Lonny, Jon, SDC kites?

[mike dubs]

Guys,

I see you all use Cabrinha kites, I was wondering what you are flying and what your recommendations are for riding. Am looking to change, had Cabrinha's back in 2003, but not since.

interested in your thoughts.

cheers

guys

[sundogchicky]

im on the 2010 crossbows as i just love the range, versatility, and stability!!

[boris]

Hey.
I am riding core Gt it is a sweet quality kite and the service from core kiteboarding is the best. But if you are riding strapless an unhooked then I would not recommend core Gt. It is too powerful. I am looking for another kite as well after I started riding strapless unhooked wave riding. - So I am also interested in what kite and what style people are riding.

Thans a lot
Boris

[Slyde]

Dont get too worked up about the brand. I dont agree that powerful kites are not the best. IMHO a kite that has good power but also good depower is best. If you want a bit of loft to do grabbed transitions then the power is useful. I think this is why SDC finds the crossbow so good. Personally I quite like higher aspect kites which fly faster and more forward on the skim, because I am generally after good speed, but when riding strapless on a surfboard I like my kites to sit a bit further back and most importantly have good balance and drift when depowered, also where I live we dont have really fast waves so I dont want too much speed. If you like the cabbys they make a nice product but so do most of the big players nowadays. ( concious effort not to pimp )
Let us know what u get and what you think.

[mike dubs]

Will do, used loads of different kites over the years, have been on Wainman Rabbits for the last nearly 2 years which have been great. Just fancy a change, but nothing is grabbing my interest enough at the moment to be decisive, so was just interested in feedback on the Cab's, but as I have not been back to my TT and am committed to strapless surfboards now, i do want something that sits back in the window, turns fast and has loads of depower. I know there is loads out there these days that can do all that compared to 7/8 yrs ago, but always like to listen to peoples feedback or ride similar to me.

cheers

Mike

P.S. Been freezing or below here since Christmas with a cold NE wind that blows during the week then stops on Fri night til Monday morning!!!

[Rolavi]

Yeah I know it is more about the user than gear. However, I would like to hear more on this topic as it relates to skim boards and more about design, style, feel then brands.

I am riding 09 Naish Helix's for skim, Twin tip and surfboards. I love the kites for my TT and surfboard but feel they are not ideal for skim.

My gut tells me a kite that has more on/off power like you get from a bow/Delta kite may be better then my Helix that flies with static trim and wants to be moving/looping when I am not moving fast on a skim. I want to be focusing on my skim board skills rather than having to focus on cranking on the end of my bar when not at top board speed or totally lit on my kite size.

I am thinking about getting a 9-10m Delta kite like a Naish Charger, North EVO etc., LF envy for my skim sessions.

Anyone have good experiences with a delta c-shape for skimming?

[patrickrynne]

On 2010 Crossbows. Like them for their range and also great racing kites. Here in florida (light wind) all I need is a 10 and 13 meter and i'm set for nearly all conditions.

Used to ride flexifoils, but needed a 9, 12, 14 to cover the same range as the Xbow.

~patrick

[cynbad]

I just got the 2010 Ozone C4s!!! They are such a sweet ride for everything; unhooked, waves, light wind, heavy wind, loft. I can't say enough about these kites. If you get a chance to try one, do.

[Slyde]

Mike, I really like the look of the Rabbits. Are you sure you want to change? They look like exactly what I would want in an allround kite (even though quite low aspect). Funny how the grass is always greener..... guess this is what keeps the industry going.

[Lonny]

Hey Mike,

Sorry I did not get back to you sooner. It has actually been pretty good here the past few days, and I caught two nice surf sessions on South Beach. One day with overhead munching waves! Yeah! Got some video footage from that day I will post in the next few weeks. Now on to your question. I see you have gotten some great replies already, and talking about kites is usually a passionate discussion.

** Disclaimer Warning ** Jon, Wes (SDC), and I are all sponsored by Cabrinha. Thus, we all use Cabrinha products. I have never been about nor will I ever be about pimping a particular brand just because I am sponsored by that particular brand. I am happy to share my opinions of what I ride, and not trashing other people's gear just because I don't ride it. Almost everybody makes a decent kite nowadays, but I find the devils are in the details. Cabrinha has always been on the forefront of kite development, and I have been lucky enough to have been on their gear since the beginning way back in 2001. Honestly, the Cabrinha kites sell themselves and I generally never really need to "sell" someone on the Cabbies. There are several reasons that the number one kite model in the US is the Cabrinha Switchblade. It is often the most emulated and compared to Cabrinha model as well. That being said, I will give you my honest impressions of the Cabrinha line, and specifically the kite I really like, which is the Switchblade. ** Disclaimer End **

The first thing you notice about the Switchblade (SB) is its stability whether being hooked or un-hooked. There are so many times where I flew the kite poorly or got pushed too far in front of the kite one a wave and the SB stays in the air. When riding un-hooked the pull is very even and it sits nicely in the wind window. The SB has a very even power range, which is especially noticeable when you loop it. It has a very even power arc. It has good de-power and range, but not as good as the CB. Good depower and an even power arc is especially good from strapless riding perspective because you want a kite with those features so it does not jerk you off your board, or give you power when you least expect or want it. Specifically, for strapless riding it works very very with either a surfboard, or skim. It does sit further back in the wind window then the CB, but not as far back as a C kite would. Personally I like a kite with some bar feedback, so I can almost feel where the kite is through the bar without having to look at my kite. For my tastes, the SB has the perfect amount of bar pressure. I am not a fan of kites where the bar feels dead, but the power is on. I would call the SB turning speed acceptable to good. It is not what I would call a fast turning kite, but I find the turning speed of all sizes to be just right. Not too fast, or too slow. Lastly, the range of the SB is not as good as some other kites, like the Crossbow. However, with my quiver of a 12, 9, and 7 I have ridden from 9 to 35 knots, all strapless and have enjoyed every minute of it.

