The Placebo has been a strong character in the make up of the RRD kite board range. It has been designed for the every day rider looking for universal freeride freestyle board.
This kiteboard hasn’t changed much over the years, they have kept a nice wide width between the straps where you need some planing and landing area, yet the tips have been pulled in to make the wide board manageable through chop.
The Placebo is aesthetically pleasing, with a high gloss finish and a full wood core, backed up with a strong stepped ABS Sidewall that tappers to the tips. It has plenty of concave and fairly soft flex characteristics to make it user friendly to ride. To finish off this typically Italian stylish looking twin tip, we have RRD’s deep thick comfy foot beds and straps which can be done up without a screwdriver.
On The WaterThe first session on the RRD Placebo had us pleasantly surprised. Regardless of the thickness of the rails, the board bites straight in and digs up-wind without hardly any heel pressure. With loads of surface area and relatively thick rails, the Placebo gets planing very early and can maintain a fairly slow planing speed.
With help from the heel raise and toe grips on the comfortable pads, the board gives you a brilliant connected feel with the water surface, providing you with the confidence that the board won’t side out at any point.
Heading in to some small messy chop we weren’t expecting anything special from the Placebo, but it really did hold its own. The rail holds beautifully and grips on the worst of the bounce chop, whilst carving really well with the added help of those pulled in tips. Any surf with a reasonable size would demand a board that accelerates faster down and into wave’s faces.
Loading up the rail going in to a jump is pretty easy for any moderate size jumps, but pushing too hard into the board to get some real spring or pop gives the board a little more rocker than desired sometimes slowing the board and forcing the kite to far forwards to early. Once you get the technique down though the board is impressive and should excite most riders.
Pros
Great for a freerider looking for an early planer that will give them ample confidence in getting their teeth stuck in to some free style.
Cons
When you really push the Placebo you can, if you are good enough find its limits, the flexi nature can slow the board as you really load up the edge. Perfect for freeride and most riders abilities, if you want a high performance freestyle machine you should look to the Poison
Overall
A great well-rounded board with plenty of get up and go with enough performance for 95% of riders. The board has you getting stuck in trying freestyle moves you wouldn’t have had confidence to try before!
Original review from our friends at IKSurfmag