Lewis Crathern is a mega looping machine known for his no holds barred approach to the sport. From chasing storms, jumping piers and competing in the world’s most extreme kiteboarding event – Red Bull King of The Air, one would presume that he’s a die-hard boot rocking twin tip shredder. But recently, a fresh spark has been ignited between him and the North Kiteboarding Nugget. Yes, that’s North’s compact shape construction directional board.
The guys at North caught up with Lewis to find out what’s tickled his fancy about this style of riding and why the Nugget fits perfectly into his quiver.
“Had you told me 6 months ago I’d be well into a strapless directional board I would have thought you were crazy, but it happened! At a time where clearly foiling has taken the world by storm, riding the North Nugget became my favorite new thing to do. If, like me, you have only ridden a twin tip for 10 years or longer, the idea of giving the hot topic (foiling) a go might seem a little intimidating. The big fin combined with the worry of being a beginner again seemed like a good enough reason to put it off”¦ but meet the tool that makes the transition easy.
The North Nugget.
It has brought me outside of my comfort zone, and without it on recent trips, I would not have been kiting. I took it with me to Sardinia in the spring and was able to access some beautiful places even in 10 knots. I have learned how to turn the board around, tack upwind and gybe, which interestingly enough are all feelings that I’m able to compare to performing a serious mega loop.
It’s a new sensation and something I am enjoying learning. Now I definitely feel more open to trying a foil because I’ve had this positive transitional experience on the Nugget.
So what are the best things about the Nugget? Firstly it’s such a great lightwind board. There’ve been numerous occasions where I’ve been riding with friends who are pretty good on surfboards, but they’ve had better rides on my North Nugget. The low-end performance is superb and generally, these are the times where it’s easier to leave the twin tip on the beach.
I also love how robust it is! Twin tips are strong and in my experience, surfboards have always seemed so fragile to me. Whatever I try to do, I can’t change my ways to prevent the board from bashing into at least one thing before it goes into the van. It seems impossible! However, the Nugget and its TT (Tough Technology) construction stands up to it.”
So there you have it. In a nutshell the Nugget is durable, forgiving and easy to use. It’s fun and perfect for progressing your strapless riding skills before hitting the waves or cracking on with a foil. It excels in small to medium sizes waves, is quick to plane and has top upwind performance.
Learn more here: https://www.duotonesports.com/kiteboarding/boards/surfboards/nugget-csc/
This article was updated on July 16, 2019.