Need a new wetsuit
Try something NEW ‘Ion wetsuits’ are awesome
I have a Strike overknee at the moment and my other instructors are wearing various other models from ION
I throughly reccomend you check them out
http://gowerkiteriders.com/Blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ion-strike-wetsuits.jpg
Super glassy day fun on swansea bay.
With the high pressure set to stay with us the GKR zapcat has seen alot of use recently.
We had all the school boards mored out off a buoy the other day and had an awesome glassy day of shredding the glassy conditions.
Zap boarding is a great way to improve your overall kiteboarding and edging skills on a kiteboard.
The zap cat creates zero wake so that its all about edging against a 40 hp engine.
Loads of fun and perfect for those glassy summer days !
On a windless day the Gower can throw some awesome stand up paddlesurf conditions - There is so much choice from points to reefs, sandbars and wedges, the coastline is so beautiful to paddle around - Come on one of our flat water stand up paddlesurf sessions and learn the basics before signing up for a wave riding session.
Imagine a sport that can be a relaxing cruise along the coastline taking in the wild-life, a thorough cardiovascular work-out or a heart
pounding adrenaline ride in equal measure - and you’ll know what’s -SUP
Stand up paddleboarding, or paddlesurfing, is the latest adrenaline water sport to hit the U.K shores and there is no better place to try it out than at Stand up paddleboard Gower (SUP Gower) on the stunning Gower peninsula in South Wales.
The revived sport, was started by the ancient Hawaiians where it gained some attention in the 1960’s when the Hawaiian Beachboys used to paddle out into the surf to
take pictures of the tourists when they were surfing.Its emergence into the mainstream however did not surface until recently, when surfers like Laird Hamilton increased its visibility.
The board the paddlers use is usually made of a epoxy sandwich construction similar to that of surfboards , but it is about 3 feet
longer than a longboard and on average 11ft in length and twice as wide and thick. It can have a rubber pad on the surface to decrease slipping
and the paddler uses a tall carbon fiber oar to paddle with and steer the board.
SUP Gower was launched this year by Matt Barker Smith as part of Gower Kite Riders, a water sports school specializing in kite surfing
“Because of the size, you can stand on it and it is very stable, unlike a surfboard,” Matt a kitesurf instructor and keen surfer is bored of
sitting around waiting for good wind or waves and decided to bring the sport to the beautiful coastline of the Gower peninsula. A popular surf destination in Wales
You can go out at any time of day or night no matter what the conditions are, light wind, heavy wind, big waves or no waves, so it is a perfect cross
training /wave riding activity. Rather than laying down on the board and paddling with your arms to catch a wave, The SUP rider uses the paddle to gain the same momentum
as the wave and is already in position for the ride thus no need to pop up on the board.
Most of the time, however, people are content to just paddle around the coastline, where the appeal is for most people.
The other benefit to the sport is that it is a very good core,cardiovascular and whole body workout
You don’t realize you are getting a workout on it, but the next day you can tell the difference and any weaknesses - whether it is your
abs, legs, shoulders, back, arms or even your wrists - will be targeted and made stronger.
“A lot of people give up on learning to surf, but this is a happy medium. They can do this very easily. The people I have shown how to do
it picked it up the first time they tried it and were even catching waves,” Even Hollywood A-listers such as Cindy Crawford, Jennifer
Aniston and Kate Hudson have been spotted with a paddle.
Stand up paddleboarding or paddlesurfing really has universal appeal among watersports enthusiasts
Windsurfers, surfers, sailors, kayakers and even skiers and snowboarders could all find something they like about it. And, unlike
those things, paddleboarding can be done with a minimum amount of preparation and in any conditions-’Stand up and Just add water ‘
The Gower peninsula with its array of surfing beaches has all a stand up paddleboarder could want - flat water, small waves, big waves , beautiful coastline and friendly people.
SUP Gower…stand up, paddle, catch loads of waves or fall in !
SUP Gower can arrange private coaching for groups of up to (6). Prices
start at £45 for 2 hours including tuition and hire.
