Big Air Kite Board Review - Part 2 : Carved Imperator 7 / Lieuwe Falcon / Duotone Jaime SLS

[@koekert112]

I switched from the Jaime SLS 136 to the Falcon. I’m 75kg and 181cm, and the 135 Falcon seems to fit me perfectly. The Jaime gave me more stability on landings, but I feel I can hold the Falcon down much longer. I broke my old record in the first storm session and managed to hit 25m on it. I'm a bit scared of going 100% because I feel I could go even faster and keep the edge longer if I wasn't afraid of the height and messing up the heli loops. I never had that feeling on the Jaimem, it just seemed to want to go downwind if I was overpowered. Bindings for me are as important as the board, the duotone bindings are the best I have tried yet and fit the faclon perfect. I broke the Jaime after 12 months of use, with the top deck under the binding giving out. I didn’t get a new one. I broke the Falcon tip after it flew away in the parking lot (which also broke my heart). Lieuwe fixed it for me within a week. The customer experience is next level, you can really feel that they care.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@koekert112 always great to hear about good customer service!

[@irokez85]

I have also tested a lot of boards and for me the best is 137 Lieuwe Falcon (my weight between 85-90kg). This is the first 137 board that my knees are not hurting. Smooth, eat chop and pop is very nice.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@irokez85 yeah it was a goody

[@jeffrey8859]

I am also looking at the Falcon, I weigh around 90/92 KG's and was looking athe the 141 (depending on the size chart on Leuwe website). Depending on your input the 139 would also be a option? Can you comment or do you also use the Falcon in light wind conditions? If so, does it go upwind easy?

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@jeffrey8859 I didn’t sorry

[@irokez85]

@@jeffrey8859 It all depends on Your skill. I have no problem on 10m evo dlab and 137cm with 90kg in 13-14kts winds on waves. My friend who is 95kg sold 139 falcon and pick up 137. Best option for You is test it.

[@aniellobruno4527]

Hi Jason. Thank you for this great products video. As always, very interesting and onformative when you do something. I myself ride the Nobile NHP carbon in 142x43. I'm 100 kg myself. It is very high quality and very forgiving in case of heavy landings. I love the strong rocker and ride it in all conditions.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@aniellobruno4527 good to know. A few ppl have now suggested nobile

[@artyfly100]

I have the split version of the NHP and love it, would also be curious about the non split carbon version

[@JanMaciejowski-jf5np]

I am a 50 kg rider, and for the past two months I have been riding the 2024 Atmos hybrid; I absolutely loved it. It has been great for big air, and for those soft landings, I have not experienced any knee problems whatsoever [probably because I am young:)]. By the way, I absolutely love your videos. I live in Warsaw, Poland, so it is hard for me to kitesurf regularly. However, I try each time there is wind (which happens MAYBE once a month) on the lake near by, I grab my gear and get right in to it, or I can make a 400 km commute to the sea where there is a much better spot.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@JanMaciejowski-jf5np that’s a level of froth I love to hear 🤘

[@bedfordembrey2619]

Great job and keep the good reviews coming! As for the rankings, I would swap your North Atmos and Core Fusion 5 results. I’ve owned both and the Fusion 5 is a much better ride for me. Foot straps are definitely more comfortable also. This could all be due to different local riding conditions and different feet size/shape. From discussing this with all my friends, their favorite board is always the one they are currently riding, no matter the brand.

[@bobcattmatt]

great to hear! what do you like most about it? i was between the 2 but went with the fusion bc someone was selling used locally. its been fun so far but I haven't had the chance to test the atmos yet.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@bedfordembrey2619 agreed

[@bedfordembrey2619]

@@bobcattmattMy local conditions tend to be a bit choppy and I found the stiffness of the atmos to be a teeth jarring ride. The fusion tends to handle the chop slightly better. They’re both great boards and it just comes down to your own comfort and riding style.

[@stefandosen2700]

Thanks for the video. I have a North Atmos Hybrid 2022 in size 136, and I like it. However, after trying the Atmos Pro 2024 in size 138, it felt smaller and more agile than my 136 Hybrid, so I ordered the Atmos Pro 2025 in size 136. Also the new bindings/straps are big upgrade. I'm waiting for it to arrive and hope it will be perfect.

[@jasonofmontreal]

I cover the atmos pro in my upcoming orbit ultra review... its an awesome board!

