I've had a week surfing a 5'10" Dominator & love it. Can't help thinking it would be the most awesome lightwind kiting board. It's very light, not sure how much extra weight they've put on their kiting models. But specifically as a light wind board it wouldn't need to be as solid as an all round board. Has anyone had experience kiting the paddlesurf models. How have they stood up? I definitely don't want to go smaller than 5'10" because I'll mainly be paddle surfing it. Thanks for your help
Col
Hey mate, I had a potatonator for a bit and tried kiting on it and hated it. The board is a hybrid of the dominator and potato(clever name hey) and i think the really wide tail was the killer. I didnt enjoy surfing it all that much either so maybe there lies your answer.
As the original and all time unstrapped wave riding guru the great Ben Wilson says, you should be able to kite any board that you enjoy surfing on.
(Mal riders need not apply this theory)
If you have a firewire factory near you, just cruz in and grab a demo and have a crack. Dont break it though coz your credit card will take a bashing.
In my experience firewires are solid boards. If you like surfing it, it will shred when kiting. But!! Be a little cautious on sizing. I have found on that type of board you can go way smaller than expected. This results in a better, faster turning board that will progress your surfing.
Any board can snap or crease. Firewires too! It's just the luck of the draw.
But they hold up a lot better than pu boards and don't have that annoying boat feel like a lot of the kiting specific surf boards. (epoxy).
Check the hellfire as these are sick boards. A little more performance but still with that fishy feel to get through fat waves.
I have also heard great reviews on the Ben Wilson boards that cater for both. But these are not designed for the fat onshore slop that unfortunitly most kiters surf most often
But I have ridden the Dom and rate it for fat **** waves. I think kiting on it will be sweet. I put my foot through my kiting board (FireWire) after a solid 2 years of surfing and kiting. It was bulletproof to me. My new indo gun is also a fw but other boards pu. Enjoy
I've got an epoxy BW board which is good for kiting and still alright for paddle surfing, but def on the heavy side. I have to say my fave is a small surfboard which i put an extra layer of glass on the top. Really light and nimble. In my opinion pure surfboards have always just been shaped better and always feel better.
I own a Wam 6'0" but surf a FireWire flexfire 6'4". The times I've taken the FireWire out its stood up fine usually lighter days or cruising downwinders. Board shows no deck damage at all. I wouldn't boost on either only try to punt using the wave. Should be ok
Kiteboard version of the Dom is quite a bit heavier than the paddling model, about the same as last years North wam. Also pretty sure it only comes in 5"8, one of my mates uses a standard FW for kiting - both front fin boxes are cracked right along the inside edge, he's had it about 4 months.
The Drifter is a great paddle/light wind kiteboard, worth a demo.
Thanks guys,
toppleover in particular that's exactly what I wanted to know. Yeah 5'8" is the kiting model but that's def too small for what I'm looking for, paddling onto full waves & occasionally kiting the most marginal crap.
Col
i want a board for surfing and kiting. The dominator 5'10 gets waves so easy for it's size. I think i need quad and thruster options to go from kiting and surfing slop and wanting it real loose in the tail, but to be able to handle 4-5 ft too (paddling) with wave catching ability. I have kited the mulcoy 6'1 and it was real snappy/loose with both quad and thruster so awesome for aggressive hits /slides. need to take it for a paddle surf still. i always liked a board smaller for kiting than surfing but and sick of lugging so much **** around! Other problem is I love huge boosting unstrapped which opens up another can of worms. jump higher on a lighter board cos its easier to grab/stick to your feet with wind but weaker!... and then you are left on your roadtrip with one board - in half and no spares lol
I tried the dominator and I did not like it.
I kite pretty much any board from a 5'10 old north bullet to my 9'6 SUP.
Pretty much every board will ding, some faster than others.
I try using my surfboard for kiting in good waves (6'2 19 1/2) and my kite for mushy sessions.
I surf and kite my 5'8" dominator surfboard. I enjoy kitting it at low speeds, small waves and lighter winds. If the wind and wave are pumping I jump on a narrower board like the felix pro 5'11"
Hey this is my brand new firewire alternator (6'0) snapped after 2 kites and 2 surfs (only last week)
. However I rode my old one into the ground and it was bullet proof!
I also ride normal pu boards that have seemed to hold up ok (though I do baby them). Anyway I dont think ill kite on a new firewire again!
Jononpark
Snapped in a weird place???
Seems really odd, do you have any idea why.
Strapless jumping i have only ever creased or snapped boards directly below my feet.
Are you chubby and fell on it??
You must be devo, I would be.
Wal I'm 80kgs of pure muscle (under a small layer of fat). It was a small backside air and just landed on the flats in front of the wave. My back foot must have been up a little. To be honest i have snapped a few at the tail tow surfing And underpants, you were
Obviousley not underoath that day to your misses who thought you were at work. Karma maybe?? Haha how did you explain that one!
