Image via WikipediaHi guys been a while still in Boracay for 1 more month enjoying the sunshine wind has been great recently such a good time this season, although the work has been decideingly slow......oh well nice to have a break.Anyway enough nonsense lets get down to the nitty gritty this years kites............
North:
Expensive, tough to find a good price on the gear but what a season they having this year.....the new material seems to be holding up pretty well but only time will tell on it.There has been a few problems with the strut bladders but only seems to be on the Asian batch,not on any of the European kites.Still not keen on how Fast the components wear on the bar but that aside it works very well and does what it should.Major problem with the vegas do not set it up on the wakestyle setting as the buffers on the leading edge are not big enough and wearing a hole in the dacron.
Vegas
Most user friendly C kite on the market good wind range better low end power than 2010 good depower.Great kite unhooked and good for learning kite loops.
Evo
Still one of the best most stable deltas on the market good wind range ease of use great fun kite much more versatile than the vegas.Good unhooked performance soft kite loops probably the kite most people will prefer.
Neo
The intro pacakage kite what can i say great value.I am pretty sure it is a tweaked version of the 09 evo to save on r&d.Was and is a great kite heavier on the bar than the new evo not quite as smooth but great all rounder and stable massive range.
Slingshot
Still destinctive loving the look of the fuel this season.Good build quality something for everyone in thier range.Problems the bar is the hardest wearing bar on the market.Still not a fan af the below the bar depower on the standard bar.Big problem with it too think they rectified it on the later releases but if you put it on full power cracks the chicken loop i.e plastic to plastic leave 1cm of rope or it will break the release mechanism and your chicken loop will keep opening.
Fuel
Still hardcore small windrange but great kite.Not much change to the kite.Balls out but great Ckite
Rpm
Smoothest kite on the market fast direct great fun.Not the most powerful but good range great unhooked,super smooth loops no spikes in the power.Doesnt jump so high but those looking for C kite feel without killing themselves this is your kite.
Rally
Slingshots first Delta and they hit the ground running as good as the Evo nice easy to use great range.The kite for most people.
Cabrinha
Upgraded the new material again.Great build Quality doesent seem to be any problems with the kite or the bar.New bar with the spring is a sweet upgrade.Best windrange big problems with there boards and footstraps this year though.Boards delaminateing and snapping footstraps toughened but not mounts so cracking broken ankles anyone???
Nomad
C kite style fast direct nice loops good unhooked.Not good low end so make sure you go a size bigger
Switchblade
Slightly less powerful than last years but biggest windrange performance kite on the market.Jumps like hell lots of hangtime very powerfull kiteloops.alround powerful kite the average rider cannot go wrong with this kite.If you only buying 1 kite this is for you.
Convert
cheaper than the switchblade and i cant see why very similar easier relaunch still great kite for every level.Slightly less powerful kiteloop and doesnt jump quite as high as the switchblade but a great kite.
Airush
Are back with avengance nice simple bar always good build quality only tried the vapor X and the razor but great kites.
Razor
pro model C kite nicest kite i have ridden this year 1/2 way between vegas and fuel and jumps so high.True true true oldschool Ckite but well balanced and enough depower,not as much as the vegas but enough.
Vapor X
highbred C kite same vain as the vegas and Rpm good allrounder bit softer but now i remember why airush used to be so big thier kites jump High.
F-one
2011 is not there year.quite a few problems with the bar chicken loop opening for no reason the bandit this year does not relaunch in light wind.Not ripping as much as the bandit3 but still seen quite a few in 2 pieces.The boards looking and rideing sweet though.The new bandit does fly quite well in the air this year has massive hangtime ,good low end and looks really cool and im sure they will iron out the problems for 2012 but would stick to there boards this year.
These are the kite i have tried and tested so far all have there good and bad points these are my frank and honest opinions.Hope they are helpful to you.
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