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Switch Protoy FS Crossover Choptop
Converse Skim Monaro Hammer
Airush 2010 Switch
The Airush 2010 Switch is the 9th edition of the ever popular all purpose board. Although spruked as a great board for intermediate riders looking for great upwind performance, it has always been the ideal learner board which offers a stable ride, good upwind ability, smoothness through choppy waters and nice carve ability. Sizing hasn't changed so will still suit the beginner market and the more advanced pure freeriders too.
The new '010 version retains the "eye" concave and claims to have refined the flex characteristics to be stiffer through the centre section, this will make quite a difference, as previous models have been too "soft" in the center for more advanced intermediate but have been right on the money for beginners.
New Foot pad and straps have been added to spruce up the comfort and certainly look like an improvement over previous offerings. The Switch has a new graphic on top and bottom which is refreshing but still quite conservative which will suit the wider market. Airush have also gone for a gloss finish which always looks better than the "texture finish" IMO.
The new Switch will sport the Airush "Wake" fins of 50mm.
This looks to be a nice new board and we'll write more once we have had a chance to ride it. No massive changes, so the success of the Switch is sure to continue as it hits the beginner market with all required. It's a great beginner/intermediate freeriders board.
Sizes
132cm x 40cm
138cm x 42cm
144cm x 44cm
146cm x 46cm
Riders Review - Switch 132
The Airush twin tips finally turned up and I grabbed a bunch of new demo boards from Airush for our demo fleet. The Switch was the first one I grabbed to ride in 20-25 knots of choppy conditions.
The footpads and straps are exactly the same as last years as are the fins and are beautifully comfortable, but that's where the similarity ends. The new boards has a much stiffer flex which still feels great in the chop but has so much more pop for throwing a bit of freestyle. The board goes up wind well and carved beautifully with plenty of grip.
The board created very little to no spray in the face and just had a "nice to be home" feel to it. I instantly felt comfortable and reckon it is still a good learner board but has absolutely heaps of performance for more advanced riders. The flouro orange ABS rails are great to help find your board, and the graphics aren't bad too but the colours are a bit dull (browns and blacks).
Overall, a great board and Airush have really done a great job of this board. 10/10.
Updated 22/10/09
2010 Airush Switch
2010 Airush Switch bottom
Airush 2010 Protoy
The original Protoy was designed as a high quality competition freestyle board which just happened to have great freeride characteristics as well, making it a great intermediate to advanced riders board.
It appears that the 2010 Protoy has lost it's "flick tips" which, in this riders opinion, will be no significant loss and in fact should improve it's overall speed and feel through the water. Nice work Airush! The sizes remain similar with the exception of the Exile which has grown a bit longer to 138 and seems to have split the difference between last years Exile SM and LGE to be 46cm. This also can only be a good thing as heavier riders will like the added waterline length to go with the new width.
With the similar construction and materials to last years, the Protoy should be every bit as strong as last years. An even more pimped out foot pad and strap combo make this board look damn nice, and the fins have had a refinement also. The Protoy is fitted with Airush Metro II fins.
Perhaps the best news of all is the new pricing of the Protoy. Down from $1,283 to $1,099, this should be the "refinement" the Protoy needed to take a much bigger share of the market. The high end board just became much more affordable. NICE! I can't wait to see how it rides. When I do, I'll add more .....
Sizes:
123cm x 37cm
129cm x 39cm
135cm x 41cm
138cm x 46cm
RIDER REVIEW - 135 PROTOY
The Protoy has never been one of my favourite boards but legions of people love them and for good reason, they do everything pretty well. I threw one on for a first test a few days ago in 20-25 knots and enjoyed the experience.
Firstly, the board is significantly heavier than it's two previous predecessors. Fins are good, and graphics look really nice. Finally a gloss deck which looks really bling!
The footpads are wicked, super soft and comfy and feel really great, you can even add a wedge to increase arch support. The footstraps are totallty new and I hated them, they created a strap which looks sensational but the actual support material in the guts of the strap is really hard and super stiff which creates a very hard point which aggravates your foot where it contacts the top of your foot. I felt if I had ridden it for an hour I would have been bleeding from the top of my foot as the skin would have surely been worn through. In having said that, I'll be trying to "duck" the footstraps out a bit wider to try and relive the rubbing and will update this review if it alleviated the issue.
The ride itself is purely Protoy, does chop well, goes upwind well and planes early. Smooth to ride and has good pop, it actually feels a bit stiffer than last years board and would be a sick board for bindings (that way you don't need the footstraps  ).
The board created a bit of spray to the face for me, bareable and not enough to overlook the board, but still enough to make comment on.
