Just back from the 2008 RRD product release in Mauritius. My first trip there.

Roberto and team brought the new TYPE 9 prototype and some HYPERTYPE prototypes too [See in GENERAL about the dramas that unfolded in the heavy conditions].

The type 9s are billed as the follow on from last years type 8 which was in fact a fast turny C kite along that needed 5 lines. Some better riders loved it i believe but it was definitely not for all. This year the type 9 has totally embraced the hybrid SLE concept and gone for a front bridle. In fact in many ways it looked similar to the 2007 hypertype only with bigger tips and more of a C profile.

I stuck it on my 20m lines s and could instantly relate to it from the hypertype as it had a familiar lack of bar pressure and responsive feel like it just loves to constantly thrown around. The turning speed is much faster than the hypertype and there is a smooth pull at all points of the turn [losing some of that exciting stall and then 'game on' zing on the hypertype] with no stalling at all.

Having been stung by the 'hindenburg' thing this year [in common with all the really fast high performance bridle kites] Roberto has made it really stable and if the wind drops it fall back not forward and the kite powers up again. If you are dropping this kite you are doing something seriously wrong.

It is without doubt the best kite I have ever used in the waves and so much less technical to fly on short lines due to its refusal to totally overfly the windy and ability to be turned with even the lightest bar pressure. Miraculously It has done this without being significantly slower across the window.

The 12m 'Type 9' was the real revelation. This year I was almost reluctant to pull the 12m Hyper out of the bag, as although it was a light wind machine for bottom end and fanging upwind for freestyle, in the waves it really need to be pushed and powered up to turn fast and has little of the ziiiing on the 9. The Type 9 12 turned like an 8 and sped across the window and responded progressively to the slightest input, Ultimately it may have lost a little of the raw power bottom end but at what a gain. I really think i will actually be relishing 15kt- 12m weather in the waves this year for the first time

The 9 and 7m have been deliberatley slowed down relatively and the ease amd comfort and predictability in 25kts was amazing. The 7m Hypertype is without doubt an exciting ride but in the waves at leats needs really needs to be leashed in by split second rider input to get the best out of it.

I'm no freestyle king but RRD team rider Sebastian [current PKRA champion] was loving his and blowing minds by doing tricks what seemd like right over the swimming pool in 30kts on the 7m . The general vibe was that with such flawless stability without loss of performance, it will be one of the freestyle kites of 2008

Depower is probably marginally less than the hypertype 2007 but is is smooth a progressive over a longer bar travel. Ther is a new bar with some cool new technical advances on the old. As before bar length adjusts and one bar does all. Can save a lot of dough if you want 3 kites. The talk is of doing 20s with removable extensions [like flexifoil this year] The price looks like it will be really good too

Sorry to rave on but if you don't believe me John Geyer and Andy Cooksey now have demo Type 9 kites [7m 9m and 12m] at SOS for anyone interested in what 2008 holds. Unfortunately although a couple of demo's were broght along the hypertype 2 2008 has not been fully finished yet but i suspect if going high and far is your game you might love it when it does

If you have been holding onto your kites for a couple of seasons thinking significant advances have not been made in kite design then try the demos out and you will think again.

Hi Niall, I've got the 12 rrd hyper type, and really enjoyed flying this kite. liked to hear that they have updated the already great bar.

I wanted to find out when the new kites will be available- esp the new hyper.

My only complaint with the hyper was that it was not especially grunty for it's size (i'm 87 kgs- waves mostly)- but this seems to be pretty common downside to the hybrids. Is the type 9 a better choice for down low power ?

the depower was good on the hyper- nice and progressive- did they alter this at all in the 08 kites?

Are you sure you have the 12 tuned correctly? The 12 HT is a seriuosly grunty kite. It has the best low end of any 12 I have ridden in 5 years kiting.
As for the type 9, if your into waves, this kite in the 12 is far superior to the HT. You won't get the stall then zing of the HT and it is much faster both in turning and through the window. The low end of the type 9 may not be quite as good as the HT though.
Ads

Hi Ads,
I have the front lines all the way out with the cleat, but haven't tried shortening the back lines yet- there is knots at both bar, and kite ends to shorten. Which rear line knots do you have yours on at the bar end, and the kite end?

looks good

With regard to low end power the 12m Hypertype has got to have the power of most 15s, and magazine reviews [see Kiteworld] agree.

Best not to tighten up the back lines as with a lot of faster flatter kites it will stall completely and want to fly backwards.

To judge the best tension fly the kite and the backlines should be only just getting tight [ie straight] at full power. Too much tension and you will deform and stall the kite and actually loose power. The hypertype has a relatively small amount of travel on the depower loop between full and no power, the kite is best powerstroked for more power in the lulls.

The amazing thing about the hypertype 12 is its upwind performance in light wind.

Niall

Thanks Niall, I'll try what you suggested.

The kite is probably being oversheeted, and losing power/stalling.

Now I just need some wind.........

The new type9 should be available in late July or early August.

My son and myself tried the 9 and 12 out on the river (wa)on a day that was cold and wind gusty, at the end of a 3 hr session we both said that it was the best session we have had on the river in two years convincing ourselves that the easterly was the most consistant that we have had, after checking the wind graph that night we realized it was the same crapy wind thats allways there. I currently have Hypers 7/9/12 and my son has RRD type 8 as good as these kites are there all on the market now and the new Type 9 on order.The type 9 simply are the best dont worry about reviews go and demo one from SOS Fremantle and then put your order in.

hey Niall, sounds just like the atom 07!!