[@stefandosen2700]

@@jasonofmontreal Update... the new Atmos Pro 2025 is brutal! I rode it once, and it's a 10/10!!! Definitely an upgrade from my old board.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@stefandosen2700 yeah it’s so good, i mentioned my love for it in the ultra review

[@oscaroscar6525]

Good point made about the wide stance of the Lieuwe. Bought without testing first my Shotgun 136 based on my weight just to find out that even the narrower setup is too wide for me. Dutch board designed for Dutch people. For the 136 you have to be at least 1.80m, maybe 1.85m.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@oscaroscar6525 ahh interesting

[@janvanbunningen6468]

Strange.. I’m 1.75 and the narrow stance is absolutely fine for me. Love the Shotgun!

[@FinnLiii]

I’m really in love with the imperator. It’s just the perfect board, very good light wind performance and nice boosting capabilities. I’m riding a 139, if I had the money I’d properly go for a 135, a 141 and a 152. For the perfect range of boards 🤡😂 boards can make a massive difference. I’m hoping to be able to test the new choice 6 in the next weeks, from what the core riders say it’s even better for big air. And don’t forget about the core service, had a lil dent in one of my tips, hit a rock or so and they repaired it for 30€ within a week.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@FinnLiii good to hear, I’m guessing you’re based in Europe for that service though

[@FinnLiii]

@@jasonofmontreal yeah, I take a 45 min drive to core hq

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@FinnLiii do they pay for the gas ;)

[@superstas27]

Yet another sick video, sticking with Jaime SLS for now.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@superstas27 you are a duotone homer, but that’s ok too 😉

[@sergbayraktar3353]

Thank you for the great review. For the next time Slingshot Formula v3 will be interested :))

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@sergbayraktar3353 will Keep That in mind

[@benjamindidier9105]

As said in your previous video thank you for your work, it is not an easy thing to test boards. I totally agree with you, I also felt immediately comfortable and confident with the Falcon, compared to the board I used to have and appart from the lightness, is the fact that edging and loading before jumping is very easy even in chops. The good thing about the Lieuwe is that you can have your own design on it which I have…and that is a super cool thing! Otherwise it is very playful and surprisingly good to go upwind in light wind.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@benjamindidier9105 I didn’t actually know about the custom design, that’s amazing!

[@benjamindidier9105]

@@jasonofmontreal Actually this the reason why I came to Lieuwe, the lightness of the board was the reason I choose the Falcon, I did not expect I would be such a major upgrade compared to my previous boards. Anyway you can make your own design or ask the team to make you a custom design depending on your brief, of course it cost extra money but this an opportunity to have one of kind board.

[@rubensbrazilianbrothers]

Great video as always Jason! Could you explore further the stiffness of the boards you tried? How would you rank them from stiffest to softest? Thank you so much in advance!

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@rubensbrazilianbrothers with different sizes and riding some on different days it was pretty hard to rank them, atmos carbon probably the stiffest, but hard to say

[@dan_abramov]

Great review! I’ve been riding the Carved Imperator for a few years and bought the Jaime SLS recently, hoping that the angled fins and additional channels would increase the grip. It does help but not much compared to the Imperator in my opinion. Riding the Jaime SLS, I feel that I’m locked in, almost like on rails. I can almost forget about the board and focus more on kite steering, whereas the Imperator is more playful but also requires more control. I prefer the Jaime in chop and the Imperator everywhere else. I like both boards but I think I have more fun with imperator due to its speed and playfulness

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@dan_abramov great assessment!

[@Ysbeer11]

Great video Jason! Going to get the Jaime

[@jasonofmontreal]

Nice, it’s a beast

[@GoProActions]

Great Review as always! I had the chance to test a lot of high end bigair boards at test event a few weeks ago. The board that stood out the most for me was the eleveight Stellar. Just the perfect balance between beeing stiff but still comfortable with a lot of pop and really easy landings. Compared it directly to Atmos Pro, Jaime SLS, Naish Monarch, Reeding Space Agency. Maybe a contender for future board reviews!

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@GoProActions thanks for the suggestion, I’ll keep it in mind for sure if I can do a second edition

[@siddallj]

Good board reviews, ive got the Jamie SLS 136 2024, absolutely love it, rapid acceleration, high top speed, tons of grip, massive pop, smooth landings, footstraps are the comfiest I've ever used. Im 82KG and it doesn't really catch on the chop, where we ride it can get pretty choppy and find it can go super fast on chop without catching. Build quality is rock solid, its not the lightest board but for sure its not gonna break when you land a big air. Definitly easy to see when you lose it in the waves, yellow stands out in the water. Done the biggest jumps of my life on this board. Highly recommended

[@jasonofmontreal]

it's certainly one of the most popular, hoping to try a smaller size in really stong wind at some point.

