A few days ago I tried the new Airush Diamond board for the very first time. I was so exited about it, because it had been standing there in the hall for so long already, waiting for the wind. But now I have tried it, and I am really happy. Tried it in Hanko Secret 2 days ago. The board has a nice rocker shape, which gives a really good pop. The pop was so much better compared to my old board (which was more of a freeride board), and the jumps went automatically higher! The landings were soft and smooth. I was riding the Diamond board in lightwind with the Razor 13 m2 and was having problems to stay upwind, but I guess the reason for that was the light wind and not the board. Will be fun to test it in stronger winds soon, though! But I can tell you I already love the board and think it’s has just the right amount of rocker and pop compared to the planning abilities. And I love the colors!

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The Diamond Kite features a refined profile and balanced configuration that appeals to a broad level of users, from performance freestyle and wave riding while still being stable and user friendly enough for intermediate riders.

This is what the kite look like:

Airush Diamond is a:

• Female specific kite
• 4 line kite
• Hybrid c-kite

And what is my opinion of Airush Diamond?

For me and the Diamond bar it was love at first sight. I have never tested a bar before that is especially designed for girls, so I was really stoked with the fact that it was so small! I am short, have short arms and have always have troubles depowering the kite when riding. With the Diamond bar the depower was really easy, and everything I needed was right in front of me. The diamond bar is pure perfection for all girls!

When I was riding Diamond the biggest difference I realised was that my back did not hurt like it usally does. I didn’t feel the back pain at all, even though I was going upwind or was riding for a couple of hours, and I suppose this is because of the light bar pressure, but also because of the shorter bar throw. I did not have to move the bar far away in front of me, and the kite depowered (usally I have to bend like crazy forward with my short arms, resulting in bad posture). And never before have I tested a kite that goes upwinds so easy.

For me Airush Diamond was easy to relaunch and was stable in the air, but then I am of course comparing to Razor. The depower is also much better than the Razor. I guess that Diamond is pretty much like a Varial-X, if you don’t count the female specific features. When I went for my first unhooked backroll on the Diamond I accidentally did a double roll, because the kite had more pull somehow in the pop. The unhooked feeling is also really nice with the Diamond, but the only thing I missed was the slack in the lines that Razor has. This is also why I prefer Razor for unhooked tricks, but Diamond is the perfect kite for all agressive freestylers that don’t want the five-line Razor.

What I liked the most about Airush Diamond: 

• Easy-to-reach depower
• Short bar throw
• Light bar pressure
• Pull and speed
• Big windrange
• Great pop for jumping

The only thing I would possibly want to change is the chickenloop. On the Diamond kite the chickenloop is extra small to avoid unhooking mistakes, but I don’t think it’s necessary. How can you accidentally unhook if you are using the donkeydick? A bigger chickenloop would be appreciated for the girls that want to unhook and wouldn’t disturbe the one’s that want to stay hooked in either.

So after testing the Diamond kite this summer I really like this kite and it is a kite that I proudly recommend to all kitegirls out there wanting to push their limits and enjoy the riding without hassle! I liked it a lot and I guess that you would too!

The post Review: Airush Diamond girl kite 2015 appeared first on KiteLina.

I was riding in my new Rip Curl 3/2 wetsuit, and with the new Airush Diamond kite, that I have tested a few times now. Soon I will write a review about the Diamond kite, but if you look closely on the pictures you will see that I like the kite, riding on a smile on my face almost constantly.. :)

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The water is still very cold and air temperatures vary a lot, but I have not been freezing thanks to Helsinki Surf Shop. I am very happy with my brand new and good looking Rip Curl Flashbomb E4 wetsuit. The Flashbomb wetsuit is thinner than my old winter wetsuit, just 5/3 mm, but thanks to the good quality it’s as warm as my old 6/5/4. But I prefer the Flashbomb so much more – not only beacause it’s nicer design – but beacause it allows more movements and flexibility. Thin and flexible, but still very warm. The old wetsuit was warm but I also felt like a michelin in it. The new Flashbomb keeps me as warm as the old one (if not warmer) even if it’s thinner, but allows me to move and do tricks without the  feeling of beeing trapped in the wetsuit.

