No pimpin' please. Only facts from people who really know.

1) Upwind ability (whick kite is flying more at the edge of the window.
2) Feedback on the bar.
3) Response of the kite (which is faster-lighter?)
4) Hangtime
5) Relaunch in light wind
6) Top speed
7) Stability at 12 o clock in supergusty wind. ( hindenburging ? )
9) Newest shape (probably is the Edge). On the other side, i' ve heard that Crossbow will get more "racey" next year 2011 (is that true?)
10) Easy to use ?
11) Which one is more powerfull ?
12) Are both kites the same size? ( example : Edge13 Ozone and a CB13 Cabrinha?)

Aris Evdos

Ok I have spent some serious time on both the new Ozone EDGES as am sponsored by Ozone and race them as well, (finished 11th at this years Course Racing Worlds) and I coach speed kiter Rob Douglas who rides Crossbows, which we custom bridle when we go for the outright world Speed record, in Luderitz, Namibia each fall for the last 3 years.

1) Upwind ability (whick kite is flying more at the edge of the window.)
-9,11,13 Edge sits slightly more forward than same crossbow sizes, but generates less bar pressure.


2) Feedback on the bar.
-lighter bar pressure on Ozone Edge.


3) Response of the kite (which is faster-lighter?)
-feels to me Edge turns faster, EDGE has smaller leading edge and no pulleys on kite, making it more responsive in turning.

4) Hangtime
-hard to compare; faster turning kite (Edge) tend to initially jump better and fly faster to apex, but more powerful Crossbow might float longer. Depends on technique, weight of rider and if underpowered or overpowered as well.


5) Relaunch in light wind
-new Edges launch much easier, must be direct bridle system with no pulleys. In Super light air the Zephyr launches better than any other big kite I have tried. That being said the 16 Crossbow has more low end power than 17 Zephyr, but Zephyr flies earlier in super light air. ( Zephyr is lighter kite with only 5 battens, and it seems to be smaller than Crossbow 16 in size side by side.)

6) Top speed
- thats hard to test and depends on rider weight, angle of sail and if you are underpowered or overpowered. Edges normally have more top end and less low end pull. Edge has slighly smaller leading edge. Cab Boys were usually switching down in sizes earlier.

7) Stability at 12 o clock in supergusty wind. ( hindenburging ? )
-New Edges stay in the air in the worst of conditions, as does Cabs- that one is a toss up.


9) Newest shape (probably is the Edge). On the other side, i' ve heard that Crossbow will get more "racey" next year 2011 (is that true?) Edge is a newer design released in March (2010) and Cabs released earlier by 3 months, just the timing of how the two companies release their kites worldwide.


10) Easy to use ? Depends what you want in a kite. Other comparisons might help you decide.


11) Which one is more powerfull ? Cabrinha Crossbow- more bar pressure and more pull for size. I am pretty sure Adam Koch who won the recent Worlds raced only on 2 kites. Adam rode the 9 Edge in high winds and only the Edge 13 in lighter winds, where Damo rode the 7,9 on the high wind day and the 11,13,16 Crossbow on the light wind day.


12) Are both kites the same size? ( example : Edge13 Ozone and a CB13 Cabrinha?) Thats a good question, seems Crossbows might be slightly bigger per size...will let you know in a month, when I coach speed kiter Rob Douglas (Cab Crossbow rider) in Fuerte.

Hope this helps, both kites are top of the line....subtle differences.

Gebi

Thank you my friend !

When i wrote about hintenburging i meant this : ( from the zeppelin Hintenburg) ...well not so catastrophic !

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=H47x9q5 ... re=related

We use it when we want to describe the situation when (in a strange gust ) the kite is falling out of the sky leading edge first. In most of the occasions it happens so fast that you can not react. Specially a beginner.
There are kites that are more prone to hindenburging than others. This is because they are not well balanced and the L.E. is heavier than the T.E.
My personall opinion is that a good kite should be well balanced for many reasons.
You can see very clear in conditions like these (gusty winds - lets say 15 - 5 knots) that a well balanced kite is "floating " downwind a bit o clock and when the wind comes back it travels and stays over your head - but never falls out of the sky.
That test (the super gusty wind test or hindenburging test ) could be a good test for the companies that want to prove that they make good kites. Its so easy to prove which kite is good and which is not.
(Gusty -light wind) Just bring the kite at 12 - leave the bar totally depowered and see what will happen.
I know many kites that they cannot pass this test.
"Bombs away" for the kite and people will run like crazy to avoid the falling kite.
The biggest stress hits the rider's brain at that sec... Be ready to pull the QR.

Aris

Hello everyone,
if you are interested I have an Edge Race 13m 2010 for sale Kite Only.
I used during our kite racing series that are now over!
Is like new! Used maybe 12 times...
If you want to be in front is the kite to have!
Please PM me for details.
Bye Jankie

The only true way to test which kite is better than the other is to have two riders in consistent conditions and of equal skill riders.... on the same board, same fins and etc.... which has never happened. So all is speculation at this point in my opinion. I know that I have beat the Crossbow a couple times on the Edge and that Damo has beat me on the Crossbow a couple times... Although we had similar boards, but our technique are extremely different. So it's really a wash in my opinion. I know having flown the Crossbow, I personally prefer the Edge.... but as I've said our techniques are different... yet we are very competitive with one another. This is why I'm not a huge fan of the box rule and regulations at this point. Millimeters can mean the difference in miles on the race course, and there are way to many factors to narrow them down simply. Thats why this game is so awesome in my opinion. Different riders, different gear, different approaches... still crazy competitive.

Although we are talking about water under the bridge here... next year we will all have new wings. And I don't even know which brand I'll be riding in 2011. Perhaps none? It's a mystery to me... But I can guaranty they will be the most efficient for my approach to the race course.... and thoroughly tested!

I can sum it up with one comment though... they both win races!