hello,
i have a mako king. I love the board. I am using the board strapless until I find the sweet spot.My Style is surf . My background is surfing.
I weigh 90 Kg. I got it one month ago. The board is great for carving and easy on the knees on bumpy ocean. It goes upwind but it is not the best board to go upwind. I also have a North Freerace and a North Surf 11 whip surfboard. I don't like the north surf 11 because is to much work to go upwind but the North Freerace goes upwind and I can turn the board like a surfboard.

so what I know is the Freerace flots a lot more than mako I can let go the kite and ride the wave . On the mako you need to be pull all the time.

I always ride big boards so the 160 is perfect size for me the downsize is heavy. I can't answer you question about is 150 a good for you but I hope my comments will help with you search for the next board.

cheers

I weigh 75k and had the 140.... If you dont need it for lightwind get the 140... the 150 feels like a battleship on ur feet.....

150 bennie. I to have a light wind TT (cruiser pro) a more square tipped 132 laluz and the 150 mako for carving and waves.

Radman's description is spot on. Has its own feel. Thing is and one thing a lot of people fail to mention, this board rides flat really well. Much better than a TT that need a its rail engaged all the time (unless sliding out etc), but it will still stick. Great for shooting down the line in a tight spot. Also this means you can stand more upright in the waves. And yes when you want the rail will bite like a maniac.

Be aware though they can get squirrelly at high speeds when trying to load. More front foot pressure and also chucking in the mutant fins reduces this, but they are built to carve. Still can jump them though and all that hooked in jazz, fine. But a perfect board to compliment a quiver for sure.

150, its the smoothest out of the lot to for some weird reason, concave versus length or something...140 is more for higher wind having fun!

The king for surfing only. Don't get me wrong you can throw down stuff on the king at your stomach muscles peril!

Read my reviews, and other stuff I have observed...

There is also the Dundee if ya wanna go more traditional TT but its nice to have something real different in your board quiver I feel. Totally different board hey. Yes like radman I loved my CB wave...mako is better.

Try KSS scabs. Puppet.

Hey Bennie
Yep we do the Ocean Rodeo gear.
I tend to agree with comments on the 150 being the go to board of the range.
But saying that we have sold more Kings than 150's & 140's combined?
I have only had the chance to try the boards myself once. I definitely found the 150 more fun and would be plenty big enough to act as a lighter wind option.
I would chose the King for really long downwiders & agree with eppo that it would be more surfboard like ride on waves.
But for regular session riding the huge size (imo) would be cumbersome and not really offer too many advantages over the 150.
I have recently offered a customer - who cant demo here in Perth - the option of a 150 on sale or return if it doesnt fit the bill.
Ring me if you want details on this option.

As a general comment on the Mako I see it as niche market board. Its not a regular TT & its not a surfboard either.
A great option for wave riders not chasing that purist surfboard experience but wanting to make the most of what I describe as 'playing in the waves' & for that the 140 or 150. The King - for me - would only come out in big waves or really long downwinders.

Has anyone ridden an RRD Toxic Wave? Would be interested to here peoples views on them as you don't here much about them.

Yea that's what I would do bennie I would also setup as a Mutant just like my wave I don't see the point of setting up as a TT already having the Tt covered,might even keep my Wave and swap the fins over.

Yeh depends. In winter I just run some 50mm on the sides. In summer when there is f'all swell I just ride as a TT.

Also depends on swell. If it is big I fin up, if it is s all to medium riding as a straight TT gives you enough.

The CB wave probably feels more like a SB when actually on the wave...slightly more, but the mako beats it for everything else.

Radman might verify that though been a while since I have been on the wave.

I've been riding the Mako 150 for the last three years and would have to say its my all round board, it's the perfect board for just messing around in the chop waves whatever. Easy on the knees and in TT mode super slidey takes a bit of getting use to but so much fun.
Easy for upwind and toeside is simple.

I've been giving the surfboard a good crack but the Mako is still my preference so much fun and easy for he long sessions. I'd go the 150 as the 140 is somewhat TT in performance where I find the 150 is like no other board I have ever ridden.

See if you can borrow a 150 and give it a good test they're different so be patient, the Makos are well the effort.

your just at that in between weight at 80kegs ...

for us bigger guys at 85kgs+ then the Kings (165cm) are magic imo ... lighter guys at around 75kg's will prefer the 150's ... I like 'em all !
(I use the 140 as my higher wind TT and just set a smaller size kite than i would on a smaller TT - altho I've got a 135 mako as well, I hardly ever use it over here)

also, a lot depends if you have 'em set-up in TT or Mutant mode, as naturally it makes a big difference ... and the size of the side fins you wanna run with (in mutant mode) as Eppo mentioned

At 80kgs, and if you are only gunna have one Mako, then probably the 150 is the go... if you find yourself in waves more often, then you won't mind being on a King either, altho a 150 will still do it for ya in waves just as good at yr weight...

as a bigger guy, in our 'off' season when no waves, I can use my King in TT mode in super flat water sometimes (in lighter winds) and have a blast on it.... means i can set a smaller kite too ...

all the Mako's go well in chop, due to the huge 18mm concave (think of multi-hull boats in rough water)

(i think for larger guys in waves and flat, then the King & 140 combo is good ...)

* there are so many variables, it's pretty hard to nail what is best for you personally and the conditions your using 'em in, until probably you get the chance to try both the 150 & King in different conditions to say what is absolutely the best choice for you.

Eppo's had all 3 sizes, and at his weight, i agree, the 150 is the prob the all round best option (yr around 75-80kegs aren't u eppo?)



* couldn't get my hands on the first batch of 2013 models until very early feb this year (pretty sure that was the first production batch for sale), so don't expect the 2014 models to come out any earlier than early next year again (un-like most kite models which come out 6 months before the new year begins !) ... anyways, over the years the mako's haven't changed much at all - the 2013's came with new 'mini-tucked rails' - otherwise, the only usual difference from year to year is the colour-ways they come out in the different sizes...

I have heard good things about the 130, same ratio of length to concave as the 150... It seem to make a diff. Love to get on one!!

i agree with buzz and the 2 makos, (@ 70kgs ) i have had the king since 2011, about 70% of the time in mutant mode and change too twin setup in lighter conditions, last year i bought a 140 for when its nuking. i think they ride much smaller than there size, my 140 feels very similar in size to my old t555 134 x 42 just a different feel so smooth through the chop. ( and i find them brilliant upwind)

good post and good pictures. Nice to know about the history of the Mako