This is all you need:
The ozone bungee is too thick to fit through the centre of the swivel so you need the slingshot bungee.



It fits straight on & works an absolute treat!

You will need to lengthen your rear lines by 1 knot under the floaties.
I also found it puts one of your front lines out by a tiny bit so you need to double loop that line stop (that small loop on the right hand side, pic above) on your non-flagging front line

I also found that the big kites 13+ get a different bar and the front lines are thinner. The thinner lines wont work with the slingshot swivel.

I'm guessing that Mutany swivel will work the same. has anyone tried it?

I just ride in the metal suicide ring, except if its nukin, where I'm not going to go to crazy on the kite loops and rolls. Rather my kite have a bit of power if I drop the bar anyhow than flag right out.

Spins fine then.

Depends I suppose where ya at.

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/Review/2012-OZONE-C4s-SALE-AD-the-PREVIEW/

Back on topic

Flew the 2013 12M today for the first time, love it.

Seriously different to last years and previous C4's though and not everyone will like them. This year Ozone have refined their kites and designed them very carefully for the style and purpose that each model represents. So the C4, based on feedback from customers and team riders from all over the world, passed on to Ozone particularly by Torrin Bright, has been built to excel as a wake and freestyle kite.

While I can no longer kite like I wish I could, I spend a lot of time kiting and hanging out with some of the best in all areas of kite style, so have a fair idea of what suits which style.

This years C4 is the best yet, previous models were a bit too "all round", and while I loved them I knew they were not really what wake/freestyle riders wanted and needed.

Straight of the bag in 14/16 knots the kite felt detuned (on the beach), so I landed the kite and shortened the rear lines with the knots under the floats, took 10 seconds and then relaunched. Immediately the kite felt right, much more grunt and just off stalling when the bar pulled all the way in (same as unhooked).

The 45cm bar feels small, but also feels like the right size. On the water the immediate thing you notice is the bar pressure is higher and the kite is very grunty. I had tons of power the whole time I rode and the wind ranged from 14/16 to 18/19, and I was on an Axis vanguard 1.32 board.

Tried unhooking, but rope only dynabar sucks for that and hooking back in required a stop in the water to find the hook and put the extra large loop in by hand. Unhooked felt solid and powerful, no hint of stalling and turning was sharp with plenty of grunt in the turn. Kite was super easy to redirect and steer with the 45cm bar, pop was excellent and so were the jumps. Definitely need to fly the kite like an old school c kite to get the best out of it. Depowers quickly when hooked in, great for dumping power in carves and big moves, landings etc.

The 12M is quick and feels smaller than it is but it has 12M power and grunt, more than any other previous model of C4, turns are not pivotal, but still tight enough for everything I could throw at it, got some really large boosts for the wind that was available, just by holding my edge hard and turning the kite back hard, once in the air redirecting or looping was easy and easy to feel where the kite was. Bar pressure is the highest I've felt on an Ozone kite, but not excessive, it was combined with a very direct feel that was somehow just right. Had the most fun from a 1 hr kite session in ages.

Prediction, people that like true wake/freestyle will love this kite. People that don't like it, should try the 2013 Cat, as that feels more like last years C4, than this beasty.

Notable design differences, noticeable slightly lower AR, very short bridle that no longer meets in the middle of the kite, it is clearly 2 separate bridles. Bridles are still adjustable for a more grunty, less reactive setting more suited to unhooked riding and the more reactive more depowerable setting that I rode today. The bridles are so short they cannot wrap on any part of the kite. Kite twists at the centre more than I remember on last years kite.

Looking forward to reading some reviews from riders that can push this kite the way it was designed!!

Great review and supports what was promised. Yes they have beefed up the cat for the freeriders and made a more specific freestyle, wake style kite. Makes sense and you are the first to make this obvious, well done.

I know you like the 15m C4 as your light wind weapon, getting out on that?

Interesting with the bar pressure.

Yeh the dynabar is a pain in the ass to rehook in hey, but I need it on my seat harness for the surf.

Again great review.

Note to other riders...the above is a REVIEW, review the kite!

hmmmm.... sounds like its abit less suited to my style this year. i guess i'll find out.

still need more time on my 9 and 12m but it definitely feels like a whole different kite to my 2011's. happy with the extra grunt. Review still to come...

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Plummet said...
hmmmm.... sounds like its abit less suited to my style this year. i guess i'll find out.

Agreed plummet my fears are confirmed. Thought so, makes sense the way they have gone.

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eppo said...

Plummet said...
hmmmm.... sounds like its abit less suited to my style this year. i guess i'll find out.

