Twintip board recommendations for people with knee issues

[Eduardo]

There's no doubt about it - hydrofoils are the ultimate leg savers. Their performance and comfort FAR outweigh their steep learning curve.

The only follow up to that is a nice surfboard.

My opinion is that twintips are the most high impact board format. Sure you can get 'comfortable' ones, but a duck is still a duck. If your knees are delicate and mad, it would probably be best to switch to something directional. But again, hydrofoils are king when it comes to low impact use.

this is a great point. I don't have knee issues but long ago gave up TTs for surf boards and foiling, just for the fun factor. It is worth asking yourself why constrain yourself to a TT, especially given knee issues.

[alexeyga]

I can vouch for the Monk. Had a few generations of these.

You don't think much about it while you ride it, but when you get to test other boards side by side - it slaps your on the face. Other boards feel like riding a tree stump.

Monk is very lively and easy on your knees while Shin's pads - albeit not the grippiest out there - have a lot axial mobility - which helps.

Xenon has the Rayo model which is also very flexy and forgiving on one's knees.


All that aside, it might be worth digging deeper into the causes of your knee pain. It might simply be to your glutes - medius not firing properly which is an easy fix through one's exercise routine's adjustment (if there's a routine).

[apollo4000]

I asked my Orthopedic doctor the same question .
Basically having the pads in an angle would grind your meniscus up slowly, so his recommendation was to have the pads as straight as possible !

Yup +1

[Herman]

There is a lot of mantra in this thread that appears to be the consensus because it is often repeated, but I doubt is entirely true or at least deserves further qualification.

Hydrofoil are leg savers - smooth ride true, but then why do so many advise strapless, foils are only a leg saver if you keep them under control. Loose control and they have high potential for injury!

Parallel straps - maybe starting point but ankle and knee geometry obviously varies.between people, how you like to spread your feet landing from a small jump in probably a better indicator but you also need to use a strap/footbed that accommodates the amount of foot twist you want for change between tacks.

Surf boards are better for knees. Depends on the individual and the conditions you ride. In chop I can ride a TT softer than a surfboard. The TT only starts producing more impact if you jump. What people should be talking about is the style of riding not the board. Again common sense TT tiny and designed for impact and so is softer just riding in the same conditions as a bigger area and stiffer SB.

Impact - not all impact is bad, for example I believe there is data available to show that, in many cases fractures heal faster if they are loaded. Cricket fast bowlers will have a higher bone density than cyclists etc

All the above is imho

Regards Herman

[Ice101]

Try and get a demo on a flyradical 6 if you want a good twin tip that will go through anything and is easy on the knees. Their pads are basic but very comfy and good on the knees. The board has enough flex and makes it very comfortable. It won board of the year 2019. Also has great boost for old school tricks etc. Stay away from the older stiff carbon boards. Lots freeriders and old school big air riders use them. Check out videos by Toby and lukeash doing there thing on them on you tube!

Putting the pads straight causes issues in your feet when using a twin tip especially when cutting upwind any sense. This will cause aches in the feet which will then travel up and cause the knees issues in my experience. Better to dick them more so your feet don’t ache or catch the side of your pads and rub. I have Chondromalacia Patella in my right knee from running in boots for years on the army and the flyradical 6 with ducked pads gives no issues at all. it’s also one of the most efficient boards I have ever used and great in low winds which is also a big bonus. I ride the 138 as 86 kegs.

Not tried w mako in a couple years but use to own one. Used to get overpowered too quickly then the board would skip out. Not sure if that’s the same now. Tried loads of shinn boards including the monk. I personally never found them that great and always ended up going back to my old 2013 nobile 50/50 which always was smoother and nicer and tried many other boards last few years including the raptor Ltd’s and stuff which also were never any better until trying the rad6. I did try a duo tone jamie last summer in Egypt though and have to say it was really nice and very impressed. More skatey and slightly faster than the rad6 but really nice boards. It was the normal one not the textreme carbon.

