Drewm, I am 95 kg, big guys naturally use bigger kites. 2013 super stoked with ozone kites, I use cat 14, zephyr 17 and my edge 19 arrives in 2 weeks (7/22 knot winds) Use cat 10,8 ,6 (23/40) . For me ,easy to use, safe, light bar pressure, smooth and good gust response and wind range. I enjoy boosting , the pond ,up/down wind trips safety bay pond to penguin island. Guys there are plenty off choices off good brands/sizes discuss and demo. Happy hunting I am stoked with my choices and enjoying them, cheers Rob

I have never really demoed anything before... is there a general timeframe one should look at before making a judgement?

Is one demo session normally enough to make a good call?

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Drewm said...
on a slightly off topic question, can anyone tell me why there is a bunch of guys running around at Safety Bay on 17m Ozone Edges when every other kiter is on 9, 10 and 12m kites?!

cos its awesome fun... try it.
booooost!

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Drewm said...
on a slightly off topic question, can anyone tell me why there is a bunch of guys running around at Safety Bay on 17m Ozone Edges when every other kiter is on 9, 10 and 12m kites?!

Cause they are all fat bastards And dont have razor arses

I seem to remember a post Ugly gets double vision when he boosts his 17

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zarb said...
I have never really demoed anything before... is there a general timeframe one should look at before making a judgement?

Is one demo session normally enough to make a good call?

Personally I think it depends on rider/experience/conditions and what you are looking for in the demo kite. Obviously the longer you can use the kite and more experienced you are on various kites the better you are going to understand the characteristics and learn how to use it to its full potential, particularly when comparing with a different design to what you're used to.

Its good to try different settings and get a feel for how the kite responds to varying conditions, (light, strong, gusty etc) and this often requires time depending on location.

I have found when you use a kite of similar design to what you have been using, you can adjust quite quickly and get a good feel for the differences particularly in conditions you would consider fairly 'standard' for your area. I'd recommend to have your current kite set up also so you can use both back to back for a more accurate comparison.

Also important, particularly when using a kite of considerably different design (eg low aspect vs high aspect), is to ask someone who's familiar with the kite for advice on how to get best performance from it particularly for your weight/board/style etc. I have demo'd kites that my mates rave about and thought they are quite ordinary at first attempt but as I've learnt how to get the best performance from them through adjusting my habits a little, I have had a much better experience and a more accurate comparison.

It depends on brand/retailers/demand etc as to how long you can demo a kite but I've demo'd kites over 3-4 weeks, normally that would be a stretch. I would hope for at least 1-2 sessions to make a judgement.

I know its been said before but make a prioritised list of what you're wanting in a kite and if it ticks all your boxes theres no reason why you wont be happy with it. Hope that helps.

Unfortunately you really don't get a feel for the nuances of a kite in one session unless you are a kite whore like myself and have tried ashby as I can get my hands on. Even then it takes a while.
And I wish I had 3 to 4 weeks to demo a kite than is some service. I'd feel obliged to buy if I had it for that long.

Good advice above have a defined list what you are looking for and do some homework on certain characteristics others have noticed.

Same goes for boards. I'm demoing a shinn speedball at the moment and have collated as much as I can find from riders I rate. So this creates a framework for experience. Otherwise you tend to ride a board and kite from your own style and inclinations and that can bias your observations.

Another thing that might have been mentioned if possible use the gear at your local kiting spot to keep Asante variables as constant as possible. After a while that isn't as important but if your demo days are just starting this is good practise.

I've got to a point now I can get a decent picture even of its wave capabilities in the flat but nothing beats being in the actual waves of course.

My motto is try everything you can. Soooo many great kites out there. And I never comment on a kite or board I haven't used. I think that is good practise as well. I really don't enjoying reading opinions not grounded in experience.

Will dealers normally let you demo a kite in the surf? I know we are talking about light wind kites currently, but before next season I am half sure I will be moving over to a quiver of dedicated wave kites. I've shortlisted the kites to Ozone Reo, Best Cabo, Cabrinha Drifter, and FONE Bandit. I know KP @ Botany stock both Ozone and Cabrinha, and they are also listed on the Best website as being a stockist of Best. This will hopefully be in my favour as I could potentially pump up a Reo, Drifter, and Cabo all on the same day in the same conditions and give them all a good run.

Then on another lighter day, I can give a lightwind kite a shot

Better get another credit card...

What are the opinions on using a foil kite like a FlySurfer Speed as a lightwind kite? On the wind speed chart, they appear to have a very large wind range.

Too difficult for a beginner?

