SHQ staff have great opportunities to test gear and make informed decisions on what equipment is best for them. This page is aimed to allow you to use this experience gained knowledge to pick the perfect setup for you.

Kitesurfing

Name:  Nick P

Weight:  93kg

Riding Style:  Surf, freeride

Kite:  9m Moto

I find this kite gives excellent performance across all kiting disciplines. I am big on a one kite quiver allowing me to dabble in any style of riding i want without compromising too much on performance. Three struts on this kite make it light and maneuverable, it makes for an excellent foiling kite also. I love a 9m as it gives a fast responsive kite but can still pull when required. The wind range for me with this kite is 20-30knots.

Board:  North Cross 5'0"

Similar to my kite, I always look to have a board that will allow me to make the most of whatever conditions are that day. The cross is a great all-rounder that I can throw into waves one day and practice my strapless back rolls the next. Personally, I like a short directional board as it gives great, responsive turning this is why I find the 5'0" suits me so much, however this does mean it loses a bit of light wind riding ability, and I have to stay more powered up when wave riding.

 

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Wing foil

 

Name:  Nick P

Weight:  93kg

Riding Style: Wave

Foil:  Armstrong 1550 with 85cm mast

The armstrong 1550 suits me perfectly for the type of riding I want to do. Its awesome for carving in the waves and still has the lower end and low stall speed to keep going when the wind drops out. Moving to the full carbon foil from an alloy is something i will never regret, the stiffness, response and pumping ability is unmatched. The 85cm mast is best for handling choppy conditions and gives a large margin of error in trimming, it only falls down when trying to ride shallow reef or beach break waves. I ride this foil from 15-40kts with a range of hand wings.

Hand wing: Duotone unit

 

I have a 5m and 3.3m unit these cover me from 15-40 knots comfortably. This wing suits me well for wave riding, it luffs out great when on the wave and develops power as required to get back up wind. The handles are one of the best aspects of the wing, covered in soft EVA they are comfortable for extended use even in cold conditions.

Board:  JP X-Winger 5'0" 95l

The X-Winger apealed to me as it packs so much volume into such a small outline. As I am 93kg the 95l board gives me enough positive bouyancy to waterstart even in light winds, while the length (5'0") makes this board super agile for turning and its an amazing pumping machine when on the foil due to the minimal swing weight. The foot strap positions work for my style of riding and im very happy with the long foil track giving a whole load of positioning options.

 

 

SUP

Name:  Nick P

Weight:  93kg

Riding Style:  Wave

Board:  JP Fusion 9'2" 139l

Being still fairly novice to SUP surfing, I find that the JP Fusion gives me plenty of stability when the conditions get a bit choppier (and when I get tired!) while still offering a good level of maneuverability on the wave to allow my skills to progress. Having 139l means that it is still stable and efficient enough for me to use the board for some flat water paddling also without getting frustrated. Its a great board that has taken me through my first waves and I'm now developing my turns with, and i will continue to ride it up until im ready move onto something smaller.

Windsurfing