Read the Mark Shinn interview. Mark tells us the real facts about his new kites, the 555 and the NHP/666. Have you already flown a 555 or a 666? I know I would like to read your No Bullshit review in the comments!
thanks mark!
- how is your knee?
I have a long term knee issue so it is not going to improve unfortunately!. I have had a very long sports career though so I have no complaints. I can still ride as much as I want so it can’t be that bad!
- where are you at the moment and where you are currently based?
Right now I am in my office in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. This has been my home for 12 years now. I travel alot throughout the year however this is my home and I love to be here.
- You are originally English, can you tell us a bit about your homespot?
I am from Southampton on the Southcoast of the UK. The conditions there are fun and it is not too cold in winter. I started to kitesurf AFTER i moved to the Canary Islands though so I have never kited at the beaches I grew up windsurfing on!
- You’re kites are/ or will be in the shops worlwide. This must be a hectic period for you? (which places will you promotion stop at?)
I try to get to as many countries as I can. SO far this year I have been in POland, Belgium, UK, South Africa, Israel, Russia and have plans to visit the USA, Canada, Australia, Greece, Hollland, France, Germany and Spain.
- The new kites are called the 555 and the 666 (NHP). which kite do you ride and in what conditions?
I ride both kites depending on what I want to do. For freestyle the NHP is my kite of choice however for strapless riding and wave riding I prefer the 555 range for it’s easier handling and high de power level.
- Kiteproducers often say that certain kites are suitable for more than 90% of the kiters. What’s your take on that in relation to the Nobile Kites?
It’s hard to say as every kiter is different however I think that most kiters are looking for the same features in a kite; security, stability, ease of use, control etc. We looked very hard at the target customer for each Nobile kite range and tried to produce a kite as close to that profile as possible. As with all Nobile products the emphasis is on ease to use performance.
- Can you tell us a little bit about the R&D process, who did you work with and what was your role in the process?
Well as Brand Manager for Nobile I am responsible for all aspects of the R and D process. We have our kite designer and a Kite Product Manager however I test every prototype and every product that comes to production is first approved by me. We take the R and D process very seriously indeed and spend many many hours testing to try to ensure that every product is as near to perfect as we can achieve.
- Is the bar and safety system designed to your satisfaction (in terms of safety and durability)?
If it wasn’t we would not be selling it! Every piece and part of Nobile kiteboarding equipment is apprived by me so I have to be 100% satisfied before it goes on sale.
- When a kite gets caught in waves, do you immediately let go of the fifth line?
If you kite is caught in the waves and you have a 5th line then the best thing you can do is to hold onto the 5th line and let the bar go. This will give your kite the biggest chance of surviving in one piece.
- what line lenght comes with the standard setup?
All Nobile kites come with 20m lines and 5m extensions so the rider can choose which line length they prefer.
- The evo, bandit and helix are all ‘revolutional looking’ kites: is this marketing driven or technology driven? And in what way are the Nobile kites revolutional?
I wouldn’t want to comment on other brands designs. I prefer to think of our designs as highly evolved rather than revolutionary. It is naive to think that the kite can be re invented every year and revolutionized. There are certainly revolutionary features on our ranges (look at the FULCRUMM QR for a start) and the NHP is a completely new look at the way freestyle kites can handle gusts and depower.
- Who are or will be the Nobile Team Riders and will we see them in the PKRA?
Mike Blomvall will be riding on the PKRA tour with Nobile equipment this year. The rest of the team is made up of Remi Meum, Boris Judin, Sophie Mattews and Allessandro Lugaressi. There is alot more to kiteboarding than the PKRA so this is not the top focus of the team.
- I weigh 85 kilo’s and want to kite in the Dutch strong winds. Which (only) two kite-setup do you recommend?
It’s impossible to recommend a kite without knowing your style, riding conditions, boards etcetc
- Why is it that so many big kiteproducing companies have difficulty in making a durable bar system (also wear and tear on fifth-lines)? Do share this opinion and why. (although cabrinha is doing really ok at the moment)
I won’t comment on other brands issues or problems. The needs of kiting are unique though. The systems have to be safe, light, in expensive and work in very adverse conditions. Alot of very clever people are working to make it as good as possible.
- The Nobile boards are a great succes in Holland and throughout the world. Why do you think the kites will follow suit?
So far the feedback and response to the kites has been excellent so there is no reason to think anything else! I think that alot of people are looking for somehting different in the kite market and I hope we are able to provide it.
- We know you expressed high hopes in your KITEWORLD column and keep a close watch on the PKRA: did 2007 bring the expected kitestyle revolution(meaning huge airs)?
I think the PKRA has become more technical than ever. In strong winds some big air comes into play but in general I would say that it is not as spectacular as I would have hoped it might be.
- being a two time world champion: whats youre take on Ruben Lenten already missing out on a PKRA stop (mexico) and expressing his (onofficial) frustrations with the PKRA judges?
Ruben has a special unique style and it does not neccesarily fit into the PKRA tour mould. If he feels he is not being judged as he wants then he is doing the correct thing and staying away from the tour. The PKRA is not the only way to be a professional kiteboarder!
- Ive noticed that there’s no real surfboard in the Nobile’s quiver. Me and my friends saw the hype in full swing in Cape Town, Tarifa an Praia do Guincho: where does Nobile stand on the surfboard trend
I want to make surfboards but right now we didn’t find a technology that excites us. Most kite surfboards are being made with windsurf and surf technology and they do not perform well enough for me in the conditions we use them.
As soon as we have a way to make boards that performand more importantly will stand the strain and stress of kiteboarding we will present them to the market.
- What is your favourite setup: unhooked? On a surfboard. Strapless?
I prefer to ride an SLE 4 line kite and ride strapless either on a surfboard or the skimboard.
- I have worked on Gran Canaria for a year myself. Do you plan on staying on the Canaries forever?
I will stay in Tenerife until I find somewhere better to live! I have been traveling for 8 years though and I did not find anywhere yet so I suspect I willl be here for a long time yet!
- When will your promotional tour stop in Holland 
I’m not sure when we will be in Holland however you can be sure it will be soon and we will let you know when we are coming!
I have just come back from my 15th session with my new 555 12m. I also have a 14m 555 but only used that once. Getting to understand the kite well now.
Read the full post on the Nobile 555 here
CONCLUSIONS after flying the 555
The kite is certainly the finished article, but the bar isn’t. I shall be really peeved if a revised bar comes out now I have bought two of them. The kite qualities out shine the bar complaints. I share gear with my daughter, she wants a 10m so we will probably go for another 555.
thanks for that information, I interviewed Mark and specifically asked him about this. ;-(
Asked him about what exactly? The bar issues?
he clearly says so: “If it (th bar) wasn’t (any good) we would not be selling it!”