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eppo said...
Unfortunately you really don't get a feel for the nuances of a kite in one session

i dunno eppo . I grabbed the 13m edge from jason and brought it back to perth and had 3 hours on the river in a NE and was sold . No need to demo anymore

Ha ha Dusta...I had the same experience with the 13m edge...

My brother went out...did 5 tacks, came in and said...quote

'effortless, refined, I'm getting one'.

But generally you may need more time on a kite to find out its own characteristics.

LOL

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zarb said...
What are the opinions on using a foil kite like a FlySurfer Speed as a lightwind kite? On the wind speed chart, they appear to have a very large wind range.

Too difficult for a beginner?

Zarb PM Plummet he has a flysurfer Speed 3 15m he will be able to give you the heads up.

20-30 minutes should be all you need on a demo kite unless the conditions are really bad. Just run through standard tricks and riding you would normally do to get a feel of if the kite will suit you.
Its also good manners to treat all demo kites like your own and don't abuse them, i have seen demo kites smashed, come back covered in sand and wet and many riders say "it is just a demo kite!"

Just to let you know Kitepower will be running a demo day the last weekend of the month, more details will be put online soon, so keep an eye out! plus we have a Light-wind sale starting first week of may, keep that in mind too!

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zarb said...
What are the opinions on using a foil kite like a FlySurfer Speed as a lightwind kite? On the wind speed chart, they appear to have a very large wind range.

Too difficult for a beginner?

Not too difficult for a beginner but if your after a wave kite the Speed isn't for you.

Have you tried a Naish FLY?

Would you even be in the surf on a lightwind day? Would it not be too underpowered to get through the waves?

Ok I thought I would resurrect this thread just because I'll be gearing up to buy a lightwind kite in the next few weeks. Recent 10-16kt days have been eating away at me, and it's time for a purchase.

So I am 85kg, and have progressed from when I first started this thread. I was fairly happy to start with a beginner kite that I can just cruise around with, but at my current level now I would like a lightwind kite that I can practice some tricks on if possible. Really I just want a kite that can maximise my days out on the water to improve as much as I can.

My boards are a 140cm Cab Tronic TT, and a 5'4" Naish Skater surfboard.

Here are what I was thinking of getting:

Ozone Zephyr 2011 (Nice and cheap, second hand, no bar or lines included but can I use my bars from my C4 and Catalyst? Perhaps add some extensions?)

or

Liquid Force NRG 16m (New, almost triple the price of the Zephyr).




Obviously I am very tempted by the Zephyr because I would save a hell of a lot of money, but I am unsure about what the 2011 flies like compared to the newer models. Any experiences there?

Thanks!

Zarb email cauncy. He's your weight and has the kite you are talking about. The 2013 is very different to the 2011 just look at the profile for more proof than you need. If cost is a big factor then email cauncy and ask him how he goes on his 2011/2012 zephyr.

Is the bar on your catalyst a 55cm, cause she will turn slow on a 50 man.

Nrg is a superb kite, but I found the 10 a little slow on the steering so can't imagine what the 16m is like.

Give the Naish Fly a try!!! i am not exactly sure on the wind range but naish say it has a wind range from 6-15 for a rider of about 80kg. Naish also claim that it has a turning speed of a 12 with the power of an 18.

Eppo, yes cost is a big factor. I would like to buy some wave specific kites before summer so I need to cut costs where I can.

I have just done a lot of reading on the 2011 Zephyr, and it all seems very positive. Sure the 2013 would be more refined, but something that gets me out there for not a lot of money is better than nothing! The only negatives I have heard from the reviews is the boosting performance of the kite.

I think I will go the Zephyr!
I have two bars. One for my 8m Catalyst and another for my 11m C4. Not sure if they are any different but I will measure both in the morning.

Are line extensions recommended? If so, do I need to get Ozone specific lines? How will the kite fly without extensions?

Many thanks people!

The 17m zephyr/edge come with the bigger bars. Makes a difference. Normally the zephyrs come with 27m lines anyhow, not sure about the 2011. As I said email cauncy. Any line extensions will do and yes 5m will make a difference in the real lighter stuff. If you get the zephyr and are still a bit underdone then get yourself a better light wind kite as the zephyr likes an efficient board.

Can only comment on the 2013, but they just jump fine given the right conditions. The 2011 is not a light light wind kite, but if ya only looking for that 10 to 16, then it might just do.

Yep get some 3-5m line extensions. They make a big difference at the low end.
Any brand should be ok. Might have to move the pig tails along from your original set up.

