wax up, shape up and try to learn how to ride it. Lou Waiman can ride a stolen waxed up McD'S tray. Who needs to spend 250 gbp on a skim whin you can buy a good surfboard for that???

 

Its bonkers, marketing hype shiite. Kerching Mark Shinn.

[shemKSW]

A good riderwill make any board look good, including a maccas tray, take for example Kelly slater riding a back door, at Back door in hawaii. however for the majority of us we need as much help as possible. Ive ridden loads of home made board, and they all work to a certain extent, the main benefir I find with the skim I use is that it still has twin tip rails and edging ability, so if the wind picks up or the surf gets good, its still a practical piece of kit. Due to its wider profile its actually a real benefit when it comes to planing on wave faces as well, and stick in a bigger set of tail fins, and its super carvy.

 

There'll never be a deffinate answer to this thread, because every one is different, and every body kites for there own reason!

[pierre]

Skimboard is not a Hype!!!!!!!!!!!

Skimboards were use by Flash Austin allready back in the mid 90's... And where then forgot by the wanna be kitesurfers who are the average kiters!

 

It is the same with strapless surfing!

 

People just start to realise today the potential

 

Flat kites where first made in the late 90's by kitetech/Manta/Seasmik...

they have never been popular too...

 

Overall, the average kitesurfer need between 5 and ten years to understand what kitesurfing is all about!!!!

 

The maic of kiting is that it can be combined with whatever board you want... So let the people ride as they want and ride the way you want.

[Gomas]

A good riderwill make any board look good, including a maccas tray, take for example Kelly slater riding a back door, at Back door in hawaii.

 

did that actually happen?! got a vid? sounds quality.

 

Colin - everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that means your entitled to say you think theyre wank, but anyone else can also say theyre quality.

 

For me you cant beat the chilled out feeling of riding strapless finless, just havin a laugh. being unstrapped means you cant try all your usual tricks so it pushes you try new things, that cant be a bad thing.

[kiteingcolin]

mmmmm, that kicked some life back in the forum,

i said it would , and i was right,

lets keep the views on kit alive, a good pub arguement like this is good when-ulnike the other forums, people dont start swearing and being a unsavoury arse,

keep it civil, and not personal

personal attacks are easy and cheap,

sorry james

 

this forum went all boring last week,

[SHU]

(still don't give a shiz either way!)

[northern jim]

I ride a CKB skim. Sometimes put straps on it if i fancy freestyle, have never ever found another skim / twin tip / directional that gets going so fast, and i've had a few. Probably ride skim 50% of the time now just for the kicks of learning new tricks without risking a trip to A&E.