121 coaching is £35 per hour
SUP Gower and Gower Kite Riders are recognized members/registered with
the British Kite Surfing Association and the British Stand Up Paddle
Association
SUP Gower uses Jimmy Lewis amd Galaxy of New Generations Paddleboards
Stand up paddleboarding is a awesome form of cross training for those flat water days or when the surf is just too blown out to have any fun!
Yesterday with the whole country being battered by Gales we decided to explore Swansea’s ‘Tawe river’ and give ourselves a core, cardiovascular and whole body workout paddling up towards the new ‘Liberty stadium’
This stretch of river is actually really nice with gorse and conifer trees lining the banks up to the old Tin and metal works.
With the wind with us on the way up it was easy, the return journey however was an intense workout for our legs and Core as well as upper body, paddling against the strong Wind. You don’t realize you are getting a workout on it, but the next day you can really tell the difference and any weaknesses - whether it is your abs, legs, shoulders, back, arms or even your wrists - will be targeted and made stronger
“A lot of people give up on learning to surf, but this is a happy
medium. They can do this very easily. The people I have shown how to do
it picked it up the first time they tried it and were even catching
waves,”
Even Hollywood A-listers such as Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson have been spotted with a paddle because of its Core workout benefits
This trip Jason was stand up paddling the ‘Jimmy lewis 11ft‘ allround and I was on the Gongsup 12ft No Friend Attitude (highteck model) a awesome looking board!
Both boards perform equally well in flat water conditions, The gongsup being a slightly better board in waves of any consequence.
Stand up paddle surfing is here ! Stand Up Paddlesurfing is a sport which we can be learnt in 10 minutes and is a great Cross training watersport. On these monstrous boards you can : - pick up swell far outside breaking waves in the open sea. - ride every day of the year in all conditions. - Learn to surf with your Dog! - Catch and Share waves with the misses! - Strengthen your core surfing muscles leading to improved surfing performance - explore your local coastline - From a stand-up position, a surfer can see deeper into the water,discovering a whole new underwater world SUP is also getting a lot of praise as a great form of cardiovascular crossover training and considered a great way to exercise and keep in shape even without riding in waves, even cindy crawford’s doing it! The views you’ll get when standing up are quite something! S.U.P surfing offers all the sensations of normal surfing but has the advantages of catching waves you thought were ripples! once riding on the wave the basics are the same apart from the paddle in your hands which helps you to balance and also carve the wave. Anyone can do this …..Most people will figure out the balance point on the board within 10 minutes and be cruising around or starting to catch waves. If you are considering buying a kayak!… Don’t !! -(this is far more entertaining for you and for spectators watching)
Jimmy Lewis is proud to announce the release of 7 new Standup Paddleboard shapes for 2008, this brings the range up to 10 boards now. This new category of board design is exploding with popularity, as it can be practiced in any and all conditions, from flat water bays and lakes, to travelling up/down river, to windswell beach break, to perfectly groomed reefs and points. Whether it be looking for the ultimate cross training exercise, downwind coast runs, maxing the fun meter on small days, or pinning the adrenaline when the waves get big, your Jimmy Lewis Standup board will most likely be your most used surfboard in 2008.
The new boardrange consists of :
The JL Allrounder
Whether it’s flatwater cruising, your first rides in the surf, or attacking beach or pointbreaks, the JL Allrounder will satisfy the widest range of conditions of any board available. This board is very easy to balance, paddle and catch waves on, whilst still forgiving to ride and manoeuvrable & fast when the waves pick up. The JL Allrounder is the staple board in the standup industry, a true classic board by which all other boards are measured.
Jimmy Says – “This board features a flat bottom and down turned rail shape to increase stability in choppy conditions. The reduced length and increased width provide manoeuvrability and stability in both in flat water and waves. The JL Allrounder also features a reduced thickness, which makes it easier to set the rail in turns.”Now comes with factory fitted XL traction pad.
