This is from a post I just made on Kiteforum.com
"In winds starting at approx 12/13 knots I pumped and flew a SB IDS 12M, and rode a 1.33 Caliber board, could not ride upwind, but could stay planing and going downwind.
Then tried a 13M CB IDS, was barely able to hold my ground, for a few runs, then ended up downwind. Wind was dropping and the tide was coming in (same direction as wind)
Then grabbed a 14M SB IDS and upped the board to a 1.38 Prodigy, was able to hold ground, but really had no more power than the 13CB4.
Then grabbed the 16M CB IDS and a Plasma, by this stage the wind was well under 10 knots, probably around 8/9 with lulls to 6/7 knots.
I was easily able to go upwind and do small jumps and transitions. The 16M CB IDS is a big improvement over the 17M Contra, it turns faster with less effort, has less bar pressure and flies faster, I really rate it as the best LW Cabrinha bow, second is the 17M Contra bow from last year.
Last season my personal kites were a 17M Contra, (sometimes flown on 34M lines), and a 10M and 14M SB3, with 2 main boards UG FLX 1.52x44 and 1.32x39, and occasionally a Nobile EXT 1.43x48 (used with the long lines and Contra mainly).
The 13M CB IDS would easily have as much useable power as the 14M Contra ( we also had a demo 14M Contra last year), mainly because it flies faster and turns better with less bar pressure.
I think this years SB IDS have less bottom end, but more top end, and more power in the turn. Maybe a bit floatier in the jumps too, and equally as good upwind."
End of repost.
I also rode the 7M AND 9m CB IDS and 8M SB IDS in stronger winds at Eagle Island a sand cay near Lizard Island, the wind blows cross offshore, along a nearly 800M long sand cay no more than 3M high. We rode the downwind edge, the water was like glass, and the winds were 25-32/33 knots. I saw other riders getting jumps with both the SB IDS and CB IDS kites in the 40-50+ foot high vicinity and I am sure I was getting jumps easily in the 30-40+ vicinity, maybe higher at times. All the kites jump extremely well.
Bigger guys were riding the 10M SB IDS and the 11M CB IDS.
I really like the CB IDS, more than the SB IDS, but I did not get to compare CB IDS 10M to SB IDS 10M, will have some demo kites in the next 2 weeks to do just that though!!.
There is a big difference in the two kites, with the SB IDS losing a little bottom end grunt and getting more top end this year. IMO it now is much more suited to unhooked and wake style, and the CB IDS, has lost the bar pulleys and is a very nice, user friendly freestyle, old school type of kite, it jumps and hangs huge.
The SB IDS also jumps big, but needs to be worked to get the hang time, otherwise it drops you quickly, unlike the SB3.
The depower throw on the CB IDS is short, very similar to the CB3.
SB IDS depower throw is longer, and similar to SB3, but maybe a bit longer.
Super easy, fast relaunch and self launching and landing are key features of both kites!!
Here are some pics from the recent trip we did to Lizard Island and Eagle Island (sand cay)
View of Eagle Island from approx 3 klms away
View from upwind showing the width of the cay, and the super flat water even though the wind was 25-30 knots!!
View of the sand spit from upwind, with Peace jumping on the 7m CB IDS
View of the upwind flat water area, pic is taken from the sand spit, there was flat water on the downwind side too, all the better, mostly younger! riders were doing huge jumps across this spit
Mad boat ride
even madder
Maddest
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
bigmark100
> 9 months ago, 29 May 2008
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