Naish Torch Review: Freestyle and Slack in Pure Form

The Torch stands apart in the Naish range: where the Pivot and Psycho compete for the universal rider, the Torch competes with nobody. It is built for one discipline and does not pretend otherwise.

The short version

• Model: Torch, Naish's freestyle line.
• Discipline: freestyle, unhooked tricks.
• Place in the range: the brand's narrowest specialisation.

Sizes and prices are confirmed to order. Send us the size you want and we will check with the supplier before payment.

What slack is, and why everything reduces to it

The key concept for this kite, best explained through a specific movement.

An unhooked trick is a trick with the harness released. You take the bar off the hook and hold the entire pull in your hands. During the trick you need the kite to stop pulling — otherwise it simply rips you out of position.

Slack is the kite's ability to dump power instantly and let the lines go loose as you move under it.

That is the exact opposite of what freeride wants. A freeride kite holds pull steadily and predictably. A freestyle kite knows how to remove it.

We covered this fork in our North Pulse review: not better or worse, just different jobs.

Three Naish kites, three jobs

Seeing the range whole makes the choice obvious.

The Pivot — "freeride and waves". Turning, eight sizes, from 1 225 €.

The Psycho — "high jumps and progression". Lift, from 1 576 €.

The Torch — freestyle. Slack.

Three clear positions without overlap. That is rare: plenty of brands build four kites of which two do the same thing.

The practical upshot: at Naish there is no guessing. Answer why you go on the water and the model picks itself.

Why a freestyle kite is awkward in ordinary riding

Stated plainly, because this is the main reason not to buy a Torch.

It holds a course less well. A kite that knows how to dump power also does so when you did not ask — in gusts and broken wind.

It goes upwind less well. Slack and edge-holding pull are opposite tunings.

It is not about height. Hooked jumps go lower than on a Psycho: lift is not the priority.

It demands technique. Unhooked tricks are a level reached over seasons, not months.

If anything on that list troubles you, you want the Pivot or the Psycho.

On the kit around freestyle

Freestyle is the one discipline where the rest of the kit matters as much as the kite.

Harness. You need a stiff one with a solid spreader bar: unhooked riding creates loads that ordinary riding does not. On types, see our seat versus waist harness comparison.

Bar. You need a chicken loop that re-hooks easily — you will unhook dozens of times per session.

Board. A freestyle board with stiff construction and deep rocker to absorb landing loads.

The thought: buying a freestyle kite to hang off freeride kit gets you half the result. The discipline needs a matched set.

Who it suits

Riders doing unhooked freestyle. The stated purpose.

Riders hitting sliders and kickers. Park riding needs slack too.

Anyone for whom this is a second or third kite. A specialist works beside an all-rounder, not instead of one.

Who it does not suit

As a first kite. Emphatically: slack works against you while learning.

As one kite for a season. Take the Pivot.

For height. Take the Psycho.

For waves. You want drift — that is the Pivot.

Common questions

What is kite slack?

The ability to dump power instantly and let the lines go loose. Without it an unhooked trick is impossible.

Can I freeride on a freestyle kite?

You can, but it holds a course and goes upwind less well. Slack and edge-holding pull are opposite tunings.

Is the Torch suitable for a beginner?

No. It is a narrow specialisation reached over seasons, usually as a third kite.

What else does freestyle need beyond the kite?

A stiff harness, a bar with an easy chicken-loop re-hook, and a freestyle board. The discipline needs a matched set.

How do I get Torch prices and sizes?

Send us the size you want: for this position we confirm with the supplier before payment.

Where to look

The range is on the Naish page. To read: our brand review, the North Pulse and fitting a harness to your back.