Now this is going to sound like complete BS, but it is 100% true, every year when I get my new kites I am always worried about switching to a new model because I hate to get dialed into a new kite. Plus, new generations of kites are not always better - although never tell the designers that However, when I got my new SB's last Summer they were instantly like using a kite I had been using for the last 3 seasons. There was no adjustment to the new kite or getting used to it phase. They had all the best features of previous SB generations, but with nice refinements in the bar and bridle. I was so stoked on the new SBs that I was going to write Pete (Cabrinha) a massive praise letter, but I didn't.

So that is it in a nutshell. Sorry if I gave you more information than you wanted. Although if you have other specific questions let me know and I will be happy to answer more questions. Again, this post is not a knock on any other manufacturer's gear. It is simply my impressions of the Cabrinha SB. I can assure you if the kite sucked I would not ride it, nor would I recommend it. In fact, I was not nearly as kind about the Cabrinha CB model from a few years ago. I thought my feedback was going to get me booted from the team. Ultimately, I have given hundreds of people recommendations on gear and I never want to have a person come back to me and tell them that I stroked them with some marketing BS. My reputation as a person is worth far more than any sponsorship. Nuff said.

[mike dubs]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, especially Lonny's comprehensive reply. I do love my wainmans and they do everything well, but I think I will try and demo the SB, the Fuse from North and maybe the new RPM from slingy. I need a 3 kite quiver in the UK due to the range of conditions and like the same type, so lookin to be impressed to change, mind you as they say "a change is as good as a rest".

Will keep you posted, hoping to make it out Sat morning, 30+ but v cold forecast, probably psych myself up with one of SDC's videos first and try and convince myself it's boardshorts weather .

regards

mike

[57palm]

Hi guys. I just had to mention one more great product to try. I fly Ocean Rodeo Rise kites. Ocean Rodeo is a local Vancouver Island company and initially I ended up with their gear sort of by default as it is readily available locally used. After a few seasons and trying a number of other kite brands I can highly recommend them. Even after trying the the highly acclaimed Naish kites I ended up going with a new quiver of 2009 rises. The 2009 10m is a sweet kite (or 2010 9m) it has a positively huge wind range (12-27kts) awesome low end, steady predictable and quick turning with a fantastic relaunch and super depower, all and all a great kite. The other sizes perform equally well with varying performance as would be expected. Like Lonny mentioned a kite with smooth power delivery helps a lot when riding strapless. I noticed a real difference going form my 2007 kites to the 2009. The power delivery is much smother and less abrupt but still very powerful. I would say this kite may not be quite as smooth as the Cabrinha but likely delivers better in the turn and boost departments. I really love these kites in the shore break on 21m lines, nice quick turns toeside and heelside and super drift. The ability to depower and suck up gust really helps to stay on the board. I found besides the small differences in handling that the power delivery (smooth or abrupt) was what made the most difference in riding strapless. You can ride a more abrupt kite it just takes a more aggressive riding style (not as relaxing). Just one more super product to consider but the best thing to do is fly as many as you can and decide on what is right for you as personal style and conditions vary for everyone.

Best of luck

Reuben

[JonModica]

Guys,

I see you all use Cabrinha kites, I was wondering what you are flying and what your recommendations are for riding. Am looking to change, had Cabrinha's back in 2003, but not since.

interested in your thoughts.

cheers

guys

You need to consider conditions carefully, but I would just make sure you have your "magic" kite. What i mean is this....
I spent so many years changing boards, kites, etc. This year alone i went through nomads and switchblades in all different sizes. Not to mention i went through 5 boards since JULY!!!!!!

All this equipment takes so much time to get used to, that you just dont get to have all those magical sessions.

Now i am all about simple. My "magic" kite is my 9 switchblade. I love that kite.

My recommendation is just find your magic kite, and get it. Work on building a quiver from there.
BUT TRY THE 9M!!!!
-Jon

[mike dubs]

Jon,

Thanks, you are right there are certain kites in ranges that are just great. Am trying the Nomads and will see how they work out, but first impressions are that they have less bottom end than my Wainmans, but feel like they'll be quick when powered.

thanks for everyones comments.

regards

mike

[boris]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, especially Lonny's comprehensive reply. I do love my wainmans and they do everything well, but I think I will try and demo the SB, the Fuse from North and maybe the new RPM from slingy. I need a 3 kite quiver in the UK due to the range of conditions and like the same type, so lookin to be impressed to change, mind you as they say "a change is as good as a rest".

Will keep you posted, hoping to make it out Sat morning, 30+ but v cold forecast, probably psych myself up with one of SDC's videos first and try and convince myself it's boardshorts weather .

regards

mike

Hey Mike.
I am curious to know if you find a kite you like better than the Wainman, Because I am thinking about buying a Wainman kite, so if you find a kite you think is better I would very much like to know which one you’ve got and why you like it more!
Thanks a lot!
Boris.