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C4 vs Catalyst ?

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ikite2
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C4 vs Catalyst ?

Postby ikite2 » Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:28 am

I normally ride North Evos and have a 13 and 10. I am currently on holiday and cant get any north kites.

The only shop near is ozone which has a good stock of c4 and catalyst kites.

I want the smaller kite as the wind here is to much for my 10 to be fun. I can still ride and just about hold onto it in the gusts. The problem is unhooking and looping, unhooking being impossible to hook back in and I am not confident enough to loop a 10m that powered up.

I want to practice some kite loops and basic unhooked tricks. This is where I am stick for which kite to go for as I am not a super advanced kiter and the c4 seems to be geared to pro riding / wake style a lot more than I need. I want a kite that will loop super fast and also be fun to ride like the evo pretty forgiving as well. The new catalyst says it does this but after asking a friend he told me they were beginner kite and used a lot in schools. Also they were a cheaper kite and he seemed to think that they would not be good enough for what I am looking for. My issue is the 'NEW' catalyst says it has re-designed the shape making a kite comparable to the RPM.

Any thoughts would be great as I dont know much on either kite.

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alexeyga
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Re: C4 vs Catalyst ?

Postby alexeyga » Tue Jan 15, 2013 2:50 pm

Your friend got it all the wrong way, it's the C4 that Ozone has been trying so hard to turn into an RPM... for me they just killed that kite. If I was to buy C4's again, i'd go for the new Catalysts. The fact that is is marketed more towards beginners only means that it's lot user-friendlier than the C4. Although back to back with C4 you might find it somewhat boring. The shop that carries the kites, do they have any demos you could try?

ikite2
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Re: C4 vs Catalyst ?

Postby ikite2 » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:21 pm

Yeah hopefully will be able to demo first limited sizes tho i think.

Just with all the marketing BS its hard to find a good review and the real flying style and best uses of the kites. I have seen a few reviews on the c4 turning very slowly this is something i dont want also i have heard they will loop aggressively. My evos are pretty tame when looping and the power delivery is controlled. But the turning is pretty fast as far as i know- only tried a few kites tho.

The thing putting me off the c4 is the all round ability of the kite. Any advice on the 3 struts and what this does to the kite ?

cheers

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alexeyga
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Re: C4 vs Catalyst ?

Postby alexeyga » Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:20 pm

C4's are great for looping and loops are quiet smooth actually. The turning speed is super fast (for my liking) especially in smaller sizes.

The biggest turn-off for me was the increasing bar pressure with every new generation of C4-s... add to that a rather limited windrange and if you like to boost big - you have to be surgical with these kites in gusty conditions. So at some point I just had enough and went the other way for something more versatile.

Since you're looking for a smaller kite, i'd have a tendency to suggest the Catalyst as it will be smoother. Before dumping C4-s altogether I was considering replacing my smaller ones with Reo-s or Cats.

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Re: C4 vs Catalyst ?

Postby TimS » Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:11 pm

I've had the C4 from the beginning and every year i buy the new one's, they are still getting better every year with some good improvements on the low-end and still have the good high-end.

Bar pressure is normal and adjustabel, they turn really fast so good for looping, i think the kite is easy to handle even to beginners.

Best thing is get a demo kite and give it a try, everyone has their own opinion and feeling with the kite :thumb:

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Re: C4 vs Catalyst ?

Postby alexeyga » Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:29 pm

For what it's worth, while I had C4's not one kite that I've tested back to back with these, came even close in fun-generating ability. But as far as i'm concerned, 2010-s were the best ones as they had the lightest bar-pressure and these were true freeride kites. As of 2011 Ozone started gearing C4-s towards wakestyle punks who's sessions don't last as long, so C4's are perfectly adequate for aggressive wakestyle/freestyle riders and these are absolutely awesome kites, but if you're just a regular Joe-dangler who likes to throw an occasional backroll with a kiteloop, well... perhaps you should at least consider the Catalyst instead (that is if you absolutely want to stay with Ozone). Like I've said, if I had to buy C4-s again, i'd go for Catalysts or Bandits 6 instead.

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Re: C4 vs Catalyst ?

Postby plummet » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:18 pm

alexeyga wrote:For what it's worth, while I had C4's not one kite that I've tested back to back with these, came even close in fun-generating ability. But as far as i'm concerned, 2010-s were the best ones as they had the lightest bar-pressure and these were true freeride kites. As of 2011 Ozone started gearing C4-s towards wakestyle punks who's sessions don't last as long, so C4's are perfectly adequate for aggressive wakestyle/freestyle riders and these are absolutely awesome kites, but if you're just a regular Joe-dangler who likes to throw an occasional backroll with a kiteloop, well... perhaps you should at least consider the Catalyst instead (that is if you absolutely want to stay with Ozone). Like I've said, if I had to buy C4-s again, i'd go for Catalysts or Bandits 6 instead.
yes alexeyga advice is good. if you are a hardcore wake styler you will love the 2013 c4. if not cat. I came off a 2011 c4 and into a 2013 c4. its sooooo different. for me in a bad way. theres a lag time to turn the kite. once it starts turning its ok. but i enjoy really chucking a kite around. the old c4 loved/craved that style of flying. the new c4 does not.


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