RRD Passion 2009 (Delta shape kite)

[Dr_Rosen]

Following the recent information on the new RRD freestyle kite "Obsession" (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2349549&p=535340&hilit=rrd#p535340), RRD has now released some pictures and information on the new freeride kite RRD Passion.

From what I hear it is a super stable and grunty kite. It has a slower turning speed than the more aggressive freestyle kite Obsession, which makes it suitable for beginners and well as freeriders in general. A guy who tried it said it was a kite like the F-One Bandit, only a little more aggressive/fun.

RRDs own release information:

PASSION
"Simple and incredibly efficient “

Sizes: 13-11-9-7-5-3
Program: FREERIDE

A new line of hybrid Delta kites that evolves from the rest. Specifically designed with lightweight features in mind, these kites are juts a pure surprise. Stable, powerful, very easy to re-launch and very easy to de-power. Will make anyone feel like they have always been able to kite.

Features:
Stability
Great Power
Easy progressive de-power
Medium/light Bar pressure
INSTANT Re-launch

Technology of construction:
- New SPS system with a new designed inflating valve
- LE Parallel seams for maximum strength and lower stretching
- Insignia double tape leech
- PVC round label strut end protectors
- Metallic PU strut end reinforcements
- DP 175 LL Dacron
- Tejin T9600 Canopy
- New moulded struts protectors
- New PVC Inflating valves protectors

Seb thoughts
I tried the first time the Passion during the 2009 RRD Photo shoot in Egypt. That’s a Delta Shape Kite. I tried first the 13, which is the biggest size, since the first day the wind was really light. However, the Kite delivers an incredible power. The 13 is powerful at least like a normal 15 or 16 kite. I tried the first jump, and it’s really easy to go in the air. Thanks to this power, I was even able to make some Board – Off even in this really light wind conditions. I think it was around 12 knots. the passion also have a huge depower: if you push the bar to the limit, you don’t have anymore power, and this depower is really progressive.

But I discover one of the best advantage of this Kite when my kite falls one the water while I was doing some Unhooked Tricks. The water re-launch is SO EASY. You almost have to do nothing to re-launch this Passion. Just pull on a back line, and the Kite goes directly to the Windows Side and re-launch immediately.
Maybe this Kite is not the best to make some Handle Pass and new school tricks, but with the right settings it’s still possible.

With strong wind I tried also the 9 passion, and this is also a really good kite. With this Kite I made some INSANE JUMPS!
But, of course, with full control of the power.

The Passion is not a fast Kite. You can’t be surprised. And that’s good for a freeride kite. Of course it’s possible to make nice kiteloops too!

To Resume, the Passion is a Kite which will fits most of the people. It’s a really good kite to learn, with the small Size. And it’s also perfect for everybody who wants a kite to make everything. That’s THE freeride Kite.

[DMCD]

at least north made some little modifications on the bridle...
Thats a perfect copy of the bandit...

[schmoe]

What about the Obsession? Delta as well? Do you know if the hyper stays or gone?

[Dr_Rosen]

What about the Obsession? Delta as well? Do you know if the hyper stays or gone?

Obsession is not D-shape. Seemingly the D-shape is a more user-friendly design, while the Obsession is a more aggressive freestyle kite.
Hypertype2 is a fresh design and will stay until spring next year.

@DMCD: That's hardly possible to conclude based on a few pictures In that case all SLEs could be defined as identical, which is hardly the case

[Neill]

lol a carbon copy of the bandit - that's desperation. i particularly like how the front bridle looks absolutely identicle to the bandit as mentioned above. excellent R&D guys!

[j1finnn1]

You mean that bridle config that the Trix has been using for the last 2 years? (Even longer if you count the original patent) Remember the nano? That's not too far off in terms of canopy layout, either and it came out well before the bandit.
Come on, dude, This is the same crap every time a new kite comes out. I've flown the bandit, and I've flown the Passion, it's not a carbon copy. If you're telling me RRD just grabbed a bandit, took it apart, and copied it panel for panel, buy a clue. They put a ton of time and energy into designing a kite that flies exactly how they want it to fly and works for the group of riders that they want it to work for.
We can pretty much credit F1 for cooking up the delta, but you'll see a lot more companies using it now. Big whoop.

[Neill]

Dude, the GK trix bridle looks nothing like that. it's short, there is a pulley and multiple attachment points. The bandit bridle consists of two long lines with a pulley, that's it. They are in no way similar.

Having said that, these delta kites are awesome. The bandit was a sweet kite, the Core combat looks good and i'm sure this one will be sweet too. But to make something so similar to another brand, people will start asking questions and pointing out the obvious.

[j1finnn1]

I stand Corrected. They don't spec a two point attachment for the trix. I was looking at someones setup on the beach, which probably wasn't spec.
But there is a long region of unsupported strut between the innermost attachment point and the next one out. And if you look at the original KPO, it is a short version of that the deltas are doing now.

Now MY point is that to wave off a kite design as a simple copy is a real discredit to the designers who Put all their time into making those things work. I guess that's what gets me hot under the collar. I said the same thing over in the wainman discussion too, when someone blew off the Rabbit Designs as a copy of some other kite (A nano, I think- Actually it looks more delta to me than the nano). Few Designers run out and copy a kite stich for stich. They spend alot of time making a kite fly the way they want it to fly, and if you put them up next to each other, you'd have no trouble telling them apart.

[punter]

You think just because it has the same bridle and is a delta then it's a bandit rip off? Quit being a f-one fanboy.

I can think of a heap of hybrids with the same bridle but completely different characteristics.

[Neill]

I've never owned an F-one kite actually, not my style of kite at all.

I would like for you to provide examples of which kites have the same bridle configuration as the bandit please.

This kite is extremely similar to the bandit, it's a delta kite which would, i bet, look almost identicle if you overlayed the two kites on flat ground. In addition, it has a front bridle which looks exactly the same as the bandit. At least when CORE brought out a delta, they changed the bridle.......