2011 Takoon Chrono Kitesurf Kites Now In

The Takoon brand name is not one that most recognise despite once leading the way in bow kite design, this is something that Takoon Kitesurfing is looking to change and here at S2AS we couldn't be more happy, Being the primary stockist in the UK we have got our hands on all of the 2011 Kitesurf kites and I have to report they just keep getting better and better. The chrono is a particular eye catcher this year after being party to the recent WIN of Julien Kerneur on the French race championships. The first thing you notice about the 2011 Takoon Chrono Kite is the Quality of the package with all of the spares you need just in case and enough space in the bag to put your kite away on even the windiest days. The canopy and struts are covered in an eye catching print that will really set you apart on the beach.
Takoon have been working really hard over the last year to improve the Chrono and transform it into a super stable fast and powerful freeride and race machine as the sport grows by the day.
The "Diamond control bar" is re-designed for the 2011 Chrono and it has really come on with Cousins lines and a real quality feel to the item. The trim is supplied via a simple clam cleat system that sits above the bar and out of harms way.
The Chrono is a fast and powerful kite and you will score some decent air time if you dare to go for it and will be the happiest kiter on earth. The Takoon Chrono goes far into the window and will just keep pulling, the de-power is accurate and works really well.
The kite is still really stable and powerful enough for you to throw all the basic unhooked moves plus the shape at the top of the chicken loop fits into the bottom of the bar allowing hooking in a lot easier.This kite is clearly not designed for unhooked freestyle but will still satisfy most riders.
This kite should appeal to beginners and intermediate riders alike because of the huge performance available when you want it whilst having massive de-power available on tap.
We have the full range of 2011 Takoon kitesurf kites at S2AS now get in touch, you won't regret it.


Images copyrighted to http://www.hanglos.net/

IKSURF MAGAZINE AWARDS ARE UPON US AGAIN, S2AS Nominations

So last year the Iksurf magazine awards were a hit and a huge response in all of the categories proved a huge success for many including XENON kiteboards who's LA LUZ board picked up the prize for "best twin tip"
Now as the voting starts again we have thought long and hard about the best brands the world has to offer and of course they can all be found at S2AS we have all ready started voting and here's what the members of our team voted for!!!!

Best Kite Category

SLINGSHOT RALLY - Slingshot and S2AS introduces the Rally! Slingshot have extracted the C kite DNA from both the legendary Fuel and RPM and added a third element of the Delta shape to create the worlds first Open Delta C kite. The Rally and the new open delta C kite platform to deliver all of the desirable features of a Delta kite coupled with the performance and feel of a C kite. The Rally is the choice for the beginner that does not want to out grow his or her kite within months - a kite that you can grow into as opposed to out of. Proven Delta features, such as low end power, responsive pivotal turning, endless lofty hang time, effortless re-launch and unbelievable wind range are matched with C kite predictable power and uncompromised stability. The 3 strut design of the open Delta C harnesses and delivers smooth efficient power through the turn and offers a light weight balanced build for maximum flight stability. Slingshot’s first pulley-less bridle lends itself to a direct feel, enhanced responsiveness, and unmatched upwind performance. The range on the Slingshot Rally kite has been optimised for maximum low end grunt. This means riding in lighter wind speeds with smaller size kites and you'll notice bigger boosts with longer hang times. The turning speed combined with the pulley-less bridle lets you tap into a top end range that translates into complete control when the wind picks up. Fine tuning the Slingshot Rally kite is easy with the Slingshot custom fuel injection (CFI) attachment point. CFI changes the overall feel and bar pressure enabling you to tune the Rally to meet your personal ridding preferences.

FLEXIFOIL HADLOW PRO
Fresh for 2011 is the new HADLOW by Flexifoil. An evolution of 2009's Hadlow Pro, the 3rd generation of Aaron's world class signature kite see's retention of the C-kite performance that the series is reputed for, with a strong element of accessibility added for this year's iteration.

Having already nailed the hardcore freestyle attitude of the HADLOW kite, Aaron has focused on opening the kite up to a new market through the development of an innovative and unique depowered kite setting. With the kite now capable of achieving over 50% more depower under the alternative setting, the versatility of the HADLOW kite across all conditions, be it freestyle, wave or snow, more than matches its precision, speed and power through the air.

