Shinn Ronson 138 x 42cm 2017
Reviews / Twin Tips
10,413
At A Glance
Founded by former multiple world champion Mark Shinn, the brand has grown massively over the years producing some amazing boards for the discerning kiteboarder. One thing we know is the testing is bound to be on point with Mark behind the brand, he spends so much time on the water and is incredibly passionate about the boards he creates!
We were fortunate enough to get our hands on the Ronson, part of the new Shinn collection. The Ronson has been added to the line-up to bridge the gap between freeride and freestyle riding, something that’s pretty hard to achieve. To get a board that carves well enough for freeride, yet holds well for great pop for freestyle is every riders dream.
Shinn have been working on their split concave, double stepped rails for their latest line up and this is set to pay a big part in achieving the right feel. The Ronson has a constant but not massive rocker, which should give a fast, yet soft feel underfoot.
The board comes with the SRS sneaker pad and strap system but is also compatible with bindings. The SRS pads and fins were very simple to mount.
Sizes: 136 x 41, 138 x 42 and 140 x 43cm.
On The Water
Testing in the UK during the winter months can be chilly and it’s worth making a point of checking the SRS footstraps fit before heading out on the water as the ratchet system can be a little more fiddly when your fingers have gone numb. (It’s an easy thing to forget in the excitement of getting to the beach on a windy day with a new board to ride!) However, the ratchet system is not to be overlooked, it’s simple and works very well. It suits a variety of foot sizes and is comfortable and can enable a good fit without becoming lo0se over time. The toe steps on the pads are good too.
“An exceedingly capable and versatile all-rounder packed with performance"
It didn't take long riding around on the Ronson to get a feel for the speed it can handle and also the soft feel underfoot, it cuts through chop like a knife does a good brie. It’s a fast board to blast around on and the slightly more swept in tips (compared to some more freestyle/wakestyle orientated boards) give a real flowing ride, we couldn't stop smashing the lip off waves on the way out!
When it comes to pop and jumping the Ronson performs extremely well, delivering a lot of pop even at low speeds. Up your game, increase the speed and you’re catapulted into your moves. Landings, well, as you might have guessed, they are smooth and soft.
A final plus to mention is the lightweight of the Ronson, it makes board-offs a breeze, so you can work on nailing your old-school trick repertoire too!
Overall
The Ronson is an exceedingly capable and versatile all-rounder, happy ripping toeside carves to mobes and everything in between. It’s well built, looks stylish and the pad and strap system is awesome. Well worth a look if you want a board to suit a variety of conditions, love to carve around, enjoy the odd board-off and like pinging into technical freestyle tricks too.
Videos
This review was in Issue 61 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit ShinnRelated
By Robin and Sukie
With years of kite sport experience combined, you can be sure you’ll be receiving the highest quality of knowledge on the best equipment the industry has to offer.