[Herman]

^ Lots of good info but I found the comment on the Mako skipping out surprising. I still have a Mako but don't ride it that much because it needs more power than other boards I ride. The times I do ride it is when the sea state is messy and I want to hold down a lot of power. The Mako seems to have a lot of apparent rocker, and also needs to be driven with more front foot pressure than more usual shaped boards. Also as previously mentioned this effects the size of Mako that would suit. Perhaps this skipping out was just a weight thing.

My combination is a Mako150 rider ~210lbs, ok with big or small kites but fully powered.

PS I would ride it a lot more if my usual ride was choppy, fortunately I live next to a beach surf break!
I would choose a Mako for chop but I would go for something else if my main aim was jumping!

[blu]

NOBILE NXP

[alexeyga]

Tried loads of shinn boards including the monk. I personally never found them that great and always ended up going back to my old 2013 nobile 50/50 which always was smoother and nicer and tried many other boards last few years including the raptor Ltd’s and stuff which also were never any better until trying the rad6.

Like I've said, Monk doesn't feel all that special while you own one - until you test it side by side against anything thing else (not made by Shinn) - only to relise that you're taking way too much for granted.  I have yet to come across a Nobile board which would't feel like a lifeless, heavy driftwood.  I used to own (and swear by) a Brunotti board waaay before getting the Monk (there were some carbon F-one boards in between).  Test drove the Yuri Zoon a few weeks ago, freshly assembled... and hated every single bit of it - the way it rode, pads and straps...
As with so many things in life - one's millage and taste may vary.
Can't say anything about Makos, used to lust for one when I was a beginner - but it never came through. One thing I've noticed though - these i see riding Makos rarely do anything besides mowing the lawn.  Most owners are usually these special cases wearing a spacesuit with knives, inflatable rafts and portable radio stations attached...  Perhaps Makos are soft on knees, but are they any fun?
Same could said about foils - it could be a solution, but you must be able to enjoy it...

[SWO_kite]

There is a lot of mantra in this thread that appears to be the consensus because it is often repeated, but I doubt is entirely true or at least deserves further qualification.

Hydrofoil are leg savers - smooth ride true, but then why do so many advise strapless, foils are only a leg saver if you keep them under control. Loose control and they have high potential for injury!

Parallel straps - maybe starting point but ankle and knee geometry obviously varies.between people, how you like to spread your feet landing from a small jump in probably a better indicator but you also need to use a strap/footbed that accommodates the amount of foot twist you want for change between tacks.

Surf boards are better for knees. Depends on the individual and the conditions you ride. In chop I can ride a TT softer than a surfboard. The TT only starts producing more impact if you jump. What people should be talking about is the style of riding not the board. Again common sense TT tiny and designed for impact and so is softer just riding in the same conditions as a bigger area and stiffer SB.

Impact - not all impact is bad, for example I believe there is data available to show that, in many cases fractures heal faster if they are loaded. Cricket fast bowlers will have a higher bone density than cyclists etc

All the above is imho

Regards Herman

All I take away from this is that hydrofoils are the best option.

All hail the hydrofoil!....Unless it's 20kn or more. In that case, let's do jumps!

....also, kiteboarding is fun

[badgb21]

I posted this on another thread a while back, it may be of some use:

You can expect an all-rounder to perform reasonably well in a range of conditions, some better than others and some more biased towards a certain set of conditions.
Some of them could even be described as 'Good'.
A more specialised board like the Xcaliber isn't necessarily a bad board because it's designed to be optimal in certain conditions.
I had one and really enjoyed it.
I have had a number of TT's over recent years. Apart from a desire to change, it was driven by pain in knee from stiffer/harder boards.
I had a Cabrinha Tronic for a while, much easier on the knees and smooth in chop. The board needed to be larger in size and was more power hungry.
I missed the sharpness, unwind and direct feel of my C/F Elite so stuck with that and just kite when conditions aren't too bad for my knee.
The closest I came to one board ticking all my boxes was the Shinn BronQ, probably should have kept it.
Having a shed full of boards and taking the ones you fancy on the day, has got to be the way to go