Found this online, its a prototype, this colourway will not be in the lineup. I've seen the 2013 pics Ozone have released, you can go to any dealer and check them out, we just can't put the real ones online yet.
Kites are looking really good, Robbie Whittall has worked hard to tweak the design to keep its performance ahead of all the brands that have blatantly copied it.

Not good news for the bank balance, any suggestions on how to hide transactions from the missus would be appreciated, on the subject of blatant copies is the any way that a kite company can protect their design, if so I reckon Mr whitall would be in court with Mr cabrinha

Select to expand quote

cauncy said...

....on the subject of blatant copies is the any way that a kite company can protect their design, if so I reckon Mr whitall would be in court with Mr cabrinha

There must be cause no one has copied the Naish Sigma shape...
Wait, what.

Was it not Mr Bruno Legainoux that holds the patent for the SLE shape and Mr Salles that holds the Delta Patent.....I believe most other brands pay some kind of royalty for the use of the designs and then build on it?

Interestingly I read an article about how all the kite manufactures who use factories in Asia would have their lasts Kites all made under the same roof and would regularly make visits partly to check out what the other brands were doing and get ideas!!!

Wonder if it as bad as Cabs to the left Ozone to the right, i guess if they all getting made by the same workers you would hope the workmanship would at least be the same between brands which should be a good thing?

Select to expand quote

cauncy said...

Not good news for the bank balance, any suggestions on how to hide transactions from the missus would be appreciated,

its far better to beg forgiveness than ask permisiion and be denied!!.

Select to expand quote

Addikt said...

Was it not Mr Bruno Legainoux that holds the patent for the SLE shape and Mr Salles that holds the Delta Patent.....I believe most other brands pay some kind of royalty for the use of the designs and then build on it?

Interestingly I read an article about how all the kite manufactures who use factories in Asia would have their lasts Kites all made under the same roof and would regularly make visits partly to check out what the other brands were doing and get ideas!!!

Wonder if it as bad as Cabs to the left Ozone to the right, i guess if they all getting made by the same workers you would hope the workmanship would at least be the same between brands which should be a good thing?

Except ozone have their own factory

Select to expand quote

TurtleHunter said...

Addikt said...

Was it not Mr Bruno Legainoux that holds the patent for the SLE shape and Mr Salles that holds the Delta Patent.....I believe most other brands pay some kind of royalty for the use of the designs and then build on it?

Interestingly I read an article about how all the kite manufactures who use factories in Asia would have their lasts Kites all made under the same roof and would regularly make visits partly to check out what the other brands were doing and get ideas!!!

Wonder if it as bad as Cabs to the left Ozone to the right, i guess if they all getting made by the same workers you would hope the workmanship would at least be the same between brands which should be a good thing?

Except ozone have their own factory

True Ozone have their own factory and do not make kites for any other brands, unlike all the other factorys, which make multiple brands and in which there is a certain amount of crossing of ideas, technology and construction.
Ozone developed their own unique designs that have nothing to do with the Bow or Delta kite patents.
Ozone have been making world class leading paragliders and power kites for 2 decades prior to making inflatable kite surfing kites.

I don't think North make other kites in their factory..

Select to expand quote

kiteboy dave said...

I don't think North make other kites in their factory..

The factory that makes north makes core, fone, caution and several other brands, it is located in sri lanka

Select to expand quote

Kitepower Australia said...

TurtleHunter said...

Addikt said...

Was it not Mr Bruno Legainoux that holds the patent for the SLE shape and Mr Salles that holds the Delta Patent.....I believe most other brands pay some kind of royalty for the use of the designs and then build on it?

Interestingly I read an article about how all the kite manufactures who use factories in Asia would have their lasts Kites all made under the same roof and would regularly make visits partly to check out what the other brands were doing and get ideas!!!

Wonder if it as bad as Cabs to the left Ozone to the right, i guess if they all getting made by the same workers you would hope the workmanship would at least be the same between brands which should be a good thing?