2011 also brings a refinement in the freestyle attitude of the kite on both settings, with a much more solid feeling throughout; the HADLOW now produces even more pop on demand to make your tricks more explosive. On the smaller sizes, the speed and feel combines to get the kite down and more extreme into megaloops, but stays fast enough to stop you from dropping out of the sky. On bigger sizes, overall handling is improved to give you more confidence and ease into and out of tricks, whether hooked or unhooked.

Best Twin Tip Board

Xenon LaLuz

Last years Winner has remained fundamentally unchanged and you can see why, super light weight construction and super simple design work make the Xenon La Luz an appealing kitesurf Board from the start, it's when you ride it for the first time you slip your feet into the memory foam pads and notice the amazing amount of flex making for explosive pop and super responsiveness. It is obvious that Laluz basic parameters as pop, speed, and upwind ability are outstanding, but the way it lands makes everybody score more tricks than ever before. The Combination of big rocker, deep concave, variable flex and wide tip/tail area result in lively, responsive board with direct feel and no loss at comfort of riding.

Hadlow PRO freestyle Board

The Hadlow Pro Kitesurf Board Is a True freestyle machine but also proves to be an excellent ride for anybody at any level. Aaron and the team have been working hard to make his whole range of kites and the board to be open and available to everyone on the water and we think they've succeeded! the board is nothing short of awesome and features, an ultra thin lightweight construction that is super tough. A three stage rocker down the centre line, combined with normal rocker on the deck provides extra strength and a smoother, gripped ride for locked in landings, Performance Maximising Tips maximum pop.

s generated through optimum width and flex on the tips. Aaron Hadlow won last years Awards as the best male rider, he knows what he's doing when it comes to Kitesurfing and it shows in his Products.

Best Brand Category

SLINGSHOT
One of the biggest and best labels in the business with one of the longest and most prestigious histories in the sport. Slingshot is constantly at the forefront of design and development for their range of Kitesurf and wakeboard products and this year is no different, achieving a level of design and features in their products that any brand would be enviable of , across the range From the Slingshot Key Kite through the Rally Kite, The RPM Kite and the Slingshot Fuel the design is flawless, both visually stunning and an unimaginable quality providing a kite for any situation wind speed and style of riding, giving you all of the safety, security and most importantly FUN you need, The size of the Slingshot Organization hasn't watered down the company's ethic employing purists to the cause to ensure the service is spot on so you can be

sure your new Slingshot kite, kiteboard or wakeboard is backed by the best in the business. Earlier in the year Lewis crathern jumped the famous Brighton pier on the 2011 Slingshot Fuel and it goes to show when we trust our life, our cash and our enjoyment to a kite brand none does it better than Slingshot.

Check out all of the products mentioned here and more at S2AS now and make up your own mind and place your nominations in the IKSURFMAGAZINE AWARDS HERE

How to Service your snowboard

Snowboard Repair & Maintenance | Waxing & Deburring Snowboards

A large part of the existence of a rider incontestably revolves around his Snowboard. However, frequent use of the Snowboard results in damage to the Snowboard's base and edges ranging from small scratches to major cuts. To minimize this occurrence, you need to take time to keep your board in good condition. In this section, here are some Snowboard Tuning Instructions and helpful Snowboard Tuning Tips.

Home Tuning vs. Board Shops

You will be surprised at all the things you can easily do yourself. Basic Snowboard Tuning, maintenance and repair can be done at home with the right tuning kits. However, if your board has taken serious damage like deep gouges in your base, you're better off leaving the repair to S2AS by bringing it to our Snowboard shop in the UK.  Snowboard Shop Poole

Convex and Concave Bases

The base of your Snowboard should be totally flat, not rounded. If your edges are higher than your base, then your base is concave. On the other hand, if the edges are lower than your base, then your base is convex. You can easily check the rounding of your base by placing a flat surface against your Snowboard and checking if there's light coming through the front view of your base. Convex or concave bases are not that easy to fix. It would be better if you leave these operations to a Surface2Air Sports. If you try to do it at home with just files and scrapers, you will probably end up with an uneven surface.

