Naish Kiteboarding Sol 134 x 39.5cm 2009
Reviews / Twin Tips
98,602
At A Glance
Last year the Sol was the freeride board from Naish that proved to be very popular around the globe. It has a softer flex than its freestyle brother the Thorn and offers a more forgiving easier ride. This year Naish have changed their graphics and colour scheme so that all the boards look similar. It is strange when you jump from one board to another as you have to do a double take to check you have actually swapped! The Sol uses a wood core construction and just like the rest of the boards in the range it should stand the test of time. The fins are the same shape as the Thorn but slightly larger at 5.7cm, they designed to be more forgiving when you come in for a landings off line. The straps and pads are as ever excellent.
On the Water
There are certain things the Sol was made for, and luckily that encompasses just about every style of riding you can imagine! It is a very versatile board that has lots of characteristics that will appeal to lots of riders. First up it has a flex control that irons out the bumps with ease. So even in the choppiest of conditions the Sol feels like a magic carpet ride underfoot. It is easy to glide over the bumps and if you make a mistake the board is forgiving enough to let you get away with it. The rounded tips help it to glide though the rough stuff but also help it with its next party trick. Carving, the Sol was made for rail-to-rail carves and it really excels in the waves. If you don’t want to go down the surfboard route but still want a board you can smash some lumps with then the Sol won’t disappoint. Lastly the pop is pretty impressive too; obviously it isn’t as radical as an out and out freestyle machine though. The Sol still goes big enough to satisfy all but the most hardened freestyle rider. For such a forgiving and easy board it certainly packs a fair amount of excitement. If your riding style isn’t pigeon holed into one particular area then the Sol will be a great board for you. It is happy doing whatever you decide on any given day.
For
Very versatile, excellent fun to carve in the waves and very easy to ride, the Sol can actually make you look good with ease.
Against
Freestyle junkies will find want something a little more dedicated.
Overall
A great freeride board from Naish, if you had a Sol last year then you won’t be disappointed this year, great looks and an awesome finish.
This review was in Issue 10 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit Naish 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!
