AXIS Vanguard
Sizes Available: 129, 132, 135, 137, 139, 143, 148cm
Sizes Tested: 135 x 41.5cm
Axis Says:
The speed of this year’s board comes from its newly designed rocker line. The rocker is more curved through the center and straighter towards the tips. This allows the board to glide over the water with more speed without pushing through it and also offers a more forgiving landing. The new Vanguards are also much lighter in weight and more flexible resonating comfort throughout the ride. In addition to speed and comfort, the Vanguard is a freestyle machine. This board wants to be pushed to the absolute limits. With its explosive pop, smooth landings, and incredible tracking due to the quad concave, the Vanguard will deliver the utmost performance in all conditions and excels as you do. Allow yourself to be a Vanguard on this kiteboard.
Visit for more info: https://axiskiteboarding.com/
Our Testers Say:
“Good all around board, tracked nicely, felt a bit long and narrow under foot but went upwind well,” Davey Beard.
“Very good freeride board, turns nicely, very playful and upwinds very well for its size,” Jeff Senne.
“Feels fast and turns like a sports car, but I pearled and face planted on my first couple of sharp carving turns,” Jonathan Dixon.
TKB Says:
The 2014 Axis Vanguard features a pronounced full length 4 channel bottom, a Paulownia wood core with top and bottom layers of Uni Carbon and 3 holes for adjusting stance width and 5 options for adjusting duck. With medium overall weight, testers felt this board goes upwind with ease, handles chop extremely well and is fun and easy to ride. Compared to the NuSkool, the Vanguard is a little more forgiving with slight more flex and testers recommended this as a great freeride board.
The 2014 Vanguard is sold board only and can be mated with either the STD Straps (pictured above) or the Pro Straps (pictured below). These are a simple innovative pad and strap combos that slips together and bolts to the board for an overall easy install with diverse stance options. The STD strap uses a single velcro sizing adjustment while the Pro Straps offers a more locked in feel with four velcro adjustments for front and back strap tension with greater contact on the foot and good side support. The pad density is plush with good honeycomb grip and a pronounced ridge for toe grip. In addition to dual density EVA foam, Axis integrated a unique 4mm thick Poron XRD insert under the heel to help absorb impact loads.
