Smoothy by name – smooth by nature
THIS TEST FIRST APPEARED IN ISSUE #98 IN MARCH 2019
Kiteworld chief tester, Chris Bull, outlines the test findings in this video. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more.
TEST TEAM NOTES:
Imagine for a moment that you’re snowboarding and you’ve just broken off-piste and hit powder; the noise quietens and everything feels smooth and less aggressive. Welcome to the world of the Smoothy.
An exaggerated rocker in the tips means that you can ride nice and easily with weight on both feet. You don’t need to load your back foot much more than your front and you actually feel quite well perched and stable above the water. Very soft underfoot, it really is like you’re riding in powder all the time.
The outstanding design feature of the Smoothy is the huge double concave in the base. We’ve seen double concaves come and go for the last 20 years and they have always been synonymous with providing a super soft ride, like air suspension. (Aaron Hadlow may have won World Championships on a double concave, but his board was much shorter and stiffer). The level of feel differs according to the size and design of the double concave, but every double concave feels like a double concave. The Smoothy really is smooth and comfortable, so much so that you feel like you’re riding a few centimetres off the water.
You ride the Smoothy with a super comfortable and balanced stance, benefitting from air suspension and also lots of grip without having to work overly hard for it.
For the amount of grip there is, the ride is soft and yet Ocean Rodeo have managed to not make the board feel slow, helped by the channels between the tips. However, what the Smoothy doesn’t offer is a lot of natural pop. For kiting, most boards now feature stiffer central sections for speed, and then softer tips depending on how much comfort a designer wants. The Smoothy has a more even flex through the middle and will really suit beginners or improvers looking for a comfortable and highly capable carving experience. It’s a carving machine and a lot of fun for being able to complete a bottom turn more completely than most twin-tips and then gouge a deep hack on a wave face. For mastering the basics of toeside carving there are few better boards. The grip is very assured and never slips. Not only does the Smoothy offer softness and comfort, but also grip and fluid drive.
It takes most new riders a while to develop a touch for edging and feathering a rail, the Smoothy does all that for you.
We tried two sizes. The 130 sounds like a tiny board in today’s market, but it was actually more lively and fast in strong winds because it’s stiffer, but it’s the bigger 139 platform that most averagely sized guys are going to be looking towards. Women and smaller riders can size down as the board does feel bigger than its size would suggest, but don’t worry, this isn’t like the Monarch also tested this issue, and you can hold the power down nice and easily.
SUMMARY:
Exactly as the name suggests, this is a board for all-day comfort, requiring very little technique to ride and have fun. Offering more than just the constant traction of a beginner board, any beginner and early intermediate could get on this and enjoy turning difficult conditions into power. It will also appeal to riders predominantly focused on comfort, carving and some sent jumps where you don’t need to rely heavily on the board’s own pop.
KW LIKED:
Epic powder carves, super easy ride position and comfort.
KW WOULD CHANGE:
More pop performance.
SMOOTHY BALANCE POINTS:
Build quality: 8.5
Fixtures and fittings: 8.5
Speed: 5
Pop: 3
Drive: 7
Flex: Flexible throughout. Progressive riders will want more central stiffness.
Comfort: 8
Looseness: 4
Grip: 8
Upwind: 8
Slider proof: N/A
Freeriding: Cruising and carving 9 / Throwing moves 5
Freestyle: 4
Ease-of-use: Cruising and carving 8 / Popping 6
SIZES: 145 x 45, 142 x 43, 139 x 42, 136 x 41, 133 x 40 and 130 x 39cm