Except ozone have their own factory

True Ozone have their own factory and do not make kites for any other brands, unlike all the other factorys, which make multiple brands and in which there is a certain amount of crossing of ideas, technology and construction.
Ozone developed their own unique designs that have nothing to do with the Bow or Delta kite patents.
Ozone have been making world class leading paragliders and power kites for 2 decades prior to making inflatable kite surfing kites.

I think Slingshot follow the same with the factory still in the US, but what I don't get is say take a catalyst, or say a slingshot Rally or north Rebel are they not all delta/sle hybrids, my intention here is not to brand bash, I very much like ozones, just think the lines are sometimes blurred... I have used kite cad software before so I understand how much you can tweak things but I also have experienced how easy it is to make a kite that ends up looking just like a mix of your fav shapes..........

Anyone got any news about the ozone bars I am so close to buying one just need a few changes on the bar......

I've heard the new chicken loop will be approx 10 weeks away , new bar still not sure, Yeh I know some people like the push away system, but the bar is still a great bit of kit, clean , and simple and superbly made, with ozones they won't bring out somethin that they arnt 100% happy with.

Select to expand quote

Plummet said...

cauncy said...

Not good news for the bank balance, any suggestions on how to hide transactions from the missus would be appreciated,

its far better to beg forgiveness than ask permisiion and be denied!!.

Yo plummet my credit card was stolen, so i phoned the missus and asked her to report it to the bank, when I got home I asked her if shed done what I asked, she said no cause the thrief was spending less with it than what i did on my kiting gear

I hope this year is the year of the chicken loop.....for all brands I don't think Slingshot have made any changes, north is clean as ever only the trim cleat is new and looks like bar ends maybe....think Ozone, Fone, Best and especially Switch although all systems are clean and work would be nice for a redesign hopefully for the better........

Select to expand quote

Addikt said...

I think Slingshot follow the same with the factory still in the US, but what I don't get is say take a catalyst, or say a slingshot Rally or north Rebel are they not all delta/sle hybrids, my intention here is not to brand bash, I very much like ozones, just think the lines are sometimes blurred... I have used kite cad software before so I understand how much you can tweak things but I also have experienced how easy it is to make a kite that ends up looking just like a mix of your fav shapes..........

Anyone got any news about the ozone bars I am so close to buying one just need a few changes on the bar......

Slingshot TT boards are made in the USA, kites are made in China. Back in 2006 Ozone factorys did produce some Slingshot kites but only for one season, from then on a decision was made not to manufacture for other brands.
The whole design copyright thing seems to have died away, like you say the differences are very small, and cost a lot to argue in court! Fairly sure none of the bands except the top 5-6 are actually making enough money to pursue patents.
All I know is that Ozone withdrew from a factory in China that was making bars for several brands due to quality and production/supply issues when they first started to work on a push away cloop last year. That factory has recently gone bust, leaving many brands struggling to source bars (and TT boards). There is a new Cloop coming this year, when is the unknown, but it will be brilliant and well tested when it is finally released.
In the meantime I'm more than happy with the current bar, as are thousands of other people who ride Ozone. There have been a number of smaller running changes made to the current bar and the new race bar just released is based on the current bar. I have been told that the new Cloop will be able to be retrofitted to all current bars.

Back in October I was going to hang on until the 2013 Reo with the new bar, but jeez I'm glad I didn't. As everyone has said, it is still a great bar.
Just thinking out loud...

Select to expand quote

Kitepower Australia said...


There is a new Cloop coming this year, when is the unknown, but it will be brilliant and well tested when it is finally released.
In the meantime I'm more than happy with the current bar, as are thousands of other people who ride Ozone. There have been a number of smaller running changes made to the current bar and the new race bar just released is based on the current bar. I have been told that the new Cloop will be able to be retrofitted to all current bars.

Will be keeping a close eye out for it then........

Select to expand quote

Addikt said...

