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This year Mitu’s signature board is available in three constructions: Pro Carbon, ESL and the one we had on test, the Pro Flex. The board is shaped from a HD foam core and finished with epoxy resin in a brushed radiant yellow. This also makes it easy to pick out in the surf if it goes for an unscheduled wander. It’s a classic thruster fin set up with some stiff high end fins as standard on a rock solid futures box. We would class the board as mid weight, I’m guessing the carbon version would shed a little puppy fat but lose some of the flex…
Jumping on and heading out into some decent autumnal UK sideshore conditions, the initial thoughts were how silky everything feels underfoot. This year the signature channel in the front of the board has been sculpted into a subtler double concave, smoothing out chop and landings even more effectively than before. Couple this with the high flex HD foam core and it makes for a luxurious feeling ride. Everything feels locked in and controlled, from a drawn out carve to a snappier top turn. Straight line speed is quick and the board can handle a large range of kite power. The tight fish tail with sharp rails at the rear provide considerable grip and control, even when overpowered. This tail design is popular as a kite shape now, and we’ve seen many boards based on this from custom manufacturers. Whilst quite a short board, the Mitu at no point felt too small for me. There’s a lot of width and volume hidden in there and, from an upwind angle perspective, it performs like a far larger board. The deck pad setup is also worth a mention. First of all it has a finer, less aggressive EVA grip than most, which gives you a more positive feel on the board and no crampy feet after long usage. Then under that EVA pad there’s also a recessed deck with 5mm of extra shock absorbing foam. This will prevent heel denting from big landings and gives the knees a break when it’s choppy. There’s also a little hump at the front to help you place your front foot quickly for aerials, and feel where your stance should be which is a really great touch. The riding speed you can generate naturally translates well into some big strapless airs from small kickers. Then the pronounced width in the middle of the board helps it grip to your feet in the wind, and all that extra foam recessed in the deck makes for a pleasant landing. Top marks for big punting.
The great thing about the Mitu is that it is an unashamedly ‘kite specific’ design, and not trying to ape surfing in any way shape or form. It builds itself around the mechanical differences between the sports and comes out shining. Like most products F-ONE produce it has a personality of its own, and this one is distinctly Cape Verdean…
In a sentence: The Mitu continues to impress as a versatile, comfortable and insanely fun board to ride.