[@przemysawmarciniec5180]

But there is no such size as 134 🤔

[@siddallj]

@@przemysawmarciniec5180 typo, fixed now

[@noahwilliams6826]

What other boards have you tried? @siddallj

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@noahwilliams6826 just these in the last 4 years

[@michaelman21]

Very informative vid, I do rather care about the Ozone Code than the Torque and I'd love to See a Review about it. Keep up the great work

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@michaelman21 it seems to work for Jamie 😂. Will keep it in mind for the next time

[@michaelman21]

But not without the Wipika sticker ​@@jasonofmontreal

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@michaelman21 adds technicality

[@MrLeoGrand]

Hey Jason, awesome reviews like all your videos. Keep on. Unless mistaken, you did not mention the size of Imperator. I personally have a Jaime SLS 136 and love it. However my friends have Imperator 137 & 139 and I notice the difference (seems better a bit). Cheers

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@MrLeoGrand imp was 137, felt perfect

[@VK-pl1nd]

the previous jamie sls was perfect, the current shape i don't like at all! and you need to choose 2 cm smaller than you usually ride. 139 feels big for me (185/83kg) and nobody told about this!!! and it is visually bigger than previous jamie of a "same" size. but the duotone straps are just the best, so comfy and hold good even in boardoff mode :) I like the atmos carbon (pro didn't try), snappy, holds the chop very good, lands good, but it is soooo fkng heavy! 2022 north straps are quite slippery. carve board feels too light and too slippery, the straps are slippery too, didn't like it. Looking forward trying falcon, maybe, with duotone straps, or atmos pro with new north straps.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@VK-pl1nd thats interesting to hear the new jaime rides larger, how odd!

[@collegepros]

Hey Jason! Just noticed on the North website that they are using Aluula in the Orbit Ultra! When is that review coming out?! Can’t wait!

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@collegepros very soon

[@Cadburydrams]

Nice review on Part 2 - part 1 was a bit long winded. With board tests Its the width that is most important for your height & weight - and can 'make or break' the user experience, this is what you described with the Jaime being better in the lighter wind range. I spent a few years figuring out that 40cm wide was best for me in the higher wind range, 41 & 42 lower range. The shapes are pretty good these days but width decides if you can hold it down - more or less foot pressure. Try holding down a 45 width in strong winds and you instantly know its not about length... so can be unfair in review like comparing an 8m kite to a 9m.. Cheers :)

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@Cadburydrams sometimes I do waffle on a bit long with the intro for sure 🤦🏽😬

[@giorgio4660]

How much do you weight mate

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@giorgio4660 100-105kg

[@giorgio4660]

@@jasonofmontreal yeah I know i was asking to the author of the comment 😂👍

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@giorgio4660 gotcha 😂

[@spaikospaiko9830]

Great content as always, what about the Naish Monarch?

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@spaikospaiko9830 didn’t have one to test this time, perhaps in future

[@janvanbunningen6468]

I think the Drive is their main board now.

[@mateusniedziejko3028]

Nice video can you help me choose my next board?,since in my city is very hard to find boards to test !! I'm using the Atomos 136, I like it, but if you compare it with the Jaime, in terms of control at speeds above 45km/h, do you think the Jaime would be easier to maintain control and stability at higher speeds compared to to atoms?

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@mateusniedziejko3028 as I mentioned in the review, I personally struggle with the Jaime… but my friends like it… I seem to have much better overall control on an atmos…

[@JelleV-b3t]

Can u also try the Lieuwe Oceana? Very curious how you like that one because alot of my friend ride that board and prefer it over the Flacon.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@JelleV-b3t I’m afraid the falcon I tested was the only lieuwe board in the country so I’ll probably not be able to sorry

[@hanno729]

Do you think you’ll be able to get your hands on the new “comp” kites like the thrive, new north orbit or pace pro for a review?

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@hanno729 orbit ultra I’m currently testing, the core highly unlikely (I’ve been trying), the thrive possibly (also chatting to Harlem). In brand’s defence, I’m quite far away in NZ so it’s a challenge

[@jacobdrechsel3849]

sick video! i'm looking to buy either a 2025 atmos hybrid and have been looking at the 136x40 size. I'm 189cm tall and like 74kg do u think it will work?

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@jacobdrechsel3849 it will work for big air, and for your weight, but height wise you might prefer a longer board… I’m 183 and like the 138 myself, and in nuclear winds… but I’m 105

[@jeffrey8859]

Thanks for this review, currently I'am looking at the Lieuwe Falcon / Naish Motion nVision or the Naish Drive. Can you comment on the low-wind aspects of the Falcon? Does it go easy upwind in light conditions? And why are there no Naish boards in your comparison? Keep up the good work 👍🏻👍🏻

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@jeffrey8859 we don’t have naish in New Zealand. I didn’t get to ride the lieuwe much in lighter winds unfortunately.