Agreed plummet my fears are confirmed. Thought so, makes sense the way they have gone.

I think the large chicken loop says it all!

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Plummet said...
hmmmm.... sounds like its abit less suited to my style this year. i guess i'll find out.

Think there may be a few of us in this boat, Ill be trying the new cat with the new c4 as a direct comparison with my 2011 c4s before upgrading.

While it make sense to narrow the focus of the c4 to a more dedicated freestyle\wake kite, they may end up loosing a few experienced 'all rounders', we'll see.

^^^ I'm riding Catalysts this year for just that reason. I think they've stepped up a good notch or two for the skilled freerider/all-rounder. Reviews to come.

A mate just got a new C4 9mtr, rides mainly onshore, cross onshore waves, small mushy.
hated the bar, couldnt throw the bar out far enough to do his carving turns in the waves etc.....when compared to my 2012 bar afterwards, 3 1/2 - 4 inches of depower throw taken away. next day he used a 2013 naish park bar with the C4 and loved it. I know theyve done this to dedicate this kite more to wakestyle/freestyle but the C4 is an awesome kite in the waves too, maybe customers need to be given the option of a freestyle bar or an allrounder bar like the cat and reo bar.
I havent ridden a 2013 yet but i dont think the bar pressure would have increased, the bar throw has been greatly decreased, would this mean the wind range on these kites with the freestyle bar has decreased???

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djdojo said...
^^^ I'm riding Catalysts this year for just that reason. I think they've stepped up a good notch or two for the skilled freerider/all-rounder. Reviews to come.

That is interesting. I demo'd a 10 m Catalyst last week for about an hour. Unfortunately not long enough to get full appreciation to do a review.

Some points I noted:
The de-power throw was shorter than I expected, adequate but I would have preferred it a little longer. I don't know how this compares to the C4 but it I wouldn't want it to be any shorter.
I havent ridden an Ozone since testing a 2009-10 C4 and this Cat reminded me of that except with a little more feel and power.
The power band was very Ozone, the kite must be trimmed correctly and allowed to breathe a bit and then is plenty of power available. Sometimes I tended to crank it into a turn and pull on the bar expecting an increase in power but this tend'ed to take the kite out of the sweet spot, the power wasn't killed but it took the edge off it. Once you let the bar out a bit it would find the sweet spot again.
This also tended to make jumping for me a little harder to time. I tend to be lazy and use the bow technique but had to change towards more edge, pop and timing. If I didn't do this, I wouldn't get much height and had a lot more forward speed than I was expecting. Once the timing was better i found it okay with average hang time.
The speed of the 10 m was great and it drifted quite well, with good upwind ability, so I think it would be good in the waves.
I believe the Cat is a good all-round kite.
I havent tested a Cat before or a C4 for 3 years so I am not the best person to compare these kites but this did remind me of some of the characteristics of the previous C4's but more refined.

^^^^ Yes, time and again people discover that Ozone kites invite and reward a more precise feel at the bar. The kite will tell you what it wants - typically very small adjustments - and if you offer that, it will take you wherever you want to go. It took me a while to sort the timing for boosting on C4s, but once you get it, you discover so much choice regarding the trajectory of your jump and the speed/softness of your landing. It's all about loading the lines maximally without losing speed at takeoff, not over-sending the kite, and then you can steer around through the air and choose to go higher/longer with ease.

I also didn't get much wind over the 10m cat I demoed. But the kite is super fast turning wise for a 10m and I agree would be excellent in the waves.

Yes I to are just starting to dial in the ozone feel on my new edges and loving it. Agree with the above, build line tension and the kite needs little movement when sending ( probably even more so on the edge), gotta let it breath on the take off it is all about speed in the kite. Then you sheet. Use a bow technique on this kite as I did and you wonder what the hell is happening.

I have always had kites that I liked some parts but not others, hence the constant changeover and search. I can categorically say that for my style and disposition, the edge is perfect for me, it is the perfect wing and I cannot see how it can be beat. What a priveledge to ride this kite. I just can't wait to get out again on it! I love the ozone feel.

But this post is about the C4 so I digress...

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Flying High said...

djdojo said...
^^^ I'm riding Catalysts this year for just that reason. I think they've stepped up a good notch or two for the skilled freerider/all-rounder. Reviews to come.

That is interesting. I demo'd a 10 m Catalyst last week for about an hour. Unfortunately not long enough to get full appreciation to do a review.

