For my bit the Griffins have been great at Lord Howe. At least half the fleet are using them for surf & free riding.

From beginner to advanced rider, they have been responsible for getting most of us into kiting. Safe, well built & have a great wind range. I don't have one yet, but will when the time comes.

I got a close up look at the new bar and kite the other day. The new above bar depower with main depower line and mini 5th line covered by a single plastic tube looks really clean and nice (no more worrying about wear and replacement). The new kite has even more reinforcments on every segment of the leading edge. This years argo looks like one tough kite.

what stores in Sydney sell/demo Griffin kites? ( or the 2001 Aero )

any chance of some pics of the two bars chris , none on the web yet

ta

Sounds like uve improved ur bar alot wasnt a big fan of the old ones. Plastic tube is a good idea ive been through a few depower lines on my current kite. What kites are in the griffin range now? I currently have best taboos i am after something similar with a light bar pressure with a constant pull feel to it.

Thanks for the good words of support.

Re the bars, I am finishing off a plastic centerline bar with the leash through the plastic, so no wear on the center line or leash. I am finishing off a few final tweaks, but will be ready in 2 weeks, pictures and vid coming.

I am also working new kite with 3 struts ( yes a center strut ) that will be pullyless, designed to be light and fast turning with great bottom and top end. This is about a month(ish) away.

The 2012 Argos are ready to go and are rock solid in the gusts, kiteloops and freestyle freeride and surf great.

I built in a DRIFT setting and a bar pressure setting on the new argos, so you can set the argo drift further back, middle or forward for waves or freeride or kiteloops and jumps.

I also built in a hands free assisted relaunch. THis should make it one of the easiest kites to relaunch available.

below is a video that I shouldn't post because it was made 2am in the morning and I sound crappy, but what the hell.

Auto hands free assisted relaunch, turns over, goes to the edge of the wind window and waits for you to launch.

great for learners, and getting out of trouble in the surf.

Yeh like that idea got me stuffed how you have done it though. Letting the bar go must pull on the top front line. Does this effect the actual performance of kite when de powering??

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eppo said...

Yeh like that idea got me stuffed how you have done it though. Letting the bar go must pull on the top front line. Does this effect the actual performance of kite when de powering??

De Power is massive, similar to invisible 5th line without having a 5th line to get you tangled up, like the IDS system, allows the kite to de power almost 100%. De power is also smooth, not jerky on off.

I designed the power to get a lot of grunt on a wave, then turn off the power by pushing the bar out allowing to ride the wave and turn the kite without being yanked off, but also allowing to get power back to get out of the fast sections or close outs.

Very smooth in gusts, excellent bottom end and top end

9m 85kg 17 to 37+ knots no problem for a experienced rider, beginners should learn in lighter winds.

The auto assisted hands free relaunch is due to a combination of things. I did not like older kites that sat down wind and pulled you hundreds of meters while trying to relaunch, the curved leading edge, simple short bridle design and zero drag wing top design works together to make a very easy to relaunch kite, its even easier if you use your arms...

If you want to demo a kite or where to buy, contact us and we will put you in contact with the nearest distributor...

http://griffinkites.com.au/contactdetails

I live in Mandurah wa so no griffin retailers here or even in wa full stop I'd say. 17 to 37 hey I weigh the same that's a big call but I suppose you make em and you'd know. I'm sold on another brand but always open to trying new designs. Intrigued somewhat.

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GriffinKites said...

Re the bars, I am finishing off a plastic centerline bar with the leash through the plastic, so no wear on the center line or leash. I am finishing off a few final tweaks, but will be ready in 2 weeks, pictures and vid coming.

In related news, why don't all kites have this?

They did for a while (2nd gen c kites?) but then got rid of them in favour of bare spectra wear.

^^^ for under bar depower it would not work, but for above bar depower systems I also don't understand why all bars don't have it.

I agree. Had a go on a switchblade last year with a plastic tubing, really smooth and no wear and thought exactly the same thing. Does anybody know why.

Took my 2012 9m Argonaut out for the first time today - wind wasn't the best between 16 and 20 knots, out on 6'1" North Kontact in 1 - 2m swell.

I have ridden crossbows since they first came out and various C kites before that. Stuck with the crossbows because I liked the feel and the build quality.

After today, I can say that the Argonaut is the best kite I have used. Had it on the "fast turning speed" setting and "C" on the bridle - this was how it came and I was too keen to get out to change it. The turning speed was perfect but most of all it was really smooth.

Build quality is excellent and even the bag design is well thought out, easy wide access to get the kite back in at the end of the session.

Bar pressure felt great compared to the crossbows and the feel and grip of the bar is very comfortable in the hands.

Took a bit of a gamble buying without demo-ing first but having read some of the posts I figured it would be OK. Can definitely confirm it is.

Great kite, bring on summer!

Got one coming in a couple of days to test the new 2012 ,cant wait.

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GriffinKites said...


I am also working new kite with 3 struts ( yes a center strut ) that will be pullyless, designed to be light and fast turning with great bottom and top end. This is about a month(ish) away.

Chris,
can you share your thoughts on how this will fit into your range. Is it intended to be more a surf kite than the Argo? Or more suitable for a particular style of surfer? Also, when you say a monthish away, that's re design completion? I take it release would follow months after?
Thanks
BTW relaunch vid is v impressive
Col

Had a great kite on the 9m ,20-30knts , 70kgs. this model has a l;ot more upper end wind range than my 2010 argo, steady as, boost felt solid -soft landing , even turning capabilities at this end was good , cant wait to try it in 16- 20knts. Not sure wether to go the 10m ? anyone tried the 10m and 7m ? any settings worth trying.

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COL said...

GriffinKites said...


I am also working new kite with 3 struts ( yes a center strut ) that will be pullyless, designed to be light and fast turning with great bottom and top end. This is about a month(ish) away.

Chris,
can you share your thoughts on how this will fit into your range. Is it intended to be more a surf kite than the Argo? Or more suitable for a particular style of surfer? Also, when you say a monthish away, that's re design completion? I take it release would follow months after?
Thanks
BTW relaunch vid is v impressive
Col

The argo will always be the Surf kite, 9m people are using from 15 to 38 knots depending on weight and skill, stable, auto relaunch, drifts nice with 3 drift settings, and turns and kite loops nicly, un hooks and does all the things you want a surf kite to do with more wind range and better turning.

The ??? kite will be ready, when its ready and tested and i have gone through about 1000 tweaks, could be 3 months away, and will be more freestyle free ride.