Hi folks,
I am looking for a new board and would appreciate a piece of advices to guide my choice.
I broke a few boards in the past years and as you must know, kite gears are not cheap ! That starts to cost me quite a lot of money I would like buy a board that won't break easily this time or one that comes with a good warranty against breakage.
I have been riding for about 7/8 years, mostly freeride/freestyle and I am after a twin-tip (130/132 in size).
I heard about cardboard and Xenon (was about to buy a Laluz but the warranty doesn't seem to work on second hand boards).
Any recommendations are welcome 
Thanks a lot for you help.
Cheers,
KS
Hey KsPer Cardboards will be releasing there new boards soon and trust me they sound great so maybe you should hold out for them!!
Cardboards definately have the warranty you are looking for. I happened to be in AKS last summer when a Cardboard (Tempo, I think from memory) came in broken and no questions asked DM just swapped it straight over for a brand new one from the shelf.
The customer thought he would have to wait at least a week or two till the broken board was sent back and the warranty approved, he was stoked to walk straight out with a brand new board.
Thanks a lot for your replies,
- Do you know when the new cardboard will be released ? There will be some good clearance deals I guess.
- Does the breakage warranty work on second hand board ?(I will try to contact cardboard to check this out)
Yes I forgot to mention, I'm student so the cheaper the better ;P
Thanks a lot
All boards should have at least 12 months warranty, I know for sure that Cabrinha, Underground do and Nobile and Xenon have 2 years and even 3 years on some Nobile models I think? Warranty only applies to original purchaser with a purchase receipt.
Nobile are awesome on warrranty. My understanding is thats its 3 years on every model (but i'll check given Steves reservation).
I have only had 3 claims come into my shop (ie since 1/1/11) . All sold by other stores - all very minor lamination or insert issues - everyone has been replaced immediately with brand new boards off the shelf = no questions asked.
It doesnt get any better than that. The last board i had in was right at the end of its 3 yr warranty - bingo - new replacement NHP for very old and very used board.
One very happy traveller there - any wonder!!
That sounds promising, thanks a lot for your replies.
I had a look on nobile website but I haven't found much info about it ...
Do you think this warranty applies on older model ? I have seen clearance of 2010 / 2009 models out there that could be interesting.
I'll ask the shops, thanks again.
Hi KsPer,
Cardboards offer the best warranty in the business. 3 years against breakage on Tempo, PRO, FR and Wave.
They are about to release the 2012's and a new model. I spoke to Dan at length recently and he was really frothing over the new models. The FR returns, the Tempo is back and the model that fits in between them, the FX.
I've never had a warranty questioned and these were only from a small run where there was a a few boards that had delam issues due to a new method of bonding the ABS (which was less than successful). Outside of those few boards, we haven't had a single board broken or come back for warranty.
North this year are also offering an additional 6 months on top of the standard 12 months warranty. This applies only to original purchaser and must go back to the shop where purchased to take advantage of the additional 6 months. We had no North twin tips back for warranty last year and only one from a previous year where a customer damaged the board by dropping it on the rail and the top sheet started to delam. Unbelievably, North replaced it with a new Select. 
To my knowledge, no second hand board is covered by manufacturers warranty, it only applies to original purchaser.
DM
Does anyone have any info on kite "surfboard" warranties,
Do they exist? if so which brands offer the best, longest warranty!
Coverage for snappage?
With Kite "surfboards" its a bit hard warranty wise,most seem to last well if your surfing waves but when your throwing big airs and flips its easy to land badly and snap or fracture a board,have snapped one myself landing on the crest of a peaking wave,turned it into a banana.
^^^^
Yea, The twin tippers seem to do all the above and also stuff
likeride rails/ ramps/logs and stuff , and still seem to have good warrantys. Construction is different but Surfboard technoligy must have advanced over the years to be able to offer
some sort of decent warranty.
Hi peeps,
Surfboard warranty is simple. The board is warranted against workmanship and materials failure.
If the board breaks as a result of a dry layup or poor bond in the sandwich etc, then it will be covered.
If you go out and jump huge and loop it on landing and snap it, tough (.).)
Some boards are more prone to breaking than others and it becomes a trade off between light weight and strength. Light weight gives you a light board that can be tossed around, but it wont stand up to the abuse of neglect or harsh riding.
