Ok gents, gals and all...

Those that ride or own either a Crossbow and/or Switchblade and can give me their true blue opinion of each, which they prefer, why, what pros and con's to each, it'd be tops... Just what you guys that ride them have found about which is better suited to you as a rider, depending on your style - hooked in, unhooked, wave etc. Whatever you use it for, all views are appreaciated thanks

Looking into one myself at this point in time, and just wanting to get the general view of C-bows or S-blades...

PROS...

CONS...

of either/ and thanks guys

Thanks all
Elizabeth Bate - Wello Kiter

whats that i can hear......ahhh its a can opening....errrrr look at all those worms.

I'll start. I ride a 9 and 12 x Bow really like it.
Things i like.
Boosting, Range, depower..instant, its yellow, security, safety, full on fun machine
Things i dont like
VB always taking the piss, my mates think i'm gay, people presume your name is nigel, dont feel cool.

If i were you buy one but wait til the new ones come out.

Elizabeth,

I think I am repeating myself, however I will say again: it does not matter what I or anybody else thinks!
It is what you feel about the kite, how it handle, if you like it or dislike it.
I am riding C-bows (16 and 12) which I modified the bridle system to reduce the bar pressure. Now they feel absolutely fantastic, I like them, they are "fit for purpose" for what I am using them (here is the problem).
They are great kites upwind (especially the 12m), huge wind range (the overlap between 12 and 16 is about 15 knots), and for me it's all I need for the wind range in Melbourne.
Last Monday, I was out with the 12m in a 25 - 30 Knots northerly wind (I am heavy!!!), however northerly winds are very (very) gusty!
At a moment I think it was a 40Knots plus gust! I just push the bar and broke the override ball, continue to cruise trough the gust, with the bar half way up into override, than when the gust gone, I just powered the kite normally again.
This is safety! That gives some confidence!
At the same time it was a bloke with a 12m S-blade, who get trough the same gust, without being over-powered, in a similar way, so both kites are similar.
What I don't like at them, I have to check the stitches regularly, already had to reinforce some of them.
So, I would go with the same advice, wait for the next year kites, they may be better and get both kites tested in the same situation, just get the store you are buying from to demo both kites, you are paying top money, so get them working for the money!!!

Good luck, and enjoy your "kite hunting"

Don't own one bu tthey look fairly decent, only thing that has definetly put me off, was seeing 2 bows(on a fairly windy day around 25-30) inverting. One popping the bladder the other unable to relaunch and both had to be rescued, they were confident kiters.
Just statin my opinion and what i saw,
Thanks
Matt

Hi Elizabeth..

I am a beginner kiter so i can only give you my experience with the kite not comparable to other kites. I bought a 9 meter switchblade 6 months ago and i ride the 160cm cabrina spoiler board.

as a beginners kite i think the switchblade is a fantastic choice, i was very comfortable with it right form the start due to its capability to depower and being a newbie and having that nervous kite syndrome as most newbie’s have this allowed me to go out more often increasing my time on the water. I weigh in at 75 kgs and i can get on my edge from winds as low as 12 knots (not keeping my ground though) but have only had the opportunity to ride in 23 knots once since having the kite, as the wind in Esperance has really sucked (sic) this season.

Bar pressure has never been an issue for me, but then take note i can’t compared to c kites even if i did some lessons on a c and foil not enough to be acquainted with the c kites turning/bar systems. What i can say is i kite surf up to 3 hour sessions and by then it’s not my arms but the setting in of hyperthermia that makes me take a break. I just don’t see bar pressure as an issue for me. Maybe it’s the less flat profile of the switchblade?

i have had one inversion, if i read about all the problems bow kites have with inversions before buying the switchblade it would have turned me off them for sure, i think in some ways this is unintentionally hyped, being a beginner its no secret i fall off more than the norm kiter per session, even more so i like to think because i "go hard" to try and learn more each session.

I have found water re-launch easy and have never had a bird nests (line tangles) as I would get when doing my learning on the c kites.

As stated above, only one inversion in 30+ sessions and that was caused by a wave... the main thing is to keep the bar at the right percentage of sheeted out. another common remark that i don’t find is the ridding up higher than usual - with the switchblade i edge just as hard as c kiters around me on the sweet spot wind days especially when i am wanting to slow down as opposed to sheeting out. This of course could be to do with having a bigger board

Self launching the kite is a peach , being a newbie and having to go to spots that are tame in comparison to the kite surfing beaches the local kiters in Esperance go to for surfing the waves i am on my own 99.9% of the time . I always side launch- running the lines downwind (or across) from the kite then pulling back with the kite turning and then popping up. There is no having the put sand on the edge like I was shown to do with a c kite.

Self landing is also easy to do. Take kite down to side of window and pull centre line so kite just pops over onto leading edge facing into the wind.

My switchblade has had allot of knocks and punishment dished out to it. From landing into trees a couple of times when i was just starting out, to full power dives into the water with attempting to land gracefully from a jump. so its safe to say the kites well built as stated by cabrinha at least when comparable to the crossbow..

