Just an Aluula review from Adams Kite Loft.

Its hard to fault being bladderless and stiff, let's hope other brands follow suit.

While I like the idea of bladder less does anyone have any idea of how burst resistant the fabric is and if it is punctured or bursts how would you go about fixing it

Hey guys, the kite is not bladderless. I was mearly trying to explain what the fabric looks like. ALUULA is a completley water tight fabric but it is sewn similar to traditional kites, so not bladderless as water could get in through sewn edges and seems.The bladder is made from Aluula too though and alot lightet than typical bladders.

Does look epic, very exciting times.

Thanks for the update Adam, is the Aluula material under a patent, could other companies use Aluula.

Why is the material more expensive than the current Dacron. - is the raw material more expensive, manufacturing process or other reasons.

Aluula is a seperate company and not related to Ocean rodeo. In recent interviews with Ralf Groesl from Duotone, he talks about new weight saving fabrics that they are developing with so I expect we'll see other companies with Aluula or similar fabrics in the next couple of years. Ocean Rodeo just seem to be ahead of the game

That water relaunch was very impressive.

Another very good review.

Like the review. All good. Looking forward to trying one myself. I particularly like the example of adding a 2kg weight to my existing surf kite and comparing the performance.

A bit of a moot point. He says at 9:30 that the 10m Roam is not the super gruntiest 10m kite and if TT riders were on 17m kites then he would be up and foiling with a range up to 25knots.

I can do that already with a cheap LEI.

Yes I would like the relaunch in 3 knots. Yes I would like the fast turning. Yes an Aluula kite is sounding more attractive than a lightweight foil kite for light winds.

I am still looking for the "killer app" that makes it worth moving from $1000-1500 kites to $3000-4000 kites.

As an aside, I view kites as consumable items. Use them. Be prepared to accept any abuse they experience. Wear them out, Buy a new one. I would happily discard my kite if I needed to in an emergency. I would be sad if it was a $3000 kite.

Good point gorgo.

at 3000 a kite, I would need house, car and kite insurance.

my wife would want a new car worth more than my kites.

And I d sweat like a drug dealer at airport baggage check in!

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Gorgo said..
Like the review. All good. Looking forward to trying one myself. I particularly like the example of adding a 2kg weight to my existing surf kite and comparing the performance.

A bit of a moot point. He says at 9:30 that the 10m Roam is not the super gruntiest 10m kite and if TT riders were on 17m kites then he would be up and foiling with a range up to 25knots.

I can do that already with a cheap LEI.

Yes I would like the relaunch in 3 knots. Yes I would like the fast turning. Yes an Aluula kite is sounding more attractive than a lightweight foil kite for light winds.

I am still looking for the "killer app" that makes it worth moving from $1000-1500 kites to $3000-4000 kites.

As an aside, I view kites as consumable items. Use them. Be prepared to accept any abuse they experience. Wear them out, Buy a new one. I would happily discard my kite if I needed to in an emergency. I would be sad if it was a $3000 kite.

I totally understand what your saying and I am really in the same boat!

The only reason you can get $1500 and $1000 kites is because they are second hand/superseded etc. If aluula really is as good as they say it is it will soon become the standard for all kites. Then eventually you will be able to get them for $1000-$1500. It might take a while and as always if you want to get a bargain on the best gear you have to be really patient.

Another consideration is the first run of aluula kites will essentially be normal kites built with aluula. It is quite likely that the v2 and v3 kites will be designed to the capabilities of aluula and be on a whole new level!!

I am trying to be patient but its not easy!!

I see it as an absolute advantage in strong winds rather than just light. A stiffer LE is much preferable in high wind to keep the kite performing as its intended.

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Adam''KiteRepair said..The bladder is made from Aluula too though and alot lightet than typical bladders.

Are you sure?
The bladders do a very different job to the casing or Dacron.
Could you expose a section of the bladder and take a photo and post it

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IanR said..

Adam''KiteRepair said..The bladder is made from Aluula too though and alot lightet than typical bladders.

Are you sure?
The bladders do a very different job to the casing or Dacron.

The bladders will be Aluula material, sheds about 230g to a normal PU bladder.

I've had the good fortune to be able to fly this kite 3 times before I reluctantly gave it back to Nigel yesterday. The 10M Aluula Roam on demo through Nigel and that Adam was discussing in his review video does not have Aluula bladders, but the full production kites will, and will be even lighter as a consequence!

There's a couple of posts from me in the other thread in the General section, one from a very low wind test and then after I did a downwinder in what I'd say would be the practical bottom end of the kite when riding a surfboard which was approx 15-16 knots. What was impressive in that session is that everyone else was on larger kites up to 7M larger and yet I could stay upwind and ride comfortably just by working the kite a bit.

But then I had a third session on Saturday in winds that were smack on its wind range for me at 75kg which was about 20 to 23-25 knots. The bar pressure increased with the wind but was still in the light to medium range and the kite felt very stable and was extremely easy to adapt to.

I can remember riding through some sections that connected nicely and I had to keep the kite driving forward and down but did so without looking at it once which was impressive after only flying the Aluula Roam for only 90 mins or so previously.

