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. Infact my call is the cat is a rebadged light

Thanks that's what I had been afraid of. i flew the C-4's a couple of years then tried the Rally & love the kite for my way of riding - just don't care for the bar & lines so I've been using an Ozone bar & lines w/ the Rally kites = perfect. I was hoping for an ozone kite that flies like the Rally but with all the Ozone features I like. Construction quality, better bar & lines, large fill/dump valve, etc.

It'll be interesting to see how the changes affect the Cat's performance for 2013

I tried the 14m 2012 Cat and it wasn't for me. Only had fun when the wind picked up past 20 knots, not what I want a big kite for.

For learning it's probably ideal, gentle and loads of depower. But it didn't have any 'oomph' in it's mid range at all, even sending it hard didn't seem to do much compared to the c4.

For general freeriding, jumping and fun - I would go c4 or edge. 13m edge is a session saver for the 12-15 knot days - keeps you upwind and great for boosting. Masses of power on tap.

if you hated the instinct then you will hate the catalyst they are very similar. Infact my call is the cat is a rebadged light. same style kite different name.

I'd say this is a totally different kite than the old instinct lights. I got to demo a 10M in snow and was really impressed. No butterfly wing effect when loaded up like those kites had. Very smooth looping and lightish bar pressure. I was underpowered so I was looping the kite a lot but wanted to give it a try. Super easy relaunch. Very solid across the leading edge when loaded up.

I wish I would have been lit better because I didn't get to check its boosting ability. Very responsive and smooth. I could loop the kite in variable ways and get different power responses. All of them felt smooth and user friendly.

Has anyone yet tried a 2013 when fully lit? Really curious what this thing is like when its in peak performance mode. I'd also be curious about anyones impression with the '13's larger sizes like the 12 or 14M? Good float?/ Hang Time?

Can't comment on the big sizes. Have been on a 10m 2013. Needs to be as plummet said in decent winds. When you are at least tacking upwind easily, it is, well it is kind of....soft. Very predictable, but no real oomph. I can see this still is a good kite for high powered conditions per size. It does loop really well and tight and bloody fast. A really fast kite for a 10, probably the fastest turning kite I have been on. Just a soft gentle feel, nothing to it really. Not my cup of tea, but others might like that feel. Would suite a be starter for sure, and an experienced rider in its middle to upper range. Don't get me wrong a lovely kite, with a tight fast turning radius that does drift really well, but if ya looking to get ya socks knocked off, wouldn't go this. Unless you ride it very powered. Even then....

Any comparison out there as far as power compared to the older Cat's 2010 to 2012? I have the 2010 Cats just love them. Prob 300 to 400 sessions on my 2010 10m so trying to figure out if its worth the upgrade or just put another 300 to 400 sessions on the kite since its still perfect.

yeah i dont do the knock your socks of riding just a kite to get me in the right sections.

Any help out there. Old to new style Cat's

Power?
Bar pressure?
Power in turns? hate a kite that pulls me off the wave the older Cat's are unbeatable in this aspect.

Rode both 2013 Cata 10 and 12 this weekend, and had 8 and 10 at 2012 in my quiver.

Shape looks more lie the C4 bit more C oriented. Great design, relounch super easy, looks durable and firm. Very steady in the air. My experience from previous years tell me it will have increadible top wind range, with fun factor.

A bit moe bar pressure than 2012, more stability. Good low range if known how to handle right. I agree the kite is not a strong kite in terms of low end, but again- depend on who is riding it.
Other riders were on 10 and 12 and the wind was not more than 16 K.

You can go very well on this kite on waves, it has a good drift and KP right.
On the other hand, changing the settings on the PT/Bar and go freestyle with it- our champ here took 1st place with it (picture attached) on the nationals this weekend.

More action pictures will come soon.

Cheers

Would be nice to hear some feedback as to how the 2013 Cat stands vs the 2011+ C4 in handling and bar pressure. Which works better for an average dangler/freestyler/freerider?

alexeyga wrote:Would be nice to hear some feedback as to how the 2013 Cat stands vs the 2011+ C4 in handling and bar pressure. Which works better for an average dangler/freestyler/freerider?

I can compare 2011 10mc4 with 2012 8m cat.

C4 more urgent... more dynamic. jumping is powerfull and fast.... so too is the landing unless you redirect very well. The lumpier the winds the less fun the c4 becomes. it gets punchy and landing jumps are less predictable.

cat is less urgent, jumps are smooth and re-direction is easy every time.Landing is slower. it makes for a more bland ride in super smooth winds but bigger grins the lumpier the winds get.

Ive had some blinder sessions latest between 20-30 knots of both the C4 and the cat. The most fun session was a super clean 25knot day on the 10c4. epic fun.sweet swell to boost off and ride back.... man i got some height and distance that day. One of the best jumping days I've done. the next couple of days were lumpier winds and i forged on with c4 and had an ok time. but then switched to the cat and had an absolute blast. not quite as much fun as the c4 in super smooth winds but alot more fun than the c4 in the lumpy winds.

plummet wrote:
C4 more urgent... more dynamic. jumping is powerfull and fast.... so too is the landing unless you redirect very well. The lumpier the winds the less fun the c4 becomes. it gets punchy and landing jumps are less predictable.

Thanks for the reply - glad to hear that somebody else got to about the same conclusions as I have. C4 is a war-machine, especially in smaller sizes, but you have to be surgical with it in less than perfect conditions. 2013 Cat looks a lot like a de-tuned C4, so I figured it might be a better choice for me. Especially if it has lighter bar pressure.