Circle One Bamboo Swallow Tail 6’3 2012
Reviews / Surfboards
4,523
At A Glance
Circle One are a heritage surf brand from the UK that have their roots deep in the surf scene. They have been making kiteboards for a while now and their bamboo range has proved very popular. Retailing at just £449 makes them a bit of a bargain and actually cheaper than a lot of brands twin tips! But they retain a huge level of quality, utilising an innovative bamboo laminate construction, reinforcement on the deck, FCS compatible fin boxes from SurfinZ and are hand finished. The 6’3” is the biggest board in their range, they also make a 5’6”, 5’8” and a 6’0” so there should be a size to suit you.
On The Water
The 6’3” is a lovely looking board and the finish is immaculate. Ours came with a complete deck pad, but they ship them naked so you can choose what to put on it. Strap inserts are as standard so you can either put straps on or ride it strapless. The longer length cuts through rough water nicely and the board feels very planted even when it is windy. It will ideally suit the larger kiter or someone looking for a board to learn on. That said, it still packs a punch in the performance sector. You need to get your feet back and forget about the amount of board still lurking upfront but you can really crank it into a bottom turn and it will never miss a beat. On the top turn again with your weight at the back you’ll find it easy to manoeuvre, be careful not to lean forward and trip the rail though. The buoyancy is perfect for learning tacks and gybes and we enjoyed playing with it in flat water as well as the waves. If you’re over 6’2” and want a surfboard to add to your quiver look no further.
Overall
The Circle One is a fantastic board at an amazing price, if you are learning then it will help you nail those gybes quicker than a smaller board, and under some skilled feet you can crank it through a turn as if it was 4 inches smaller. Definitely one to have in your quiver!
This review was in Issue 34 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit Circle OneRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
