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kjorn
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Xenon make kites now

Postby kjorn » Fri Oct 13, 2017 12:45 pm

http://www.xenonboards.com/kites

Wave LIP, freestyle RAD and freeride AIR (I think)

This is the only review I've found: "RAD is between Dice and Vegas"
lip_black_overview.jpg
rad_blue_overview.jpg
air_red_overview.jpg

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Re: Xenon make kites now

Postby SURFINC » Sat Nov 11, 2017 1:45 pm

Hi Mate,

I had a chance to test all Xenon kites: AIR 9, LIP 9 and RAD 10m. Nice steady wind up to 20 knts and super flat water.

Image

Here is my quick review.
Nice quality, D2 technoforce ripstop, super nice lines - looks similar to one you can find in Core: super stiff. Bar looks good: simple, PU covered depower line, swivel on chickenloop, over bar depower trimmer works like a charm. Thing that i don't really like was the bar stick - same as nobile and a few other brands. Would expect something better from brand as Xenon (dealer who organised demo told me that they working on the new one.) Seems that chicken loop and QR is made by them, a bit similar to Iron Heart from north - reverse pin construction. Works good, loop could be bit bigger for unhooking. Leash is terrible hope they will come with something better soon.
Bag is dope! Rolltop, big can fit 2 kites.

AIR - high aspect ratio freeride big air kite. Super nice performance, amazing lift and hang time, very good control on the water and during whole stages of jump. Was surprised it is relaunching so easy as it is high AR. Light but precise on the bar - you exactly know where the kite is. Had super fun session came back with big smile on my face. After all would describe it as a combination of Edge and Bandit has some of characteristics from both kites. It's not working for unhooked freestyle tricks but i suppose it was not designed to do that.

LIP - looks like a bomb, love black and white design! Wasn't really keen to go out on it as there was no waves but the guy convinced me to take it for a quick run. And... i did not regret that. Cant tell anything about how it performs on waves but had super nice freestyle, fun session! Super stable, zero backstall you can ride uh all the time with full control. Nice turning speed and very good depower. Nice pop and control during tricks. Light, medium pressure on the bar - just perfect. Good lift and hang time as well. I cant say anything bad about this kite just love it as true crossover. Had similar feelings after session on Neo last year.

RAD - yes its RAD! Super fun c-hybrid similar to C4 from 2014 - 2015. Fast responsive, amazing pop and good slack for UH tricks. Was surprised about the lift and hangtime - really easy access even for less experienced riders. At beginning a bit heavy on the bar - had to change for lightest setting on the wing tip, after that was perfect. Relaunching very nice for c kite. One i was testing looked different that one you posted above. Was half black half blue - super nice and aggressive design!

Was stoked about performance and quality. If you will have a chance for demo dont think just go for it!

Cheers!

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Re: Xenon make kites now

Postby Bill C » Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:41 pm

Seems like any outfit can outsource the design process nowadays (Switch), have a kite loft build them with slick graphics and have their own kites. One high aspect kite, a wave kite and an all-rounder.

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Re: Xenon make kites now

Postby kiterocky » Sat Nov 11, 2017 3:07 pm

Whats the minimum ammount of kite to order in fabric to have own brand?

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Re: Xenon make kites now

Postby Lokihel » Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:14 pm

I was chatting to someone a few months ago who told me that Xenon kites were very similar to North kites as they come from the same factory *wink-wink* :wink:

Somehow the kites advertised on their website aren't just copies or NKB (or any other brand it seems) kites.
I am almost disappointed by that, as I was promised some really good prices and was hoping to get re-branded North kites for cheap :lol:

Maybe the LIP is a copy of the Dice, it's hard to tell though because all kites look similar-ish anyway.

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Re: Xenon make kites now

Postby SURFINC » Sat Nov 11, 2017 5:06 pm

Yep kites seems to be not copied but designed from scratch.

Lip is completely different than dice, In my opinion it is open c - delta hybrid. More flat than dice, and tips are more squarish.

Interesting with north factory. From construction side: seaming, materials etc I would say is more like ozone but have no clue if they produce kites for anybody else then themselves.

Cheers

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Re: Xenon make kites now

Postby kjorn » Sun Nov 12, 2017 2:05 am

Bill C wrote:
Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:41 pm
Seems like any outfit can outsource the design process nowadays (Switch), have a kite loft build them with slick graphics and have their own kites. One high aspect kite, a wave kite and an all-rounder.
I bet there are kite designers who have tons of good designs that don't fit into some kite companies line up. Imagine if you made a sweet 5th line 3 strut kite (a crazy example) for North, they just wouldn't put it in their line up. So you got this great kite, may as well sell it to another company.


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