Rider: 85kg, Beginner/intermediate (been kiting about 15 months)
Style: Wave and boosting
Weather: 14-35

My Comments:

Currently have 2013 10M cat and 8M reo. The cat is a really nice kite but not cutting it for me in the waves. Love the big floaty, forgiving jumps and it does turn pretty quick, drifts well enough but I find it rips you down the line when you really crank it across the window or loop it.

I want a couple of kite's (probably 10+12) that work well in the waves but have nice boost aswell. Basically an all rounder that is more suited to waves rather than a dedicated wave kite. Something that works well in the surf but is fun on the flats aswell. Probably 3 strut, fast and reactive turning while depowered (sheeted out) kites with good depower and a decent bottom end. Does such a thing even exist?

My local conditions generally consist of winter fronts where it's blowing 20+ and a decent swell(8M reo) and sea breezes of 14-25 knots with very little swell or none(the 10+12M).

Love my 8M reo and want to build a quiver around it. Also my board quiver is 5'10 Wainman Gambler, 2012 North Nugget and 2013 Ocean Rodeo Mako 150

So if anyone out there has found a kite that they love in the surf and also have good fun on it when it's flat I would love to hear about it.

cheers

I'm riding the 11m renegade, it doesn't turn with the consequence of a drifter but more pivots on the spot leaving you to hit the lip relatively unpowered. If you like that it's all good. I'm mainly freeride in the surf than down the line but it drifts good and is light on the bar. They boost good but I know a guy that prefers their screamer in the surf and that has bigger boost.

As I've mentioned before you can get a fair bit more power from the Rio by sliding up the bar floats and changing up a knot or 2, the arnt many kites that'll give you amazing wave and freestyle ability, the f1 bandits are a great allround option

So boosting and wave riding are at opposite ends of the spectrum... what about wave riding and popped tricks? Again at opposite ends of the spectrum?

All the things you say you want describes a Cat to a tee. Like plummet says, maybe riding too powered. The 2013 cat is a grunty kite (compared to past ozones) and a 10m with surfboard you'd really be looking at ~15knt sweet spot. I have 10 & 8 reos and I look to jump on the 8 around 18 knots of warmer summer seabreeze. Im 76kg and the Reo has less grunt than the Cat per m2. I'd stick with the Cat for all rounding.

I find with wave riding particularly with a surfboard you really want to be flying the right size kite. I tend to like to be slightly underpowered (unless big surf) and have to work the kite to get powered when needed. Then when on the wave, it's easier to switch off power and just ride the wave.

Kitepower Australia said..

There is a new Reo coming soon....

Hi steve Have any spec information on the New Reo , Will it have more grunt than 2013 ??? Still trying to make the choice between Reo and Cat ? I have seen the new N**** Wave kite , which looks like the Reo,3x strut etc But have not had a chance to try it

2 weeks till I know more, when I visit Mauritius, where they are testing final protos now. Have been chatting with Rob W, all I know is its a new build, " It's just better all-round but mainly more solid?" Rob will never go into spin about his kites, he lets the riders do the talking.
I'll be there in 2 weeks, if you check out the Kitepower Sydney Facebook page you will see a pic posted there by someone on the island, there are 2 colours of the new Reo visible, but they are sitting on the sand not in flight.

Plummet said..

default said..

And while you're at it.. Any news on the Ozone Plummet?

Hehe... not an ideal name for a kite!

imagine if you could do that. Ring up the kite company and get a bespoke kite mate exactly to your requirements!... would be awesome.

PS Was in Raglan for the weekend. I'm a bit out of the loop but Hugh Pinfold was blasting around on a cabrinha.... apparently he's working for Cabrinha these days. Perhaps that explains the extra delays in the new chicken loop? Hugh was the bar and QR design guy from what I recall.

well he did always like the feel of the zephyr.

Look again, there are clearly 2 Reo's in the shot and they are still 3 strut. Rob will have improved the kite not made a completely different thing and call it a Reo.

www.facebook.com/groups/kitepowersydney/?fref=ts

Kitepower Australia said..

2 weeks till I know more, when I visit Mauritius, where they are testing final protos now. Have been chatting with Rob W, all I know is its a new build, " It's just better all-round but mainly more solid?" Rob will never go into spin about his kites, he lets the riders do the talking.
I'll be there in 2 weeks, if you check out the Kitepower Sydney Facebook page you will see a pic posted there by someone on the island, there are 2 colours of the new Reo visible, but they are sitting on the sand not in flight.

Looking good ,can i have the blue Reo ,Can not wait to try new kite Cheers

Thanks for all the input guys.

Think I will wait it out and see what the 2014 reo is like.

I think my quiver will be:
12M cat for 14-22? knots flat water and playing in waves
10M+8M reo for 16 knots plus in the waves.

Can't have everything and there is always a compromise. I do love that ozone feel.

Spark said..

Thanks for all the input guys.

Think I will wait it out and see what the 2014 reo is like.

I think my quiver will be:
12M cat for 14-22? knots flat water and playing in waves
10M+8M reo for 16 knots plus in the waves.

Can't have everything and there is always a compromise. I do love that ozone feel.

Spark i would go 14m cat and 10 and 8 reo

vendeavours said..

Spark said..

Thanks for all the input guys.

Think I will wait it out and see what the 2014 reo is like.

I think my quiver will be:
12M cat for 14-22? knots flat water and playing in waves
10M+8M reo for 16 knots plus in the waves.

Can't have everything and there is always a compromise. I do love that ozone feel.

Spark i would go 14m cat and 10 and 8 reo

Been trying to tell him but the young bloke just won't listen!!! LOL! He does have a nuggett though which lends itself to a possible 12m cat.

vendeavours said..

Spark said..

Thanks for all the input guys.

Think I will wait it out and see what the 2014 reo is like.

I think my quiver will be:
12M cat for 14-22? knots flat water and playing in waves
10M+8M reo for 16 knots plus in the waves.

Can't have everything and there is always a compromise. I do love that ozone feel.

Spark i would go 14m cat and 10 and 8 reo

Thinking 12M for the top end aswell as I want to be able to use it with the 150 mako in a typical sea breeze.

have much experience with the bigger cats vendeavours? would like to know the difference in top end between the 12+14

14 10 8 does make sense

Its the age of question of tight quiver or spread apart quiver.

I quess you should ask the question what sweet spot of wind do you want to be riding.

the tight 12-10-8 will see you with sweet options 15-30 knots.

14-10-8 will give you a couple extra at the low end but therell be a patch when the 14 is too powered for waves and the 10 is too boring maybe 16-18 knots?

I solve the problem by having a decadent 5 kite quiver. .... still there are times when the 13m edge is too much and the 10 c4 not enough and I earn for a 11 or 12...

Plummet said..

Its the age of question of tight quiver or spread apart quiver.

I quess you should ask the question what sweet spot of wind do you want to be riding.

the tight 12-10-8 will see you with sweet options 15-30 knots.

14-10-8 will give you a couple extra at the low end but therell be a patch when the 14 is too powered for waves and the 10 is too boring maybe 16-18 knots?

I solve the problem by having a decadent 5 kite quiver. .... still there are times when the 13m edge is too much and the 10 c4 not enough and I earn for a 11 or 12...

Typical summer conditions where I am is 14-22 ....

The 12 cat and 10 reo have a pretty big over lap when you consider I will be on a SB on the reo and a twinny on the cat most of the time. Each kite is serving a different purpose tho. I will be choosing which kite to go with based on all conditions as opposed to just wind strength.

But when its really light I can get on the nugget and cat and still get some water time.