Nobile Kiteboarding NHP WMN 131 x 40cm 2014
Reviews / Twin Tips
39,091
At A Glance
The NHP from Nobile is one of their most best-selling models, and has often been a favourite with the IKSURFMAG test team in the past. It is billed as a high-performance freestyle board, but with comfort and forgiveness, making it an excellent all-round machine and perfect for freeriding too. The women’s version of the board retains all the attributes of the men’s NHP but is designed and tailored to meet the physique and nature of the female form. After all, we don’t all wear the same shoes…
Nobile have become known for their high-quality, well designed boards, and the NHP WMN is packed with technology and features. The Complete Anti-Vibration Technology (CAV) uses advanced core materials, laminates and variable flex zones to minimise vibrations that occur during the ride. This smooths out choppy, lumpy conditions and increases the grip too. Using honeycomb technology in various areas on the board also allows some detailed flex, improves pop and is 90% lighter than wood.
One of the most obvious differences with the NHP is the asymmetrical outline of the board, that has been given the strong name ‘Dynamic Asymmetrial Shape (DAS) . Nobile have tested and researched this shape and found it improves grip, upwind and pop on the heel side edge, whilst giving better carving potential and comfort on the toe-side rail. DAS also claims to lower the foot pressure needed to hold an edge.
The NHP WMN is shipped with the renowned comfortable Nobile footpads and straps, and 2 sets of fins; 55mm and 40mm, along with a set of the clever IFS Click ‘n’ Go screws that don’t require any tools.
On The Water
The NHP WMN was an instant hit with our female testers, who all felt instantly at home on the board. The female orientated flex and stance options clearly make a difference.
Although pitched as a freestyle all-rounder, the NHP proved to be fantastic for cruising, freeride and even playing in the waves, with the asymmetrical design providing easy carving ability. The NHP isn’t as soft as the T5 (which is more of a freeride-specific board in the Nobile line-up), but it still ate through chop like a Hungry Hippo and was forgiving when you needed it to be.
Push through the heels and the pop from this board is huge, with the hydrodynamic rockerline underneath giving maximum speed and acceleration, and smooth landings. Upwind is a doddle thanks to the cleverly designed concave-to-flat bottom, and the comfier female stance and flex means that your legs don’t tire as quickly even on a mega long riding session.
We rode the board with both straps and pads, and also boots, and it relished in both set-ups. The nature of the board, and how it rides really encourages you to push yourself and go faster, further, higher and more challenging. You will find yourself trying out tricks and moves that you might otherwise have shied away from, and really enjoy the progression you can get with the NHP WMN. Flat water is a dream, but you will find yourself having just as much fun in choppier conditions, with the concaves and anti-vibration technology smoothing things out nicely. That’s not to say it’s soft, sloppy ride, far from it, just that the designers have got it right with the perfect combination of flex and stiffness.
We let a few other girls demo this board on one of our recent trips, and the response was always the same – full of smiles, stoked to have finally landed a trick they’d been attempting for ages, and overall positive feedback and reluctance to be giving the board back!
Overall
A superb board that will excel and delight the intermediate rider right through to the pro’s (it’s the board of choice of Polish champ Kasia Lange). Well-made, packed with technology and perfectly engineered to suit the needs of a female rider who means business, this board will take your riding to the next level, whilst making sure you have a lot of fun at the same time.
This review was in Issue 45 of IKSURFMAG.
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By Mary Booth
Mary has been kitesurfing since 2006, she became and instructor in 2007 and travelled the world teaching the sport that she loves! She joined the IKSURFMAG team in 2008 and has been testing ladies kitesurfing equipment and writing articles from a woman's perspective ever since!
