So we got our first shipment of gear yesterday - fyi you can fit 30+ kites, 3 boards and baby seat in a SUV with the windows shut!
We had pretty crap gusty winds ranging from 10-25+kts so all the kites got a run and here are my brief comments:
10 HP High expectations here as it was my fave kite last season. Feels like last years 9 to me as in a bit smaller feeling, looking and flying wise. Very smooth and very fast. Always flew with 55 bars since day dot but will run a 45 this year on this puppie. I wasn't on it when the wind was up but a friend got a pretty good vertical blast at one point! This kite is looking like a cracker....
9 Waroo Nice and simple and very smooth - great boost and a more solid feel than last years 9.
11 Waroo As per my prvious post a while back - great allrounder for my weight at 92ishkg - 16-17+kts.
13 Waroo High expectations as this will be my other goto kite. Very impressed with turn speed and feel. Picked up to a nasty 25 and was still in control but pretty lit. Great hang at this wind as you would expect!
09 Bar
Very nice - very different feel to 07 (we got bugger all 08's here due to seasonal distribution.) Has everything you would ever want on it and more. For my own use I ditched the fron OSR handles and donkey dik and will still probably add my custom cleat trim setup but it would be fine without it as well. I was sort of surprised at the RRP of the new bar but after seeing it I can see why - lot of work and tech gone into it. And ........the swivel works beautifully! _________________ Kurt Savage Brisbane Kite Boarding
The kites are looking awesome this year and the big surprise is the Spark boards, $599 retail and they look incredible. Bar is a huge improvement, that swivel and bunny ears is a piece of work, so is the push away chicken loop release. Kitepower Brisbane and Sydney have stocks now and Geelong will have theirs within days as well. Boards and kites available on the demo day this weekend in Sydney.
Had our 11 waroos out in 26knots this afternoon, even the bigger blokes were switching to 9 and 10m kites, i still was fullt in control 1/2 depowered on my 11, riding 139 twintip.
Checked out the 9m Waroo yesterday in 12 - 15 knots, weight 85kg, 5'11" surfboard. Looks very well built and rock solid, the shape has changed with a deeper profile and wider wingtips. Got it up in the air and sent it through a few loops whilst beach dragging, turns are quicker and smoother. the bar pressure is noticeably lighter as well. With the wind being marginal i walked up the beach 200m and headed out in knee to waist height waves. Was impressed how well i got going, with nice even power through the turns you could generate some nice speed and was able to hold ground when the wind was at 15 knots. Dropped it on the water for a relaunch test and had no issues even in the lighter wind. That being the bottom end test i was very impressed how it performed, will get out again today and hopefully have a few more knots so i can head out to the outer reefs and check it out in the waves and have a bit more to add to this review. cheers from Southbeach, Dongara
Checked out the 9m Waroo yesterday in 12 - 15 knots, weight 85kg, 5'11" surfboard. Looks very well built and rock solid, the shape has changed with a deeper profile and wider wingtips. Got it up in the air and sent it through a few loops whilst beach dragging, turns are quicker and smoother. the bar pressure is noticeably lighter as well. With the wind being marginal i walked up the beach 200m and headed out in knee to waist height waves. Was impressed how well i got going, with nice even power through the turns you could generate some nice speed and was able to hold ground when the wind was at 15 knots. Dropped it on the water for a relaunch test and had no issues even in the lighter wind. That being the bottom end test i was very impressed how it performed, will get out again today and hopefully have a few more knots so i can head out to the outer reefs and check it out in the waves and have a bit more to add to this review. cheers from Southbeach, Dongara
Update, got out on Sunday with 15 - 20 knots a bit gusty. Had some fun in the beach break with the kites quick response to imput for loops and smooth power through the turns while trying to utilise the most of the mushy waves. CHecked out the reef but was not much on offer due to very low tide. Had another sesh yesterday back at leighton 18-22 knots and a bit of swell. got unhooked a couple of times and kite turned and drifted well while riding down the line. This years Waroo has got those characteristics for waves that i like and what c-shape come hybrid kites have had over the last couple of years, eg. quick response, fast turning, even power through turns and drift down line with out stalling and light bar pressure. i am converted cheers