Liquid Force have been making boards for a long time, way before kitesurfing was invented they were getting a pretty hardcore name for themselves as manufacturers of wakeboards. It is no real surprise then that they have some pretty good kiteboards in their line up. In the past however they have often been overlooked but with the team they are repping at the moment and the movement towards wake style riding they seem to be enjoying a bit of a renaissance. Surely if you want to ride wake style, who better to make your board than the guys who have been making wakeboards since the beginning of time!
The Recoil Comp is a new board for 2008 and is their top of the line board using the latest technologies available. It differs in construction from a lot of the boards in the test, using their own tried and tested technologies instead of the snowboard style construction used by so many brands today. It isn’t the lightest of boards out there, but it is very strong and super durable. There are quite a few sizes in the range and also some extra wide ones for those light wind days or heavier riders.
On the Water
The board has quite a square outline to it, with wide tips that have a swallowtail shape to them. The rails are pretty sharp and thin allowing the kiteboard to really bite at the water and hold down a lot of power.
The board is all about freestyle really and there are certain characteristics that really lend it to that. The outline and wide tips allow you to not only hold down lots of resistance ready for popping really huge, they also allow the rider a huge platform to come down and land from the trick. There is a deep concave bottom that helps smooth out the landing even more and gives the rider a little more control. The concave also aids control at speed, which is a good thing as this board is fast, very fast. The rocker line is continuous but fairly flat which allows the board to get up some good speed. And as the old saying goes, if you going fast you are going to go high! This is very true with the Recoil Comp; this board goes big every time! The flex is pretty stiff in the middle with a little more in the tips, but not a great deal.
What was surprising though, was that even though this kite board screams performance it is also pretty comfortable to ride in the chop. All too often boards go all out and forget that most of us aren’t blessed with perfect butter flat water. The Recoil Comp cuts through the rough stuff well and is a pretty comfortable ride. The sharp rails aren’t the most forgiving out there, so you need a bit of skill to get the most out of it but if you want freestyle performance then the Comp has it in spades.
Fixtures and Fittings
What can we say? I think there will be a change in the way footpads and straps are made over the coming seasons. Liquid Force pads are hands down the best out there. There is a reason Aaron Hadlow uses these pads, they are amazing. The pads are super soft and comfy, with extra soft bits and grip in all the right places. We had the Comp Lace Straps, which are fitted with a binding style adjustment system, which allows you to really crank the strap down on your foot. The fins are 5cm but quite long, and interestingly have a good amount of give in them so when you come down a little sideways you can get away with it as opposed to tripping the board over.
Overall
If you want an uncompromising freestyle board that is fast and goes high then the Recoil Comp fits that bill. Coupled with the best pads on the market what more could you ask for.