Overall, a good board and Protoy riders will love it. 8/10
Updated 22/10/09
2010 Airush Protoy top
2010 Airush Protoy bottom
Airush 2010 FS (FreeStyle)
The Airush FS is in it's second year and is well known for it's insane Freestyle/New School pop and ability to deal with a thrashing from advanced riders looking for top end performance. This year Airush have added a new size, the 142cm (although not really sure how many heavy guys are really into advanced freestyle) but hey, maybe a good size for lighter riders needing lighter wind performance.
The graphics haven't changed too much and still retain the punky style as last years with a few tweaks (if it ain't broke, don't fix it). Planform seems similar and still with a subtle concave the shape of the board should produce the same striking performance as previous models.
Again the new footstraps are a nice change and look the goods helping to add "bling" to an already good looking board. It is reported that the flex is stiffer than that of the Protoy so this represents the pinnacle of advanced rider solutions. The Quad carbon bracing help to keep the board shape fast and more stiff than other models.
More info on actual rider characteristics will follow .....
Sizes:
132cm x 39cm
138cm x 40cm
142cm x 42cm
RIDER REVIEW - FS 132
This board has been a great board of last year apart from the spray to the face which was enough for me not to ride it much, so it was interesting to see what the new one was like.
Wind was 20-25 knots and choppy water.
First thing you notice is the incredible weight, it's heavy as hell and quite thick. The graphics are a little dull with a large clean area in the middle of the board. The stock fins are only 40mm and this creates a very skatey loose board, in fact IMHO too loose.
The stiffness is ridiculous, it's as stiff as a 2inch thick plank with almost no give. The tiny amount of concave is almost un noticeableas the board slips all over the place as you ride along.
The pads are awesome, but same as the straps on the Protoy, are awful. The ride is slippery and unforgiving and quite frankly would only be any good if you added 50mm fins to the heel rail and rode it in flat water.
The FS sprayed me in the face constantly off the front of the board even worse than last years. The best thing about this board is the footpads and the 2 year warranty.
Sorry Airush, this board is one that I won't be riding much, maybe a good flat water board for freestyle freaks, but not for me!
Score : 5/10
Updated 22/10/09
2010 Airush FS top
2010 Airush FS bottom
Airush 2010 Crossover
The new Airush Crossover is a completely new board to the Airush range and is designed to pick up a bit of the slack from the now ended Hammer (except in Australia, 09 model re-released) and cross over a bit towards the switch.
The Crossover has a double concave centre section changing back to a Spiral "V" in the tails. The tails are tucked more than the standard twin tip to allow greater carving on the waves and the centre ABS rail is rounded and tucked for clean carving. Tail rails are still "hard" to allow control during fast carve.
The Crossover is principally a wave twin tip which was designed to work well in normal twinny type riding as well. Due to the bottom shape the Crossover will work very well in choppy conditions taking some of the slap out of the ride. The ends have "micro flick tips" to keep the nose up.
Different to the Hammer, the Crossover is similar construction to the other twin tips which will offer reliability and strength.
This is one board to keep an eye on as if it does all it has been designed to do, it will be a very good board and "Crossover" the most influential riding styles at the moment; surfing and power freeriding, and all this from one board.
Noice! I'll write more when I have ridden it ....
Sizes:
129cm x 38cm
135cm x 40cm
142cm x 42cm
RIDER REVIEW - 135 CROSSOVER
The much awaited for Crossover arrived and I got the chance to take it for a ride in choppy water and 20-25 knots of pinnaroo's finest.
Immediately this board feels very smooth through the chop due to the double concave and pronounced "keel bump " in the centre of the board, it ate up chop like no mans business. It rode upwind well and turned OK. For a wave crossover, it lacked a little of the grip I look for when laying down a huge spray top turn or carve. I think this could be fixed with the addition of Code 60mm fins on the tail and make it a biased wave board.
It feels good as a freeride board and will surely be popular as a downwinder and all rounder for Perth conditions. It seemed to have decent pop and has the deluxe footpads, but again let down by the footstraps.
A nice board for All terrain but with a little sanding of the rails, improved footstraps and code fins it will kick arse.
Score : 8.5/10
Updated 22/10/09
New 2010 Airush Crossover
2010 Airush Crossover bottom
Airush 2010 Choptop
The new Choptop has come of age and is now available in two size; the 5'3" and 5'8". Both boards are designed for onshore crappy mush riding and light wind surf up to say shoulder high conditions. The plan shape makes these boards easy to learn to ride directionals as the width offers stabilty and early planing as well as great upwind ability.
The rails on the boards are rounded surf rails for full bore carve turns and have a tucked edge for speed and early planing.
The fins that come standard are the All new lightweight, bombproof Hexcore ARS-DF fins and are combined with the revolutionary new Surfinz box, this new box system allows up to 18mm of forwards adjustability along with heavy duty below deck installation. The new system is fully compatible with FCS fins. Custom your ride!
