Three of the best kiteboards currently on the market

The Carved Imperator Pro, the Lieuwe Falcon and the Woodboard CRBN Litoral are three of the best big air kiteboards currently on the market. All three are made in the EU, combine carbon with a wood core and ride on a double concave hull. The main difference lies in the side channels: Carved and Lieuwe use a straight channel along the board's axis, Woodboard a channel that follows the curved outline.

In this comparison we look at the three concepts in detail, show what they have in common and explain what the differences mean for you on the water.

Transparency note: this comparison comes from the Woodboard team, and the CRBN Litoral is our own board. We chose the other two because we rate their engineering highly. All facts about them are taken from the manufacturers' own specifications.

The three kiteboards at a glance

The boards are listed in alphabetical order. Prices are the manufacturers' recommended retail prices for the board with fins, without bindings, as of October 2026.

Carved Imperator Pro

The Carved Imperator Pro is a masterpiece of board engineering. It is handmade, with a Paulownia wood core wrapped in Carved’s thin Cartan 2 carbon weave and vacuum-infused. Carved develops the board on Fehmarn in Germany and has it manufactured at the Elan ski plant in Slovenia, with the rails of every board finished by hand. The hull features a pronounced keel that curves into a double concave towards the rails. Combined with the overall shape, this gives the board a very smooth ride, even in choppy conditions. At the tips, the double concave transitions into a slight mono concave, which provides optimal tracking at the moment of take-off.

Compared to its sister model, the Imperator 7, Carved has tuned the Pro slightly stiffer for more rebound and launch energy. The board comes in four sizes from 134 to 140 cm.

Lieuwe Falcon

The Lieuwe Falcon is the lightest big air board from the Dutch manufacturer, built in Lieuwe’s own workshop in the Netherlands. Years of research and development have gone into making it a comfortable big air booster. It delivers impressive speed, pop and energy return without the usual drawbacks of a stiff carbon board.

On the bottom, rail channels and a double concave work together with a straight outline for grip at high speed. Relatively thin tips give the board some flex in chop. With seven sizes from 130 to 144 cm, the Falcon offers the widest size range of the three.

Woodboard CRBN Litoral

The CRBN Litoral shares almost the same shape as our classic Woodboard CRBN, but we replaced the single concave with a double concave on the hull. This ensures soft and stable landings, a key advantage in airstyle and big air. The loose feel underfoot, the strong upwind and low-end performance and the highly communicative edge have all been retained.

The construction is a full 3D carbon layup over a wood core of Paulownia and beech, with a curved channel on both sides. Because big air is often ridden on smaller boards, we also redesigned the tips so they throw less spray. The CRBN Litoral comes in four sizes from 133 to 141 cm and, at 749 euros, is the most affordable of the three boards.

What the three boards have in common

1. Made in the EU

It is no coincidence that all three boards are made in the European Union rather than somewhere in the Far East. Carved develops the Imperator Pro on Fehmarn in Germany and has it manufactured at the Elan ski plant in Slovenia, while Lieuwe builds the Falcon in its own workshop in the Netherlands. Woodboard follows a strict rule: the components of our boards are produced within 150 km of our home spot at Lake Neusiedl. The wood cores come from FSC-certified forestry in Slovenia, pads, straps and fins from Slovakia, and the boards are handcrafted in the Czech Republic, close to the Austrian border: every layer is coated with resin by hand and pressed in a hand-cranked press. You can read more about this in Kiteboards and sustainability.

Beyond the high manufacturing quality, this is also a statement: a commitment to fair working conditions, high environmental and safety standards, short transport routes and a responsible use of resources. All three brands have built a lasting reputation far beyond their home regions.

2. Carbon fiber and wood core

All three manufacturers rely on carbon fibers or woven carbon fabrics in combination with a 3D-milled wood core. The wood brings natural damping and a lively flex, the carbon adds stiffness at a low weight. This combination clearly sets the three models apart from mass-produced kiteboards. Working with carbon fiber is demanding, but the results are impressive in all three cases.

How to judge the build quality of a board from the outside is explained in Quality criteria of a kiteboard. How a board goes from the first sketch to the mould is shown in Development and construction of kiteboards.

3. Double concave

All three boards feature a double concave on the hull, and that is no coincidence either. It offers several major advantages: soft landings, because the keel breaks the surface tension of the water; directional stability during landings and in chop; and a defined pre-tension that you feel as pop when you load the board.

In addition, every concave hull creates a Bernoulli effect that generates extra lift. Under your feet you feel this as a loose ride, better upwind performance, earlier planing and more control at the high end. The physics behind it is explained in Twintip with foil characteristics.

4. A long grab channel on the deck

All three designs have a grab channel that runs along almost the entire length of the board. Anyone who has tried big air maneuvers knows how hard it is to catch a short grab channel that is only hinted at between the bindings.

5. Carbon as part of the design

All three models show their carbon weave or fibers as part of the design, so you can tell which materials were used just by looking at the board. This creates an extraordinary look in which colors and graphics take a back seat.

The key difference: straight or curved side channels

What sets the three boards apart? Carved uses a straight outer channel along the board's axis on the Imperator Pro, and Lieuwe does the same on the Falcon. Woodboard runs a channel that curves along the outline of the CRBN Litoral.

The differences are marginal. What is certain is that the Bernoulli effect is slightly more pronounced in the narrowing channel of the CRBN Litoral than in the straight channels. You feel this as a little more lift, earlier planing and more low end. Conversely, the straight axial channels of the Imperator Pro and the Falcon may provide marginally more control at the high end. For an overview of all common channel types and how they behave in the water, read The world of kiteboard channels.

Which board suits which rider?

• Mostly strong wind, maximum control at the high end: the straight side channels of the Carved Imperator Pro and the Lieuwe Falcon have a slight edge here.
• Early planing, upwind performance and low end: the curved channel of the Woodboard CRBN Litoral gives you the most lift of the three.
• Very light or very heavy riders: the Lieuwe Falcon covers the widest size range, from 130 to 144 cm.
• Budget: at 749 euros, the CRBN Litoral costs considerably less than the other two boards.

Not sure yet which concept fits your riding? Our guide Which kiteboard is the best for me? walks you through the criteria, and the Board Finder narrows it down in a few questions.

Test the CRBN Litoral before you buy

The best way to feel the difference is on the water. You can test the CRBN Litoral and every other Woodboard at our home spot on Lake Neusiedl, at our partner Kitesurfing.at in Podersdorf, as well as in Sicily and on Rhodes. All locations are listed on our testcenter page, and the contact page shows further shops near you.

Frequently asked questions

Last updated on October 20, 2026