Rider: 78kg
Style: Big Boosting, prioritizing maximum height above landing. Also enjoy doing scarecrows, backside frontsides and frontside steak shiftys
Weather: 15-18 knots
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure:

My Comments:
Tried the Catalyst 2011 today, 10m version.
I was always told that 3 strut kites aren't as good for filthy boosting, but now I don't think this is true. Very easy to do big jumps even in crap wind and doesn't require good technique to land smoothly.

The wind wasn't very strong so it has a good amount of power for a 10m, like all ozones it's easy to get a really good angle going upwind. When you loop it downwards to do a nice ewey it makes the loop very easily.

Rode straight at it a few times to check if it would be good for surfing and it drifts noticeably better than the sport 11m. Didnt have any waves around to try it properly though.

Im still going to get a C4 mainly because it's super fast/responsive, but this a bloody nice kite and looks tough enough to cop a few kitemares in the surf.

Darren sells these at Pinnaroo from his mobile shop. I'll roll the strings up neater next time woops

We just got our first shipment of Catalysts and C4's in today, but I've been riding the Catalyst and agree the kite is amazing. There is no sign of flutter in this years kite, it has pivotal turning but without the big power loss that some kites get when they stall/pivot turn.
I had not waves either to test it on but rode at it for several fast and long downwind turns, the kite just sat at the same height with no tendency to do the seagull and dive towards the water when the rear lines were slacked a bit.
Had another rider who only rides in waves take one for a demo on Saturday at the demo day and he came in after 30-40 mins and ordered one.

On Sunday we had 27-33 knots here in Sydney. I took the 8M and 10M to the beach, along with a Cab 1.36 Custom. Watched the locals getting worked on 9 and 10M kites so decided to go he 8M, wow what a kite. Some of the boosts were epic (for me) and I had a really great time in the choppy conditions with the smooth riding Custom and the depower and smoothness of the Catalyst.

8/10/12 on demo at KP now.

Looking at how this kite performs, you have to wonder why some kites have 7 struts and multiple battens and anti trailing edge flutter devices!!

Clean uncluttered bar with a single front line below the bar flagging system, or for advanced riders and wave riders there is a ring inside the chicken loop to clip a leash to. Super easy and quick relaunch, easy self landing. My favourite kite so far this year.

Our 2011 Ozone kites arrived this week. I got to use the 10m Catalyst in waves today. It was one of those fun sessions where you spend most of the time going for new maneuvers and crashing. The kite was simple and quick to relaunch - even from the shore dump at Scarbs. I used 20m lines and light bar pressure setting which made it quite lively but it still had that smooth 'flying canopy' feel that tends to be common with Ozone kites - possibly has something to do with background as world leaders in various flying disciplines. The large valve on the one pump system makes life easier and there are still no pulleys used at all which is amazing to see considering other kites require them without reaching the same standards in performance.

If you've tried the 2010 models I think it would be easiest to say there is a slight but noticeable improvement ( about 10% ) in smoothness, turning speed and depower and they've eliminated the occasional flutter in the canopy - not that it was really an issue. I think Darren Marshall (AKS) has 10m and 6m demos at Pinnaroo. I'll be out at Scarbs today when the wind kicks in and we're also selling our 2010 models if anyone is interested.

Regards

Nath

My 2011 10 & 8 cats still have the canopy flutter as you fly them across the window. Mainly when sending during depowered transitions (which on a surfboard is pretty common). Didn't notice this on the 6.

Great to see that someone is into filthy boosting
Do you prefer the Catalyst or C4 for jumping? (Personally I prefer height over hangtime)

I suppose it comes down to bow kite vs c-kite jumps, in the sense that you need to control more board speed for the latter and can't just "shut it off" using bar throw.
But I haven't flown either one of them, so just speculating.

definitely C4 for boosting or anything remotely freestyle.

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default said...

My 2011 10 & 8 cats still have the canopy flutter as you fly them across the window. Mainly when sending during depowered transitions (which on a surfboard is pretty common). Didn't notice this on the 6.

I'll try to make mine flutter next session, but I have flown our 8M, 10M and 12M demos several times now, in conditions from well powered to slightly underpowered on a TT and have noticed no fluttering on the 2011 model when the kite it flown across the window in transitions and loops, but I am probably not depowering it as much as you???

In normal flying conditions that I've experienced so far, the canopy does not flutter at all and I'm quite surprised to hear that its happening for you.
I still feel the kite is an improvement over last years kite, in lift, canopy stability including drift ability, turn rate and power control in turns.

Yep certainly flutters. No depower on the trim but with bar out a bit while sending fast across the window at toe side transition. Still good kites otherwise. I started doing these transitions more powered with bar in and/or sending slower which helps.

I am surprised as you are Steve with all the talk this years cats don't flutter...? At the end of the day its not a big issue and they are 3 struts after all.

I tried to get the 10M to flutter tonight it was very windy and I was flying the 10 doing toeside to heelside turns sheeting out a lot as the kite flew across the window.

It does not flutter like last years model. The canopy does get wind on top of it, but the canopy did not rattle like the Light or 2010 Cat.

The amount of "flutter" is comparable to many 5 strut SLE/Bow kites, and more than acceptable and definitely not the louder rattling of previous versions (which still was not an issue IMO, considering the performance).

My 10 rocks, don't know about this (apparent) sail flutter business. Can blaze speed patterns beyond my dreams. I believe the America's cup winner got rid of sail flutter by creating a wing. Hope that helps???

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Tony Armstrong said...

My 10 rocks, don't know about this (apparent) sail flutter business. Can blaze speed patterns beyond my dreams. I believe the America's cup winner got rid of sail flutter by creating a wing. Hope that helps???

I guess what I am saying is that the so called flutter is actually just normal sail luffing when the kites AOA gets too low by sheeting out quickly and flying across the wind window, any kite with good wind range/AOA variability, will do this.

Regards

Steve

You going to Merimbula Tony??