Fixing Burred Edges & Edge Tuning of Snowboards

A Snowboard with sharp edges will help you in turns and will improve your general grip and edge control in the different snow surfaces. As you use your Snowboard for longer periods of time, the edges will start to wear off, and become rounded and burred. Edge Maintenance is easy as long as you do it on a regular basis (e.g. every after riding), especially since small imperfections are easier to fix. Each Snowboard has two edges:

• The Base Edge: the metal edge at the base of your Snowboard
• The Side Edge: the metal edge at the side of your Snowboard

Here are the Steps for Tuning your Snowboard:

Deburring Use a carborundum or diamond stone and drag it from the Snowboard's tip to the tail of the edge. Repeat the movement until all nicks and burrs are gone and the edges are smooth again.

Base Edge Tuning Tuning edges is best done with a file. Start off with the base edge of the Snowboard. Still, take care with filing. Make sure not to file the base of the board and only file as little as needed. Side Edge Tuning After filing the base, you can file the side edges. Use a small file so you won't have a hard time filing the sidecut of your Snowboard. Special edge files will make it easier to determine the angle that you are filing in. When it comes to tuning your edges you have a couple of options: Base edge angle is 0, side edge angle is 90 degrees. Most boards come from the shop with these angles leaving you with enough options to change it. Base edge angle is 0, side edge angle is smaller than 90 degrees. This gives you a sharper side edge which will increase your grip on turns in snow. This setting is handy for icy conditions. Base edge angle is larger than 0 degrees, side edge angle is 90 degrees. This dulls your side egde decreasing your grip but increasing your boards grip. It will also make it easier to make turns. Base edge angle is larger than 0 degrees, side edge angle smaller than 90 degrees. By tuning both edges you can actually maintain the 90 degree in your edge but with a repositioning. Some people find that in this way, they can profit from both effects: more speed and easier turns.

Beginners and even intermediate riders profit most from keeping their edges the way they got them when they bought the Snowboard. Don't do any major changes in the angles of your edges unless you're certain you know what you are doing. Edge Detuning You will want to detune the tip and tail edges beyond the effective edge. Detuning the tip and tail edges will prevent your Snowboard from catching too early in turns. Smoothing the Edges Once all the basic deburring and edge tuning and detuning has been done, you can use a whetstone to smoothen out all the edges.

Base Maintainance

The base of your board needs to be smooth to keep your Snowboard gliding perfectly. These are the steps for basic base maintenance:

1. Base Cleaning
   1. Wipe off all the dirt of the surface with some cloth.
   2. Apply a special base cleaner to the base of your Snowboard. Special Snowboard base cleaner will dissolve the wax and bring all kinds of impurities to the surface.
   3. Let the cleaner evaporate for about 15 minutes and wipe the surface again.
2. Base Repair If you have small gouges in your Snowboard surface you can repair those using a P-Tex candle. As explained above, larger gouges should be repaired by the experts. Light one end of the P-Tex candle and let drops of P-Tex into the gouges. Let the board and the P-Tex cool down and then use a scraper to scrape off the excess P-Tex and smoothen the surface.
3. Waxing The most common misconception about Snowboards is that, with today's high-tech board bases, waxing is no longer necessary. On the contrary, those who wax their Snowboard regularly and properly, glides better. To know the benefits of waxing your Snowboard and more information about waxing, go to our Snowboard Waxing section.

How to Wax Your Snowboard There are several different ways to wax your Snowboard. The easiest way is to let someone else (like your local Snowboard shop) do it. But, if you prefer to wax your board yourself the following are steps to guide you on how to wax your Snowboard. Although there are different kinds of wax for different purposes, a general Snowboarding wax will do the job in most cases.

	Applying the Wax Hold the wax bar against the hot iron and let the wax drip on the Snowboard. Set the iron on a heat that will cause the wax to melt, not to start smoking.
	Spread out the Wax Once you have dripped some wax on the board smooth it out with your iron. Apply a thin layer to the entire base of your Snowboard. Allow the wax to cool off and get into the base.
	Remove excess Wax and Smoothen Use a Plexiglas or plastic scraper to remove the excess wax. Now polish your base with an abrasive pad to smoothen out the surface.

