There's lots of good comments on switch kites in other threads (forum police etc...), so maybe finally we can have our own proper thread here.

Tell us about your experience, is the Element 5 coming out soon?

PLEASE no switch haters here... Thank you.

Disclaimer: I'm not a team rider and I make zero cent from talking about switch. I expect the same from everyone in this thread.

I just left a post on switch kites.someone deleted it.it wasnt very flattering for switch kites though only the truth.

From info I received from Felix, the EV5,s are still a way off - nothing major has changed but some really cool improvements.
I have 7 & 9m EV4,s and have been very happy with the quality & performance of these kites, the bar seemed a bit average but has grown on me.

Pitty that prices are starting to creep up.

IBTL
Ok a positive switch comment. Love my switch legacy, I rode torch's last year,but after their price hike this season I decided to give switch a try. The timing took a bit to get dialled in but I now prefer the legacy, even at the same price ,I'd use the legacy,.
oops my bad, now I've gone and compared them to a site sponsors kites. This thread won't last long

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wayne22 said..
I just left a post on switch kites.someone deleted it.it wasnt very flattering for switch kites though only the truth.

Facts truth or birther truth?

Anyone flown any back to back or flown either REO or neo or wave kites against them etc?

I have not flown the latest Reo or Neo but did own 2013 REO,s & later 2014 AR Waves - now on Element V4,s & loving them in the surf.
See if there's any demo kites in your area & decide for yourself.

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toppleover said...
I have not flown the latest Reo or Neo but did own 2013 REO,s & later 2014 AR Waves - now on Element V4,s & loving them in the surf.
See if there's any demo kites in your area & decide for yourself.

Why do you love it in the surf?? What does it do well, better or as good as the kites you had previously???

Hi Marno, grab a demo if you can mate - I loved my REO,s & Waves when I had them too. There all great kites, the diff I find with the EV4 is that it is a really smooth flying Kite with almost zero flutter. Turns a little slower (still pretty quick thou) but produces more power through the turn but if you really crank the bar it will pivot turn with little power. Seems to go upwind better than my previous kites, I've had a few mates comment on how smoothly it fly's.
It's just a great wave Kite.

This again?

I managed to find a thread about switch that I wrote some posts on quite a while ago still in existence.

I was not quite sure what I thought of the kite and bar though..... after a season on it I would say: the bar needs refining (its pretty heavy, needs regular maintenance or you might end up losing your chicken loop, depower magnet pisses me off) and the kite... well its a Nitro, so it boots like crazy, has great hangtime, but I dont really reckon I'd buy another Nitro in that size (12m). I can imagine the smaller ones might be pretty insane? I think I'd go their C kite, or go back to vegases/ C4s or maybe a fuel though.

Nothing wrong with the quality of the kite though, its as good or better than anything else I've seen

Who's the guy that flys the Peter Lynn?

Ok lofty, the peter lynn kites sort of did the job back when I was learning in 2005. I had a 16m venom and a couple of C-Quads.

The venom was a bit of a dog, but I guess it was ok for what was on offer back then. Used to find it lacked power, was slow as, and bow tied it a fair bit, but probably just because I was such a rookie.

Had heaps of fun on the smaller C-quad, the bigger one was a nightmare to untangle the bridles. Still actually fly the c quad, especially mates that want to try kiting for the first time. Gives a good understanding of what each line does.

Why are we talking about Peter Lynn though? Its a Switch thread dingus!

Because peter lynn and switch are both sheep ****ers

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kookaburrahz said..
Because peter lynn and switch are both sheep ****ers

Didn't know the Dutch were into sheep...

Ive had a 8 &12m Nitro 4 for two seasons and a 10m Nitro 3 for two and a half seasons. Previously Ive had North Evo's and Fuses. The Nitro's are superior kites in my opion but over all pretty comparable. There is no doubt that that Switch's design and build quality are as good if not better than all other brands.

