Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Are Switch kites getting any better?

Forum for kitesurfers
felixp
Frequent Poster
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:34 am
Gear: Switch
Brand Affiliation: Switch, Firewire
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby felixp » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:02 pm

Website is all fixed .
Sorry for the inconvenience ...

Dave K
Frequent Poster
Posts: 355
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2003 11:49 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Local Beach: Outer Banks
Style: Knee friendly strapless kite/wing foil
Gear: 10 m Airush Ultra / 7M Switch Helium, 5M RRD Passion, 120cm Groove Skate. Duotone Slick SLS 6/5/4/3m, Cabrinha Code 5’0”/78l wing board, Gong Veloce V2 L, XL., XXL, Gong Fluid V2 L, pro Fluid 42cm/freestyle 44 stabilizers, Gong HM 85cm V2 carbon mast, 75cm Al mast. Foil Drive + and 40L slingshot prone foil board
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 37 times

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby Dave K » Tue Apr 03, 2018 4:27 am

Thanks for the fix Felix. I ordered a 12m Element today. Thought for sure I would replace my 2010 12m Switchblade with a Nitro but the reviews, and one of my Switch riding kiting buddies, both convinced me otherwise.

ArneB
Rare Poster
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:47 pm
Local Beach: Wijk aan Zee (The Netherlands)
Favorite Beaches: Wijk aan Zee (The Netherlands)
Style: Freestyle
Gear: Vegas
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby ArneB » Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:26 am

Thinking of replacing my Vegas for Legacy V2 kites. Do not have a chance test and I do not see them on my local beach, so did a bit of research, my worries are:

1) Legacy needs a low front line V split (so I need to convert my North 5th element bar)?
2) Legacy is not a kite designed for (mega)loops?
3) Legacy does not sell in 7m, why is this?

Does anyone have experience with this kite and can compare with Vegas?

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but could not find any definitive answers.

Thanks

felixp
Frequent Poster
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:34 am
Gear: Switch
Brand Affiliation: Switch, Firewire
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby felixp » Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:00 pm

Hi Arne.
Great questions.
1) Legacy needs a low front line V split (so I need to convert my North 5th element bar)?
Yes - The kite needs to be flown on a 5th line. Splitting low.
2) Legacy is not a kite designed for (mega)loops?
The legacy is designed for Pop tricks. It can be looped but you will feel the power more than most kites. Element6 loops better.
3) Legacy does not sell in 7m, why is this?
It does not sell in a 7m as most riders don't really use kites smaller than a 8m in this style of riding. Not a huge market for small true wake style kites.
The new Element6 in the smaller sizes would work. If you are looking to loop. Lot more user friendly for the masses.

Hope this helps a little.
Regards
Felix.

User avatar
SimonP
Frequent Poster
Posts: 495
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:49 am
Local Beach: Rotorua Lakes, Maketu, NZ
Favorite Beaches: Aotea, Maroochydore, Faro, Aitutaki
Style: Foiling, free-style, waves
Gear: J-shapes foil, Switch kites, Underground twintips, misc surfboards.
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 25 times

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby SimonP » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:03 am

The Legacy mega-loops very well, if you are brave enough. The small ones whip around pretty fast and the yank is huge.
The 8m Legacy can be used in very strong winds, it is very stable and has heaps of depower. It can handle more wind than the 7m Combat I was using previously. I have an old (2009) 6m RPM as well, but I prefer the Legacy.

trickcoach
Medium Poster
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2017 12:55 pm
Style: Unhooked
Gear: Switchkites Legacy
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby trickcoach » Sat Apr 07, 2018 2:45 pm

ArneB wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:26 am
Thinking of replacing my Vegas for Legacy V2 kites. Do not have a chance test and I do not see them on my local beach, so did a bit of research, my worries are:

1) Legacy needs a low front line V split (so I need to convert my North 5th element bar)?
2) Legacy is not a kite designed for (mega)loops?
3) Legacy does not sell in 7m, why is this?

Does anyone have experience with this kite and can compare with Vegas?

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but could not find any definitive answers.

Thanks
Arne ,

in my opinion the Legacy equals or surpasses the Vegas for unhooked tricks , moving to this kite made me friendly with unhooking in stronger winds and I am not scared to go for powered low mobes in 30kts on my 8m , and this comes from an old man (just turned 45 last week). No real need for a 7m legacy as when it is nuking over 35kts I would move onto the Nitro or Element for big air ...

about loops and megaloops , well I'd say it loops very well on the faster settings but its not made for sissies ... you have to engage , commit and you'll get a nice kick , but this feels so much nicer than those plug and loop kites with no flavor !!!

