NAISH Hover 97
Sizes Available: 97cm x 40.6cm x 9.5L, 112cm x 43.2cm x 11.9L, 127cm x 44.5cm x 13.9L, 130cm x 42cm x 5L, 143cm x 45.7cm x 16.2L, 160cm x 48cm x 25L
Sizes Tested: 97cm x 40.6cm x 9.5L
Naish Says:
“The smaller the better”””This is what all freeride kite foilers are preaching right now, and this pocket rocket is exactly what the crew wants. Coming in at under a meter, the new Hover 97 provides the most direct connection to your foil possible, making riders feel at one with their wings. The smaller board provides superior control while pumping, ripping turns and learning new maneuvers, minimizing swing weight of the board which allows the rider to keep the foil in check.
Visit for more info: www.naishfoils.com/product/hover-97/
Tkb Says:
The Naish Hover 97 is the smallest kite foilboard in the Naish line with the shortest deck, thin rails and a subtle bevel for high-performance riding. The Hover features four forward/aft insert options down the center for your back foot straps, with four forward/aft insert options for your front foot in both center and duck stance. The board is built with EPS foam and high tensile fiberglass that melds super crisp deck rigidity for the ultimate feel and response along with an overall light weight. The bottom features tracks for dialing in the perfect mast placement on the board with a visual marker for making sure you get your mast mounted in the same setting each time. The deck of the board gets a double density diamond grip EVA deck pad that ends with a nice kick at the tail to keep your feet in place. The double density deck pad offers a softer feel with just a little bit more cushion than some of the corduroy pads used on other brands yet you still get a crisp solid input into the board for both the maximum in comfort and control.
One of the most apparent features about riding a board this small is how close your front foot is to its nose. It feels like hanging ten on a longboard and adds to the Hover 97’s exhilarating high-performance feel. The Hover’s deck is fairly flat with just a little bit of lift in the nose, but that flatness is standard for the high-performance category. We noticed the minimal nose rocker does help with take-offs and low angle touchdowns, but if you’re not confident with your height control, you’ll get no help in recovering from a porpoise nose dive from the Hover. For advanced riders with excellent foil skills, touchdowns aren’t much of a concern and the upside of the minimal flat deck is that every bit of the board’s surface is dedicated to amplifying the board’s performance. The rails are thin with a little bit of bevel but handled accidental touchdowns while going upwind without sticking to the water or causing unanticipated reactions from the board and foil. The Hover mashes together a super small template but you get the wide nose and tail to help with waterstarts. Because of its low volume (9.5L), the board sinks quite easily on waterstarts and requires good board balance and kite control to get the board up on the water and into the air. Intermediate plus and advance riders will have no issue with the Hover and once you launch it’s a fun, super lightweight board that’s great for high-performance fast riding or freeriding. The extra small footprint makes the board super nimble and responsive for advanced/confident riders.