Their comparative prices are still unmatched but as toppleover says it is disappointing that their prices are creeping up, but so are other brands. Service is second to non.

I and many others have had safety issues with their with anti flagging bar swivel design, which is supposedly under going a complete redesign. The kites are tough but not indestructible, like anything. I blew out a strut on my 12m N4 doing a kite loop recently. Switch reluctantly paid for the repair citing normal wear and tear (so much for a lifetime guarantee). They did however pay for a repair on a 2 season old kite which is more than most would do. I spoke on the phone with them and they are continually reinforcing subsequent models in recognized areas - their aim I was told is to have products thathave zero issues.

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toppleover said...
Hi Marno, grab a demo if you can mate - I loved my REO,s & Waves when I had them too. There all great kites, the diff I find with the EV4 is that it is a really smooth flying Kite with almost zero flutter. Turns a little slower (still pretty quick thou) but produces more power through the turn but if you really crank the bar it will pivot turn with little power. Seems to go upwind better than my previous kites, I've had a few mates comment on how smoothly it fly's.
It's just a great wave Kite.

Given its supposed to be a little more freeride than pure pure wave, it would be a little bit higher aspect than the Reo or Wave, so you'd expect it to be a bit better upwind. I have a 2012 Reo and it flutters a little but that doesn't affect performance, that's just aesthetics really. Always been entrigued to try an E4, and have kept an eye out for a second hand one but haven't seen one.... Maybe when the E5 comes out a few will move to that and shift their E4..

Please stay on topic in this thread. If you want to talk about Peter Lynn feel free to create a separate thread

Given its supposed to be a little more freeride than pure pure wave, it would be a little bit higher aspect than the Reo or Wave, so you'd expect it to be a bit better upwind.
^^^ 2nd what Marno said can't have both upwind and good drift. Tho even if it was close to REO in performance I'd be keen to have a crack.
Demo on their site is a bit confusing tho, and I'm not in a major city either. Anyone from Nowra down to Eden have one I could try?

How do the switch compare to core kites?

And would a home made dynabar be best if I'm using a
windsurfing seat harness? Thanks guy's.

Rpm.. keep up keeping everyone here honest! Yeah Wight

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Olly84 said...
Given its supposed to be a little more freeride than pure pure wave, it would be a little bit higher aspect than the Reo or Wave, so you'd expect it to be a bit better upwind.
^^^ 2nd what Marno said can't have both upwind and good drift. Tho even if it was close to REO in performance I'd be keen to have a crack.
Demo on their site is a bit confusing tho, and I'm not in a major city either. Anyone from Nowra down to Eden have one I could try?

I agree & have been on to Switch/Felix to bring out a pure wave Kite.
The E4 drifts fine in its upper wind range but in my experience with most wave kites I've owned, drift is average in light wind - only exception I have found is the BRM C2.

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marno said..

... Maybe when the E5 comes out a few will move to that and shift their E4..

The 'make an offer' section on the switch site has E4's now

Switch have a lifetime warranty on their kites. (No, I have not had to test it yet).
Any other brands offering this ?

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toppleover said..
Switch have a lifetime warranty on their kites. (No, I have not had to test it yet).
Any other brands offering this ?

What, more than 2 years? Unberiebaburu!

No, that wasn't it. Can't find it now so forget I said that. I'd edit it out if I could...mea culpa.

Didn't say popping...they do that too huh? Yikes. So Cats shouldn't be falling apart at the seams then? Ah, so that's why they're telling people it's outside of warranty.

Versus lifetime warranty and 30 days money back guarantee...suck it and see, eh?

Switch kites are sold without the mark-up of distributors and retailers -- that's why there's a price difference. Pretty simple, why don't people get that?

Do you know how much mark up YOU'RE paying? At our local stores here, we pay 50 to 100% mark-up OVER retail prices in the US...those $170 cool bindings? $280 here. That $2,200 foil board set up? $4,500...

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kookaburrahz said..