To round up this epic novel style review.. lol... i would recommend the switchblade from my positive experiences with it, but i can see myself perhaps growing out of it in a couple years time when i need a higher performance kite. But then again it will still make a great kite for surfing

Hope I was some help

I own a 12m Switchblade. 85 kg. Also had a go on a 12m Crossbow with the bridle mod.

PROS.- Wind range. Bottom end of 11-12 kts on an exile. Top end of 25 kts. Not much better than my old 12m lift but at the top end i can handle gusts of over 30 kts without losing any control.
- Power control. The bar works almost like a throttle. Pull in and you have as much instant power as you want with the ability to control it with small movements of the bar and not having to edge hard. The crossbow seemed to need more bar travel before anything happened.
- Jumping. Good height and plenty of float. Crossbow also jumps well but needs more board speed. Switchblade will jump well at any speed more consistently.
-Stability. Switchblade flys in virtually no wind, wont stall and fly backwards and i've never luffed it. Exceptional.
- Relaunch. This is the big one for me. I've crashed it 30 + times in a session trying new tricks and its takes on average about 10 secs to relaunch it. The way it falls to the edge of the window and sits there is awesome. Even if it lands nose down you just point the bar at the kite and up it pops. In the surf you can steer it away from the waves and it will relaunch across the sand whereas a c kite wont.

CONS.- Upwind. Reasonable but could be better. Crossbow is much better in this regard. I guess this is the trade off for stability.
- Turning. I dont like the mechanical feel of the pulleys on the bar. It will turn quickly but you really have to yank it. C kites have a nicer bar feel.Crossbow alot quicker.
- Inverts. Had it happen to me twice after crashing, none in flight. Only happened in overpowered conditions because of a lack of tension on the rear lines. Things went pear shaped on one and the other it fixed itself. Also had it happen on a fifth line kite = swim in.
- No leash supplied. Cheapskates.
- Bag. 2 many straps and buckles and not big enough to take the kite with the struts inflated. Again -Cheapskates.

Overall i think this style of kite could help someone progress quicker purely because of the relaunch. All too often you see people get to a level and then stop because no-one wants to crash their kite. Because of the re-launch characteristics of this kite i find i'm trying ( failing mostly) lots of new tricks.
Hope this helps.

It seems the inversion of the C-bows is universal.
It happened to me also, just when I was flying my 16m C-bow for the second, and it was "catastrophic" - means one of the seams on the LE gave-up and I had a huge tear in the LE with a bad popped bladder.
I fixed the LE and I've got a new bladder (warranty), than I learned that to avoid inversions the struts and LE should be inflated very hard (6.5 psi) which is like "rock hard".
I am using this method and didn't have an inversion since (almost all the kiting season).
However inflating the kite so hard, puts a lot of strain on the stitches, so they have to be inspected and repaired on a continuously basis.
Cheers

Hi stoff - couple of questions / remarks, I hear allot of people didn’t get the leash included with their kite... I am pretty sure I got one with mine for no extra cost. I guess one just twists the dealers arm to have a leash thrown in for a sale...(remember to do that Elizabeth if you decide to buy one of the kites lol).. Also had thrown in the smaller chicken loop, and haven’t found the bag size to be a problem when having the struts still inflated. it all seems to fit fine unless they using the same size bag for a 9 with the 12 meter you have? Then yeah that’s pretty cheap for the cost of the kite.. But to ask a stupid question…. you are unzipping the bottom section of the bag to further lengthen it?

Not withstanding what you posted…..With inverting I had a realization after I posted my experience on the switchblade.. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s mostly because people sheet out to control the power when “over powered” and forget that good kite surfing technique is to use your board’s edge to control power, also coupled with the stance on the board, if they are more upright then obviously only way to reduce the kites power is to sheet out which causes mid air inversions... well that’s my two cents!

I bought mine early in the season so maybe they have rectified the leash and bag issue, but yes everything is unzipped and it still sticks a foot out the end just waiting to rip on something.
I've never had any issues with the build quality and all stitching and bladders are still perfect.
Dont think they had the small chicken loop when i bought mine but i have since got one.$20. I actually now prefer to use the big one with the donkey dick cut off, much better for unhooking. Swap to the small one for strong winds when you dont really want to come unhooked.
Think your on the right track with the mid air inversions. Even with bows the key is still good edge control.

Hey - Thanks rellie, silviu, vishy, cwamit, stoff

Good to hear from the day-to-day 'aussie riders' what they actually found; pros, cons and issues/ areas of improvement in their opinion. Very appreciated

It's one thing a kite manufacturer saying something, but great to hear the same thing from the general public

Sounds like the Switchblade will be the go just with slightly better reports all 'round

One difference between the two that most seem to overlook is the construction. In order to reduce the price of the Switchblade in comparison to the Crossbow It looks like they have used cheaper materials. The sailcloth on the SB is similar to the stuff LF used on thier M80. I believe the bar is also alloy instead of carbon on the SB. It also misses out on the extra valve that comes with the CB on the LE.

Just a thought, ....but check out the GK Sonic as well

Hey Poor Rellie

Don't worry about people calling you a Nigel.

What they fail to realise in their haste to criticise you is that Nigel actually spells Legin back to front.

Fitzy Gold Coast OZ

Ahhhh good ob Fitzy.
The only thing is when you take some letters away from "nigel" and add some different letters you get Twat.