I thought it was about time I shared some information about some of the kiteboarding gear I have had the opportunity to ride and become familiar with. Truth be told I am not one to bash any gear, kiteboarding equipment is as I have come to learn very specialized and what works for one person may not work for another. This can be based on style, where the person rides, weight, sex, age the list is long.

There is one piece of equipment I feel compelled to share a review on and it is my BroKite Freeride 134×40 Kiteboard.

History – I am a bit cautious when it comes to making purchases. When I began looking for a second kiteboard I was getting interested in getting on Lake Michigan and I wanted a twin tip that would work well in the waves. Many ride surfboards and I am learning to ride one myself but the keyword there is learning. I wanted a twin tip that I could ride and enjoy in varied conditions and have fun in the waves with, and I looked high and low and kept coming back to the BroKite Freeride. So I e-mailed Jerry and the next day got a call from West and soon had all the information I needed to feel like I was making the right choice. And more importantly I had met people willing to share the stoke of kiteboarding, West has introduced me to Lake Michigan Kiters and spots to ride, Jerry has let me launch from his house in Texas. But in the end those things are just the icing on the cake, lets talk about the board a bit.

Construction – I suggest you go to BroKite’s website and check out their construction videos. They explain exactly how they build the boards and why. There will be a brand new video out in a couple of weeks from the posting of this review to explain some new ways they are using the carbon in the boards to make the boards even a bit lighter and stronger. The boards also have a new skin for 2012 that I am sure will be on the website soon but can be previewed here.  In the end the board is a single concave board with a nice amount of rocker in it. The board is firm yet flexible, I describe it as lively or snappy. The board is light under foot and the pads and straps are first-rate and comfy. The colors are bright and easily seen in the waves or chop if you ever (when) become separated from the board in the waves. This fact alone tells you one of the main things you need to know about these boards and the guys building them. They are built by kiters for kiters, it is all about how the board works when you drag it out in the water.

Positives – This board likes to get out and go and can hold down overpowered conditions and gusts with ease. To me what stands out about the Freeride is the way that it eats chop and holds such a sweet edge. To be perfectly honest it took me a bit to really appreciate this fact. But when ridden back to back with other boards I have tried it is like going from a ride in a Chevy Nova to a ride in a Cadillac. The concave and the rocker of the board seem to work together beautifully to smooth the ride and keep the board very solidly under foot allowing you to set a very solid edge. The rounded nose and rail were made to carve turns, toeside, heelside it doesn’t matter the board is always there, rail locked. The solid feel and locked in edge make boosting with this board fun as you can really leverage the kite and are never pulled off your edge downwind as you send the kite. Pop while not really what this board was built for (Jerry and West build other shapes for that) is still excellent. A board that turns this well and holds an edge like this is logically easy to pop, this is exactly what the freeride delivers. And last but for sure not least the board shines in the waves, it carves smoothly, and is turns just flow from it once you get on a wave.

Negatives – I am not really sure this is a negative as based on the set up of the board it should be expected. But you need to be powered to ride this board. This is not a board that will get you through lulls or light wind situations. It is made for when the wind is strong and steady and you know the power will be there.

Conclusion – I ride a ton of inland lakes and Lake Michigan and this board is perfect for what I do. I spend a ton of time in choppy messy conditions and this board eats that stuff for breakfast and allows me to stay on task. never having to worry about being thrown off kilter by a white cap, shore bounce or a breaker. This board is a great board for when the wind is solid to strong and you are nice and lit up. It also carves sweetly in waves and swells when they are big enough to catch a ride on.

If this sounds like something that would work for you, I recommend you give Jerry a call down at BroKite headquarters he will be glad to talk shop with you. It was a great decision for me, and one I am very happy with. Excellent Boards and Excellent People.

This year I will be adding a BroKite 136×43 Wake to my quiver, this should cover all my bases going forward. After I get a season on the Wake I will share my thoughts on it.