Additional glass layers, reinforcement, carbon patches, timber stringers etc etc all add strength, but also add weight.
I had one North board (WAM) which suffered heel dents on the front foot which resulted in cracks in the top deck under the footpad. The board was repaired under warranty and a new board organised at generous discount for the rider. Very good warranty service. In 2012 all North boards, kites and bars come with a 12 month warranty and also an additional 6 months on top of this when you register your product for free on their website. Thats 18 months!, but only from the shop where you bought it from! Sweet!
A good argument to support your local shop is a good shop will look after customers who support them and will work with quality big name brand manufacturers to usually a good outcome for the customer. It's in our best interest to keep our loyal customers happy. It's a thing called Service!
DM
So can I break my north or cardboards twin tip doing airs and jumps
and have it replaced, but my north contact or wam if it breaks is tough luck? , not sure if this is fair?
Hi Herbyburger,
I think it goes a bit like this....
A twin tip board is designed to handle rough water, speed, freestyle, landing kiteloops etc, all day long. That is it's intended purpose. Under consumer guidelines, this product is "fit for purpose".
A surfboard, unless specified otherwise, is designed for riding waves. Sometimes whilst riding waves the board will take short drops ie off the lips, smashing a pitching lip, punting an upwind air etc. They are designed for this type of use.
Repeatedly boosting 30 foot and dropping like a stone onto flat water with a board as large as a surfboard would not be considered "intended use". The decks and general construction of a North surfboard is very strong and more than adequate for practically any wave riding purpose including small airs, off the lips etc.
A bit like taking a Lambo down the Canning Stock route. When it failed, I doubt whether warranty would apply. Used outside of intended use.
If you want to boost a surfboard, maybe look at something like a Cardboards Wave 148 which is intended to be jumped.
DM
Saw a guy out the other day on a late model top brand epoxy board get rolled by a wave and the end of his bar popped straight through the top of the board,so theres no way an epoxy surfboard is ever gonna stand up to what a wood core tt will, i second the cardboards wave as one of the best alternatives to a surfboard if you want a board you can truely hammer that shreads in the surf the Wave is it.
Acoo=crding to a NObile rep', it seems : NHP, XTR, and 50/50 boards are covered by "3 years warranty against breakage" . The rest of the line is covered by "1 year warranty against breakage".
I think I will go for a Nobile then, they are great boards and it should get 3 years of peace.
Thanks guys.
Just to think outside the square. Why not make your out unbreakable board?
If off the shelf units don't work build yourself an indestructable unit!!
a solid carbon/glass board will NEVER break and still have good flex properties.
ps i'm talking TT.
in regards to the surfboard issue, apparently the underground kipuna has a paulowina wood core and is well suited to the demands of boosting. I have not tried one myself, would any kipuna/freewave riders care to comment?
I totally agree with you Plummet, handshape is still the best solution, it's great to have your own size / shape, it's a lot cheaper than any board you'll find on the market (shame on you kiteboard manufacturers) and that's a lot of fun
Unfortunately I don't have space and time to make my own boards anymore...
Here is one of the tt I made a few years ago
I have always been generous on carbon/kev/glass but still, never made an indestructible one !
Regarding Xenon, I've been told the after-sales service sucked. A friend of mine never get his board replaced although it was less than one year old. So I will stick with another brand.
^^^ got a xenon laluz and pulled an insert within a the first few months and got a replacement straight away without even checking the pics first.No problems since.
Nothing is indestructible.
What type of tricks are you doing to be snapping boards?
Hey jas was it the full carbon one that they are hiding from us till they are in full production if it was will be sweeeeeet
Na just the new Freeride and another which was more a wake style board. Both look awesome and am hoping for wind to try but havent seen the carbon one yet.
if it was will be sweeeeeet
Nice custom boards guys there look professional.
I admit i haven't made a kitesurf deck yet but heres my landboard creation. I made the deck and the trucks all with hand tools and and i tiny vac pump i rigged up out of an old fridge motor.
Kitesurf deck will be easy compared to this build.
Also you don't need to print graphics. why not paint them on yourself? heres my twin tip i resprayed plasma/flame style.
PS i'll be diving into a twin tip build shortly. bamboo and carbon will be my chosen materials.