Getting the Tools...

Go to Surface2Air sports to get the tools you need.

Surface2Air Team rider Lewis Crathern Jumps Brighton Pier

Lewis Crathern S2AS Team rider Does it again!

Ok so the biggest kite surf news this year was Lewis Crathern Jumping Worthing pier amazing job and just to watch the video was unreal...

Well that’s so out done now... Lewis Crathern S2AS Team rider has just smashed that feat by Jumping BRIGHTON PIER! yes that's right Brighton pier now if you have ever been on that pier your know just how big and wide it really is.. let me tell you.. it has a good selection of fair ground rides on it.. inc a Roller coaster! That’s how big it is.. with super strong winds hitting the south coast what better time was there? see the video footage of it here..

Brighton Kitesurf Pier Jump Video

A big thumbs up to Lewis for pushing the sport of kitesurfing and once again making the world news to open up our sport to others.
Lewis has his own website here check it out Wind Machine

More info here from Kiteworld mag (The only kitesurf mag to buy)

Lewis called the office about 1.30pm and said, 'Jim, alright? I haven't got long, but just wanted to let you know you might want to be down the Palace Pier at 2pm' Understood!

Having jumped Worthing Pier, causing a media frenzy last year, we'd had a hunch that Lewis might be eye-ing up Brighton's monstrous pier for similar aerial antics. We rounded up the guys from Progression / Fat Sand to get down there too to film it and had all angles covered. It felt weird scrambling around the pier with cameras trying to work out good angles and camera settings for one chance in such terrible light. Unsuspecting people on the pier were looking at us funny, but they were about to get a shock! We hoped.

Lewis needed a high tide to help reduce the height of the pier somewhat and a ballistic westerly wind to boost him the required height and distance. If anything it was too southwesterly and bloody grim by 2pm, squally, raining and dark. Lewis went out for a warm up and some practice jumps, but pretty soon we saw him round the pier and come in downwind near his van.

The conditions weren't right. He said,"I was on my six but I could feel it just wasn't holding me up enough. When I did Worthing pier I was on my seven and could barely hold it down." He went back and swapped his 6m for a 7m.

The sun came out and ventured out for another look. I couldn't see anything from the downwind side of the pier apart from a few glimpses of him getting closer as he tacked backwards and forwards sussing things out. Rob and Ash were in prime thrill-seeking position right in the middle of the pier. Here's how Kiteworld MD Rob saw it:

"We were looking down on him as him came closer and closer to the pier and clearly see his face . He was getting tighter and tighter into the corner and soon he would have to choose to jump or bail onto the beach. His practise jumps hadn't seemed big enough, but I could tell from his positioning that this could be the run. My adrenaline was pumping just watching, he must have been on fire! A really good ramp came up in front of him and I knew he was going to launch. Knowing this stretch of water, I have to admit I was absolutely shitting it. He was so close to the pier, any mistake would have seen him in the railings. He launched and flew straight up over our heads and cleared the chip shop by a big margin. Awesome."

When we saw him minutes later on the beach he had a huge grin but just said, 'Right, I think I'm going to just go home now and have a bath.' Followed closely by a large session we're sure.

Huge respect Lewis. Don't try it at home - Lewis is not only a nut case, he's one of the most highly skilled riders on the planet. Congratulations! Paparazzi please form an orderly queue outside 'Vanzie'.

check out Fat Sand's Progression DVD's

Learn to Kitesurf dvd

Equipment Lewis was using is as follows:

Slingshot Fuel 2011
Slingshot Misfit 136
Dakine Pyro Harness

Thanks for reading
S2AS Team

The new Dakine Heli Pro DLX with S2AS

So who are DAKINE and how long have they been around and more importantly why should i buy DAKINE bags?

Derived from the Hawaiian Pidgin word for ‘the best’, Dakine have been manufacturing and producing sportswear and sports equipment for alternative sports since 1979. With the extreme sports market covered from surf, skate, snowboard, ski, kite, windsurf and bike,
We are authorised UK retailers of Dakine which means that we stock the full range of Dakine luggage as well as other items from Dakine. You will find some awesome Dakine backpacks here as well as many other brands top quality items.