Yesterday I did another longer downwinder in even windier conditions and rode an 8m Reo, and Reos are the kites I use 80+% of my sessions. Didn't notice any performance differences that I can describe here, but comparing an 8 to a 10 is not quite fair other than to say that the Roam 10 turned about the same speed as my 8m.

One thing that hangs in my mind even now is the lightness, responsiveness and drift. I still had a great session on my Reo 8m and could not fault it as a performance wave kite although I think I've ridden something better and now I've never had that feeling before as far as I can remember.

Thinking about it further last night and this morning Aluula fabric is a laminate with a woven cloth core and it seems to be completely airtight and sealed. The fibres in the cloth cannot move around each other as they do in normal dacron used in kites which makes for a much more torsionally stiff frame once the tubes are inflated.

I think this is why dacron kites have a "new feel" and lose it over time as the dacron softens with use and the fibres and threads are able to move more and absorb inputs from the kiter.

Thanks Steve for clarifying that
I think there is a lot of confusion with this new product as people are using the word Aluula for several products.
From the interview below it appears the Aluula company are working on a product to replace bladders but it is a different product than what they are making there leading edges from

best
hellfish
cuban

Thats what I thought when I first saw the Aluula gold Roam that I tested, but its not Cuben fibre. Cuben was actually quite heavy and could not be sewn (well not the way stinky Best did it).
This stuff is very different from what I can see at this stage.

Cuban fibre or Dyneema Composite Fabric as it is now know actually comes in several masses per square.
Starting at 17;4 grams per meter square up to 99 grams per square.
Not sure which grade was used by Best but there marketing of the Hellfish did nearly destroy the company.
Good to see O.R. and Aluula trying to bring a new fabric to kiting I hope it works out better for them than it did for Best

zpacks.com/pages/materials

yeah me too
good to see innovation

just stirring the pot
hellfish debacle was a funny time thou

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bolgo said..
yeah me too
good to see innovation

just stirring the pot
hellfish debacle was a funny time thou

Shiny shiny

Does anyone know if Reece Myerscough will use a new Roam in the up coming Ponta Preta comp? Would be great to see how it performs against the other non-Aluula kites.

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riddim1 said..
Does anyone know if Reece Myerscough will use a new Roam in the up coming Ponta Preta comp? Would be great to see how it performs against the other non-Aluula kites.

I doubt it, Ponta is very offshore and Reece prefers the Crave as it sits upwind more and has better hang for strapless freestyle, he does have the Aluula Roams with him though.

All your Aluula questions answered here:
kitesurf365.com/aluula-composites-episode-135

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shred said..
All your Aluula questions answered here:
kitesurf365.com/aluula-composites-episode-135

Very interesting interview and informative interview with the CEO of Ocean Rodeo
But it does seem that unlike the pimps have been touting the Aluula film or bladder is still a bit away (around 16 minutes in)
The idea of Aluula ripstop is also way cool
I hope my favourite brand is going to take it up. I'll have a kite that will last 10 years and I'll get to really know it

I have got to say..... I am surprised there are not better reviews out given the kite is in circulation and was available to ride.

The kitesurfmag one...
There is a test of a 10 meter which is described as the highest performing kite they have ever flown..... followed by it being "not the gruntiest 10 meter" they have used, and it needing 2 kts extra than a 12 meter naish boxer to get up on a foil..

I think that just about sums up peoples thoughts - everyone wanted to know the bottom end, and all we know is it's not the gruntiest kite, and a it's compared with a 12 boxer in low wind????

Sounds not that great after all.... I'm still baffled how a kite that weighs 50% less, could possibly produce less power than one the same size and heavier ...

Confused?

Well ... you can add all the allula you want, still need good kite design.

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eppo said..
Well ... you can add all the allula you want, still need good kite design.

That could be the issue....

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eppo said..
Well ... you can add all the allula you want, still need good kite design.

That could be the issue....

Well ... kite design ends up being a pretty personal thing, people like / dislike different aspects of kites and you can 'feel' the different brands of kite in the air. But (in my opinion and I am far from being Keahi or James) the current model 2020 Roam in the standard dacron is already one of the best wave kites on the market for our side / onshore conditions. I have used most wave kites on the market and the feedback from customers and riders has been the same.
The feedback I have been getting on the Aluula Roam has been fantastic so far.
So Ocean Rodeo not having a good kite design is definitely not an issue.

Although the Aluula kites are out there for demoing they are still not really readily available to a massive audience, but we should see some average joe reviews filtering through.

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dachopper said.. I'm still baffled how a kite that weighs 50% less, could possibly produce less power than one the same size and heavier ...Confused?

I'm a little surprised that you are thinking that mass and power have a relationship.
A light kite will fly in less wind, but that doesn't mean it will generate more power. Particularly if they are someone who only flys with a sheet and go technique, in the hands of someone who knows how to generate power by flying it hard they may be able to compensate.

I think other things like cord and aerofoil have more to do with power
Also most wave kites are not known for their bottom end grunt
Now a Aluula Razor would get me interested