F-ONE Kiteboarding Trax III 135 x 39cm 2008
Reviews / Twin Tips
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At a Glance
F-One have been making fantastic boards for such a long time it is hard to remember when they last made a bad one! They pioneered the wood core and full carbon technology back in 2004 with a line of boards that took the market by storm. Not only were the boards great to ride they were also ridiculously durable. So much so that after a season or two of use they still looked new. Over the recent years they have been perfecting that technology and refining the shapes. This year the Trax III breaks the mould with a totally new shape and outline.
Meat and Veg
The Trax III utilises a step concave bottom shape, this is the most noticeable feature of the board and perhaps what we should first look at. It resembles the kind of bottom you are more familiar with seeing on wakeboards than on kiteboards. It is made possible by using a CNC shaped wood core and perhaps something we will see more of on other designs. It works well in a number of ways. The deep concave it creates gives an amazing amount of control at speed and also makes landings from a height very smooth. At the same time the really sharp edge to the concave improves the upwind ability and this board literally flies upwind. The board has bevelled rails, which make it fairly forgiving when you get a trick slightly wrong and they also help it turn from rail to rail with ease. It is hard to define this board, as a freestyle machine the stiff mid section gives it some awesome pop. The three-stage rocker with the flat section also allows it to get up some real speed, which makes it an exciting ride. But it also carves really well and has good grip when you through it about in the waves. It really does excel at anything you throw at it and whatever your style of riding the Trax III has something to offer you. In the chop the board cuts through ok, it feels a little stiffer underfoot than some of the other boards in the test, but that then adds up to more pop. Another mention should go to the look and the graphics; we don’t normally mention these hear as you can see the beauty from the pictures and video. But this board is gorgeous, the finish is awesome and the graphics are really slick. One of our favourite looking boards in the test.
Fixtures and Fittings
F-One are the first company we have seen who have changed their style of pads. Similar to the Liquid Force ones this new style has to be tried to be believed, we simply cannot convey in words how comfortable they are! Until you slip your foot in one you won’t believe us… The straps are good too and easy to fit to the board. It comes as standard with 5cm fins.
Overall
An interesting shape from F-One that works on so many levels, fast, responsive and with heaps of pop the Trax III is equally at home in the waves and the freestyle arena. With awesome pads you’ll have a comfy ride no matter what the conditions.
This review was in Issue 9 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit F-ONE KiteboardingRelated
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!
