Will spleene ever make the zone board again?

[dracop]

Cool looking directionals!

Props on the aesthetics for those new Zones, they look slick.

TTesque edge with padding on top to provide abit of volume.

[Rainer Kauper]

Hi,

in fact our test team found out that it is much easier and more radical to ride the waves if you are more into the board than on the board. We have compared the new Spleene Zones with so many boards on the market and after so many sessions the result was always pretty much the same. On a normal surf board you have something between 4 and 6cm of thickness in the centre. We have only 14mm. The gap sounds not too much, but the difference in riding is huge. You have much more contact to the board and you feel the wave much better. We have asked several riders at the beaches to test the Zone and they were from beginners to radical experts in waveriding. They all came back and asked how this is possible. The flex in combination with the construction of the board gives a much more direct feeling was the main statement.

We know the discussion about the volume and waveboards very well, but in our opinion we think you only need the volume at the rails in the centre for radical waveriding to avoid any break out.

Ride it and you will get your own impression.

Ciao

Rainer Kauper
-------------------
www.spleene-kiteboarding.com

[robbygk]

Price? Release date? Will they be on sale in the uk?

[Rainer Kauper]

Hi,

price is depending on your country and distribution.

Release date: within the next weeks.

Yes the Zones will be available in the UK.

You can also send us an E-Mail and we will send you the contact where to get the Zone in the UK.

Ciao

Rainer Kauper
-------------------
www.spleene-kiteboarding.com

[robbygk]

Would that be the contact@spleene-kiteboarding.com email address?

Many thanks

Rob

[Rainer Kauper]

Hi Rob,

yes.

Correct.

Waiting for your mail.

Ciao

Rainer Kauper
-------------------
www.spleene-kiteboarding.com

[jb8431]

For Rainer Kauper,

I still own my 159 spleen zone. one of the best boards I've ever had.
I noticed on the new boards just on your schematic views of them that there's tow in angle on the fins.
One of the things I love about the spleen zone is No tow in on the fins.
Having liked the spleen so much in the snowboard/ kite board construction style I tried the Nobile infinity thinking it would be very similar. Boy was I wrong!!! that board is so slow it moves like it's pulling seaweed it's got too much flex in the nose, has towed in symmetrical fins, and perhaps an inappropriate bottom shape which was a wavey concave that added a lot of drag. I bought the 5'7"
And sold it. Then the next guy hated it as much as me and sold it. the 3rd owner of it hated it even more. We all concluded it was super slow and the elements made the board one of the worst we ever used.

So...question is how are the new spleenes different then Nobile?
In my opinion this style board should not have towed in fins. It should have a relatively stiff flex to avoid chatter in choppy conditions, and the speed brake you feel with too much flex in the nose. 5'6" is too long in my opinion and could be shorter and still just as fast, with out all the extra swing weight. I am curious about the rocker line too. A more continuos rocker line should improve hydrodynamics and provide better flowing turns without the stall turns of a flat no rockered tail.

If your going to give a "sneak peak" at least give some thorough info rather than just outline and size as if those are the only elements that define a board. Otherwise wait until it's debut on the market and describe in detail all the key elements. It is very frustrating to see this type of intro. Kinda like showing a car without saying what is under the hood.

One last thing....your USA distributor is loosing money for you big time. He does no demo events anywhere anytime in the huge kite community of the western USA. He has failed on numerous occasions with personal emails from me trying to get info and parts for spleene gear. I have seen other posts regarding his flakey business dealings and lack of brand representation. My advice is get a western USA distributor. it is too costly for one distributor apparently to properly market the entire USA market. The kite community is maturing and tired of buying gear site unseen and untested and then being horribly disappointed.

This is a worldwide forum I presume, so it seems your prospective buyers are around the globe. Help us
try your new gear.

Thanks!!!! I look forward to trying the new spleenes including the new kites which have never made a demo event on the west coast to my knowledge either.