The rocker is very flat and tail rocker is medium for speed and to get going in the lighter conditions. Both boards remain snappy and will carve hard when needed due to the tail rocker. Both boards also have grab rails for surf freestyle transitions and fun.
The foot hooks can be easily removed or repositioned to allow for full on strapless or for when riding gets choppy and you need more grip. Foot straps can be added if you want to really cut loose and give it your all.
The 5'3" has a concave deck to keep the centre of weight lower and the 5'8" has more volume to allow bigger riders up to 85 kilos the ability to paddle surf the board into waves up to shoulder high. Sweet!
Sizes:
5'3" x 19"
5'8" x 20.25"
2010 Airush Choptop
2010 Airush Choptom bottom
Airush 2010 Converse
What can you say about one of the worlds most favoured kite surfboards. These boards are the evolution from the 09 which were amazing in every sense of the word. This year Airush have released a 5'6", 6', 6'2" and 6'4" version of the Converse to make sure you can get the exact sized board for your weight and needs.
The Converse is a true wave board and has the performance to excite even the most skilled pro rider in bigger clean waves as well as smaller surf. To be able to attack vertically, control the top turn and accelerate down the line is all a matter of course. The Converse has soft rails, light weight but strong flytech construction ie lightweight core, wood laminates, PVC strengtheners in the foot pad area and alloy "T" stringer in the nose to handle the abuse of full on surf kiting.
If it's aything like the previous years model, it'll be a big winner. I'll wait to ride one until I write more....
Sizes:
5'10" x17.25"
6' x 18"
6'2" x 18.25"
6'4" x 18.75"
2010 Airush Converse
2010 Airush Converse bottom
Airush 2010 Skim
The All new Airush 2010 Skim, is the perfect light wind wave toy for those wanting a light wind fun board to try more skate oriented tricks. The board can be ridden wihtou fins, with a single fin. with twin fins, or for full surf feel with thruster setup.
The bottom shape is flat rocker with single concave for control and early planing. The board has ergonomic hand rails around most of it's rails and the deck is comfortable for shove it type moves.
This should be a fun toy or would suit the rider looking for lighter wind options and versatility.
Note that the fins are sold seperately!
Size:
132cm x 52cm
2010 Airush Skim
2010 Airush Skim bottom
Airush 2010 Monaro
The New Airush 2010 Monaro is the go fast board for the speed freaks and racers. Designed with a super flat rocker and sharp release edges, the board will go upwind at angles you have to ride to believe. The directional design is pure speed with some compromise to achieve control. The nose lift is designed to keep the nose up out of the backs of waves when reaching off the wind.
The Monaro comes with a set of 15cm reaching fins for off the wind racing and freeriding fun. There is an optional 18cm Upwind set available as an extra set so you can have the best of both worlds. The 18cm fins come on a cost plus basis.
Size: Fins:
170cm x 46cm 15cm Reaching Fins
18cm Upwind Fins (optional extra)
2010 Airush Monaro
2010 Airush Monaro bottom
Rider Review - 2010 Airush Monaro 170
We secured a Monaro race board for out twilight racing series (kindly donated by Auswind). After having ridden the North Race LTD quite a bit I was very keen to have a ride on the new Airush Monaro.
The Monaro looks fantastic and the graphics and colours are excellent. The shape is a little more tucked at the tail than the Race LTD and the tail shape is a little different in that it is a shallow "V" release edge. Fins look similar to North's and rocker is identical.
The first thing you notice on the Monaro after having ridden the Race LTD is how smooth it is and how easy on the body it is. It's actually quite comfortable to ride and would be a great cruising board. Upwind ability is good and stability is good too.
The deck grip is fine but the footstraps seem to have been added as almost an afterthought being assymetrical like the twin tips footstraps, in fact they are the 09 footstraps unless this one is a prototype which hasn't come with the proper straps. This makes it a little uncomfortable if you gybe and change stance on one tack.
But how is the speed? The speed of the Monaro has to be compared to the North boards and dependent upon the angle you are kiting in relation to the wind and also the sea conditions. I think that Monaro is super fast off the wind and in big seas or choppy conditions. Upwind, it is probably as fast as the North, but doesn't point as high. By adding the upwind fins, it'll probably go as high to windward, but will then lose stability off the wind, so all in all there are trade offs and the fins you choose should be determined by the course itself and the sea and wind condition. The Airush is as fast around the course as the North in strong winds and rough conditions, but in lighter conditions, I think the North Race Ltd 2010 board would be quicker due to it's light wind ability.
In powered conditions, both boards are equally competitive which makes the racing even more fun.
Drop in to give it a demo or race it in the race series starting 11/11/09
Updated 23/11/09
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