Cabrinha 2014 Season - Air Collection

Cabrinha has always been a brand associated with innovation in the kiting world, and this season’s 2014 gear is no different. The brand is constantly pushing the boundaries of product design to produce the most efficient, safe and most importantly FUN gear on the market. Below we are showing you some of the newest innovations and ranges for this year:

What's new:

• Overdrive 1x control system
• Improved turning speed and performance for all kites
• 2DR double ripstop kite material
• Basalt & carbon fibre twin tip layups
• Cork & bamboo sandwich surfboards
• Hydra series footstraps
• Air collection - engineered for women

The Overdrive Control Bar

The control bar can adjust to a full 8cm in seconds. It starts with a shorter bar length and can extend to the larger length if needs be. The 49cm standard bar is better for smaller kites. These adjustments can also be easily made on the water.

Materials

• Bamboo and Cork surfboards making wave riding strong and flexible
• New 2014 Volcanic Basalt - Custom CBL absorbs vibrations better
• New 2014 Full Carbon - XCaliber Signature Model
• New 2014 2DR Double Ripstop ensures less stretch and high durability

The Air Collection

The Air Collection is a set of light wind tools that is perfect for light wind riding. The 3 micro struts improve performance using their lightweight materials. Show off to everyone on the beach as they wonder how you are riding in less than windy conditions. 

Siren Collection

This collection is designed specifically for women. The equipment has been crafted to enhance the experience for women; with shorter boards, smaller chicken loops and footstraps. The design is bright and bold and has been developed alongside Susi Mai. 

Footstraps Hydra Series

 

Two new footstraps are available in this series. The H1 has a single adjustment strap and the H2 has two adjustment straps. They are sold separately which is great as each rider can choose which footstrap is more suitable for them. Both models are available in two sizes; standard and small.

Check back from the end of August when we get all the new gear in. Until then grab a great deal on all the current 2013 Cabrinha gear here.

Like us on Facebook for up-to-date information here.

S2AS

2014 Airush Team Series

The 2014 Airush Team Series product range has been unveiled alongside this video release. The range includes new materials, sizes and shapes.

Airush have released a very entertaining video to mark the release of the team series kit, featuring 14 talented riders, who were filmed by 20 videographers, over 10 locations. Grab a cold beer and take a look… http://vimeo.com/70167789

Airush Kites:

Razor

The 2014 Airush Razor is the definition of a C-Kite and is great for intermediate and freestyle riders. If you’re looking for high end performance – then this is your kite.

The established Aramid Load Frame is combined with the new Double Ripstop Canopy on the Team Series Kites, for the ultimate combination of durability and performance.

The Razor has been designed in collaboration with Vice World Champions Alex Pastor and Bruna Kajiya, as well as Dutch Champion Bas Koole, and South African Champion Oswald Smith.

This is one of the best kites on the market for those more established riders, especially if you’re looking for a more aggressive freestyle kite. If you’re looking to step-up your game, then we would highly recommend this product. 

See here for more information.

Wave

The Wave has already gained a considerable amount of dedicated riders, following its first release last year. There are new adjustments to the 2014 Wave that will tick all the boxes for existing and new fans.

The new adjustments include, the wingtips and canopy layout which makes for a smooth power delivery and fluid steering which is consistent across the whole range while the newer sizes offer increased options for higher wind riding.

The 2014 Wave is best suited with the 2014 Airush Smartbar which is configurable in both 5 and 4 line mode.

See here for more information.

Airush Boards:

Limewire

The Airush Livewire has proven itself in the past as being very versatile and in the 2014 range they have refined flex and introduced the unique Carbon Torsion Control. This wakestyle/freestyler board is optimal for maximum pop and upwind performance. It has a flatter edge, while the centre rocker is increased for riding and landing with ease during powered tricks.

Alex Pastor, Bruna Kajiya and Bas Koole have given their feedback to the team to develop the range for the ultimate ride – since they are the ultimate riders, it is the ultimate board.

See here for more information.

