Kitesurfing Surfboards / Directionals

The first thing you need to think about is what conditions you would like to kitesurf in. The fundamental question is whether you are going to be predominantly learning freestyle tricks in shallow water and doing a bit of freeriding with just occasional surfing on smaller waves, or whether your goal is to surf bigger and faster waves like e.g. One Eye in Mauritius.

Needless to say, you don’t need to stick to one style. Most of our Duotone boards can be used in a range of different conditions. Just use the “Style finder” on our surfboard overview page to find the perfect Duotone board for you.

LIGHT TEAM CONSTRUCTION

The Light Team Construction is a very lightweight technique that uses a combination of materials such as carbon and bamboo to create the typical surfboard feel of a custom board while also being exceptionally robust and durable.

CLASSIC CONSTRUCTION

The Classic Construction is a slightly heavier and more rigid construction that is tremendously robust and resilient.

OUTLINE

The outline is essentially the shape of the board. This determines the rail line and how easy it is to turn the board. With a shorter outline, you can make tighter turns but the board will be less stable at high speeds. A longer outline offers better grip, however, turns will require a larger radius.

TAIL

The shape of the tail is closely connected to the outline. The tail is the rear end of the board. A flat, broad tail (squash tail) ensures better lift and offers enhanced acceleration and excellent light wind performance. A more rounded tail (rounded pin tail) ensures better grip and drive and offers easier and more predictable handling.

ROCKER LINE

The rocker is one of the most important characteristics of a board, with an influence on speed, turning behaviour and the board’s overall performance. The rocker indicates how curved a board is when examined from the side and is strongly influenced by the outline of the relevant board. Boards with a lower rocker are faster, better equipped to handle light winds and go into gliding mode more quickly. A larger rocker offers enhanced turning abilities and is particularly suitable for powerful, steep waves.

VOLUME

The volume of a surfboard determines its buoyancy. Beginners will prefer a board with a rather larger volume as this is easier to handle. The specific user’s weight is crucially important when determining the volume of a surfboard.

NOSE

The nose is the front end of the board and, just like the tail, is closely linked with the outline and rocker. The nose indicates how the board will perform during turns. A nose that is rather straighter and flatter is particularly suitable for flat, small waves and offers good stability. A somewhat pointed nose is more appropriate for large, steep waves as it has a smaller surface area and allows longer, more rounded turns to be executed.

NUMBER OF FINS

Most boards have 3 fins (thruster setup) or 4 fins (quad setup). The thruster setup offers a more direct feel for the board, especially when turning. It is very predictable and it is easy to find the release point. The quad setup is faster and allows larger turns and carves. You get a more direct feel when trimming, but you get less feedback when switching rail to rail.

FIN SPACING

The spacing between the fins has a big impact on the characteristics of the board. With a thruster setup, you can tune the board by shifting the centre fin further back and the front fins further forward. Having smaller gaps between the fins allows tighter turns and the board will generally feel more dynamic. Consequently this setup is particularly good for smaller waves. Larger gaps between the fins ensures a bigger turning radius and additional drive; you feel more “locked in”.