Was it not Mr Bruno Legainoux that holds the patent for the SLE shape and Mr Salles that holds the Delta Patent...

Patents aren't the only way to prove intellectual property. If you did a direct flop of a competitor they could take you to the cleaners but it would be expensive to prove in court and only need to make minor changes to be able to claim that similarities are a coincidence.

Theres a few pics floating around on the web atm......heres one I found with a quick google search



Ive got a 2013 11m on order..........cant wait to send it!!!

its looking more delta like every year. I would love to try one this season

^^^ Not a fan of that colour scheme. I, for one, liked their simple classy designs. It seems that every year they're trying to make it a little cooler and just making it a bit more messy and losing a bit of the timeless classic design.

KP, there was a 10 page spread about North's Sri Lanka factory in a kiteworld a year or two ago. They must have hidden all the other brands for the pics, sure looked and sounded like it was North's flagship. I stand corrected.

Select to expand quote

Hopey said...

Theres a few pics floating around on the web atm......heres one I found with a quick google search



Ive got a 2013 11m on order..........cant wait to send it!!!

hopey my address is 39 ocean drive ill pay the postage if you wanna send it

pheww and there was i thinking i was gonna have to buy one, cant believe my f*****G luck

Select to expand quote

cauncy said...

hopey my address is 39 ocean drive ill pay the postage if you wanna send it

Select to expand quote

cauncy said...

pheww and there was i thinking i was gonna have to buy one, cant believe my f*****G luck

LOL ok i'll pay that!

Some delta in it, yes it seems that way. Improve it's turning and this kite would be unstoppable.

Select to expand quote

kiteboy dave said...

^^^ Not a fan of that colour scheme. I, for one, liked their simple classy designs. It seems that every year they're trying to make it a little cooler and just making it a bit more messy and losing a bit of the timeless classic design.

KP, there was a 10 page spread about North's Sri Lanka factory in a kiteworld a year or two ago. They must have hidden all the other brands for the pics, sure looked and sounded like it was North's flagship. I stand corrected.

Its a big factory! I have not been there, but have seen footage in online videos. Depending on the layout the factory manufacturing for different brands may be spread into different sheds or floors?
It was quite funny when I visited the "Performance" factory, which is owned by Neil Pryde, to hear one of the factory managers ask some of us what we saw on our tour, we of course said cabrinha kites, he then said great, yesterday we were making best kites in that part of the factory!! LOL.
Strangely enough they use different techniques to construct different kites in the same factory, but the way we in the industry can tell is from a few things, a major one being the cartons the kites come in, then the stitching and other small details that are dependent on actual machinery that is unique to that particular factory.
Visit http://www.kitepower.com.au/ozone-edge-2013.html to see the other colors

So what's the small town gossip on the edge this year apart from the thinner aramid bridle?
Any major tweeks or changes?
What length are the lines this year?

Also very interested to see the first (p)reviews of the 2013 Edge. Still flying the 2011's, love these btw, and since there were no major changes last year I did not upgrade to the 2012 models. So let the reviews coming so I can (or can not) open my wallet to start spreading some benjamins

@ walshd - The Bridle is not aramid, it is unsheathed dyneema. The bridle is very thin and low drag, the kite has been considerably lightened, and this alone will give a significant improvement over last your for racing.

@kitelordtgb - Unfortunately no-one up here in Sydney has ridden them yet as far as I know. They will be finding their way on the water asap though and I'm sure the owners will report here on their findings.

@ walshd - The Bridle is not aramid, it is unsheathed dyneema. The bridle is very thin and low drag, the kite has been considerably lightened, and this alone will give a significant improvement over last your for racing.

@kitelordtgb - Unfortunately no-one up here in Sydney has ridden them yet as far as I know. They will be finding their way on the water asap though and I'm sure the owners will report here on their findings.

@ eppo - No delta, definitely not thats just a photo angle thing, but I can't see it? The turn rate has been improved a bit (so I'm told), but it is a high aspect kite, still the 2012's turn plenty quick IMO.