Here's a clip from yesterdays session on the 8m with 25/28kts winds ... https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 4525910246

Cheers

Nick

Osprey1
Frequent Poster
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:38 am
Local Beach: Golden Gardens, Richmond Beach, Double Bluff
Favorite Beaches: Double Bluff, The Hatchery, Damon Point
Style: Freeride
Gear: Naish, Board Riding Maui
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Seattle
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby Osprey1 » Sat Apr 07, 2018 10:10 pm

Nick. Nice riding!

ArneB
Rare Poster
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:47 pm
Local Beach: Wijk aan Zee (The Netherlands)
Favorite Beaches: Wijk aan Zee (The Netherlands)
Style: Freestyle
Gear: Vegas
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby ArneB » Sun Apr 08, 2018 7:15 pm

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. Might actually be able to test a Legacy soon, will let you know my experience...

belcam
Rare Poster
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2023 8:17 am
Kiting since: 2021
Weight: 80
Local Beach: Ocean Grove
Gear: Switch & Cabrinha kites
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby belcam » Thu Nov 02, 2023 7:31 am

galewarning wrote:
Thu Jan 11, 2018 3:30 pm
@Faxie - You obviously don't know how to get worked and thrash in the waves properly.
Seriously: Almost all of my wrap issues have been during downwinders, looping the kite into the water and getting a lot of line slack, as I coast to a stop towards a downed kite. Earlier this year, I somehow managed to wrap a wingtip two times in about 5 minutes, during a crazy wind day with my 7m E4. It also seems most of my bridle wraps occur on the high and low extremes of the windrange. I did Bill's suggested bridle mod on the E4 and it seems to have fixed the issue. I know, I know... Just don't drop the kite...
Faxie wrote:
Thu Jan 11, 2018 3:06 pm
+1000 hrs on numerous models and sizes Elements and onyl bridle wrap I've experienced was with selflaunching my V3 13m. What am I doing wrong? :(
Lost count how many times my V3 7m has been eaten up by 1,5-2m waves, never had a wrap with it.
Hi gale warning
I happen to have a switch element 4 in 7,9,11 and have the same bridle issue you have mentioned in the attached which in the surf has ended in me floatin in on top of my kite

I’m hoping you are still active on this forum and can remember the bridle fix you have mentioned above as i like the kites, this is just very painful when learning on a surfboard

If so can you do up a sketch for me please

Cheers

galewarning
Frequent Poster
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:48 pm
Weight: 168
Local Beach: Any slowly draining lake in the Desert Southwest & Land of Detachment.
Gear: Kite & foil kit: 15.5m Switch H2, 12m SS RPX, 7/10m RPM ('19), 8m SS UFO V2.0, 5/6[V5]/8m[V6] SS SST, SS Phantasm 633, SS Dwarfcraft 110, SS 5'4 Convert [my directional], SS 159 Glide; SS 138 Vision, 136 Nobile Split, SS 133 Luna
Wing kit: SS Wingcraft 90 / SS G900 / 4.4 & 5.4 Vayu wings
Brand Affiliation: None directly, but I do have friends in the snow and wind sports industries.
Has thanked: 69 times
Been thanked: 18 times

Re: Are Switch kites getting any better?

Postby galewarning » Thu Nov 02, 2023 7:47 pm

belcam,
You are lucky your question caught my eye. After all the ugliness when Switch lost its core founders, I sold all my Switch kites and moved on [Full disclosure: I do still have a 15.5 Helium2, as a behemoth Gulf Coast session saver}.
I did find Bill's suggested mod and pasted it below. I can't remember which version of Element(s) this would work on, but perhaps your bridle is similar and it would work.
Seems almost all the current kites I own have bridles which are very short and very hard to wrap over a wingtip.
Good luck,
Barry

belcam wrote:
Thu Nov 02, 2023 7:31 am
galewarning wrote:
Thu Jan 11, 2018 3:30 pm
@Faxie - You obviously don't know how to get worked and thrash in the waves properly.
Seriously: Almost all of my wrap issues have been during downwinders...snip... I did Bill's suggested bridle mod on the E4 and it seems to have fixed the issue. I know, I know... Just don't drop the kite...
...snip...
Hi gale warning
I happen to have a switch element 4 in 7,9,11 and have the same bridle issue you have mentioned in the attached which in the surf has ended in me floatin in on top of my kite

I’m hoping you are still active on this forum and can remember the bridle fix you have mentioned above as i like the kites, this is just very painful when learning on a surfboard

If so can you do up a sketch for me please

Cheers
Attachments
Element4 Bridle Fix.png
Element4 Bridle Fix.png (110.79 KiB) Viewed 838 times


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Aleza, Baidu [Spider], Bing [Bot], bittersvolcom, blu, cglazier, Cheoz0r86, chet, Clem, cor, echo123, Enclume, Gonzavala, Google [Bot], max, Vivo3d, voodoospirit, Wainando, Xtream, Yahoo [Bot] and 387 guests