Some points I noted:
The de-power throw was shorter than I expected, adequate but I would have preferred it a little longer. I don't know how this compares to the C4 but it I wouldn't want it to be any shorter.
I havent ridden an Ozone since testing a 2009-10 C4 and this Cat reminded me of that except with a little more feel and power.
The power band was very Ozone, the kite must be trimmed correctly and allowed to breathe a bit and then is plenty of power available. Sometimes I tended to crank it into a turn and pull on the bar expecting an increase in power but this tend'ed to take the kite out of the sweet spot, the power wasn't killed but it took the edge off it. Once you let the bar out a bit it would find the sweet spot again.
This also tended to make jumping for me a little harder to time. I tend to be lazy and use the bow technique but had to change towards more edge, pop and timing. If I didn't do this, I wouldn't get much height and had a lot more forward speed than I was expecting. Once the timing was better i found it okay with average hang time.
The speed of the 10 m was great and it drifted quite well, with good upwind ability, so I think it would be good in the waves.
I believe the Cat is a good all-round kite.
I havent tested a Cat before or a C4 for 3 years so I am not the best person to compare these kites but this did remind me of some of the characteristics of the previous C4's but more refined.

I've just been doing some measuring of the 2012 and 2013 bars and centre lines.
2013 C4 has the shortest depower line of all the Ozone bars
2012/2011 C4 depower line is only 6/7cm longer than the 2013
Catalyst, Edge 2012 and 2013 are the same and are about 10/11cm longer.

All models will work safely on the longer depower throw bars, but IMO there will be no performance gain on the 2013 C4 at all. There will just be a reduced ability to steer when depowered.

I had no trouble doing powered frontside carves (from heelside to toeside) on the 2013 C4, but the kite does not turn as pivotal as last years, nor as pivotal as the Cat 2013 and Reo (best).

If the wind picks up a bit more I'll go ride the 2013 C4 on a longer 50cm bar with longer depower throw and report back.

My 2c,

Learnt on Ozones and have been riding nearly nothing but for last 4 seasons. All on cats or the predecessors'. I'd been wanting to try something different for a little while. I kept reading that the cats are good learner/surf kites but not to exciting compared to other models. For a long time I didn't give a **** as they do everything I want fine and with little else to reference to, I never thought gee I wish it did this or that better, so why change?

I ride 99% flat water, like small kites, going fast and high, big carving turns and not a lot else. No flicky spinny etc so why buy the C4? Jas at West Oz knows what I like and reckoned I'd enjoy it.

First up, I did demo the new 10m cat and apart from being faster than my old 10m, it didn't excite or feel terribly different. Certainly not a revolution from boring learner kite (never seen them this way myself) to something much different. I demoed an edge and the glide is mental and it was very user friendly with lots more depower and smoothness than I expected. When the 2011 one came out and I saw the vids of that Tamatoa fella going bigger and further than anything I'd ever seen I thought I'd be converting to them for sure....but I didn't find it exciting the rest of the time, slower turning, less smooth in gusts etc. The boost is gentler on an edge I thought, and for perspective, being ripped off the water in 35 knots on my little 6m is my idea of awesomeness in kiting-big wind small kites is what its all about.

After all that I ordered a new 9m C4, not wanting to wait for a demo as they were selling as fast as they came in. Brave or stupid? Whichever, thats what I did and the day before I pick it up, I read Steves review-high bar pressure AAARRGGHHH! My least favourite thing. I like to stay out for long sessions and I'm not keen on tennis elbow. I pick it up and while I'm sure they cant do it all the time, so don't expect it, Jas says if I hate it bring it back and he'll keep it for a demo as they haven't cracked one yet....they had my money so what can you say about that? So less nervous now I lovingly unwrap and hit the water. I swapped the bridle to free ride and moved the rear lines to lowest bar pressure after reading Steves review. The Cats we have all shipped on medium pressure and I've never felt the urge to move it.

I can tell you on this setting the pressure it lighter than my Cats, much so. The wind yesterday was moderately gusty and not especially strong but within 15 minutes I knew there was no chance I was giving this thing back. So smooth and stable no matter how rough my flying, actions that would have the cat fluttering and surging were totally smooth. Boosting technique needed some change. Seemed to work best with more aggresive sending of kite. Lift was more rapid and glide better than cat. Power in turns/downloops smooth and strong and turning was FAST. Found I needed to give it a more aggressive whip around to get moving but once going, awesome-much like the difference with smaller kites. I could fly it straight at the water and successfully turn it back up very late, small bar on this 9m suits me fine. I tried to unsettle it by riding straight at it and it didn't get one bit upset. I liked the way it felt more and more the longer I rode it. For a freerider the big chicken loop may not serve any purpose but I've been toying with trying some unhooked shiz soon so maybe it'll be usefull but if I don't, who cares, didn't notice it.

