Are Switch kites getting any better?

[Westozzy]

Well Plumett the bar pressure on the nitro 'sounds' about right. A bit more than the edge is gotta be close to ideal I would say.

My bro and I looking to add a 12m booster to our quiver, this and another is the last two on the list after extensive demoing.

But the demo rider here has gone quiet hope he backs to me quickly...where the hell are ya pete!!!

[adamj2281]

Agree that this is a good discussion on these kites, and again, I'm a big fan of their sales approach. Question - How does each kite boost?

I'm guessing the Nitro v3 is more of a gradual boost with loads of hang time. The Element2 is somewhat in the middle, more of a boost off the water, but less hangtime, and the Combat2 being more oriented towards wake, being good when powered up, but not the greatest at hangtime.


Any comments? I'd like to demo one soon, just because I like how the company is going about things.

[Westozzy]

Adam that may be a good guess on how they jump considering the canopy profile differences.

I am hoping though it doesn't need to jumped (the nitro) like a race kite,e.g the edge. I'm hoping it jumps more like a rebel/fuse...I predict it may lie somewhere in between these two kites.But alas still no word from the team rider here.

[felixp]

Kites boosting performance insight.

Nitro3 - Boosting machine . Gets you up there fast and high and gives you time to glide so you can do what ever you want up there.
It does not only give you hang time it gives you height right away. - This is a stand out for my personal taste as you feel the sensation of height right of the get go. Matches or surpasses any boosting kite on the market


Element 2 - Gets you up there really fast and brings you down soft- With this kite you can seriously get some air. Perfect for a mixture of air tricks. Low and High.

Combat2- World Class freestyle machine. Super pop -power and mega loop machine.
Rivals any top True C kite out there today.

[Kiteus Maximus]

The Nitro3 is more like a C kite than a bow. To get good boost you need to be close to overpowred and send it deep. The boost is good but it is not a boosting machine. The turn speed is not as quick as I thought it would be either. I set the kite up for the stiffest bar setting because I like a more direct feel. I was surprised at its performance. Super sluggish and not direct feeling at all. Didn't have any hangtime either. I had to down loop out of the boost because it has no real float. The guy a few pages back saying 7-8 second float I call BS on. The kite isn't drsigned for float. Like I said earlier the Nitro is more C than bow.

Quality wise the kite looks very well constructed. Nice graphics and all but I will keep with my current kites.

[Rando1994]

Kiteous Maximous:

If you are not floating, I recommend checking how your kite is tuned. I was WTF overpowered and it was ripping me off the water and floating 5-6 seconds routinely and 7-8 on a couple of them. I agree the kite has more of a C shaped look but the wing has an aggressive airfoil shape in spite of the longish chord. One thing I did notice is that the kite pulls really hard when sending it. I had to really dig in my back foot to hold the kite down until I released.

Additionally, in light wind, I was doing a basic aerial transition and fish-poled the bar to resend the kite and it wanted to loop right now. Amazing turning speed for a 16m IMHO. Yes, I reefed on the bar, but the kite moved quickly.

I did comment on bar pressure previously and agree with other posters that classify the BP as more than the Ozone Edge but less than the xbow.

I can tell you that when riding overpowered the N3 will rip you off the water then give you time to look around. I experienced it and I would never claim to be anything more than an advanced intermediate kiter.

[Westozzy]

More of a c kite boost ticks my box. Looking at the profile and wing tips I predict somewhere in between. Also the comment about the heavy pulling as you load and send also ticks some boxes, although its a 16m what do you expect! Problem with a bow race kite type this pull can be dissapated (and your jump) as the kite can move to far forward in the window and the jumps become far more technical in light to meduim winds. In higher winds you don't hardly have to move the kite, quick send and parglide up and long. But I prefer to have that constant pull myself and edge properly to convert kinetic into potential.


Maximous what size kite were you on and what board were you using and in what water conditions?

[Hansen Design]

Hi Kiteus:
Curious report! Trying to understand...
So, you set the kite at the slowest setting and then it wasn't quick? Couldn't optimally send it? Moving rear lines forward changes calibration. Maybe oversheeted and stalled it out? Suggest you return to factory settings. Then check your calibration and get some quality TOW. Pretty sure it will be some good fun for you!
Cheers!

[felixp]

The Nitro3 is more like a C kite than a bow. To get good boost you need to be close to overpowred and send it deep. The boost is good but it is not a boosting machine. The turn speed is not as quick as I thought it would be either. I set the kite up for the stiffest bar setting because I like a more direct feel. I was surprised at its performance. Super sluggish and not direct feeling at all. Didn't have any hangtime either. I had to down loop out of the boost because it has no real float. The guy a few pages back saying 7-8 second float I call BS on. The kite isn't drsigned for float. Like I said earlier the Nitro is more C than bow.

Quality wise the kite looks very well constructed. Nice graphics and all but I will keep with my current kites.

Love it how guys come on here and Hijack a post to bring it down.
Just for the record Rando1994 is the only rider currently in U.S with a 16m V3 Nitro.
He contacted us pre release and was lucky enough to get the only Nitro 3 before the release. Production kites only started shipping 2 days ago.
Would be interested to see a picture of your NitroV3

Fair is fair.

[Screwball]

Keen to hear some reviews on the light-wind performance of the N3, considering the claims that it's competitive with any other light wind kite (at least in terms of upwind). If it really can compete with the likes of the Zephyr and Fat Lady etc at half the price might snatch one up, especially if this summer is anything like last years. Maybe Rando can weigh in?