Switch combat xxx vs 2013 North Vegas 9m

[Johnny Rotten]

Hey guys trying to decide between these 2 kites

I've currently got a 12m vegas circa 2010 and some rebels.
Learned on C kites, I like C kites everything else just feels wrong.
The Vegas is by far my favorite kite.

Things I like about it.
1) C kite pull through the turns and whip when sending the kite (yep I still send it)
2) I like how it unhooks, stays stable, and you can easily control edge speed when flying at the kite. most non C kites just don't work "right" unhooked.
3) Stability. rarely surges at the edge of the window.
4) Slack line balance, doesn't hindenburg if you screw up a trick or a wave and end up with slack lines IMO if a kite can't do this it's a deal breaker.
5) Depower and Wind range is good shameful compared to the rebel but good enough to carry through 3-4 m of kite size.
6)Good upwind performance.... Always can get upwind of crowds to get some free water to practice tricks and crash.

Weakpoints:
1) The kiteloops tend to stall momentarily on the upstroke, this has ended badly.
2) A bit of stall when unhooking... I struggle at times to snap directly into a pop once unhooked, (free ride mode)

How's the combat xxx stack up?
anyone ridden both? what's the verdict good and bad.would love to demo a combat but all the goats in my area are riding nitros and elements.

Price is pretty much a wash, the vegas is on sale at my local shop and
I would want to buy a bar with the switch to ensure it flies right. (most kites really don't like the high Y on the north kites.) So they come out about even in price. .

Really like the switch spare parts availability....this is a big deal as I tend to ride my kites till they die. North parts are a bitch to get.

Graphics wise the the Vegas is hideous, made worse by the declaration "thuper fantasthetic" while I like the badass blackness of the switch.

[Jan:)]

The Combat in 9m² is such a sweet kite. Perfect for me.
The Combat is more focused on freestyle and less allround than the Vegas.

It just has the perfect feel unhooked and its really easy to get perfect pop with it.
Also feels much more solid when unhooked, so its always exactyle where you want it to be.

Upwind is crazy good.

Some of your points seem more freeride oriented, can't really say much about that, as I only use the kite kite for unhooked tricks.


I guess it depends on where you want to go with the kite, if you want to focus on freestyle, than its perfect. If you want your kite to be more allround, than I would try it first.