Wainman Boss (2010)

AT A GLANCE

For 2010 the Wainman range hasn’t undergone any radical changes. The Boss is now available in white or black with a gold print that is very striking. The main difference on the Boss this year will be the new bridle that has been tweaked to create a lower bar pressure and give the kite less tendency to want to tip forwards and fall in lighter winds. The leading edge on this kite is nearly twice as wide as some kites that are produced today. With such a thick leading edge the whole frame of the kite is super solid and rigid. The kite stilt features a 3-strut design, which have to be pumped up individually, however, although the Boss has a minimal strut design it does not affect the kites rigidity in the air. The whole feel of the kite is very heavy duty and the kite feels tough. The dacron material on the leading edge and struts is very thick and for added strength the trailing edge has been given a single layer of the same dacron material that runs from tip to tip. Every bridal attachment point as well as the tips and other areas, has had a large area of heavy duty, scuff proof material sewn on top to prevent the raised connection points wearing through. To finish the kite off, there are bumper pads all around and 6cm of Dacron between the leading edge and canopy. The Boss has been built to last, and to take a serious beating, if any kite can take being dropped into a big size wave and have any chance of surviving, this is the kite.

THE BAR

The Wainman bar, just like the kite, shows little change, but still compliments the kite with its well-built construction. By keeping it simple it limits the chances of something going wrong to a minimum. The chicken loop has a clean, simple push away quick release system, whilst the centre line has a rubber tube around it to ensure it never wears out. The bar has a very effortless, easy to replace cleat and rope system to adjust the power of the kite on the go. Above this there is a centre line swivel to remove any twists in the centre lines that are caused by spinning the bar after rotations or kiteloops. The bar does however lack a sensible place to attach a kite leash, the chicken loop has a small ring on the webbing to attach a suicide leash, but to ride on a re-ride set up you need to attach your leash on top of the depower system, which then means you do not have the ability to spin the bar after kiteloops or rotations. The bar comes with a set of 17m lines for some serious kiteloops and wave riding and for the rest of us mere mortals there are 7m extensions to give a total of 24m’s.

IN THE AIR

In the sky the Boss has a very fat, dumpy design. With 3 struts and a leading edge of this diameter, you may have yourself fooled that you are using a big slow beginner kite that you might have learnt on 8 years ago. Nevertheless, despite its appearance the kite moves and responds like you have no lines between it and yourself. With this much response and light bar pressure you can throw the kite around as if it’s a couple of metres smatter than the size printed on the side. With a big deep canopy like this one, it leaves no material wasted on big long wing tips, so most of the kites surface area is exposed to the wind. Keeping some tension on the rear lines has the kite collecting plenty of power. Using the kites pure truck-like power you will find yourself locking the rail of your kiteboard to force the kite forwards in the window to really screw yourself up wind. Unlike many lower aspect kites of this design, the Boss has a good depower range, so with all the balls the kite carries you can ride out in some strong gusty conditions with a mixture of pushing the bar away and locking a good rail in the water. Chucking the Boss around and forcing it around the wind window is where this kite excels for a large 12m. It moves very well during kiteloops and downloops making for a reliable power surge that smoothly pulls and goes where you want it. Boosting sky high is not the kites massive strong point, but it has plenty of lift on the 24m lines that will have most riders grinning and exited. However, boosting is not what this kite is about, it is a reliable stable power source to create board pop with the ability for twisting and turning on its axis when riding waves which is what the Wainman range is made to do. Water relaunch is automatic, it’s hard not to relaunch the Boss, as the large, round like kite just simply rolls over and takes off.

FOR
Early light wind grunt and power for wake style riders to use as a cable and wave riders will appreciate its turning ability to get out and ride waves when most kites do not have the power and turning speed to keep up with large surf and tight winds.

AGAINST
The bar would be complete with a 5th line system or something similar that worked on a 360 spinning system. The kite could have been finished off nicely with a one-pump system as is standard on other kites in its price range.

OVERALL
Not much has changed for 2010; if it isn’t broken don’t fix it. The Boss is still a strong, well-built reliable kite that offers plenty of light wind power that will keep wake style riders going in the lightest of winds. For wave riders it offers a powerful agile kite they can throw around chasing down and out large surf. Design features kept to a minimum, but every stitch, patch and canopy remains well thought out and built to last.