After two years on C4s (which I loved!) I've switched to Catalysts, and having had several sessions on each of the 14m, 10m and 8m, I'm ready to share my impressions.
First up, some disclosure and other info. I'm a team rider for SHQ Boardsports and greatly appreciate their support. I'm 78kg and advanced or intermediate, depending on your perspective. I aim for style, power and flow in my riding, though my forays into the unhooked world regularly fall short of these qualities. I ride a Nobile 50fifty with straps in conditions ranging from butter to bay swell to small surf.
I switched to the Cats for two reasons: Firstly, they were looking significantly more performance oriented than previous versions, and the C4s were also aiming for a more focused unhooking kite. Secondly, as I get older and wiser I realise that simplicity is what I want - a kite that lets me engage with the elements with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of fun, and with some forgiveness for when I bite off more than I can chew. On these fronts the Catalysts have delivered superbly.
On the beach the increased 'C' influence is apparent - the arc of the leading edge is smoother, and the short bridles position the front lines closer to the wingtips than most SLE kites. On the water these qualities, as well as a slightly thicker leading edge make the kites very stable. Compared to the 2012 C4s they want a fraction more bar movement through gusts but still respond nicely to a solid edge. These more stable Catalysts will also work really well for big guys this year which didn't seem to always be the case in previous models.
The Catalysts are definitely punchier than previous years. With the REO taking care of the waveriding purists, the Catalyst can step up the power a bit in the Ozone range. Bottom end is great - provided you tune your rear lines. I've shortened the shortest knots by about half an inch, and that gets perfect trim on all sizes. Everyone's estimate of wind strength varies but based on readings from Fawkner beacon and StKilda I get the following sweet spots - by which I mean easily holding ground and doing basic tricks at the low end and still feeling safe to go for it at the top end. 14m: 14-19knots (I've had the 14 out in down to 12 knots, and could hold ground when a similar size guy was unable to on his 18m Dyno, so the low-end power and efficiency is definitely there, but I don't especially enjoy grovelling), 10m: 18-25knots, 8m: 21-30knots. While others may like to be more gung-ho at the top end, I have more fun and boost higher in the sweet range rather than overpowered.
Speaking of boosting - these babies are fun! I had to shift my timing and technique a bit from the C4s, but now that I have, I'm getting bigger jumps than ever. I was at Mud Bishops on my 8m last Thursday and not only were the height and glide very impressive, I felt I had so much choice in terms of landing. I could decide really late on the descent whether to downloop and transition or just redirect aggressively and continue on the same tack. I've never had a small kite that makes going big feel so safe and fun. The 14m floats ridiculously. Sure, it's my first kite over 12m so I'm getting used to that big-kite hang time but still, there's really time to enjoy the view from up high if you send this kite from low in the window and hold a hard edge until lift-off.
I'm running all sizes on the 50cm bar. All sizes are very immune to accidental or twitchy input, but when you give only fractionally harder and more sustained input the 10 and 8 turn as quickly as you want. For a beginner with hands out wide the 50cm bar may be too lively on the 8m but hey, the sooner you get those hands into the centre the better, and once there the 8 is very well behaved which I really appreciate in my higher wind kite. The 14m won't loop on split-second notice like the 10 and the 8, but fishpoling the 50cm bar still brings it around smartly.
I like all sizes on the middle rear-line wingtip attachment. I tried the 14 on the faster-turning lighter bar-pressure setting but found that it reduced the feel without gaining much in turning speed, and bar pressure is light enough anyway, so middle setting it is.
Feel-wise, this is a C-infuenced SLE, not a C-kite. It doesn't lock into a turning/looping arc the way a C does. This has pros and cons. On the plus side, you can radically adjust power and arc by using the bar actively mid loop/turn, and you can initiate loops from a bigger section of the window without necessarily getting a massive downwind pull. This will suit the waveriders as well as those of us who don't always want to be as committed as a real C requires. On the down side, there's not the same rush and thrill as when you nail the trajectory of the C4, so obviously, if you're a powered-loop junky, grab some C4s. I'm a hack at unhooking but for basic stuff the Catalyst is more than adequate. It does like to be trimmed at the top end where the C4 will let you unhook with more consistent power across its full wind range with no or minimal trimming. Again, the C4 is more focused, the Catalyst more rounded - take your pick.
For intermediate and advanced freeriders who want to do it all (hooked, unhooked, flat water, surf, twin-tip, surfboard) with simplicity and flexibility, this kite is gold. It relaunches in a flash, holds its power and turning arc with verve when you keep the bar in, and will forgive most errors if you yield just a few inches of bar throw when you stuff up or aim a little beyond your skill level.
For beginners, this kite will let you progress with confidence and teach you great kite handling skills. The classic Ozone feel - light bar pressure, great upwind efficiency, responsiveness to edging - is there in spades so unlike some kites targeted exclusively at beginners, you'll learn subtlety and nuance from the beginning, rather than wrestling with a detuned unresponsive bag.
For travellers, the three strut and mid-aspect planform and short pulleyless bridles mean this kite is light. Power and windrange per kg of kite is not a ratio usually mentioned but I've done some flying this summer and a compact quiver definitely has its benefits.
The Ozone range is superbly refined and precisely targeted this year and Robbie's descriptions can be taken as accurate and reliable. So (with the odd exception, like Eppo loving the Edges when I was sure the Cats or C4s would be his ride) you can easily work out what to demo, and for a big slice of riders, the Catalyst will definitely be at the top of the list.
Please post any questions here or PM me and I'll be happy to offer more specific info if I can.
Go well,
djdojo
