Cabrinha ACE twin tip reviews and opinions

[Akios]

Hey guys!

I have been wakeboarding for many years and now would like to get into kiteboarding! My problem is understanding the various types of boards and styles and figuring out what exactly I want. I have saved up a decent amount of money and would like to invest in good gear that will last me for years, but due to my inexperience Im worried about spending money on the "wrong" equipment.

I have been doing some research and am warming up to the Cabrinha ACE twintip. It seems like a quality board with lots of versatility and a fair amount of forgivness. Are my assumptions wrong? Does anyone have any advice on this board specifically for a relativley new rider? What about good kites to pair with the board?

Any advice is welcome. Thanks in Advance. Apologies if this is the wrong sub-forum for this topic

[rynhardt]

I suggest getting a big 2nd hand board with 5cm fins until you're comfortable staying upwind. Your local kite community may have some going cheap.

Then once you have a better feel for what you want and what your local conditions are, get a better board.

Coming from a wakeboard background myself, I switched back to boots as soon as I could stay upwind, but until then you may find straps easier.

[C Johnson]

I've been riding the 139 ACE with H2 pads and straps for a couple weeks now. I'm 6'1" 210lbs and have been kiting for about 8 years now. The ACE is currently my favorite board. You're correct, it is very versatile. Its built to handle wakeboard boots too if that style of riding is something you're wanting to move towards.

if you're a decent wakeboarder I'm guessing you will progress quickly into kiting.

With all that said, generally its a good idea to start out with at least a couple lessons so you learn the basic principles, how to take care of your gear, how to self rescue, etc. Generally after that its good to pickup some lightly used kites that you can hammer on for a season before you invest in some new gear.

Stay away from really old kite gear. there have been many innovations over the years that have made for very safe and versatile kites. If I were you I'd try to find something that was made in the last 2-3 years. make sure it hasn't been abused or had major repairs. Also make sure the canopy still feels somewhat crispy. Canopy materials eventually break down and fall apart so its good to inspect them closely, especially near the trailing edge for wear or damage.

Welcome to the sport!

[Akios]

Thanks for the help guys! I will absolutley be taking some lessons, if only too prevent myself from making an ass out of myself and wasting good beach space when I finnaly start kiting on my own. I was considering picking up a used board for training but the more I thought about it the more I wanted too just invest in something nice that I can get excited about. That and I didnt want to drop even more money a few months from now when I have more experience. Im pretty commited to learning kiteboarding soo the financial risk seems worth it.

All that being said I will certainly be purchasing a used kite for the time being. As you said its probably going too be getting beat up pretty badly while I learn so not dropping cash on a nice one yet seems smart. I will keep your advice about the condition of the kite in mind, thanks for throwing that in as I have no experience with kites.

Im still learning about the various riding styles so I was looking for a good all around board that performs moderately well with most of them soo I can see what I like. I live in Florida which I hear can have fickle winds, is there a specific type of kite I should look for too account for that?

[C Johnson]

I would recommend going to your local kite spots and engaging the local kiters. Kiters love to talk about kitesurfing. They should be able to recommend what works well for the area you live in.

Cheers,
CJ