Sizes available
9′10″ x 27 ” x 4”
10′6″ x 29 ” x 4 3/8 ”
11′0″ x 30” x 4 2/5 ”
The JL Waverider
The JL Waverider is Jimmy’s high performance, surf specific standup model. It’s a super maneuverable board, allowing for snap turns and lightning quick rail to rail response. This board surfs better that most longboard surfboards on the water today; so you will feel zero compromise as a waveriding surfboard in it’s Standup design. It has serious down the line speed and has enough grip from the tri fin set up to lay down some nice lines in any size waves. Designed to ride waves of any size, this will also handle bigger waves with ease.
Jimmy Says – “Featuring a very similar flat bottom and turned down rails to the JL Allrounder, but with a more curved template with narrower tail and nose & harder rails in the tail section. This board is extremely manoeuvrable, surfing waves more like a shortboard than the longboard styled standup boards. It features a 2+1 tri fin set up to produce a board with a very drivey feel and performance down the line”
Sizes available
9′10″ x 27″ x 4 “
10′0″ x 28″ x 4 “
10′4″ x 28 3/4 ” x 4 1/4 “
10′8″ x 29 1/4 ” x 4 1/4 ”
The JL Distance 12′6” x 29” x 5”
Got some place to get to in a hurry or just looking for a vehicle to go exploring with, the JL Distance board gets you where you want to go quickly & smoothly. This board is not designed to ride waves, but will catch and flow along open ocean swells.
Jimmy Says – “It is wide enough so it will be very stable and thick enough so it can float big paddlers. It’s long enough to maintain glide and has a straighter tail rocker to maintain the glide on swells. Plenty of nose kick to keep the nose from catching on down wind runs.”
Now comes with factory fitted XL traction pad.
Jimmy has also included a Gun 12′0” x 27.5” x 4.5”standup model for bigger days and people who want to push the boundries of this revolution and a Crossover model 11′7” x 26.5” x 4.75”for those who do not want to commit to one type of board and can use for ordinary and standup style.
We are now a fully approved stockist of Gongsup paddlesurf boards, We will soon have a 10′8 Everywhere and a 12′ No friend attitude on Demo aswell as our 10′2 greedy quad.
Gongsup (Galaxy of new generations ) is a french company who manufacture surfboards and Stand up paddleboards, new models can be developed and delivered quickly to react to customer demand and new trends.
Their ever expanding range is being tested all the time and in constant R&D by SUP team riders in European and Hawaiian conditions.
The owners of gong are all SUP riders and they ride most days which enables them to let you know their thoughts and ideas on their website which also has a forum, daily updates, pics, stories and a technique product page.
Board construction is the best in the industry with 3 principle constructions priced for entry, mid level and high tech prices.GONG have the least and the most expensive stand up paddleboards in the industry (Boards are precision manufactured to 1 mm tolerance)
All boards have reinforced rails to prevent paddle damage ,air vents ,US single fin boxes,mini super strong side thruster and quad fins,extra reinforced leash plugs.orwarn knee leash insert on big boards, Resin deck pads instead of rubber glue.
The boards are all named individually and are designed in family groups,there are models for heavy riders, light weights and different styles of riding. GONG passionately believe all there SUP’s should be ridden using the paddle to improve the turning arc of the board for radical turns and moves.
I have been into this addictive sport now for around 9 months and already there are a huge amount of retailers and board shapers all adding sup’s to their ranges.There are lots of SUP boards out there and if you havent got a clue you could very well make the wrong decision and buy a Duff board.
Firstly you need to decide what you want to do on your paddleboard - Ride waves, flat water paddle or both ? This decision will massively narrow down the range of boards available to your chosen water activity.I first started after borrowing a friends ‘Circle one’ 12ft board in attempt to learn the ropes fast and yes it was a great paddler but not very good in the waves at all.