Here is one of DAKINE'S best selling Snowboarding bags.
The Dakine Heli Pro DLX 20L backpack is Dakine's top of the line for compact resort and backcountry backpacks. It combines a variety of ski and snowboard carry options with a comfortable back system to make a comfortable, comprehensive backpack for short day tours and backcountry sessions. With two board carry options, ski carry, axe slot and goggle pocket, the Dakine Heli Pro DLX is a fully featured rucksack. You can carry all your safety gear, lunch and other essentials securely and comfortably whilst getting on with enjoying the your day on the mountain.

Surface2Air Sports has the UK's largest range of Dakine products.

Forum Holy Moly Snowboard Review

The Forum Holy Moly is the most eye catching snowboard of the 2011 season. The graphics are standout luminous orange, yellow and blue colour-ways and the boards construction is like nothing you have ever seen and one of the most rad to ride forum snowboards of all time

the manufacturers bill the 2011 Forum Holy Moly as the best park board in the world. It includes every technology imaginable to make you go higher, faster, jib and land easier. Combo Platter combines the aggressive ollie-pop and control of camber with the forgiving playful feel of rocker, ending the rocker vs. camber discussion forever. With Booter Boosters NexTreme for carbon enhanced ollie-pop, Buttercup in the tip and tail to provide a catch-free ride and the absolute fastest base and lightest wood core possible, the Forum Holy Moly would cost hundreds more if any other brand than Forum Snowboards had the ability to build it.

The Review of the 2011 Forum Holy Moly snowboard

the 2011 Holy Moly Snowboards are available at S2AS in sizes:
Forum Holy Moly 155
Forum Holy Moly 158

program: freestyle/park and pipe

Andreas Wiig’s move from Nitro snowboards to Forum last season was big news for Forum but put a lot of pressure on Forum’s engineers to create something special for the man of the moment to continue his X-Games winning streak on. Like all of Forum’s graphics this season the Holy Moly’s lick of paint looks great,and this 2011 snowboard is not different it’s only when you find out the rough looking blade is a sketch of a prison shank, designed to symbolize a weapon made of the best materials available that you realize Forum means business with this Park Eating Snowboard.

There are a number of new technologies being used on the Holy Moly including the raising of the start and end of the effective edge and risers at the bindings that kink the edge upwards at the feet, Forum call it the Combo Platter. as soon as you put Bindings on you immediately become aware of how stiff the Forum Holy Moly is between the bindings, both along its length and witdth and the nose and tail are no softer. Pop is pretty explosive and run in lines to jumps were really stable if a little robotic, especially as the scoop nose and tail reduced any catchiness. So the forum Holy Moly is a great snowboard for big jumps with all of the stability and pop of a stiff cambered board reminiscent of the chillidog profile on some of the other Forum Snowboards. Carving and working short aggressive turns is hard work, working against the stiff camber takes effort which is more than rewarded when you hit the kickers and sliders and jib round your favourite park this snowboard is a dream with its new "really fast" sintered base which seems like it can withstand a direct hit from wiig himself! this 2011 Forum Snowboard is one of the best snowboards for the most competant park riders with 100% composure for throwing down big spins and inverts and then sticking steep landings in style.In our opinion the pinnacle of Forum's game in the park, we realise that this is not everybodys ideal of snowboarding and so do Forum with the whole range covered, the Holy Moly is daddy to the softer more all round and less dedicated Forum Scallywag encompassing the technology of the 2011 range and filling in the gaps in the more freeride end of the market. if you live in the park the 2011 Holy Moly is the board for you!

now in stock in all of the lary new colourways at S2AS call 01303 268269 or go online at s2as.com to check it out and find the board of your dreams!

S2AS Team

Hadlow 2011 Kite Reviewed by S2AS Team

The New Flexifoil Hadlow Pro 2011 review by S2AS Team


Well, to start I’d like to say that I have had both the 2008 Flexifoil Hadlow Pro and the 2009 Flexi Hadlow pro and I have been fortunate enough to have had my hands on the 2011 model Hadlow kite after a month of riding this kite these are my personal views.