Switch kites are designed and built to be cheap.

I don't like to reply on Switch threads but if people post absolute lies I feel I have too.

I still have the very first 5, 7 & 9 Methods that arrived in Australia (Feb 2011), I have replaced a couple of bridles and bladders and stuck a couple of little patches on minor holes in the canopies, but that is it.
My 7 in particular has seen more use than most kites could possibly be expected to endure.
Lots of people didn't like the first Methods, I loved them and wish I could still buy them.

I can fully understand how some people might knock the way some of the first batch of Switch kites flew because they were different than most kites and not exactly beginner friendly but to knock the build quality you either don't know or have an agenda.
Which one is it kookaburrahz?

OK, back to what this thread is about.
i need a new flag out line, mine is toast. No untracked shipping anymore so $36 shipping for a $6 part Is a bit steep. If anyone is putting in an order please pm me and we will split the shipping charge.
Or, if anyone needs anything, pm and I'll add it to my order, a small bag up to 500 gms is $8.25 postage oz wide.
thanks

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airsail said..
OK, back to what this thread is about.
i need a new flag out line, mine is toast. No untracked shipping anymore so $36 shipping for a $6 part Is a bit steep. If anyone is putting in an order please pm me and we will split the shipping charge.
Or, if anyone needs anything, pm and I'll add it to my order, a small bag up to 500 gms is $8.25 postage oz wide.
thanks

Make one. Easy enough to splice a new one.

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tightlines said..

kookaburrahz said..

Switch kites are designed and built to be cheap.

I don't like to reply on Switch threads but if people post absolute lies I feel I have too.

I still have the very first 5, 7 & 9 Methods that arrived in Australia (Feb 2011), I have replaced a couple of bridles and bladders and stuck a couple of little patches on minor holes in the canopies, but that is it.
My 7 in particular has seen more use than most kites could possibly be expected to endure.
Lots of people didn't like the first Methods, I loved them and wish I could still buy them.

I can fully understand how some people might knock the way some of the first batch of Switch kites flew because they were different than most kites and not exactly beginner friendly but to knock the build quality you either don't know or have an agenda.
Which one is it kookaburrahz?

i have met the guy he use to be a director of a large loft. has some very interesting ideas about canopy's kites and sails. i made the mistake of telling him about my rock climbing kite few years ago, can not wait to see this response *popcorn*

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Kozzie said..

tightlines said..

kookaburrahz said..

Switch kites are designed and built to be cheap.

I don't like to reply on Switch threads but if people post absolute lies I feel I have too.

I still have the very first 5, 7 & 9 Methods that arrived in Australia (Feb 2011), I have replaced a couple of bridles and bladders and stuck a couple of little patches on minor holes in the canopies, but that is it.
My 7 in particular has seen more use than most kites could possibly be expected to endure.
Lots of people didn't like the first Methods, I loved them and wish I could still buy them.

I can fully understand how some people might knock the way some of the first batch of Switch kites flew because they were different than most kites and not exactly beginner friendly but to knock the build quality you either don't know or have an agenda.
Which one is it kookaburrahz?

i have met the guy he use to be a director of a large loft. has some very interesting ideas about canopy's kites and sails. i made the mistake of telling him about my rock climbing kite few years ago, can not wait to see this response *popcorn*

I doubt that he will be responding seeing as he has already deleted his post, guess that answers the question....

So Kookaburrahz only contribution to the topic now is "Because peter lynn and switch are both sheep ****ers"
Yep sounds like he knows his stuff.

What's the deal with the Controller V3 does it still have flagging issues like the V2?
I got a V3 when I bought a new kite but haven't used it yet, might stick to my other brand bar.

If your referring to the safety line jamming in the swivel, yes it is still a problem as far a I know. It has finally been sorted & Switch will send you a new swivel with slightly bigger holes so that the line has more room.
Or you could replace the swivel like I did, with an Ozone trimmer line bracket (I don't like swivels).