Great review of the Kona 9'5 by my buddy Ed in Boards Magazine

"Having sailed the Kona 9'5" five times in the last week at: Littlestone x 2, Westbrook Bay (Margate), Minster, and Pirate Springs, I thought I'd be well placed to do an initial impressions review,

Shape:
The planshape is quite a teardrop design with the width taken right the way forward and a narrow, drawn out tail that is similar to a waveboard in width. Step tail is found where you'd find the back of a conventional board and the rear srap is over the leading edge of the fin (long fin track). I've set the stance wide and the straps big as per a waveboard.
Comfy deck with spongy bits under heal and finished in attractive green and white colour scheme.

Carrying:
Carry just like a conventional board. It balances well on the front strap.

On the water:
Have used with 5.8, 5.2, 4.5 in waves from virtually flat on Wed to Monday which was chest high.

Coming in:
Catches EVERYTHING. If you are a surfer you will know what I mean. Even in very light winds say 5knots, any small lump of swell can be pumped onto and the board then accelerates quickly onto the plane enabling you to get in the straps, ride the wave and glide between sections to link up sandbanks all the way to the beach pretty well every time.
The bottom turn is phenomonally good. Lean forward and commit the rail and it goes round in a beautiful arc even when left late and on a steep face. It's the best bottom turn in the business I reckon because of the amount you can commit at slow speeds; feels really radical.
Top turn; 'roundhouse' turns in about a board length. It's not snappy, but it does not fight you and carves round well. If you misstime it then you can stay in the straps and the tail supports you even at very slow speeds.
Down the line. I went down the line purely using the wave in the lulls and basically surfed the board from the straps on glassy waves faces for quite some distance. Also laid it down into rail driven power turns during powered up moments.

Going out; Off the plane glide out with feet up by the track, punches through the waves with ease (one foible; get splashed in the face by the white water hitting the nose).
On the plane work out through the waves by storming off downwind to avoid sections or luffing to a virtuall standstil to get over the biggies without jumping. The float means you can stay in the straps at a standstill then pump it back onto the plane rapidly.

Freeride; Composed, pleasant ride, with the security of knowing you can sail back from miles out off the plane in comfort if need be. Gybes with the best of them, Chop hops well (oops!). The thin and wide nose rides low and looks beautiful as it skims along

Upwind; off the plane it pulls about 200yards on the shortboards in one standard tack, on the plane about the same as the shortboards when riden from the straps or much better if feet placed more forward.


FUN FACTOR; 10/10
Change your mindset when you ride this board, forget planing at all costs. You can plane at the same time as the freestyle boards but that would be missing on all the fun. 
If there's any kind of wave then think like a surfer and use the sail to 'paddle out' to the line up (where the waves first break). Tack, and hang about just edging along slowly and watching. Pick your wave and bear away to pick up speed then surf frontside and backside all the way to the beach. Rinse and repeat!

Overall:
It's the best board I've ever sailed by quite some margin. Each session the wind was gusty and many packed up in disgust. I had my most enjoyable waves sessions maybe ever.
It's all going to be about finding gusty cross/cross off venues from now (albiet with full on jumping sessions too from time to time on my small waveboard), searching for reefs and sandbars and riding waves regardless of the wind. I was suffering from a serious mojo crisis and am fairly bored with bashing along in onshore stuff. This board has thrilled me beyond expectation this past week and I can't wait to explore new spots in previously impossible conditions on it. I urge all of you to get a demo on one of these. The 9'5" is perfect for my 73kg and would prob still be ok for up to 85kg. After that the 10'5" may be a better choice.

I've named mine 'Konan'."


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