Did manage to crash a couple of times and relaunch was simple. Did notice a little more reluctance compared to cat when I dropped it in a wind shadow close to shore, but the cats are so completely easy to relaunch, it'd be hard to be as good.

So sum it up-perfect for me. I hadn't slept for over 24 hours (work) when I picked it up and ended up staying out for over 2 hours. I think it sits nicely somewhere around the middle of the ozone range and while I'm sure I'd be happy on the new cat, I'm equally sure I'll be a little more happy on the C4. I'll still be using the cats so will get a better reference point after a few more sessions. I share kites with my Mrs so if she likes the C4, I may start replacing oldest cats with them as time goes by...

I do wonder what performance changes/losses i'll suffer by having on lightest bar pressure setting as it seems to good to be true? Would also love to hear what different techniques others might recommend for relaunch in marginal conditions?

Cheers

Forgot the most important thing, white red and blue with some black makes it the best looking ozone kite I've seen and in Aussie theme colours what more can you ask for? yeah yeah the looks don't matter, the technicolour yawn colour themes that North keep spewing out (and selling like crazy) sure prove that.

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Berg K1t3r said...
A mate just got a new C4 9mtr, rides mainly onshore, cross onshore waves, small mushy.
hated the bar, couldnt throw the bar out far enough to do his carving turns in the waves etc.....when compared to my 2012 bar afterwards, 3 1/2 - 4 inches of depower throw taken away. next day he used a 2013 naish park bar with the C4 and loved it. I know theyve done this to dedicate this kite more to wakestyle/freestyle but the C4 is an awesome kite in the waves too, maybe customers need to be given the option of a freestyle bar or an allrounder bar like the cat and reo bar.
I havent ridden a 2013 yet but i dont think the bar pressure would have increased, the bar throw has been greatly decreased, would this mean the wind range on these kites with the freestyle bar has decreased???

kitepower absolute genius

read my review on the 15m C4.

No the bar pressure has increased from last year. i was using a 54cm the stock standard bar of mine. But it is actually a good thing. You feel the kite wherever it is. Now I hate bar pressure, it gives me tendonitis in the wrist, this is not at that level. Just right I Reckon for this style of kite. Not sure why anyone would complain about a short bar throw, shorter the better man.

This is what I said about bar pressure

"Bar pressure is the highest I've felt on an Ozone kite, but not excessive, it was combined with a very direct feel that was somehow just right. Had the most fun from a 1 hr kite session in ages."

It was not heavy bar pressure that would cause tendonitis IMO ( I get that fairly easily and did not feel like it was going to cause it). What I find gives me tendonitis in a kites is heavy bar pressure AND heavy steering pressure. The effort to steer the C4 was light IMO and I had the kite on the stock factory setting which is "medium".
I was also flying a 12M kite on a 45cm bar, not a 9M kite on what is actually the correct size bar on the 2011 and 2012 C4's.

I've also ridden the 2013 Cat 10 3-4 times now and really rate it this year as a progressive all rounder, that boosts and hangs way better than last years kites with much better stability. I have been flying our 10M demo on a 50cm bar on the stock factory setting and when comparing bar pressure, between the 2 kites above on their respective stock bars and setting the C4 had higher bar pressure.

Definitely going to try the C4 now with a 50cm bar and on the lighter bar pressure setting.

Stuff it thought I would put the review on this page as well. Yep I agree it is steering pressure that also causes my Tendonitis, it isn't that heavy. Turning is indeed light.

I had the same bar I use for my 2013 edges (11 and 9m), with float adjusted to increase back line pressure ( which as stated in kite powers review, was just fractionally above stall when pulled in, perfect), and the kite was on the medium bar pressure/ turning speed pressure. I to want to try it on the light setting but I reckon you might lose the direct feel


Rider: Weight,Level intermediate,advanced)
Style: Freeriding, Surf, freeride
Weather: 10 to 18
Build Quality: ozone
Satisfaction: 9/10 so far
Disclosure: team rider for eppo incorporated. Lol.

My Comments:

Thought I'd start a new thread, the old C4 one was getting too long and only the last page had any decent reviews anyhow.

Was at the pond today, flew from about 1 to 230. Looking at the garden island charts was in the red when I started to 16 odd knots at the end. There was a core, razor and Vegas rider out there well, if you read this maybe you can shed some more on the wind strength. Hey the dude on the core was going hard man, well done, but remind me not to buy your kites when ya done. Ouch!


