Yey! They finally arrived! View your wipeouts in spectacular full HD with the new GOPRO cameras available now.
They come supplied with a huge variety of different camera mounts, with the option to purchase the surfboard kit, to stick the camera to the nose of your surfboard to view your down-the-line kiting.

GOPRO HD cameras are here

Pete’s attempt at creating a men’s underwear range was met with muffled laughter

Kev “the scaffolder” took the lead this morning in the “Need for Speed” challenge that we are running, with a speed of 28.6mph. Kev may have got a higher top speed but tinkered with the GPS and managed to wipe the second half of his session outof the memory! View the leader board and the speed runs here

UPDATE – Kev went out again yesterday and pushed his lead even further, setting the max speed at 31.7 mph

28th Nov UPDATE – Kev went out again today, pushing the lead even further to 35.9 mph! Is there no stopping him?!

.. well it’ll be a few years yet, but congrats to James and Kelly on the birth of Oliver last Thursday night. If James is a little groggy in the shop, please fetch him a coffee!

We took advantage of the big winds we’ve been having over the past week and managed to get some time on the new North EVO 2010 7m kitesurf kite, due out in a couple of weeks time. In all honesty, we were curious to see, apart from the build quality changes that have been incorporated across the entire North 2010 kitesurf range, how the EVO 2010 kite would differ over the 2009 range that was so popular last year that it sold out way back in late August, almost 3 months before the release of its sucessor.

So, incase you’ve missed some of these new build changes, a quick overview goes like this – computer aided stitching is now used on all 2010 North kites, and all kites are now produced at a single factory to ensure quality control is high and maintained. The kites all have extra reinforcement in key areas, and many little touches have been added to ensure longetivity of the kites – we’re still supplying spares to people with 2005 North kites, so no issues with North anyhow – but hey if they’re stronger, we can punish them even more!

Like the 2010 North Rebel, the 2010 EVO has back line tensioners built into the kite, this effect is immediately noticed allowing instant and positive bar feedback with a crisp feel intiating turns whether holding power on the bar, or completely depowered. The low end power is on par with the 09 EVO, but with a slightly more linear feel to the depower on the throw of the bar. Power through the window on the EVO 2010 is much more constant, and carries more power than the EVO 09, staying solid through the whole of the wind window as you send the kite across the window to gybe.

The North EVO 2010 excels at moving with you and maintaining stability at times when you most need it. This is really noticeable when riding waves in onshore conditions when kites have a tendancy to drop on you, rather than moving back with the wind. The 2010 North EVO, justs sits there moving back, allowing you to enjoy the waves, with a single hand on the bar allowing full control of the kite even when depowered. Will it be as good unhooked this year? Well stability is not an issue, but unlike previous years where we’ve always kept the bar on its widest setting whatever size of kite we’ve used, if you are like us and sometimes a bit hamfisted with the bar during a move, then to get comfortably unhooked on the 2010 EVO 7m, you’d definately consider moving to the inside bar settings to mellow the steering response a little.

We dropped it in the waves on numerous wipeouts, relaunch just being a simple pull on one back line to get the kite back in the air quickly.

A bit more ‘tailored’ than the 2009 EVO, the 2010 EVO again offers 4 or 5 line configuration with no changes required on the kite, just hook up your lines and fly. The kite loves to be loaded, and with little effort at pop will still reward the rider with large predictable boosts, has the ability to ride unhooked well with constant power and stability, and is fun in the waves too.

We have the EVO 2010 7m on demo at our shop with stock arriving imminently, please contact us on 01243 671777.

North Freestyle Fish 2010 – What a perfect board for the mushy UK conditions!

The 2010 North Freestyle Fish board is most forgiving in lighter winds and smaller swell, with its large width and short length making it very manoeuvrable on smaller waves. The Fish has such a nice rocker and suites all stances from the first time rider on a surfboard through to the experienced.

Jibing the 2010 freestyle fish is very simple with its nice symmetrical outline and width, especially with the skyhook pads giving you an extra bit of security during jibing and slashing the waves up when strapless.

The volume of the 2010 Freestyle Fish makes it a light wind machine and makes early planning a piece of cake – even for the heavier rider.

The 2010 North Freestyle Fish is in its 3rd generation for 2010 and North have gone for one board size being 5’2″ X 19 ¼” and changed slightly in size to give it better control in the waves, but also adding grab rails for those looking at busting out strapless tricks – this Freestyle Fish also looks the part!

An overall summary of the North 2010 Freestyle Fish is that is perfect for the entry level waverider looking at perfecting those jibes/strapless/strapped riding skills and very forgiving in those small waves and light wind conditions, dealing really well with the UK wave conditions.

More info on the 2010 North Freestyle Fish

Having had the chance to test the new ION Fusion Drysuit way back in early 2009 (here), it was pleasing to see that ION had encorporated all of the “extras” that had been recommended to them- a company truely responding to feedback.

The ION Fusion drysuit is different to other suits, by not only being a dedicated kitesurf suit, but also using neoprene rather than standard cloth to produce the suit. The use of neoprene gives many benefits over traditional drysuits, the main being that you do not have to wear many layers of clothes under the drysuit to stay warm, the neoprene provides this insulation for you. The other benefit that is key to kiters, is that when in the water, the suit does not wrinkle up and cling like you are swimming in a plastic bag which is a trait of all standard drysuits.

Simon, our rider from ‘up north’ gives his version of riding with the North Fusion drysuit below:

I have got mine last week and tried it for the first time on Sunday – Im not going to give a full blown review now but I will do next week once Ive had another session in it – But from what I think so far – Its great – People who know me know Ive never taken to drysuits looking like a bin bag – however past winters Ive been feeling the cold more and more especially now Im crashing a bit more than what I was doing – Instead of going back and forth – I know go back and forth and occassionally try something new … depending if I could face the thought of North Sea water going down my back !!

So another 2 hours later – still warm and cosy – not wet – no flushing – One happy chappy – so I look forward to winter winds

The Fusion Drysuit is available now: North 2010 Fusion Drysuit

Picture of Simon in his suit: