Dane’s Comparison: Naish Sol vs. North Jaime Pro
Kiteboards Compared: 2008 Naish Sol 128, 2007 North Jaime Pro 128
Kites Used: 2008 Cabrinha Switchblade 3 6m, 8m and 10m, 2007 Cabrinha Omega 7m and 9m
Dates: Spring 2008, Summer 2007
Location: Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: Everything from flatwater to swell-riding, underpowered to insanely overpowered
Rider: Dane
Gender: Male
Height: 5’5″
Weight: 135 lbs
Skill Level: Advanced Kiteboarder
Howdy! My name is Dane, and I’m riding the 2008 Naish Sol 128 this season. Having spent all of last season on the 2007 North Jaime Pro I feel I am fairly qualified to compare these two boards side-by-side, as they ride very different differently. The Sol is designed more for freeride cruising and carving, while the Jaime Pro is built for freestyle moves and jumping.
The Jaime Pro rides incredibly smoothly in chop, while the Naish Sol transfers more of the texture of the water to you, delivering what feels like a rougher ride. The Jaime Pro is a slightly stiffer board, so it offers more pop for jumping than the Sol. That said, the Jaime is a far “stickier” ride than the Sol and does not easily roll from edge to edge, so it lacks that “slashy” feel.
Again, the Jaime Pro is a freestyle board, and it’s not supposed to be slashy like the freeriding Sol. A better comparison would be to setup the Jaime Pro with the Naish Thorn, or the North X-Ride with the Sol. However, I haven’t had a chance to test all these boards side-by-side, so that’s an analysis that will have to wait until a later date. Also, I haven’t been able to demo the 2008 Jaime Pro yet, but I’m hoping to hop on that board soon so I can reflect on the changes made to it since last year.
Hope this helps!
Related Posts:
Dane’s Review of the 2008 Naish Sol 128
