Price: USD $0.00
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Airush Wakestyle boards were the first to be made in a specific technology dedicated to kiteboarding. Extensive development has been made on strength, stiffness and weight parameters, but also on dynamic flex characteristics with respect to the thickness of the board and tail. Heavyweight testing has proven Airush boards to be the strongest, with the construction now widely renowned for its bombproof durability.
Wake Construction
Heavy duty Unidirectional glass wraps a Coremat reinforced PU core, followed by a second layer of 160g glass and carbon weave. Sandwiched between the two is a broad carbon/ wood reinforcement, and rails protected in Kevlar. A fine top-sheet wraps the entire board, protecting the laminate from dings and scratches, and giving a smooth, tactile finish.
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because: The Airush 137cm wakestyle kiteboard is the ultimate kiteboard. My 2001 Airush 151cm Slayer has held up incredibly well, even a year and a half later! The 2002 Airush 137 Vulcan is built just as tough, but much lighter weight (I think this is the lightest production board available) and the board is based on Jimmy Lewis' latest Vulcan design. The board is narrow and very thin. It's thickness is tapered towards the tips and this allows the board to flex.
The flex does several things. First, it makes for a more comfortable ride, acting like a shock absorber. Second, it gives the rider more control because as the kite develops more power such as during a big gust, the rocker of the board increases causing it to slow down and carve up wind better. When the gust drops off the board flattens out and becomes more efficient. Third, the flex gives the board a lot of "pop" - by olleying the board it springs up very high allowing for killer no whip tricks. Last, the flex allows the board to absorb big landings better providing for more comfortable jumps.
Like all Airush products, the quality and finish of the board is impecable. From the perfectly trimmed rails to the high grade topsheet which protects the graphics from being sanded off when going up onto the beach, every little detail of the board screams quality and craftsmanship. I especially like the brass screw inserts that don't rust like the ones used on most wakeboards.
Probably the best feature of the board is one you don't get to see until you ram your rail into a rock while powered up. On a typical wakeboard the rail would become crushed and the top and bottom skins would separate resulting in a big "smiley", as well as a ruined session and a costly trip to the repair shop. On the Airush wakeboard, nothing happens. If you hit really hard you may scrape off a fraction of an inch off the rail exposing the Kevlar fibers that hold the rails together - it looks cool and does not need to be repaired! Steve and I constantly admire the minimal damage our boards have taken and silently chuckle everytime we see someone with a busted rail or a snapped board from a different brand.
As far as riding the Airush 137 wakestyle is concerned, all I can say is that the design is brilliant. Thank you Jimmy Lewis! This board tracks up wind like a board two sizes bigger yet turns tighter than a unicycle. I was worried that I would be too heavy to be able to ride the board in less than 20knots (I weigh 190lbs) but I found out that I can use the board in as little as 11knots with the 16m Lift. This board cruises quite a bit faster than any other board I have used and my Lift kites love it - the faster the better. Spinning type tricks are quick and easy thanks to the light weight of the board. I was also concerned about wave riding because of the small fins that come with the board, but I found out that the board tracks and carves super well in the waves. I have been using the Airush 151 slayer as my everyday board but I will be puting it away and will be using the new 137 Vulcan instead.
The Airush 137cm Wakestyle is undoubtedly the best board on the market for high performance kiteboarding. While it is probably too short for a person new to riding a wakeboard, any experienced rider wishing to go to the next level should get this board. These boards are ridiculously strong and durable and are priced competively. You could buy a different brand of board and spend a little less money, but the savings would be offset by the short life expectancy and frequent repairs and time lost on the water. Plus, only Jimmy and Airush have the incredible Vulcan design.
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