Flashbomb E4 comes in two different colours for women. I got to choose between both of them and decided to go with the one to left in grey and purple. Love the colours!

Rip Curl Flashbomb E4 is actually called the world’s lightest, warmest, most flexible and fastest drying wetsuit. Rip Curl says this about the Flashbomb E4: “For the Surfer who wants the best wetsuit possible. No compromises. Constructed with the most advanced neoprene and loaded with the latest ocean technology.”

I can agree with this! I am usally freezing a lot, but the Flashbomb 5/3 keeps me warm even in a water with just a few plus degrees.

Flashbomb E4 has a nice new technology which you can see when you turn the fabric inside out. The inside is made in a soft, rug-looking fabric which immediately wicks the water away.

Lohtaja 24.4.2014. It was not the easiest to get the neoprene shoes inside the tiny boots so I started on the beach.. ;)

Last week I also got one session in Crete, Greece, on a vacation trip. Crete is not the best place for kitesurfing, but I really enyojed the nice big waves! And I loved the fact that I was kitesurfing in my Rip Curl summer wetsuit. Even if I love the Flashbomb I still prefer to surf in warmer waters… But who doesn’t. A few more weeks here in Finland and I can leave the gloves, shoes and hood home!

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I think this camera is going to see and experience a lot of things, all from snowy snowkiting in cold Norway to sandy beaches somewhere far away…

The post The christmas present appeared first on KiteLina.

My new Rip Curl jacket, love it!

Jonathan also got new clothes for the winter!

I loved the cap! The black and white bag is perfect as a camera bag, and I also needed a new wallet.

A lot of stuff. The blue pants looks great with the pink jacket.

Now I have officially ended the summer season and is looking forward like crazy for the winter season. Let it snow, please!

The post Rip Curl made me ready for the snowkite season! appeared first on KiteLina.

And one other great thing about Rip Curl is of course the clothes. I love the simply but stylish surflook!

The post New Sponsor: Rip Curl appeared first on KiteLina.

It was a really nice event and cool that the pro riders Alex Pastor and Bas Koole also was there, as well as a lot of other nice dealers and teamriders from all over the world. We were also fortunate with wind all four days we were there, even if it was a little bit gusty sometimes. The wind in Costa Brava always picks up after lunchtime, so in the mornings we enjoyed stand up paddleboarding on the nice, flat surface, before it was time to hit the water with kites and sails. I also got to try SUP in waves the first day, and wow it was so funny! That is something that I want to do again!

Here are some pictures from the trip of us kitesurfing, windsurfing and stand up paddleboarding!

It was really fun to test all of the new Airush gear. Now I undestand the different areas the kites are ment for after testing them myself. I still agree with what I wrote about them here. Razor is still my number one kite for freestyle, beacause it responds quickly – yet being stable in the air – and is best for freestyle with looping, jumping and unhooking.

Another favorite was the Wave – a really good kite for waveriding but also for freestyle and unhooking. Wave responds quickly as Razor, but has a better windrange beacause of the SLE-settings and the combination between a D and C-shape. I also enjoyed Lithium as an allround kite with a great pull and easy relaunch. Varial X is the combination of Lithium and Razor, perfect for the rider that wants to have a bigger windrange and focus on freestyle with jumpning and do a little bit unhooked stuff too.

Airush celebrates 15 years this year, so it feels like they know what they are doing. The first Switch kiteboard was made in 2001, and is the oldest kiteboard in the world right now. I liked the new Switch, but even better was Livewire, which was my favorite board for freestyle thanks to the great pop.

 Thank you Rautio Sports for a funny trip an nice riding! I am really grateful to be a Airush teamrider and I am looking forward to keep riding the awesome kites!

