The Naish Thorn is the freestyle warrior of the Naish stable aimed at the rider looking for the ultimate in performance. Of course there are some riders out there who demand more, and this is where the FC comes in. FC stands for Full Carbon and that is the difference.
The Thorn FC has a full wood core with a top and bottom carbon laminate adding stiffness when you need it and enhanced pop. The board shares the same outline and shaping as the Thorn, it is just the construction that differs.
Fixtures and fittings as ever are top quality; full G10 fins and the Grav D footstrap system finish off the product. In the hand it is light too, obviously that carbon shaving a few grams off here and there!
On the Water We rode the original standard version of the Thorn kiteboard at the tail end of last year and were impressed by its performance and pop; naturally we were excited to give this tuned up version a go.
You can see the carbon laminate on the board, which is a cool finish, yet the graphics are the same as the Thorn so to the naked eye it is hard to tell the difference from afar. Put it on your feet though and you don’t need your eyes to spot the difference.
This kite board feels lighter, faster and crisper underfoot. It is eager to get going early and turns at blistering top speed. Riding the boards back to back in a straight line spotting the difference isn’t that easy, but when you load up for the pop the FC really comes into its own. It has plenty of stiffness in the mid section to allow you to displace some serious buckets of water and then the reflex in the tips kicks in to boost you into the stratosphere.
For the ultimate freestyle machine this could be the perfect tool, with Kevin Langaree riding one at the top level you can see why. Upwind is great, helped by the 5cm fins on the underside of the board, riders out there looking for something a little looser for the pass tricks might want to put something smaller on.
Pros
The speed, pop and lively feel make this board a must for the serious freestyler out there.
Cons
You have to pay extra for the carbon performance, some will feel it well worth it though. The Thorn FC doesn’t have the most forgiving ride either, but then that isn’t what it is about.
Overall
This board is fast, light and crisp; it has insane pop and the levels of performance you would expect from a thoroughbred like this. If you simply have to have the best in class then look no further.