Team Livewire

The 2014 Livewire Team has a new lightweight construction. Combing new technology including, unique lamination and construction, Airush really knows how to create the ultimate loyal freestyle board.

For a smooth response, they have used a biaxial carbon layer, while the torsional orientation maximises pop. For increased durability, they have added an ultra-lightweight laminated top and bottom, introducing the lightest board in the range at 2.2kg; 500gm lighter than the standard 2014 Livewire.

See here for more information.

Cypher

Offering 4 different lengths, the 2014 Cypher versatile range offers everything from onshore wave to strapless boosting and light-wind wave performance.

The 5’4” – Performance of a small wave surfboard with an incredible throw around factor. Has a concave deck for low centre of drive and improved strapless performance.

The 5’6” – This length is great for an all-round performance especially in a range of onshore to cross-onshore conditions.

The 5’8” – This board is ideal for medium to heavy and light wind riders. Also has enough buoyancy for paddle surfing up to an advanced 85kg rider in small surf.

The 5’10” – This design is unique, as it pushes great performance in extremely light wind wave and allows you to ride aggressively in marginal conditions. An advantage to this board is that it allows significant crossover surf potential.

See here for more information.

Airush Board and Kite Accessories:

Smartbar 5

The Airush team have refined the Smartbar 5 this year by having four length adjustments. It can be changed from 45-55 or 52-62 with simple and easy alterations. What is great about the length adjustments is it allows the bar to be used with the smallest kite to the largest kite in the Airush range. The Smarbar 5 includes the same line length changes as before, which gives every type of rider their choice of lines whether they are a free rider, freestyler or wave rider – it is suitable for all.

See here for more information.

AFT Team

The AFT Team combines dual Velcro closure, and integrated molded EVA arms with the legendary AFT Footbed. This creates the perfect balance of comfort and support needed for long sessions on the water.

There is a new footstrap component with the 2014 range, which allows riders to quickly adjust the strap whilst the double Velcro closure customizes the tension of the front and back of the strap, working in union with the Dual Foam System to adjust to different foot shapes. There is a refined pad that allows the foot to centre naturally which ultimately improves the rider response.

See here for more information.

The 2014 Airush gear will be with us by the end of the month. Like us on Facebook to get all the latest updates.

S2AS

Longboard Buyers Guide 2014

A lot of people are nervous and worried when they first go to buy a longboard; they wonder what the best board for them. But have no fear there are some easy ways to pick what board will be right for you.

Firstly let’s see what boards are out there. Longboards are divided into three different categories; downhill (or DH), cruisers and freestyle boards. Downhill boards tend to be a lot longer than other boards (between 35 – 45 inches). Downhill boards are separated into racing boards and freeride boards, racing boards are usually the longer and wider of these boards so that the rider has a larger “active platform” locking them in and keeping them steady at high speeds making cornering no issue. Race boards also usually have a drop-through option allowing riders to put their trucks through their deck giving them a lower centre of gravity reducing the chance of speed wobble and increasing their top speeds, an issue with these racing boards is that it is harder to slide them than most boards due to their size. Freeride boards vary in length and width to fit the rider it is designed for. The shorter of the freeride boards will be more responsive and easier to slide for taller riders and will be small and light enough for the smaller shredders to slide and control on the hill, although these boards may experience speed wobble at slightly lower speeds than the longer boards. The longer of the freeride boards will allow riders to have controlled slides at high speeds, although they may be harder to slide at lower speeds and harder to use for people who have a smaller stance. Some freeride boards may also have the drop-through options allowing the rider to hold out slides for longer due to the low centre of gravity. Both racing and freeride boards have the drop down boards; these boards do not usually have the drop-through option as they are already lowered to the ground, drop down boards have a lowered platform meaning that the active platform is lower than the top of the trucks, this allows riders to push their feet against the raises enabling them to tuck at high speeds or to have more control over their slides. A general disadvantage for downhill boards is that they aren’t that good at cruising around in public place due to their size.

