KITEWORLD SUMMARY
It’s hard to criticise this board. Perhaps not the quickest board to plane, but it’s certainly not sluggish. Everything else about it just works and all types of riders will enjoy it.
MANUFACTURER'S HYPE:
The 555 range of boards was designed and tested for riders of any ability level in all conditions and wind strengths. Unparalleled comfort and ease of use allow the rider to concentrate on their riding rather than keeping the board under control. Accurately controlled and well-designed flex determines the comfort of a board, and the incredible versatility this brings has set new standards for riders trying to maximise their time on the water.
TEST TEAM NOTES:
NEAL: I got on and thought, ‘Bloody hell, this is nice.’ Everyone came in and said they loved it. Even Rosie who’s just had a knee operation said it was the first time she’d ridden and not worried about her knee. Maybe that hexagonal core takes out all the bumps and chop.
WILL: It was such a comfortable ride. There’s a lot going on in the middle of that board isn’t there? I felt if you were leaning back it just did most of the work for you. On a lot of boards you have to read the water a bit more and ride over it. This was automatic!
NEAL: That’s exactly what I thought.
GEORGE: You don’t know why or how this is so nice, it’s just the feeling.
WILL: Lovely pop, too.
NEAL: Any board that’s that comfortable you’ll get good pop, landing and carving. If it feels that good everything works. It even planed quickly.
WILL: I’d like to try it in really light wind, because otherwise there’s just nothing wrong with it.
NEAL: I think this has everything right. It might not be the best upwind, it might not be the best planer, the best pop board, the fastest, the quickest upwind or have the best straps, but if you scored it out of ten for everything, it would score better than anything anytime.
GEORGE: It thins out very early in the tips, so there’s flex at the ends, which could be where the comfort comes from and why it’s not skippy.
WILL: This board just makes it easier to do harder things.
SIZES:
115 x 34.5cm
122 x 36cm
124 x 38cm
128 x 39.5cm
135 x 40cm
143 x 40cm
153 x 41.5cm
Nobile 555 135 (Appeared in Kiteworld in Jun/July 2006: Issue#21 - lightwind board test)
www.nobilekiteboarding.com | 
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