The post Funny days in Costa Brava testing Airush 2014 gear appeared first on KiteLina.

Airush Razor 2014

Razor – Okey, you know it already. My favorite kite, C-shape. A perfect choice for anyone who likes freestyle and loves to unhook. Quick in the air, but really stable. The windrange is smaller on this kite, but still pulls pretty good for being a C-kite. The 2014 Razor has not changed from the 2013 model, except from the new fabric that is now more durable.

Airush Lithium 2014

Lithium – Lithium is the bow kite, perfect for you that wants a kite that is easy to handle. Easy to relaunch, pulls really good, great depower and a huge windrange. There’s never no wind with this kite! Perfect for the allrounder that wants to combine freeride with freestyle. The Lithium 2014 has a really nice design!

Airush DNA 2014

DNA – Exactly the same kite as the Lithium, but for a cheaper price. The lower price is caused by a simplier bag, no one-pump system and a simplier design. DNA is the perfect choice for beginners and for kiteschools.

Airush VarialX 2014

VarialX – A SLE kite with a tendency to a C-shape, which give us the perfect kombination of the Razor and the Lithium. VarialX is an allround-kite perfect for you that loves freestyle and does tricks in a combination of oldschool and newschool. The VarialX 2014 model is the one that changed the most of all the 2014 models – the VarialX has now just 3 struts and is more agressive, quick in the air and more close to the C-kite than ever before with a good unhooked feel, but still with better relaunch and depower.

Airush VXR 2014

VXR – VXR is the kite for going fast. This speed kite is the one to choose for extreme lightwinds and for getting first to the finish line. The 18 m2 kite has a 3-strut design, the other 4-strut design. The VXR 2014 (also called VXR v2) has redesigned wingtips, which now allows for increased aerodynamics with even wirflow.

Airush Wave 2014

Wave – The wave kite 2014 is better than ever before, in a combination with a shape close to the Razor with 3-strut design and SLE-settings. This kite is the ultimate for waveriding, but also providing great stability and forward speed for allround-kitesurfing. The kite is designed to draft in the wind and respond quickly – just perfect for waveriding. The wave also have a good unhooked feel – still with a good low end power and depower. Airush Wave has the same new durable Aramid Load Frame fabric as the Razor.

Airush Lithium Zero 2014

Lithium Zero – For boring days without wind there is now one solution: Lithium Zero. Lithium Zero is the ultimate light wind kite, designed with no struts at all for being as light as possible. Lithium is the perfect kite for anyone that wants to have most days possible on the water. Stable and quick in the air with a great low end power- that’s the Lithium Zero!

As you see the kites are all different and has their special areas – there’s one kite for everyone! Which one is your favorite?

PS. In Finland you find these kite from Rautio Sports, in other countries check from Airush.com where you find the closest dealer! If you are intrested of the last years models, the 2013 kites are now on an extra sale at Rautio Sports – hurry hurry!

The post Airush Kites 2014 appeared first on KiteLina.

We walked into the water and Sofia started to steer the kite in the air. It went surprisingly well, and after a few tries Sofia also bodydragged upwind. Now it was time to try “for real” with the board on the feet. The first three-four tries Sofia did not streer the kite down properly and ended up on the back int the water, but then she suddenly was up and rode a few metres forward! Wihhoo!

Here you can see a videoclip from the day and the interview in swedish, and here you can hear the longer version with Sofia’s version of the experience, and read a short notice about it with pictures (all in swedish). Thank you Sofia for a funny day and a really yummy pizza after the session!

PS. Did you notice the new Airush Razor 2014 team kite in the pictures? It was the first time a tried it, brandnew as a present to open before we started the lesson. I love the new white fabric. In the light wind I did not feel any difference from the last years model, but it was amazing as always. I am pretty sure that it isn’t possible to improve what’s already perfect. But I can’t wait to test it for real in stronger winds!

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