 Never Summer Revolt Longboard 2012 | Landyachtz Nine Two Five Longboard 2012 | Atom Drop Down Kate Longboard | Lush Sequel Complete 2012 Longboard 

Cruiser boards are usually pit-tails which are long and thin allowing the rider to manoeuvre around town and carve roads with ease, although very useful for commuting they tend to suffer with speed wobble and are harder to slide than other boards. The other type of cruisers are short-boards, these tend to be no bigger than 30 inches and are popular with younger/smaller riders and riders not looking to go downhill. An advantage of short-boards is that they are easy to carry and are very responsive, although a disadvantage is that they are not very stable downhill.

Never Summer Concept Longboard 2012 |  Lush Lopez Complete Longboard | 2013 Landyachtz Bamboo Pinner Longboard Complete | Atom Pintail 50 Skate Longboard | 2013 Landyachtz Bamboo Complete | 2013 Landyachtz Bamboo Totem Longboard Complete

The Final board type is the freestyle boards, the freestyle boards are split into free-ride freestyle, dancers and bowl boards. Free-ride freestyle boards are usually similarly shaped to skateboards but longer although they can come in a variety of shapes. These boards are used to do flip tricks and technical slides downhill, technical slides are when to board is slid using only two or less wheels e.g. using the tail or nose of the board to perform a slide. Technical slides also allow the rider to use slide gloves enabling them to vary their sliding technique and hold positions closer to the ground. Free-ride freestyle boards also allow you to do a variety of flat land tricks allowing you to move off the hill and expand your horizons to new locations. These boards are perfect to perform slides and other tricks, but they are not great for racing downhill due to their smaller size. Dancers are very long boards as they are used to walk up and down on, they tend to have a fair amount of flex allowing the rider to pop in and out of stances. They usually come as either pintails or with a double kicker shape. This gives the rider the choice of having either a more freestyle/freeride orientated board or a more cruising style board. The pintail shaped board will allow the rider to cruise around and carve hills with no trouble as well as keeping the dancing flex of the board. The double kicker style board will enable the rider to combine their flatland tricks with their dancing style board. Dancers are brilliant for taller riders and riders who want a smooth soft feel to their ride, although they are fairly hard to ride downhill due to the softness of the board and its quick turning increasing the chance of earlier speed wobble.

Lush Legend Complete Longboard | Lush Wizard Complete Longboard | Never Summer Heist DT Longboard 2012 | 2013 Landyachtz Drop Carve 37 Longboard Complete

Shop here for all our Longboards.

Ellingham Wakeboard Competition 2013

Ellingham hosted its first ever wakeboarding competition this year on Saturday 13^th July 2013. We were sponsoring the competition and it was such a fantastic day with some superb riders, smashing out some great moves. Lots of people came down to watch the riders and enjoy the afternoon with a BBQ and drinks.

18 guys and girls took part in this event and big prizes included up to £175 worth of S2AS vouchers and other prizes were kindly supplied by DC. Every rider was absolutely brilliant, but we did have to choose the winners:

1st place went to the incredible Rob Hewat

£100 S2AS vouchers

2nd place went to Emma Jane who was the only female rider in the competition

£50 S2AS vouchers

3rd place went to James Price

£25 S2AS vouchers

The winners!

Chilling out with a cold beer and food from the BBQ watching the talented riders

Great moves had by all!

Thanks to everyone that came down - we cant wait for next year!

Photographs by Sharon Dawes

Check out the video here made by Leigh Kennedy

Xenon LaLuz Kiteboard 2013 Review

S2AS is a rider-owned and rider-run sports shop, and one of the perks of working here is the chance to test new kitesurfing boards as they come in. We've had Xenon LaLuz kitesurfing boards in the shop for several years, so when the new LaLuz 2013 came in, we had to test it out straight away. We have to say that we were very impressed with the latest offering from Xenon – the S2AS team score for the Xenon LaLuz Kiteboard is 5*.

A Great Board

The Xenon LaLuz series of board have been known for their high quality since the inception of the line. With the LaLuz 2013, Xenon aim to offer a “an even more dynamic and aggressive feeling without compromising the inherent features of LaLuz which are comfort, ease of usage and invariable pleasure coming from every session”. S2AS are pleased to agree – they've hit their target with this new board. The Xenon LaLuz provides a high-performance experience. The compact, lightweight board is easy to manoeuvre without giving up the power required for more aggressive boarding.

