Tech Focus: Shinn Monk

Shinn's first-ever board, the Monk, has been a part of the line-up from the start, with 2022 marking ten years of Monk. Designer Mark Shinn takes us through the decade-long journey and introduces us to the Monk X in this exclusive Q&A!

Wow, ten years of evolution in one twin tip is a significant anniversary! If I'm not mistaken, the Monk is the longest running model in the Shinn range. Is this your flagship board?

Ten years seems a long time; on the other hand, I remember clearly testing the first prototype of the Monk as though it were last week. In terms of name, the Monk is definitely the longest running board, and as its popularity continues, I suspect it will be in the range for a long time to come. I would not say it is a flagship because our range has many models all suited to different riding styles and ability levels, but it is arguably the most known model from Shinn.

There's got to be a story behind the gorilla graphic, which makes Shinn Monk boards of nearly every year model instantly recognisable. What's the story there?!

Well, there is a story, but it is not nearly as salacious as you might think! Gazeuse (our long-standing partners in preparing the range graphics) are responsible for the name - and the names of all of our ranges - but, as they often like to remind me, the name is Monk, not Monkey, and our beloved face is of course as you state a Gorilla, not a monkey or a monk! 

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I don't really remember the inspiration for that first Monk and Gorilla, but I remember seeing the graphic project and instantly knowing that it was "the one"!! I think it captures the spirit and character of the model perfectly. To this day, the Monk is always the hardest graphic model to select for the new season - if I had a euro for every time the question was asked, "nice - but is it a Monk?" - well, I would have a lot more euros than I do now!!!

Let's talk about the very first Shinn Monk. What was the concept, and which segment of the kitesurfing market were you aiming at?

I would not call the first Monk an accident, but, at the time, I was not looking to design and introduce a new board. I was working on freeride boards, and the first prototype Monk was an experiment for another board but about 20 seconds after riding it, I knew that this was something else - I realised that I was close to the magic formula of a board that simply became more fun to ride the worse the conditions became. We all dream about riding in perfect conditions, but, in truth, few of us ride the dream very often. What the world is full of is choppy, gusty conditions, and after the first Monk tests, I knew that this could be the board that made everyday conditions at everyday spots a little bit special.

How much has the board changed over the years? Has it been minor changes, or have you ever done an extreme re-vamp?

There have been a good number of changes, but much of the time, it was more about technology and construction. The formulae for the Monk have stayed 100% true to its roots, and I think finding the magic twice might be tricky! During the last ten years, I made ALOT of prototype Monks, but none really stood out - some aspects were better and some were... not better, meaning they never made it onto the production model. That changed two years ago with the Monk Chromatic when we moved to the new multiple ridge and concave base design. I would not call it a re-vamp, but I did feel the performance upgrade was significant enough to make the changes in production. After testing with all riders, the general feeling was that the Monk Chromatic was more "Monk-like" than the original - let's call it a Monk with superpowers, haha!

Congratulations on the recent release of the Shinn Monk X, new for 2022. What are the key features of the new Monk X? 

The Monk X continues the traditions of the long line of Monks, which is comfort in ALL conditions. It has plenty of grip, amazing carving and slashing turns, and a ride that feels like a magic carpet under your feet. Difficult conditions are its homeland!

How does the shape of the base and deck affect the performance of the board?

A twin tip is a collection of features which work together in synergy to provide the feeling and performance of the board. Outline, rocker, flex, features shaping, fins and fin positions; there are many factors that go together and trying to take one of them and assign to it certain performance characteristics would be difficult. Even a feature seemingly so simple as flex can mean many different things and be controlled in many different ways by the designer - in the combination of the features. 

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What other technology has gone into this board that you are excited to share with our readers?

All Shinn boards are handmade in Poland. We spend a lot of time creating the prototypes and then even more time ensuring that every single board that leaves production is EXACTLY the same as the one we approved. There is a host of technology involved in doing this, but I think it's better I keep that info for myself!

The Shinn Monkette is a board dedicated to female riders. Are there differences in the design and construction of this board that benefit a lighter weight rider?

Some years ago, we received a lot of feedback that women also loved the smaller sizes of Monk, and the idea to create the Monkette was born. The Monkette shares many of the same features as the Monk but has been fine-tuned in flex to better suit less heavy and less aggressive riders. It's not softer in flex per se, rather displaying a different flex response and profile. The Monkette's are slightly narrower in length and feature dedicated inserts for boots for the ladies that like to ride strapped or booted.

Let's talk about the graphics for a moment! The Chromatic collection from last year has levelled up with the release of the new Prismatic collection. Can you tell us a bit more about the concept of the Prismatic range?

We looked at every board in the range individually for many years and designed graphics to match the board's personality. Last year, we decided to create a range with a common theme and attempted to find each board's own style within that theme. The Chromatic range was born and was instantly popular. For 2022, we wanted to develop that line of thinking - and develop is the correct word, not a fresh start, but a continuation - and the Prismatic range was born. I'd be lying if I didn't list Pink Floyd's legendary album cover as an inspiration, but overall, Prismatic light and Chromatic light are just different ways of splitting the same light waves - it seemed a perfect fit.

The Shinn Monk X and Monkette are all about performance, fun, and comfort. What sort of kiter or style of riding suits this board best?

Both the Monk and Monkette are FREERIDE boards. That means they prioritise comfort and having fun over extreme performance with a price to pay in handling and usability. A rider that feels comfortable will be having fun, and riders having fun will push themselves to new levels. What's special about the Monk, though, is that through its versatility, it lets you push in whichever direction you wish your riding to go.

Any last words on the new Shinn Monk X and Monkette?!

Of all the boards I have ever made, it is the Monk that consistently surprises riders and sends them onto the water with a smile on their face. If you didn't try one recently, then I'd encourage you to do so - it might not be what you expect!

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