I have put together a brief Review of the boards I have owned or tried out to make things easier for you when you decide to buy one
First up is the Naish 11′6 SUP
This board is great if you’re first getting to grips with your balance and paddling at the same time. The board is wide at 29 3/4 and very thick so great for the larger 15 stone plus guys and equally good for the smaller learner.As the rails of the board are so thick it is very stable and if you start to lose your balance by rocking, a thick rail is harder to sink into the water than a thin one therfore you can recover from the wobbles quite easily I found !
In the Waves
The board has a lot of volume at over 200 litres so paddling for small waves is very easy. Once riding its all about throwing your weight around to shift the course of this 11′6 beast, Stamp on the tail and the board responds very well - But it does not feel very lively underfoot - Its like point and ride, this is due to the board thickness.
In bigger waves However things start changing and the board seems to inherit a penchant for steep drops and walls.This is due to the boards Rocker line and template which for riding bigger waves has to be one of the best points about this board.Catching bigger stuff still remains easy infact you’ll find yourself looking over the waves in the set for the biggest as this board seems to crave them once riding.
Speed is not a problem -The bottom shape is flat and with the 10.5″ single fin it glides over rough sections and turns on a dime.The down side of the board- Because of the Rocker line it not that great at flat water paddling.
The only real problems with this board is: getting stuck inside when a set comes or having to re- wax it, although there is a EVA deckpad model which I would highly reccomend!
Next up is the Jimmy lewis 11ft SUB
Another board ideal for the first time buyer- this board has a good deal of volume and a great template suited to flat water paddling.The board is stable and great at catching small surf but with a squarish tail is a little harder to turn so better suited to riders who have a longboarding background.
The rocker line of the Jimmy lewis 11ft is flatter than most and at 30″ wide its a great flat water paddler but once in waves of any size tends to get a little swamped unless you’re used to drop knee turns.
However it feels alot more lively and feels like a Hotdogger if you can call SUP boards that ! The standard fin is huge and square at 11″
Optional deckpads are great ! avoiding wax is a good thing for any board of this length. One bonus of the Jimmy lewis deckpads are the raised rail sections meaning more grip when the waves get a little more juicey or more grip for your dog!!
The Gong sup (Galaxy of new Generations )
The guys at Gongsup certainly know that this sport is going places as they have a huge range maybe even the largest range from one supplier.They also have 3 different construction methods for each of their board lines meaning there is even more choice.
Their boards range from the 7′7 Nanogene strapped paddle surf board to the huge 12ft No friend attitude.
The board on test is the Gongsup 10′ 2 Greedy Quad SUP
This board is made for waves no question about it , its not a great paddler and would not suit a beginner learning the balancing techniques, although a lighter person may get along a bit better.I weigh 87 kg and its just on the limit for me when paddling in any chop or wind, as water cascades over the tail making it hard to get any planning speed up in flat water.
The deck pad on the board is great and very comfortable underfoot and the sugaring on the nose avoids any wax being placed anywhere near the board which is a good thing believe me! The board comes with two small side fins and a rear 8 ” back fin however there are slots for a quad fin setup - which although does not allow much flat water stability totally transforms the board in waves.
The board is slightly heavier than the others on test suprisingly but this factor helps the board track better in waves .The rocker and template allow waves to be caught quite late and the pulled in tail allows for quick re- entries and fast bottom turns.In comparison to the Naish sup the rocker line is not as prominent on the Gongsup but it still seems to hold itself very well in larger waves and feels more capable of Aggresively Slashing waves if thats what you like to do, at 29 4/9 wide it responds very well !
Stability **
Paddling ***
Waves ****
The 10′4 Jimmy Lewis Waverider
Jimmy Says – “Featuring a very similar flat bottom and turned down rails to the JL Allrounder, but with a more curved template with narrower tail and nose & harder rails in the tail section. This board is extremely manoeuvrable, surfing waves more like a shortboard than the longboard styled standup boards. It features a 2+1 tri fin set up to produce a board with a very drivey feel and performance down the line”
The JL 10′4 in my opinion is very fast turning board once on the wave, its drive and acceleration for a board of this size is amazing, but for its volume is not a great flat water paddler. It would seem relatively unstable especailly for a first time paddler around 80 kilos, but what board does’nt feel unstable on your first SUP session.
