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I spent some time on the 6 meter Ride and a surf board this weekend in the Gorge. It was blowing 22-27. Most people were out on 8's and 10's. It had plenty of power, turned with power and speed, and had tons of lift for jumps. When riding swell it drifted very well with out stalling or getting ahead of me. It is definitely my choice for a surf kite.

NickStuart wrote:I spent some time on the 6 meter Ride and a surf board this weekend in the Gorge. It was blowing 22-27. Most people were out on 8's and 10's. It had plenty of power, turned with power and speed, and had tons of lift for jumps. When riding swell it drifted very well with out stalling or getting ahead of me. It is definitely my choice for a surf kite.

How did it handle gusts? ...I've been riding the 6 bolt in ultra windy and gusty conditions. Very interested in hearing how the 6 fare in those conditions since the kite is so poweful?

It handles them very well surprisingly enough. If you are are fully depowered and sheeted out it has some canopy noise but is completely stable and forgiving. I rode it in 35 to 40 in Hatteras and it rode like a champ. I am impressed with it. It also jumps really floaty for a 6.

NickStuart wrote:It handles them very well surprisingly enough. If you are are fully depowered and sheeted out it has some canopy noise but is completely stable and forgiving. I rode it in 35 to 40 in Hatteras and it rode like a champ. I am impressed with it. It also jumps really floaty for a 6.

Exactly my impression too. It is important like any other kite to pump it solid, but what kite doesn't have canopy noise if you throw it through the powerzone depowered....comment on the beach was that it flutter way less than a "insert brand / type here" kite. I'm leaning towards getting a 6 too now. Shit. The idea of riding a 6 in lower winds is very enticing.

That is what I like about it. I can ride a 6 when normally I would have to be on an 8. Stoked!

I had a chance to try the Ride recently. I found it to be a horrible kite for performance but this may be due to me being 225lbs. It was a 12 meter and about 18knots in flat water. While I was able to boost and ride lit on my 13 Ozone Edge, i could barely even get going on the 12 meter Ride. Again maybe its due to me being a bigger guy but my initial impression is that Naish(a company I love) may have messed up on this one. I found NO "sheet and go performance" jumping was abizmal and the turning was not only unpredictable but the whole shape buckled in on itself when i tried to get some power out of it. Looping was horrible too. the new people I saw learning were having a hard time moving the kite from left to right as it would take off. I dont say these things because I dont like Naish, truth is I love Naish! but the savings in the money department isnt worth the cost in the performance department. Sorry if I sound like a dick, just trying to be honest with MY PERSONAL experience.

aceras624 wrote:I had a chance to try the Ride recently. I found it to be a horrible kite for performance but this may be due to me being 225lbs. It was a 12 meter and about 18knots in flat water. While I was able to boost and ride lit on my 13 Ozone Edge, i could barely even get going on the 12 meter Ride. Again maybe its due to me being a bigger guy but my initial impression is that Naish(a company I love) may have messed up on this one. I found NO "sheet and go performance" jumping was abizmal and the turning was not only unpredictable but the whole shape buckled in on itself when i tried to get some power out of it. Looping was horrible too. the new people I saw learning were having a hard time moving the kite from left to right as it would take off. I dont say these things because I dont like Naish, truth is I love Naish! but the savings in the money department isnt worth the cost in the performance department. Sorry if I sound like a dick, just trying to be honest with MY PERSONAL experience.

Hmm, that sounds so weird. It just sounds like the kite was severly underinflated. Could it be that the kite was underinflated? I've ridden the kite in very overpowered, and gusty conditions, and the kite never buckled. One of the ways the ride handles gusts is by bending..but definitely not buckling.

Just sounds like something was way off because at 18 knots I am lit on my 10 Ride (190-195lb) and a 4'8'' surfboard. No chance the wind came up between you riding the Edge and the Ride? I have not ridden the 12 much still sounds impossible that the 10 would be more powerful than the 12 right?

I have a friend learning on a 8m Ride. Whenever the kite lands face down, I noticed its hard to get to the edge of the window. Seems like the two struts just aren't enough to keep the kite open to the wind.

rightguard wrote:I have a friend learning on a 8m Ride. Whenever the kite lands face down, I noticed its hard to get to the edge of the window. Seems like the two struts just aren't enough to keep the kite open to the wind.

the only time I've had problems relaunching was when the kite was wrapped by waves...it was really really wrapped too.

Tell your friend to pull on both front line and one backline to see if that helps. Have you had a go on the kite?

I tried it a little, I was over powered but it was nice. Seemed a little more bar pressure than my bolts but a little more direct control in the jumps. I'd like to try the 6. I'll tell him to try that.