I'm looking to see what feedback people have of the nomad! I was thinking of upgrading my learner 9m 2009 Convert to a Nomad!

What do people think of this kite? I've heard it lacks alot of bottom end grunt but from the sounds of things it makes it up in top end!?

I've also heard a few rumors that the its better for freeride/wake than the switchblade?

Any comments would be appreciated

Excellent kite, the 11 lacks a little in the bottom end but the 9 doesn't for some reason. Wish I went 13,9 Instead of 11,9 now as the 11,9 are too close.

Yep - 9m Nomad has alright bottom end - I now take the 9m Nomad if it's light - then the 7m Nomad for anything over 19 knots... If your on a surfboard the 9's got plenty of grunt.

It's not a wake kite - it's easy to fly out of the window when loading up, if you want a do it all kite - maybe a 9m Switchblade would be better? the 9's this year are fantastic...

Thats exactly what I use Rhys 7 and 9 Nomad They are perfect for wave riding. I cant even use the 9m SB in the surf without wishing i was back on the 9m Nomad.

The Switchblade 9m turns fairly fast but it turns in more of a larger Arc with more power so I find it pulls me off the wave face. Where as the Nomad turns much tighter and switches back in direction almost on the spot.

The Turning speed on the 7m and the 9m Nomad is very fast and you can generate enough power by flying it up and down through the window to get you going on a Surfboard in fairly light winds.

Rhys is right about the Nomad not being so good as a wakestyle kite, I too find that when riding a twintip and doing load and pop tricks the Nomad fly's to far forward when you are loading up and you kill your power and speed making it hard to find any decent power enough to pop from.
In stonger winds this is not as noticable and you can load up a little more without pulling the kite out of the window but it dose still shoot forward.

This respons to edge imput and flying forward charateristic allong with the fast turning speed is what makes it such a great surf kite.

Ill try and explain the "respons to edge imput" benefits on a wave...

When you do a bottom turn and press on your inside rail the kite loads a little and fly's forward allowing you to set yourself up in the right position on the wave face for a top turn, as you make your top turn and again apply presure on your inside rail through your turn the kite flys forward and back down the face setting you up for your next bottom turn.
Once you get this dialed you can really start surfing and smack out heaps of combo turns on the same wave and snake your way down the line.

The Nomad is all so super stable for un-hooked wave riding and because its a little less powerfull than the Switchblade it is easyer to un-hook and not get to over powerd on and pulled off your board.

For me its the best surf kite only down side is in lighter winds it is a bugger to relaunch. over 15 kntots its super easy and rear line relaunches fine.

Regards

Luke

hey im 85 kgs and ride strapless surfboards mostly and a bit of twin tip, i just got a 13m and 9m nomad. Im stoked with the kites! did a downwinder 2 days ago in 13kt winds on the 13m thinking there wasnt enough wind, and ended up having a epic surf. then week before took the 9m out in 25-30kt winds in 5ft waves and had another epic getting up to 6 turns and renos on waves! loving both kites and im seing my riding style improve straight away,(from riding a xbow2) as these kite dont want to fall out of the sky when u pull onto waves! I have taken both kites out when on the twinny to do some freestyle stuff, but it is better to do while it is nuking, but they still boost and float pretty good.
The only other thing is that when the wind is light they are a little bit harder to relaunch than the switchy or xbow, but its a different relaunch technique as its a more trad C shape, so i usually push the bar all the way out so the kite sits on its edge and then yank hard on one of the outer lines and up it goes.. when its windy there is no problem with relaunch like usual by yanking on one line.
Also with having the light and lighter settings it gives you a wider range of kite characterisics eg turning faster/ slower, bar pressure and picking up or less wind...
both kites turn fast and loop easy..
overall i am impressed with my 2 new kite :) :) :)