What's New?

For the 2013 model of the LaLuz kiteboard, Xenon has made changes to two key areas. The area where the rider's heel sit has been upgraded to a complete carbon fitting, giving the rider greater dynamic control. The durability of the board has also been improved with changes to the top material.

In addition, the foot straps are a new, 25% lighter design with improved non-skid bases giving a firmer grip and better control. The pads have been improved as well, with a 40% weight reduction and multiple layers of foams, designed to ensure both comfort and control.

Technical Details

Aimed at intermediate to pro riders, the LaLuz comes in four sizes. The smallest size has been increased slightly for the 2013 model.

Size	129x40cm	132x40cm	135x41cm	138x42cm
Stance	55.5 / 61.5cm	61.5 / 65.5cm	61.5 / 65.5cm	61.5 / 65.5cm

The board can also be provided with straps in two sizes, S/M for feet sized below a UK 7 (EUR 40) and L/XL for riders with larger feet or who prefer wearing boots.

The Xenon LaLuz kiteboard has a wooden core with an asymmetrical hybrid laminate. The finish for the heel area has been designed for comfort and control, with a carbon laminate covered by a silicon coating with a specially crafted high-grip pattern.

For the product description and to buy see here.

Our Top 3 Kitesurfing Bags

As summer is finally here, many of you will be heading out on holidays abroad and in the UK. We stock kiteboard bags from Dakine, Mystic and Takoon to make sure all your kit is kept safe in the transportation of your equipment – we only stock the best kiteboard bags here at S2AS. Here are our picks from Takoon, Mystic and Dakine.

Takoon Kiteboard bag 200cm

What’s great about this bag is that it is disguised as a golf bag. If you are not aware, due to the excess baggage charges, most airlines are now allowing a small charge (sometimes free) for golf bags – so this is perfect if you are going abroad as you may not need to pay extra fees. In terms of space, this kite bag allows up to 3 kites and 2 boards as well as accessories and a towel fitting in with ease. This bag also offers an extension for your surfboard. This is a great bag for travelling as you are able to take all your gear with you in one bag. 

Key points:

Heavy duty material 

Best protection

Easy set up

Internal padded dividers

Durable

Overall this is the best travel bag we have in store for both quality and also value. For more information see here.

Mystic Ammo Twin Box with Wheels Board Bag 2013

A bonus with this board bag is that it splits into two bags. It can be frustrating when you’re at the airport and your bag is too heavy – I think you will agree that we have all been there a couple of times. However with this handy zip, it can be divided into two separate bags. The top half can also be used just for going to the beach or for a weekend trip. This bag has multi-uses which is an added bonus.

Key Points:

PVC 840D Material

Inside Zipper Boundary

Ventilation Mesh

Detachable Shoulder Strap

Address Card Visor

Secure straps on inside and outside

Front and Back Handle

Extra pockets for small gear

If you’re looking for an ultra-strong and multiuse bag, this bag is perfect for transporting all of your kiting gear whilst abroad. For more information see here.

Dakine Slider Kiteboard Bag 155cm

Dakine build some of the best bags around which are also super cheap.  The inside of this bag is fully padded for light board protection and it is capable of holding one kiteboard. It offers protection for your board in the back of your vehicle, or on the way to the beach.

Key Points:

Padded wall for maximum gear protection

Webbing carry handle

8mm foam padding

This is a great slim fit board bag and is great for just heading down to the beach. For more information see here.

 

Overall all three boards have different uses and it all depends what you need from them. The Takoon Kiteboard is perfect if you have a lot of gear and are going abroad. However, if you are after a multiuse bag, the Mystic Ammo Twin Box with Wheels Board Bag is a winner here as it divides into two with a zip. If you are only after a simple board bag to head to the beach with then the Dakine Slider Kiteboard Bag hits the spot, as it is lightweight and easy to transport.  Check out all of our selection here.

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