Hi all,

Im currently riding 2014 cats and putting some thought into some new kites. Either Enduros or Reos.
My preference is strapless wave kiting, but cant always do that, so still will be doing flat water sessions both strapless and TT.

So, a few questions that Im hoping someone with some experince with these kites can help me out with.

1. How do Reos go in flat water with a TT? What is it specifcally that makes them not ideal for this?

2. Is the Enduro significantly better than the Cat in waves? ie, is it worth the change as my cats still have plenty of life in them.

3. How much better is the Reo in waves compared to the Enduro?

Thanks

I can't help with what the current kites fly like. I'm still rocking 2012 reo and cat.

why change when the kites you have are still good?

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Plummet said..
I can't help with what the current kites fly like. I'm still rocking 2012 reo and cat.

why change when the kites you have are still good?

Guess I'm just thinking that upgrading to something with more wave capabiltiy might be fun

Cats are pretty damn good in the waves. Maybe 95% as good as reo. He's my call unless you have super clean down the line waves stick the cats until they are worn out.

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Plummet said..
Cats are pretty damn good in the waves. Maybe 95% as good as reo. He's my call unless you have super clean down the line waves stick the cats until they are worn out.

Cheers. And its not like im pro at drifting it down the line anyways

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Plummet said...
Cats are pretty damn good in the waves. Maybe 95% as good as reo. He's my call unless you have super clean down the line waves stick the cats until they are worn out.

Plums comparing cats to reos.....I've flown both and two sh ets over cat, are you talking smallsub 10 sizes? My cat was 10 and was fortunate to li e in Perth with an 8 reo and absolutely killed the cat for onshore wind/mush. Do the cats in smaller sizes suffice for a wave kite??

I have Enduros, Reos and a 2014 Cat albeit that is a 14m.
Don't like the Reo much with TT as feels a bit gutless and does not jump particularly well. If you just mow the lawn it's fine. Forget unhooking.
Enduro will behave similar to the Cat in waves. Better, more sporty, on a TT.
You have freestyle, freeride and wave settings on the Enduro which will give some, for me insignificant, different feel.
Reo is more nimble, lighter, has more drift. Hence is better suited for waves clearly.
Enduro is a great allrounder, a more advanced, balanced and agressive further development of the old Cat. It works for me as I am mainly on TT, but it works fine on sb and foil too if I just want to change boards and can't be bothered pumping up the Reo.
Loops: Harmless, fast, precise on the Reo as you would expect with a wave kite. Ok on the Cat. Precise yet more fun and powerfull on the Enduro.

But if you are mainly hitting waves, don't need a very fast moving and light and drifty kite then probably your Cats will just be fine...

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Olly84 said..

Plummet said...
Cats are pretty damn good in the waves. Maybe 95% as good as reo. He's my call unless you have super clean down the line waves stick the cats until they are worn out.

Plums comparing cats to reos.....I've flown both and two sh ets over cat, are you talking smallsub 10 sizes? My cat was 10 and was fortunate to li e in Perth with an 8 reo and absolutely killed the cat for onshore wind/mush. Do the cats in smaller sizes suffice for a wave kite??

My comparison is with 8 cat 6 reo. I have flow 10 cat, 10 reo, Haven't flown the new endure. Russ's review sounds like what I was expecting. I have Zero problem with my old 8m cat in any wave conditions. Its a brilliant kite in the waves.
Personally I only prefer the little reo in near perfect down the line conditions in monster swell. Even then I prefer the cats better ability to boost over monster white wash.

So. My thought is this. If you don't jump and focus only on down the line riding in waves. Then buy a reo. If you do anything else the reo is bat**** boring get a cat or latest enduro.

I do notice in some of the latest vids strapless freestyle guys are going to cats/enduro's. That makes sense because they need better jump performance.

I strictly ride waves, so for me its 100% Reo's. The pull through the arc is a lot more constant compared to Enduro / older Cat.
A lot of the guys that crossover onto flat water as well love the Enduros, and have moved from Reo's to them.
Hopefully Rich or Billy see this post and give you their opinion, I know they ride a bit of both.

Thanks for the replies, some good insight and info.

So I'm thinking, there's not much to be gained by upgrading to the enduros whilst my cats still have life in them.
And, I know I'd love reos for the surf. So it's a matter of deciding whether I want to start carrying around even more gear and having cats and reos....

Or,I just wait till my cats die and revist the idea then

I've got a mixed quiver of Reo V3 7/8/10/12 and Enduro V1 9/14
The Enduro is the best all rounder kite I've used and on the wave setting it is very competent in waves. I'm very surprised by the 14M enduro and I'd recommend it to anyone in the 95/100kg range as their large wave kite. Its very good in sideshore and drifts amazingly well for a big kite, in onshore its a 14M kite, so you need to adapt and turn it a tad sooner than you would with a 12 or 10 Reo, but I still really enjoy it and its been a real session saver at my local onshore spot.
If you are going to do TT and ride waves I don't thing there is any choice, has to be the Enduro.

The Reo V4 is about to hit the stores, should be arriving in the next week or so, its a tweaked version of the V3, it has thicker struts, and the canopy and LE have been through the upgraded Ozone software, the tip and the LE at the bend/corner of the kite look different, and overall the kite has a compact grunty feel to it, but still with that quick and short depower you need for waves. Have not ridden one yet just repeating what a few people who have told me.

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TerryMcTool said..
I've got a mixed quiver of Reo V3 7/8/10/12 and Enduro V1 9/14
The Enduro is the best all rounder kite I've used and on the wave setting it is very competent in waves. I'm very surprised by the 14M enduro and I'd recommend it to anyone in the 95/100kg range as their large wave kite. Its very good in sideshore and drifts amazingly well for a big kite, in onshore its a 14M kite, so you need to adapt and turn it a tad sooner than you would with a 12 or 10 Reo, but I still really enjoy it and its been a real session saver at my local onshore spot.
If you are going to do TT and ride waves I don't thing there is any choice, has to be the Enduro.

The Reo V4 is about to hit the stores, should be arriving in the next week or so, its a tweaked version of the V3, it has thicker struts, and the canopy and LE have been through the upgraded Ozone software, the tip and the LE at the bend/corner of the kite look different, and overall the kite has a compact grunty feel to it, but still with that quick and short depower you need for waves. Have not ridden one yet just repeating what a few people who have told me.

Thanks

I ended up buying a 10m reo and 12 enduro. Havent flown the enduro yet. But loving the reo both in waves and flat water on the surfboard. Was a bit weird on flat water with the TT, but thats ok.

I'm sure you are going to have a lot of fun learning the differences between the 2! Where in NSW are you?

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TerryMcTool said..
I'm sure you are going to have a lot of fun learning the differences between the 2! Where in NSW are you?

Im in Sydney..

My theory is, most of my flat water sessions are on a 12, and most of surf sessions are on a 10.. so hopefully I've made the right choice

If not, i'll sell the enduro and buy 12 reo

Sounds about right but I reckon you will want a smaller Reo/Enduro because Sydney definitely gets winds above the range of those 2, keep on the lookout for used ones, especially Reo's, I know KP will be getting some good used kites as their team riders upgrade to V4.

Cheers,
10m does me up to 30k. Got a few kgs to my name