I'm looking for a kite that will have me powered in mmm 12 to 16 knots. Below this not interested. At 74 kg, was thinking of this kite as an option. Edges at that size really become a race kite and all the freeride capability comes out of them.

Well this kite has given me something to really consider. Never did I feel the kite was too slow. Had it on the freeride settings as I'm to old and gay to crank out all those wake style crazy stuff. Plus I'm hooked in as the dyna bar is a pain in the ass to unhook and get back in. But I have it on good advice it unhooked just fine.

The bar pressure is higher than 2012, but even on the 15m it is not heavy. Infact I felt it was just right. I don't think I've flown a kite that tells you so well where the kite is when looping. I only do basic back roll with back loops, forward roll loop transitions, down loops when jumping and the occasional more horizontal type loop but nothing to cheer about. But I knew where the kite was at all times, and it did drive your around really well. As I said I never felt it was too slow even at that size. It is a very nimble kite.

As said in another post, I to want to hear from those that will ride it to its maximum potential and what it was built for, so all of this is really for the free riders out there. That being said, it is easy to extrapolate this kite would be unreal for that kind of shannanigans.

The good news for me was, I still rate this highly as a freeride kite. Now some crew might find this heartening, others may not, but I felt this kite would work very well at the freeride thingy. It boosted really nicely, easy to send, and easy to land. Never did I have to down loop it for a soft landing although of course I did as I like to keep in practise when I touch the clouds on the edges.

Kept wanting to get that apparent wind build up, edge spoilt, but that being said it did hunt the edge of the window enough, but still stayed a little back to keep that grunt and power. I would assume on the wake setting it would sit even further back, but for us free riders don't be put off, this kite still flies forward when you need it.

Still can't believe I was on a 15 actually, I have never looped a kite that is so .....um direct. You know where it is all the time and get it around and it picks you up nicely to land.

Most the other stuff is covered on the other topic and post, those guys describe it well.

But the best thing I got out of this is this will still be a great freeride kite, with a bit more punch. Probably better than 2012 as I found it lacked some spark sometimes. But then again was only on it for a short time.

Also on the mako kind I was going upwind in the lighter part of the day when I started. When it kicked in I was on he monk, and never did I feel like I had too much power. Then again the monk can hold just about anything if you know what you are doing. Didn't touch the depower strap and remember two things, I have my back lines shortened at the bar end by quite a margin and I'm only 74kg. I reckon I could hold this to 18 to 20 knots before I would be forced to bring it in. Then the 11m edge will be in its element...well a few more wouldn't hurt.

Yep got that ozone feel, smooth and graceful, but this C4 has a lot under the hood.

WA crew get your ass down to west oz and demo this kite and do all your back handle pass hokey pokey stick the tongue out sh1t will ya, and let the crew that are pushing this sport know wha it can do.

Yeh some good stuff by the crew I mentioned above, rather watch it that do it though! Ouch!

eppo you don't lose any feel by moving the back lines back it's how the kite pivots on the front lines that reduces the "feel". Every kite I have had the back lines go as far back as possible then shorten the bar to the size of kite.

I meant moving them forward to the least bar pressure, at the wing tips?

your back to front eppo the closer to the trailing edge you have the back lines the lower the bar pressure.

Okay then that's what I mean, then. The lowest bar pressure, at the trailing edge to me you go more vertical but lose that glide and hang time. Also lose some of that direct feel? Found this on all the kites I've used, but we will see on the 11m edge in 20 plus knots.

Have shortened the back lines to the next knot, might give it a crack turtle. Don't want the 9m to turn any faster in 25 knots, but the 11m could have that little more. Gets a little hairy sometimes getting the kite around on a back roll back loop. Gotta get the timing right.

love my edges on the furthest setting ie- bar pressure and on the shortest back line setting under the floats, found this gave the reo and catalyst a more powerful turn and reduced flutter, cant feel any power improvement on the edges just a more conected feel and quicker turn, having a tweek can make a big difference the settings are there to be used, have a play

Man when crew say furtherest settings I keep thinking furtherest from you but you mean the centre of the kite so closest to the trailing edge with the quickest turning and lightest bar pressure. I know this is the case as you have told me this on a pm. Well I have the back lines where yours are to much better feel but will try the 'furtherest' settings.

2013 c4 (red, blue white) vs 2011 c4 (green) - both 9m




you can see the leading edge is much more swept on the 2011 compared to 2013. you can also see that the 2013 has a lower aspect ratio as the trailing edge appears to be about 60mm deeper than the 2011.

If you took the bridle away from the 2013 it would look pretty close to a full c shape kite outline

Great! Now how does if fly in your opinion. Jesus!