purchase tip - Flare vs Kombat

dominic72 · 1st July 2008, 09:37 PM

hi guys

I am making the transition to B&J after a few years of freeriding. Given I am planning to keep my 2003-old Fanatic 135L board, my aim is to buy a 100-110L board that allows me some funny B&L and lets me try some wave riding, with medium winds (mainly in Italy where I live), especially inshore. And, of course, keeping freeriding with stronger winds. I am not into freestyle tricks.

I am about to buy a 105L Kombat, looks great and I was told it's a very good board. The only think is, I read some reports claiming the Flare would give me more instant power and early planing capabilities, especially in lulls and lighter wind conditions.

Should I go for a Flare even though I am not into freestyle? Wouldn't it be too bumpy on chop and waves and unfit for freeriding with just one back strap??

thanks a lot for your help, guess this might interest many like me who are scaling down in size from a big board and geting into B&J from some freeride experience. could find much on this in previous threads
cheers
domenico

Taty Frans · 1st July 2008, 10:18 PM

Hi,

The kombat would be a very good choice for you as it also have two footstraps in the back.

I believe that you are pretty much looking for more a freeride board rather then a freestyle board. The kombat is for sure a great board and you will enjoy it.

I would choose the Kombat.

Taty frans NB-9

dominic72 · 1st July 2008, 10:30 PM

thanks somuch for your ultra-quick reply,Taty -- will follow your tip
bests
domenico

Jose Lucas · 26th July 2008, 02:57 AM

Hi dominic

I have a Kombat 105 and it feels great.

My case was exactly the same as yours. A freerider making the transition to B&J. The kombat is a good choice. The difference I felt was that it is much alike a freeride board, with much easier - and higher - jumping abilities.

The only weakness of this board is the fin box. The US base was a bad choice from the designers, because you just can´t find suitable fin sizes for sails up to 6.5.

Bons Ventos
José

dominic72 · 26th July 2008, 04:29 PM

hi José

I bought the combat eventually, sailed it a lot over the past month and I can suscribe to your view it's a great board. I love its early planing, manoeurvability and ease at jumping, if feels great in choppy seas but if the wind drops I can even uphaul if ever needed despite my 85 kilos.

Re fin, how about those true ames fins? I read a posting where you were sugested such a fin for larger freeride sails. So far the biggest sail I have rigged on a kombat was a 6.3 North DUke, how about larger sails?

for those light wind days I am thinking about buying a 7-square meter Severne or an Ezzy, are you managing to rig an 8-meter on your Kombat?

cheers
dominic

Jose Lucas · 30th July 2008, 12:10 AM

Hi Dominic

The 8 meter severne ncx on the kombat wasn´t a good match. I tried the combination using the original 30 Drake fin (I could not find any bigger US box fin here in Brazil). Maybe, just maybe, if a used a bigger one, it could have worked. The sail felt very unconfortable and unbalanced.

I´m still trying to get one of those True Ames (34).

The 7.5 and the 7.2 sails have worked better, indeed.

Bons Ventos
José

1st July 2008, 09:37 PM	#1
dominic72 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 44	purchase tip - Flare vs Kombat hi guys I am making the transition to B&J after a few years of freeriding. Given I am planning to keep my 2003-old Fanatic 135L board, my aim is to buy a 100-110L board that allows me some funny B&L and lets me try some wave riding, with medium winds (mainly in Italy where I live), especially inshore. And, of course, keeping freeriding with stronger winds. I am not into freestyle tricks. I am about to buy a 105L Kombat, looks great and I was told it's a very good board. The only think is, I read some reports claiming the Flare would give me more instant power and early planing capabilities, especially in lulls and lighter wind conditions. Should I go for a Flare even though I am not into freestyle? Wouldn't it be too bumpy on chop and waves and unfit for freeriding with just one back strap?? thanks a lot for your help, guess this might interest many like me who are scaling down in size from a big board and geting into B&J from some freeride experience. could find much on this in previous threads cheers domenico

1st July 2008, 10:18 PM	#2
Taty Frans Dream Team NB-9 Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 111	Hi, The kombat would be a very good choice for you as it also have two footstraps in the back. I believe that you are pretty much looking for more a freeride board rather then a freestyle board. The kombat is for sure a great board and you will enjoy it. I would choose the Kombat. Taty frans NB-9 __________________ Taty frans NB-9 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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1st July 2008, 10:30 PM	#3
dominic72 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 44	thanks somuch for your ultra-quick reply,Taty -- will follow your tip bests domenico

26th July 2008, 02:57 AM	#4
Jose Lucas New Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Brazil Posts: 6	Hi dominic I have a Kombat 105 and it feels great. My case was exactly the same as yours. A freerider making the transition to B&J. The kombat is a good choice. The difference I felt was that it is much alike a freeride board, with much easier - and higher - jumping abilities. The only weakness of this board is the fin box. The US base was a bad choice from the designers, because you just can´t find suitable fin sizes for sails up to 6.5. Bons Ventos José

26th July 2008, 04:29 PM	#5
dominic72 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 44	hi José I bought the combat eventually, sailed it a lot over the past month and I can suscribe to your view it's a great board. I love its early planing, manoeurvability and ease at jumping, if feels great in choppy seas but if the wind drops I can even uphaul if ever needed despite my 85 kilos. Re fin, how about those true ames fins? I read a posting where you were sugested such a fin for larger freeride sails. So far the biggest sail I have rigged on a kombat was a 6.3 North DUke, how about larger sails? for those light wind days I am thinking about buying a 7-square meter Severne or an Ezzy, are you managing to rig an 8-meter on your Kombat? cheers dominic

30th July 2008, 12:10 AM	#6
Jose Lucas New Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Brazil Posts: 6	Hi Dominic The 8 meter severne ncx on the kombat wasn´t a good match. I tried the combination using the original 30 Drake fin (I could not find any bigger US box fin here in Brazil). Maybe, just maybe, if a used a bigger one, it could have worked. The sail felt very unconfortable and unbalanced. I´m still trying to get one of those True Ames (34). The 7.5 and the 7.2 sails have worked better, indeed. Bons Ventos José