The Flexifoil Hadlow pro kite just seems to get better every year. Aaron Hadlow and Flexifoil team together have obviously listened to all of the feedback from Aaron and the buyers from the last couple years and have tackled all of the issues that they’ve had to make a SUPER KITE!

In the previous models of the kite, some of the problems that riders had was of course… the relaunch! Let’s face it, those of you that have ridden it will know, it was a bit of a bitch to get back off the water especially in choppy conditions.

The leading edge would fold in half every now and then making it really hard to get off the water making people reluctant to try new tricks as it took a while to get back up in the sky.
For this year, the leading edge has been made 2.5% thicker, making it stronger and less prone to folding. Having a slightly thicker leading edge also makes the kite more stable in the strong winds. I was out on the 11m Hadow Pro in roughly 18mph, decked the kite and thought, shit, this I going to take a while, grabbed one of the outside lines, yanked it, and the kite just popped out the water! Didn’t even hesitate. I was so impressed.
The relaunch has improved a considerable amount.

I recently took out the 7m Hadlow Pro in around 35mph at Camber Sands in Kent, and the kite just did exactly what I wanted it to do. Because I had the kite set up in 4 line mode which has 2 support lines to the leading edge the kite is SO SOLID in the sky, it does not jellyfish or wobble, if a big gust came through, it just flew further in the window.

Looping the Hadow Pro was awesome, I think with the slightly thicker leading edge the kite definitely feels a bit slower on the turn in the smaller sizes (still very fast) making it easy to get nice and low in the window, but because the kite drives to the top, it catches you every time.

One of the problems I think that Flexifoil and Hadlow had with the previous year kites was the fact that it was so full on! The bar depower throw was very short and the kite had very little depower, making the Hadlow Pro kite only accessible to a really small amount of people.

This year, that has all changed!! The bar throw is now customizable with a stopper ball, which you can set before you go out with an allen key that comes with the bar. And the kites new shape and design straight out the bag also has more depower.

Not only is the kite more user friendly for any kitesurfer on the standard setting, but the kite now has something sooooo revolutionary, in my opinion its genius. You have the option of adding a very small bridle on the kite which if you add on, (only takes 2 mins) it offers over 50% more depower to the kite! It gives the kite so much more wind range, and it also opens the kite up to a much wider audience.
With the Hadlow bridle, pretty much anyone can get it out the bag and take it for a spin this C kite has changed kitesurfing for the better.

It’s also fantastic for people that want to start getting into freestyle but don’t want such a full on kite, they can start off with the Hadlow bridle on the kite, making it really user friendly, and if they make a mistake they don’t get smashed about on their suicide leash, the kite just depowers, and they can get up and try again.

Once of course they’re comfortable with the kite and have improved, they can then take off the bridle and all of a sudden have a whole new kite, with even more freestyle performance.

Having the bridle on the kite also opens the kite up to any waveriders or If people want to use it on the snow!

Think of being on your 7m, the wind is absolutely HAVIN’ it and it gets to the point where you can hardly hold on anymore, all you have to do is simply come in, put the bridle on and head back out and enjoy the kiteboarding session!

For me, this is going to be the kite of the year, anyone looking for a C kite that has a good wind range, without lacking any performance, this is most definitely the kite to go for the Hadlow Pro.

If you’re looking for a kite that isn’t going to hold your riding back in any way, and want to push yourself and your riding to the limit, look no further.

I have all sizes available in the kite for people to try, 7m, 9m, 11m, and 13m.

If you like any more info on the kite or would like to arrange to take the kite out for the day

Please call me on – 01303 268269

See you on the water

George

S2AS TEAM

Stage 3 Prototype Wetsuits for Kitesurfers

The S2AS / Spartan team have been developing a specialist Kite surfing wetsuit.

Phase 1 - the development of the Spartan Vortex 3/3. This wetsuit met lots of the requirements but we still needed a better ballooning solution. The wetsuit also required more flexibility in the shoulders. The team also felt that Kitesurfing required a different type of neck seal to ensure no water penetration. There was huge debate and experimenting with a vertical zip versus the over the head zip in front. The final conclusion was that this type of suit seal is uncomfortable for a kiter and that the vertical zip felt more comfortable.

