Nobile Kiteboarding 50Fifty 140 x 42cm 2015
Reviews / Twin Tips
39,091
At A Glance
The 50Fifty has been in the Nobile line up for a few years now; it is the pinnacle of their freestyle/wakestyle range and aimed at the rider looking for maximum performance. It is packed with some of their best technology including APS, which stands for “added pre stress”. This is a way of putting more energy into the board by pre tensioning it at the factory. The idea is that this creates explosive pop on the water.
It’s a classic outline shape but features a 3D base with multiple channels and concaves. There is a full wood core and a hydrodynamic rocker line alongside their “CAV” tech, which reduces vibrations from chop and hard landings. The board ships with an assortment of fins, different sized G10 and ABS options which use the awesome KISS ‘clip and go’ tool less installation. Straps and pads are comfortable, lightweight and easy to fit.
On The Water
The 50Fifty has a pretty big rocker line, a nod to its wakestyle credentials. This rocker line has a couple of tricks up its sleeve though; while it isn’t super fast it does make the board surprisingly comfortable through the chop. Something we weren’t expecting, the flex and channelled underside also help to smooth out the ride. For a performance board it is very comfortable across a variety of water states.
POP is impressive too, as you would expect, the board likes to be ridden fast and powered and you can really load up the edge for explosive take offs. Landings are smooth and controlled, the channelled underside really helping to break surface tension and reduce slap when you come down hard.
Upwind is also very good, the thin rails really helping to keep and edge, the pronounced rocker does mean the board requires some power to get it working though, it’s not great when the wind is really light. With that said if you want to perform all the latest and greatest moves you’ll be riding with plenty of power anyway.
“Packed with performance and pop this board is sure to deliver”
Overall
A high-end freestyle machine with definite wakestyle credentials, packed with technology and loaded with POP it’s a board for the rider looking for the ultimate in performance.
Videos
This review was in Issue 49 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit Nobile 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!