[max]

For Rainer Kauper,


One of the things I love about the spleen zone is No tow in on the fins.
Having liked the spleen so much in the snowboard/ kite board construction style I tried the Nobile infinity thinking it would be very similar. Boy was I wrong!!! that board is so slow it moves like it's pulling seaweed it's got too much flex in the nose, has towed in symmetrical fins, and perhaps an inappropriate bottom shape which was a wavey concave that added a lot of drag. I bought the 5'7"
And sold it. Then the next guy hated it as much as me and sold it. the 3rd owner of it hated it even more. We all concluded it was super slow and the elements made the board one of the worst we ever used.
.

not appropriate to compare the 5'7" nobile with the slightly less than 5'3 zone.

Nobile makes a 5'4 and a 5'1 Infinity. You should try them and then comment. I have tried the 5'4" and so have others in my area and liked it.

Do not get me wrong though, the zone is my favourite. It feels alive on the water.

The 5'4" nobile feels slow (more mellow for sure) but is easier for any beginner/average person. It is heavier, wider and has a lot of rocker towards the tail whereas the zone is lighter (no full deck tread etc apart from construction), faster with flatter rocker and relies on the flex tail moreso. The nobile would seem to ride swell/surf better though but again it has the foam rails and different fin setup and . . . Everyone who rode the nobile here liked it for its ease.

I have often wondered if the zone would have benefitted from slight tail rocker, and slight toe in on the fins and a length of 5'4"-5'6" and the ability to use surf style fins for particular situations. My 5'3" (159) zone has 100mm fins fitted rather than the standard 80mm fins.

The 5'8" (174) zone has strengths in different areas to the 5'3" zone.

[Rainer Kauper]

For Rainer Kauper,

I still own my 159 spleen zone. one of the best boards I've ever had.
I noticed on the new boards just on your schematic views of them that there's tow in angle on the fins.
One of the things I love about the spleen zone is No tow in on the fins.
Having liked the spleen so much in the snowboard/ kite board construction style I tried the Nobile infinity thinking it would be very similar. Boy was I wrong!!! that board is so slow it moves like it's pulling seaweed it's got too much flex in the nose, has towed in symmetrical fins, and perhaps an inappropriate bottom shape which was a wavey concave that added a lot of drag. I bought the 5'7"
And sold it. Then the next guy hated it as much as me and sold it. the 3rd owner of it hated it even more. We all concluded it was super slow and the elements made the board one of the worst we ever used.

In my opinion this style board should not have towed in fins. It should have a relatively stiff flex to avoid chatter in choppy conditions, and the speed brake you feel with too much flex in the nose.

It is not so easy as it sounds to find out the best fin setup for all needs. At the old Zone boards we have used symmetrical fins which was good for the speed and gliding performance in flat water and choppy conditions. At radical turns in waves this setup was not as good as it could be. The new Zone is excellent in both exercises. The tracker fins are asymmetrical and have a little tow in. That makes the board fast and you can edge in turns as much as you like without breaking out. Please believe me: I hate slow boards and you will never ever get a Spleene board which is not fast.

So...question is how are the new spleenes different then Nobile?

Please do not mind me not to talk too much about boards, kites and bars from other brands. Other designers/shapers have different ideas how should gear work. I think the new Zone is a really good waveboard which is an absolutely improvement to the older Zones. Once you have tried it, you will for sure agree.

5'6" is too long in my opinion and could be shorter and still just as fast, with out all the extra swing weight. I am curious about the rocker line too. A more continuos rocker line should improve hydrodynamics and provide better flowing turns without the stall turns of a flat no rockered tail.

In steep waves you need a minimum of scoop in the nose to avoid cutting into the wave. Therefore you need a minimum of length. There is no flattering nose even in heavy chop, because of a very well designed flex. The rockerline at the tail is more curved like at the older Zone boards. We have really tested a lot of different scoops and the one we have chosen is great.

More info soon.

Ciao

Rainer Kauper
-------------------
www.spleene-kiteboarding.com

[Rainer Kauper]

My 5'3" (159) zone has 100mm fins fitted rather than the standard 80mm fins.

The 5'8" (174) zone has strengths in different areas to the 5'3" zone.

These are the old Zone boards from 2008 to 2010.

http://spleene-kiteboarding.com/?page_id=1508

Ciao

Rainer Kauper
-------------------
www.spleene-kitebaording.com