Phase 2 - the development a 3.2. We experimented with a fluid weld on the inside and out of the wetsuit. And concluded that the internal weld was an expensive waste of time. It gathered sand, was uncomfortable and felt cold almost like it was forming a bridge. This phase saw the development between and over neck internal barrier versus the back barrier with no over the head solution. We found that the over the neck solution proved easier to put on and felt very comfortable. We also noticed that it made a better seal and agreed that the Pro Kitesurf range would have over the head internal barriers.

WE considered some padding on the shins and are considering it on the entry suit but the pro Kite surfer will be beyond this protection requirement.

The wetsuit worked well in terms of flexibility and comfort and preventing water entering. The osmotic holes by the foot allowed water to escape and reduced ballooning but the debate went on and more testing was needed

Phase 3 – the introduction of the Pro Kite wetsuit. The development of the summer suit has taken some time and a lot of attention to detail. The team has agreed that the suit should have a large single chest and back covering for warmth, as the single lined material is the only true defense against cooling from evaporation, which is the problem with a double lined material.

The rest of the suit would be double lined with long arms, ¾ legs, a vario neck seal, overhead barrier, sealed vertical zip, super flex materials in the arms and shoulders, more durable materials around the lower half of the suit. We are testing this suit and believe we will have exactly what a kite surfer wants and needs from a suit.

We will keep you posted

All the best from the team

John, Mark, Angelo, Oli and Stefan

Never Summer SL Snowboard Review

Never Summer claim the SL is their all-mountain, do everything dominator of a snowboard. well... they’re not wrong. Enough damping to eradicate any of those unwanted vibrations you get when the snow’s hard and crusty, a rocker/camber hybrid profile that makes carving a dream and backcountry riding effortless and a powerful but manageable flex that rewards aggressive riders with great edge hold and plenty of pop. The Never Summer SL is a great snowboard for riders who want to ride everything and anything as long as there’s plenty of carving to be had.

What Never Summer Say:

An extremely agile, high performance freestyle board that does it all, the Never Summer SL is not only versatile, but offers powerful edge to edge response and maintains a forgiving tip and tail. If you want a board that excels in the park, on groomers, or on backcountry kickers, this is it.

Year: 2011

Available Lengths (cm): 151, 153, 155, 158, 161, 164

Riding Style: All Mountain

Specifications:

RC rocker / camber profile
STS Pretensioned Fiberglass
BI-Lite Fiberglass
Carbon VXR Laminate Technology
NS Custom Flightcore
RDS 2 Damping System
Sintered P-tex Sidewall
Durasurf Sintered 4501 base
P-tex Tip and Tail Protection
Full Wrap Metal Edge
3 year warranty

The Never Summer SL Review:

The SL is Never Summer’s all-mountain snowboard aimed at the rider who is looking at boards like the Burton Custom or k2 Slayblade, a snowboard to lay waste to everything from park to powder. It has a directional twin shape, biaxial glass, extensive carbon reinforcement and more damping than a bouncy castle.

Like other Never Summer snowboards the SL uses Rocker and Camber technology, rocker between the bindings and camber at the nose and tail. The result of this match made in heaven is a softer longitudinal flex between the bindings and a stiffer and super poppy nose and tail. For intermediate riders raising the nose and tail off the snow means the SL is very stable when it’s kept on a flat base and ridden down all types of snow conditions, despite using a slightly firmer than moderate torsional flex, the SL initiates carves quite easily and on an edge the SL was extremely capable. Personally, I really enjoyed the way the board’s sidecut worked well with the softer rocker area between the bindings, I felt I could really work the SL into hard carves… and then there’s a reminder that you’ve got camber in the tail as it pops you out. The feel is almost identical to that of the Never Summer Raptor, just a little less powerful. The softer waist also means it’s remarkably easy to work the fairly firm flexing SL into tight turns on steep terrain. When you open up the SL snowboard the ride is smooth and refined, there is no snowboard manufacturer on the planet that does damping quite like Never Summer, the SL rides like a Rolls Royce Phantom on air suspension. Another great thing about the SL is the crazy float it packs, there’s no need to put all of your weight on the back of the board or set your stance back, it just seems to work in the pow.. freeriding is something the SL just eats up.

