****Thurs 5-17 Update.*****Not quite working as we had hoped, for an easy to register way to post comments. We are working on it.
Until then, to enter DEMO TO WIN- send us an email at ‘demo2win AT NWliquid.com’
The only way to choose the right fit for your kiteboarding gear is to demo the gear and get a feel for what works for your style of riding and local conditions.
We at NWLiquid and Liquid Force Kiteboarding and your local NW Liquid Force Kiteboarding Dealers are confident in our products and that if given a chance to try them, you will fall in love with them.
Therefore, we are doing Demo to Win !
Demo to Win: It’s easy in 3 steps:
1: Demo a Liquid Force Kiteboarding product from one of our Partner Dealers or at one of our Scheduled Events or Demos.
2: Log on NW Liquid.Com and Search for the product you have demo’d in the Kites, Boards and Accessories Pages.
3: Register your name* and a legit email address and leave a comment about your demo experience.
Include:
Your size, kiteboarding experience, current gear set up
Where you demo’d and conditions
Your opinions and review of he product.
Every month, NW Liquid will select randomly from a list of all registered comments and someone will Win! Each time you enter a review, you qualify another chance.. so demo, demo, demo!
*Your name MUST be your real name OR your “NWkite.com username or Seattle Kite Forum username. Only legit email addresses have a chance to win.
Thanks to Greg and Brett- for coming out and allowing me to try Liquid Force gear for the first time!
I’ve been kiting for 2 years, currently riding Cabrinaha bow kites and a North 130 Convertor board. I’m 6′2″ and 190lbs.
I demoed the 8m Havoc in conditions I would have ridden the 12 XBow and reluctantly launched – thinking I wouldn’t make it back to my starting point.
That kite has some great power (so different than what I’m used to but went upwind like crazy, nice depower, a great kite for wave riding- push the bar out crank some turns-pull the bar back and accelerate back to do it again (felt like no bar pressure compared to what I’ used to)). FUN! The conditions were 20+ mph and gusty. In these conditions I had a blast.
The next day (in little lighter winds) I took out the 10m Havoc didn’t enjoy this ride as much seemed to have no steering when depowered, of course I could have spent more time on the adustments of this kite but I didn’t want to be a kite hog and gave it up to someone else before having a chance to figure it out.
The MISSION board. At first glance, I wasn’t to sure what to think…alot of rocker (could this board get upwind well?) A bit more weight than I’m used too, and with soft rails in the middle and sharp rails on the ends. I Really like to ride the swells at Roosevelt and wasn’t sure about this (wake) board.
The ride was forgivening- (turn it side ways, cut the top off a wave, spin it to toe side and carry on.) until you wanted to load up the tail and than be prepared for wakestyle. This board releases from the water with explosivness and if you come up a little flat on your landing- no problem the rocker is there to soften the blow. I loved the ride of this board.
LF doing kiting right!
Gray Biggins
Hi and Thanks to Gregg and Brett –
I had a chance to try LF gear for the first time in Roosevelt, WA on the 17th and 18th of May, 2007.
I have been riding for almost two years, and consider myself an intermediate rider. I usually ride 9M, 12M, and 14M Cabrinha bow kites, and occasionally our 8M Slingshot TD. My board is a 132 Caution Redline. I am 5′9″,and weigh in around 140lbs. Given a choice, I prefer being slightly overpowered than underpowered.
The wind the day I demo’d was the same as my husband wrote above – approx 20 knots, gusty, fun. I had been riding my 9M Crossbow all day, and decided to switch it up and try the LF Assault (bow style) kite. The boys had a 6M Assault ready to go, and suggested I try that. I thought they were crazy!! I joked that I might as well string a towel up and use that to pull me!! I figured a 6M kite was way too small for the conditions. But – what the heck, I thought I’d give it a go!! So, to my surprise and delight, I was off and staying upwind, no problem. Jumping, wave riding, the kite did it all. Super fun little kite, I would definitely consider an Assault 6M in my quiver. It had great low end power, and little bar pressure. I even managed to drop it and invert it once, but it quickly righted itself and detangled to relaunch easily. All in all, a fun, easy kite.
Immediately after I landed with the Assaut, I decided to go right back out on the LF Havoc 6M (the hybrid style kite), in order to get a true back to back feel of the differences between the kites. Same sizes, same conditions, etc. However, by this time it was getting late, and every other kiter and windsurfer around had packed it in for the day, and I was the only lonesome rider on the water. The 6M Havoc took me upwind like a banshee! Very different to fly than the bow style kites – much more like a C kite in control and feel. Zero bar pressure, and super quick turning. I even managed some pretty decent air with it – the kite pretty much did all the work, and jumped for me! I was inove with that kite! After a quick 20 minute session, I was happy with the comparison , and was ready to go back to shore. That’s when the wind button-hooked me big time, and swung around off shore!! No going back for me!! I ended up in a huge wind shadow, off shore direction, with a strong current dragging my downed kite out of the barely-there wind window. I’m pretty sure I was saying “This is trouble. Ok, really trouble!!”. I was getting pulled slowly away from shore and further from the landing area every second. Luckily, kiteboarding has taught me patience. So, I waited and nursed the kite lines until a little puff pulled the kite out of the water. The 6M Havoc relaunches very easily!! I looked behind me, saw a good wind line on the other side of the river, and headed out to tack my way back upwind. The 6M Havoc played right along, and soared upwind in very marginal conditions! Then the little kite and I came screaming back in as hot as possible to make it perfectly back into the landing bay!! A definite victory for the kite, and for me. I thoroughly enjoyed my ride on that kite, even with the adventure we had!! I think I would go with the 6M Havoc over the 6M Assault for a small kite.
The following day I tried the sligtly larger 8M Havoc in lighter winds. Sadly, the kite did not perform as well for me as it’s smaller brother. I think the kites perform best at the lower end – in lighter winds for their size. The bigger kite seemed to have a lag in the turn/steering response time compared to the smaller one, especially in the stronger gusts. I still enjoyed the feel of no bar pressure, and the kites are very user friendly to fly.
I also rode the 138 Mission board on a downwind session later in the week. That board is a joy to ride. Very forgiving, with loads of pop! I am sure we are going to buy one soon!!
Thanks again to the guys from Liquid Force!! We will back to The Gorge soon, and hope to see you both again!!
Warmly,
Rainbow Monds
Peachland, BC, Canada