RRD Poison V5 LTD 138 x 42cm 2018
Reviews / Twin Tips
21,639
At A Glance
The Poison V5 LTD from RRD is aimed at the high-end freestyle and freeride market. Riders looking for a high-performance board with plenty of speed and pop should have this on their shopping list.
New for 2018 the board has been made thinner and lighter, 20% lighter in fact. LTD stands for the Limited construction that utilises Biax Carbon layers on the top and the bottom of the board with a Paulownia wood core sandwiched in between.
The outline has been tweaked to offer a more comfortable ride, and uni-directional carbon stringers provide the perfect amount of flex while also working to reduce negative flex during harsh landings. The tips have been squared off with a more pronounced swallowtail added to increase control and make high-speed landings easier.
Sizes: 135/39, 136/40, 137/41, 138/42 140/43cm
If you want to go high, you gotta go fast!
On The Water
With more carbon than a Formula 1 car this board is extremely light, and beautifully made, the finish on the RRD boards this year is exceptional, and when you plump for the Limited construction you get something special. We rode the 138 in a variety of conditions and were hugely impressed with it.
The Poison has had a long following of riders over the years, and you will be pleased to hear that while the board has changed considerably for this version, it still retains plenty of Poison DNA. First up this board is fast, lightning fast. The flattish rocker and stiff flex combine to provide an exhilarating ride no matter what the conditions are.
A famous physicist once said “if you want to go high, you gotta go fast” well that statement certainly holds true with the Poison V5. It’s quick, and when you load up the edge for some pop, you’ll be surprised at how responsive the board is. The stiffer flex characteristics combine with the carbon construction to provide a lively dynamic ride and explosive pop.
The simple bottom shape and sharp edges offer great upwind traction while the fins also add to the amount of grip on offer. Worthy of note are the excellent Rad Pads from RRD, simple to put on the board they offer a solid connection and plenty of comfort too. Due to the speed and dynamic ride, we would suggest this board is more suited to the intermediate to advanced riders out there.
Overall
A fast dynamic board that is perfect for freeriding and freestyle, the flatter rocker makes this an out and out performance machine, and it is exceedingly quick, with twin tip racing becoming popular this would certainly be a weapon worth considering. The pop is exemplary, and the build oozes Italian quality, if you are in the market for a fast dynamic twin tip, the Poison V5 should be on your hit list.
Videos
This review was in Issue 67 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit RRDRelated
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!