Looking for light wind performance?
Check the overseas forums for reviews on the Ocean Rodeo Flite.
Havent sighted it yet but we have demos of the 15 & the 17.5 coming in for WA guys asap.
Sounds promising to me and OR tell me it has had more R&D than any other kite they have ever released.
Certainly has a list of interesting sounding features no-one else offers.
Try the Nth American forums; as this is where they dominate; as well as European ones.
Let me know if you find anything akin to an 'eppo' styled review.

Well I bought the Ozone Zephyr 2011. $700 in beautiful condition. Still crinkly and not a scratch or stitch out of place.

I took it today to Portarlington, hoping just to get it in the air and see if it would fly. Wind was about 9-11 knots and the tree branches were just beginning to stir.

I reverse launched it and it just sat in the sky patiently. I could let go of the bar and it would still just sit there nicely. I realised that I might be able to actually get up on a board with it, so I grabbed my TT and hopped in the water. Not expecting to actually get a session in, I was just wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Bloody cold...

First few runs were just mowing the grass, and I was able to gain a lot of ground upwind. The turning was of course much slower in such a massive kite, but sliding transitions soon became easier once I got the timing of the kite right.

After those practice runs I tried a few basic jumps. It was a lot harder to time everything right, and it's something I really need to work on now with the Zephyr. There was so much lift and stability in the kite that spinning transitions were quite easy, and I was able to land backrolls a lot more consistently. I can really see why people say that this is a kite to practice tricks on. I felt so stable and in control on this kite.

Gaining speed was interesting... any time I needed a bit more power upwind I just had to "pump" the bar and the kite would flap and give me a massive boost. No need to move the kite at all! Pretty cool stuff.


All in all, I am so so happy with this kite. I know that I will double my water time now, and feel more at ease trying new tricks.

Stoked for ya zarb. Good find man!!

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zarb said...
Well I bought the Ozone Zephyr 2011. $700 in beautiful condition. Still crinkly and not a scratch or stitch out of place.

I took it today to Portarlington, hoping just to get it in the air and see if it would fly. Wind was about 9-11 knots and the tree branches were just beginning to stir.

I reverse launched it and it just sat in the sky patiently. I could let go of the bar and it would still just sit there nicely. I realised that I might be able to actually get up on a board with it, so I grabbed my TT and hopped in the water. Not expecting to actually get a session in, I was just wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Bloody cold...

First few runs were just mowing the grass, and I was able to gain a lot of ground upwind. The turning was of course much slower in such a massive kite, but sliding transitions soon became easier once I got the timing of the kite right.

After those practice runs I tried a few basic jumps. It was a lot harder to time everything right, and it's something I really need to work on now with the Zephyr. There was so much lift and stability in the kite that spinning transitions were quite easy, and I was able to land backrolls a lot more consistently. I can really see why people say that this is a kite to practice tricks on. I felt so stable and in control on this kite.

Gaining speed was interesting... any time I needed a bit more power upwind I just had to "pump" the bar and the kite would flap and give me a massive boost. No need to move the kite at all! Pretty cool stuff.


All in all, I am so so happy with this kite. I know that I will double my water time now, and feel more at ease trying new tricks.

If you slide up the floats and shorten your steering lines it'll give you more balls , quicker turning and this relates to better boost, getting good hight on the zephyr takes a bit of practice , I found sending the kite from low-level in a steady build up gave better height than an agressive yank on the bar, wait till you get out in 15 to 18 knts its a blast gives you an eternity to learn tricks, also at your weight it'll be fine to the low 20s but its a workout for y arms and legs, I've had the 2010 and 2011, but the new 2013 is unrecognizable a beautiful bit of kit

Yeah I have heard really good things about the 2013, which is very enticing because the 2011 is amazing.

I am trying to source some 5m line extensions at the moment, but even as it is, I was surprised I managed to get out for a kite in that wind.

I'll definitely try shortening those steering lines and see how it goes.

Yep the 2013 has enough edge DNA to make Cauncy a happy man. Even though he lives in the mid west and should be happy anyway and I hate him.

Hey Cauncy what's ya call on smaller zephyrs a free ride tamer edge?

Oh and I was also using a 50cm bar which didn't feel that bad. I will eventually buy a larger bar, but I will wait until the end of the year to see what the new Ozone bars are like.

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zarb said..

Oh and I was also using a 50cm bar which didn't feel that bad. I will eventually buy a larger bar, but I will wait until the end of the year to see what the new Ozone bars are like.

That's make a big difference zarb. Was on the zephyr 2013 on my bar, then put it on the bigger bar with 27m and not 25m. Made a big difference. Chalk and cheese.