Duotone Select Textreme 2019 review

Duotone-Select-2019-Kiteworld-Review

We get to grips with Duotone’s top-end carbon freeride twintip

 

THIS TEST FIRST APPEARED IN ISSUE #95 IN SEPTEMBER, 2018

 

Before you read the review – watch our test video to find out what KW Head Tester Chris Bull had to say about the Select Extreme:

 

 

TEST TEAM NOTES: 

As with the kite range, what was the North twin-tip range is now the Duotone range. The Select Textreme is Duotone’s flagship carbon infused high-spec freeride design for riders looking for the ultimate session weapon, come what may. 

We have fallen deeply in love with the Jaime Textreme in recent seasons, which is the more highly geared, stiffer and generally faster and more involving ride than the Select, but once again the Select offers flexible accessibility and no time needed to adjust to riding it at all. This year Duotone have added what they’re calling Space Flex Technology which sees Textreme carbon mixed with Biax weaves for a light but responsive board. You barely have to concentrate on kitesurfing at all; you just get on it and go. That’s not to say it has no feeling; quite the opposite. The Select is a little more responsive now with good speed and nice amounts of grip, but mixes that with high levels of comfort to always give you an enjoyable session, whatever the conditions. 

 

Duotone-Select-Textreme-review

 

If you’re looking to push your riding hard then the Select is a bit too smooth for you. You need more spikes of power and response to be able to tune your performance around. The Select is a pure, light weight, freeride performance board and in that field won’t hold you back. There’s a world of different between a full freestyle board and this. If you’re coming off the Select you’re going to be used to chocolatey smoothness, so a sensible step up is where the Jaime Textreme comes in (or the Ozone Torque if you want a reference tested this issue, for a bit more of a highly revving engine).  

As ever, the Duotone NTT foot straps and pads are stand outs. Technically detailed to give comfortable support and are at the same time easy to adjust. The new studded fastener takes a second or two longer than Velcro to set up, but once fastened down stays exactly in that position for all your session. Once again, the pressure from the straps hugs your foot all the way around the top and sides for comfortable and sure support, meaning you have confident take-offs and landings. However, if you also want to do board-off tricks then you don’t need to loosen off the straps specifically for that. What we often find in the best designs are these subtleties that leave you feeling like you’re having the most care-free of sessions.

 

Duotone-Entity-footstrap-review

 

SUMMARY: 

The Select is an impressive freeride machine, built for comfort and ease but yet can drop a gear or two when you want to up your performance. Overall it’s just a very accessible product proving that easy doesn’t have to be just at the low end of the market. 

 

KW LIKED: 

A super comfortable and uncomplicated ride that offers high levels of comfort and, exactly because of that, lots of performance. 

 

KW WOULD CHANGE: 

The Select is a real do-it-all twin-tip, but once you start specialising in anyway, you’ll be better off looking for something more focused in that particular style. 

 

SELECT TXT BALANCE POINTS: 

Build quality: 8.5

Fixtures and fittings: 9

Speed: 7

Pop: 7 

Drive: 7.5 

Flex: 7 

Comfort: 8.5 

Looseness: 6 

Grip: 8

Upwind: 8

Slider proof: NA 

Boots applicable: No

Freeriding: 8.5

Freestyle: 6.5

Ease of use: 9    

 

SIZES: 141 x 42, 138 x 41, 135 x 40 and 132 x 39cm 

 

SELECT PRODUCT VIDEO

 

 

 

 

www.duotonesports.com

 

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