On the freestyle front, the SL was fine off kickers, as I mentioned earlier, there is plenty of carbon reinforcement in the nose and tail, so you’ve got a nice helping of pop. Carving into spins was predictable, but for those with less experience I think the SL has too much grip, so there’s no way you’ll be able to cheat and slide frontside spins off transitions. Unfortunately I didn’t get to ride the SL in the pipe, but I’m certain it would smoke it. If you want to ride rails, short of the odd board slide and box press the SL is probably too stiff to work, I’d look at the Never Summer Evo if rails are your bag.

If you’re a confident intermediate or advanced snowboarder who enjoys carving hard on groomers, getting expressive in the powder and hitting booters of all shapes and sizes in the park and off piste, you should check out the SL. The SL feels quite like the Custom flying V which is no surprise as they use similar technology. Comparing the two, the SL needs a stronger / heavier rider to get the most from it, but the damping means it’s a more refined ride at high speed and on sketchy snow. Choose the SL if you want to ride everything but freeriding is your main-stay and the Burton Custom Flying V if pipe and booters are your bag.

Other boards to look at:

Ride Society UL Snowboard

K2 Slayblade Snowboard

Never Summer Evo Snowboard Review

Never Summer Evo 2011 Snowboard Review

Ok so your looking for a new Snowboard and your want a Freestyle Park snowboard.. read on...

The Never Summer Evo 2011 snowboard has received a lot of attention over the past season. Firstly, Olympic pipe slayer Greg Zebrowski took a Never Summer Evo to the Olympics without even being offered a contract with Never Summer Snowboards. He was so stoked on the product that he was prepared to ride it for free. Secondly (and probably more significantly!), when the annual snowboard test can about we tested 16 of 2011’s park/freestyle snowboards on a test to determine the best park snowboard of 2011, the Never Summer Evo was by far the best on the test. If you want to ride everything from the most technical rails to the most towering superpipes the Never Summer Evo 2011 should be on your shortlist.


What Never Summer say about the Evo:

Designed for advanced freestyle riders, the twin tip Evo is the perfect board for shredders who spend most of their time in the pipe and park. Extremely light and easy to butter, the Evo provides high speed stability and durability not usually associated with freestyle snowboards

Year: 2011

Available Lengths (cm): 142, 148, 151, 153, 155, 158, 161

Riding Style: Freestyle/Park

Specifications:

RC rocker/camber profile
STS Pretensioned Fiberglass
BI-Lite Fiberglass
Carbon VXR Laminate Technology
Press Flex Core
EDS Damping System
Sintered P-tex Sidewall
Durasurf Sintered 4501 base
P-tex Tip and Tail Protection
Full Wrap Metal Edge
3 year warranty

The full review of the Never Summer Evo 2011:

The Never Summer Evo is one mega fun freestyle stick. It felt good from second i put it on my feet, amazing for buttering & pressing and also held an edge very well at pretty high speeds. In the park, the Never Summer Evo was easy for spinning and jumping around off transitions of all shapes and sizes. One of the big surprises was how able the Evo was through the slush and how controlled it was on hard pack snow. When I took the Evo in the park, it felt very catch free on boxes and rails. Flat land tricks felt effortless and to be honest I found it hard not to keep shredding the Evo for the rest of the day, unfortunately I had tons of other boards to get through. The Never Summer Evo just feels right in every way; you really need to test it to understand how sick it is. I’m definitely getting one!.. in fact im keeping this one! The EVO is a must try board for any budding freestyler. A treasure of a jib board in my opinion and it definitely put a large smile on my face! The rocker in between the feet and camber on nose & tail sounded a bit weird to me at first but after testing, I must say I’m hugely impressed by how easy the RC technology makes presses and popping tricks! Sure the Evo is expensive for a jib board but then again Aston Martins are expensive for sports cars. The best thing about it is that pretty much anyone can have fun on the Evo and that’s what its all about!

other Snowboards to take a look at:

Nitro Sub Zero Snowboard

Ride Kink Snowboard

Forum Scallywag

K2 Parkstar