JL has produced the chart below to help people of different weights to decide there ideal wave rider model.
Stability ***
Paddling ***
Waves ****
Naish 10′6 SUP Review
Oli from Bigbluekitesurfing was kind enough to write the followiong review on the 10′ 6 Naish SUP
The 10ft 6 x 28 Naish SUP board looks the dogs with its wood finish and grey camoflage pad. It tends to struggle to generate much speed on smaller waves but in the big stuff it is pretty fast. With a thruster set up (FCS) with a bigger adjustable centre fin the 10 ‘6 naish feels loose and is very quick to turn if using a solid rudder stroke or carving a tight turn without the paddle.
The board is suprisingly light weight for its size almost feeling like a normal longboard .Its weight also makes paddling over big white water easier due to its direct response to the paddle.
Although much less stable than the 11′6 the 10′6 board is still a joy for exploring rivers and estuaries -it may however take you a bit longer to master if it is your first SUP board.
Call oli on 07816169359 or contact at big blue kitesurfing
On test soon Jimmy lewis 10 ft and the New Mistral wave paddleboard which I have tried and is a really really nice board I cant wait to try it in some winter swells !!- Any questions please e mail Mail@gowerkiteriders.com or look online at the boards available at www.gowerkiteriders.com/KiteStore
Rip Curl’s H-Bomb is the world’s first power heated wetsuit. It’s a wetsuit designed to keep you super-warm by positioning a source of heat on your upper back. This heats your core and allows your body to experience warm blood to your extremities.
The heat is generated by two coated fibre elements positioned on your upper back. The elements conduct electricity that generate the heat which warms the blood. Simple.
The elements are made of fibre – there’s no metal here – so there’s no electromagnetic field generated by any metal component and there’s no metal to corrode when it’s in salt water and you’re in the barrel.
Imagine adding the warmth of the H-Bomb to your current suit type say, a 4/3mm or a 3/2mm to let you surf longer and get more waves, or bend your mind a little further and imagine dropping back to a 2mm E2 for more flexibility without sacrificing warmth.
How hot does it get?
The H-Bomb has two temperature settings…
Low: 50 – 55C (120 – 130F)
High: 60 – 65C (140 – 150F)
A thin layer of neoprene lies between the elements and your back to spread the heat evenly and protect your skin.
It’s an infra red heat with a therapeutic quality usually used to relieve muscle soreness and tension. The first test pilot was 2005 World Championship Tour number 7 Nathan Hedge, who commented “It’s one out of the box, it feels sooo good! You keep really warm, even on the low setting and it just keeps you feeling warm all over throughout. I didn’t want to give it back after the R&D session”.
This may sound like your ideal winter wetsuit but its gonna cost you £600 at least !!
To check out more from Ripcurl’s heated wetsuit go to ripcurl
A much cheaper option is brought to you by HOTSUITS A rechargable heated kidney belt to keep your core warm during Surf or Kitesurfing sessions read on-
Hotsuits Neoprene Belt
The Hotsuits® Heated Kidney Belt in Use
The heat pack is stored in liquid form in a pouch in the neoprene waist belt beneath a standard wetsuit where, due to its small form factor and low weight, it sits virtually unnoticed. When additional heat is required, the user simply pushes the easy-to-find activator through the material of their wetsuit. The process of crystallization begins immediately, which results in a pleasant warming sensation through the lower back and kidneys which gently intensifies over the first few minutes of activation. To maximize comfort and even distribution of the solution as it solidifies, it can be beneficial to massage the heat pack through the wetsuit during the first minute or so.
Recharging the Heat Pack
After use, the solid state sodium acetate in the heat pack can simply be returned to liquid form by placing the heat pack in the reactivation bag supplied, and immersing in a pan of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow the pack to cool before re-use.
Here @ Gower kite Riders we think this product rocks so stay tuned and let us know if your interested.
