GEAR: WHICH SURF-KITE BOARD SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

6 shapes for riding with or without straps.

Whether you want to charge in the waves, throw freestyle tricks on flat water or mix it all up with relaxed freeride runs, we offer two ranges to cover every kitesurfing program.

• 6 full sandwich FSP 2X boards with footstrap inserts: Matata, Pie, Fatal, Catch, Alu and Lethal.
• 3 “Novo” HDCC boards available with or without footstrap inserts: Pie, Catch and Chemical

Two constructions:

• FSP 2X surf-kite boards:

All of them feature footstrap inserts, giving you the choice between strapless and strapped sessions. Built with a true full sandwich technology covering the deck, rails and bottom, they are lightweight, strong and responsive.

• HDCC surf-kite boards:

Directly inspired by the construction of our foils, HDCC technology delivers exceptional strength, allowing us to make boards thinner than ever before.

In kitesurfing, excess volume can become a drawback: with the vertical pull of the kite, the board needs very little flotation and an overly thick shape tends to bounce. By radically reducing the thickness, you get much more direct contact with the water and exceptionally precise feedback.

On the NOVO models, your feet sit right at the heart of the shape, as close as possible to the ultra-thin rails. The result: instant responsiveness and outstanding precision through turns and maneuvers.

This technology is available in full strapless versions or with footstrap inserts.

Kitesurfer: Airton, GONG team rider, on his Chemical “Novo” HDCC Strapless.

Three main programs stand out:

1. Boards for light wind riding

When riding at the low end of the wind range, you especially need grip and speed to point upwind. Choosing a surf-kite board with a quad setup, with two front fins and two rear fins all positioned close to the rails, helps a lot. These boards are often more voluminous and are also perfect for beginners: they provide more flotation and confidence for the rider, whether strapped or strapless.

The Matata: the ideal board for flying across the water in light wind. Its unique shape gives you extra drive and allows you to point almost like you would on a kite foil. It gets planing incredibly early.

Kitesurfer: Airton, GONG team rider, on a Matata FSP 2X with a Unik kite.

The Pie: more versatile and maneuverable than the Matata, it can also handle freestyle when you want it to. The Pie is really great for learning maneuvers, changing tack and surfing weak waves, with plenty of potential beyond that.

Kitesurfer: Airton, GONG team rider, on a Pie FSP 2X with an Elips kite.

The Pie “Novo”, strapped or strapless, boosts every session: easy to handle and smooth through turns, it can also become aggressive when you want it to. Its generous surface area lets you surf without relying too heavily on the kite’s pull, leaving you free to focus on your moves and enjoy the wave.

Kitesurfer: Patrice Guénolé, GONG boss and shaper, on a Pie “Novo” HDCC.

2. Boards for mixing turns and tricks

Short and narrow, these boards deliver maximum radical performance, while their thruster setup guarantees maneuverability and control. In short, they are made for linking maneuvers, and they do it extremely well.

The Fatal: this board is ideal for surfing a wave between tricks, especially because its rocker is more pronounced than on the Catch or Matata. The result? More maneuverability and the ability to attack turns with greater speed. Its diamond round nose provides support during tricks. It is the perfect combination for linking surf and freestyle.

Kitesurfer: Airton, GONG team rider, on a Fatal FSP 2X with an Ayto Aramid DP.

The Catch: its almost rectangular shape, reminiscent of a twin tip, is ideal for freestyle. Support is maximized and its tail delivers massive pop. Its flatter rocker generates more speed, opening up the possibility of jumping high and throwing huge tricks! Probably the most versatile shape in the range.

Kitesurfer: Airton, GONG team rider, on a Catch FSP 2X with an Elips Aramid.

The Catch “Novo”, Strapped or Strapless: with its innovative no-volume shape (13L), widened at the nose and tail and featuring an extremely reduced thickness, the Catch HDCC delivers explosive pop and perfect control in the air. Ideal for riders looking for precision and extreme sensations, it opens up new possibilities in freestyle and waves.

Kitesurfer: Francesco, GONG team rider, on a Catch “Novo” HDCC.

3. Boards for charging in the waves

A kite board designed 100% for surfing has more length and rocker but less thickness. It is the perfect combination for generating huge maneuverability and plenty of grip, two very useful qualities in the waves.

The Alu: when the water is messy... that’s when the Alu shines! Responsiveness, easy turns, a good rocker and well-balanced volume allow it to transform onshore wind swell into ideal conditions.

Kitesurfer: Nathaniel, GONG team rider, on an Alu FSP 2X.

The Lethal: this board has been pushed to the extreme for its specialty, surfing in quality conditions. With the most pronounced rocker in our range, it destroys hollow waves and handles the most extreme turns. It is perfect in side-shore wind. Memorable sessions ahead!

Kitesurfer: Airton, GONG team rider, on a Lethal FSP 2X with an Elips kite.

The Chemical “Novo”, Strapped or Strapless: with a 100% shortboard shape, the Chemical HDCC combines smoothness, precision and radical performance. Its maneuverability and responsiveness deliver natural flow, instantly connecting every rider input to the wave.

Its performance-oriented outline, combined with the ultra-thin HDCC construction and a bottom featuring a wide channel, guarantees exceptional control and instinctive rail-to-rail transitions with impressive fluidity.

Kitesurfer: Nathaniel, GONG team rider, on a Chemical “Novo” HDCC.

Discover all these shapes in detail in the Kitesurf section.