Ozone Method vs. Access XT

[AJsnowkiter]

Which is better for snowkiting? The Access XT 6m or The Ozone Method 6.5m?

Your opinion would be awesome,
AJ

[jcady]

Access is sheatable and stable one of the easiest to fly kites i have touched but i haven't flown the method i just know i like de-power especially for gusty snowkiteing.

[zob]

Method can be attached to the Turbo Bar which is for 4 line kites (originali with handles), non Ozone also. Haven't got it yet, but people who tried it gave a good reply. It optimizes the driving so the kite get's faster. Don't know, how is with depower exactly.

[snobdr]

Your going to want a depower.

Fixed bridle will only have a small wind range. By looking at the chart the method will be good from 4-15knots and up to 20 if your a pro and can hang onto it. In reality it will probably have you riding say 8 to 15knots if your a good kiter and can handle the top end and milk it to get the bottom end.

Now the XT shows a windrange of 4-27knots and up to 33 if your a pro. Again in reality you probably riding from 9 to 27 if you know how to work it. A vast improvement over the fixed bridle. Plus you have more control over the power your getting from the kite at any time. The gusts dont feel like they are going to rip your arms off. The XT is also made to hook into a harness which will have the kite pulling from lower, a little easier to manage it from pulling you onto your face.

Both are around 6M so the bottom end will be around the same. You will have a touch less on the depower because of the weight and drag of extra bridling but that will be minimal.

Now if you run the XT the 6M will be good if your a lighter guy.150-170# if your a bit bigger 180-200# the 8M would probably do you better.

[eree]

i say definitely access if it is 2010!

method has no depower and you gonna feel hard all the gusts.
i had an old 7,2 samurai (with fixed angle of attack, same as method now) and 10m2 access '08 (depowerable).

now, samurai was intended for landkiting and i had more trouble snowkiting with it with the same wind as with 10m2 access. then i rebuild the bridles on samurai for the depowerable with two pulleys on each side and it became depowerable even better than access was. '08 access was the pretty unstable kite, especially in the gusty conditions, imo. it was planned for beginners, but i think it was too uncontrollable for them. i had several kite crashes with it with consequential repairs. i had no such problems with LEI kites with the same projected area.

reason? access '08 has one pulley per wingtip, so the pretty large surface between LE and TE was not so flexible as on the kite with two pulleys bridles per wingtip! luckily for you this year access has two pulleys on each side.

[plummet]

ok theres some lack of understanding going on here.

The 6m method and 6m access have completly different wind ranges.

The method is primarily a buggy engine. it is fixed bridle and will be approximatly twice the power of the access.

a 6m method would be used up to 15knots maybe then you will be getting over powered. the correct comparison wind range wise would be 6m method, 10m access.

the 6m access is a depower kite and equivalent in power to a 3 to 2m method.

you could snow kite with the method but it will be easier on the access.

The 6m access is a high wind beast not really coming into its own until past 20knots. depending on you skill you can hold it past 40 knots.

[snobdr]

I think the lack of understanding is on your end there Plummet.

I misread the chart which is in knots not MPH. I changed my post accordingly.

Right off of Ozones site
Method in 6.5M 4 to 21knots
XT in 6M 4 to 33 Knots

The XT can be depowered DOWN to the power of a 3M

A 6M kite is still a 6M kite depower or fix bridle. I bet the projected area of each kite is pretty close. I could not find this information on ozones site. But 2 kites of the same projected area, fully powered, are going to make relatively the same amount of power, Wether it is a depower kite or fixed bridle.

[AJsnowkiter]

So lets take a vote. If you say Access, write Access XT. If you think Method, write method.

Still looking for more info:
Is they Access good for beginners?

[snowflick]

I would not hesitate and choose the access because it is made for beginning snowkiting and the method is not!
I have an access 6m and im a real beginner, on skis you can still be pulled from 7 knots if you work the kite a lot.

Access 6m will be easy to resell when you will want a bigger kite
Combine it with a larger manta or frenzy later and your set for large wind range!

...or try something new and marginal and go for the method.