[@windfactory9949]

Try Eleveight Stellar, it has top edging and pop/release ability in pumping conditions.

[@jasonofmontreal]

Will Keep that in mind for next time

[@giorgio4660]

How is it compared to the master c+? That’s a great board

[@riccardofreda612]

hi jason, I'm 185cm tall and weigh 80/82kg, up until now I've sailed with jaime 2022, now I would like to take the new one, but I have some doubts about the size to take, 139 or 136? I go out with winds from 18 knt to 25/30

[@jasonofmontreal]

What are you used to, that will have the most affect on what you prefer. I'd go 139 in those winds... the 136 will be nicer in over 25-30 knots, but I doubt that happens as much as the medium winds.

[@christopherr_1688]

I really like the Jaime SLS, but the quality is Duotone standard😅 in 2 years I got the 3 new one on warranty

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@christopherr_1688 ouch, or you’re just quite agressive with you landings 😂

[@christopherr_1688]

@@jasonofmontreal or too fat🤷🏼‍♂️😂

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@christopherr_1688 I know that burden

[@tomgsand172]

Wish you were able to try one if the Cabrinha boards

[@tomgsand172]

Cabrinha just put out their new high performance board, the Vapor, but Stino just got third in GKA using the XCAL carbon

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@tomgsand172 I actually used to ride cabrinha xcals (with boots) until 2020, amazing boards… alas we no longer have cabrinha in New Zealand

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@tomgsand172 my contact details should be on my profile

[@tomgsand172]

@@jasonofmontreal I had to look for it on my phone, found it now, I heard Lucas takes care of that stuff though, he can definitely help better than I would

[@Philip-xb7ko]

Jason, what is your length and weight? If I'm not mistaken, it was not mentioned. Could be good to know as a reference. Cheers

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@Philip-xb7ko I’m sorry about that, these are part of a long series of reviews so I assume most ppl know by now, but I should have mentioned it. I’m 183, and 105kg

[@Makuba1992]

Sick reviews dude! And both parts out within one day, expected to wait couple of days or week for part 2! Got myself a north atmos pro 136 at 82kg. Would you go 138 or stick with the 136? Im coming of a normal jaime 136, loved the board as it was my first. Read reviews of the new shape and skipped it as people say you catch a lot of edges and you need to land your jumps perfectly. Probably because of the angle of the edge. Keep up the reviews 🤙

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@Makuba1992 I thnk 136 is good for big air at your size

[@yessicavidal7315]

Duotone rebel sls 2024 o core xr8? in 12m for high jump please

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@yessicavidal7315 I’ve never flown either of those kites in 12m, but generally speaking, Xr higher potential, but rebel easier to jump higher for most riders imo

[@angusgrizzly1730]

Hey Jason, great work on these two videos, really enjoyed the way you did them. Forgive me if this info is somewhere but I can't see it - what is your weight & height?

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@angusgrizzly1730 183 & 105kg

[@angusgrizzly1730]

@@jasonofmontreal 👍🤙

[@giorgio4660]

BTW could it be that you are comparing the jaime 136 to the atmos 136 and therefore you say it feels like a size bigger? You should mainly consider the width, the jaime should be compared to the 138 north, they have the same width , as far as I know length is secondary to width today.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@giorgio4660 I was riding a Jaime 139, but it rides a lot bigger too (wider etc)

[@olegta4581]

Great review!

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@olegta4581 thanks

[@laplayascie]

imperator is also too expensive for me, but core advertises fusion 6 as a copy of imperator.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@laplayascie Ive not gotten that impression from core, and did not find they rode very similarly, as I said, I’ve got friends who love their fusion.

[@laplayascie]

@@jasonofmontreal I haven't had a chance to test the Imperator, so I trust your judgment. All i said is that Core company advertises the F6 as similar to the Imperator.

[@jasonofmontreal]

@@laplayascie how interesting, I don’t find them very similar

[@laplayascie]

@@jasonofmontreal Good to know. Greetings from Poland.

[@noahwilliams6826]

There are other high performance carbon twin tips that are less than the carved: boardschmiede, C6, reedin space something

[@DeanMeshko]

First time ever I feel like it was waste of the review episode. Getting wrong sized equipment and trying to make up your mind about it just for the sake of the review itself is not working out. Would love to see another one with proper sizes to open up their full potential. Still giving thumbs up for this video.

[@jasonofmontreal]

I can only test what I can get my hands on I’m afraid, not a lot of options down in New Zealand

[@JelleV-b3t]

Can u also try the Lieuwe Oceana? Very curious how you like that one because alot of my friend ride that board and prefer it over the Flacon.