Nobile T5 2017

Nobile have given the T5 a serious rework for 2017. Kicking off with materials, and it has had the full ‘top end’ treatment, with the upgrade to Double Ripstop Teijin, a proven cloth with a great reputation. There are now plenty of other cloths with great credentials but Teijin has proven itself year after year and it’s great to see Nobile investing in this department. Other changes include a new center strut construction and some changes in the Dacron placement.

When we first tested the T5 a couple of years ago I have to be honest: we were really surprised by how well it flew. It was a real gem and became a favorite of the test team. It was in the range unchanged for a few years so we were intrigued when we saw that Nobile had decided to revisit it. Aside from the changes to construction, the T5 now also has some fresh new graphics and Nobile don’t faff around with colorway options, so you’d better like red and blue.

Getting going and the T5 has excellent low end – it really pulls nicely with the kite sitting relatively deep and giving you a nice steady amount of drive. On a surfboard we were particularly impressed with how little kite input you needed to keep yourself trucking around and you could get away with riding the T5 a size smaller than other freeridey kites. The turning is smooth and relatively pivotal, making the T5 a great kite for riding waves in onshore conditions, and it drifts well too. For freestyle you can generate some great lift for boosting and you can really hold some power down with the T5 so you could get away with riding it super-stacked. The lift is super smooth though and you can enjoy a nice floaty amount of hangtime. Relaunch is super easy, and with the durable Dacron frames, the T5 would be a natural fit for kite schools as well. If you’re looking to lay down some unhooked moves then the T5 isn’t really the kite for you and you should turn your attention to the 50/Fifty. But for everything else it is hard to fault.

In a sentence: If you’re not into laying down freestyle moves and you want a kite that does waveriding and freeriding exceptionally well then the T5 is an awesome option.