Gorge Tested Cabrinha CrossBow

[experienced1]

I had the 9M Cabrinha CrossBow in the Gorge last week. The general consensus is that the kite has the widest windrange of any kite available to date. It is also the safest; real by those that let the bar go, and perceived by those that found the kite so easy to fly in very gusty winds...they felt in total control. For those who tried the relaunch feature the comments were how easy and simple. Also received VERY positive comments about the speed of the kite and how easy it was to kiteloop. And from those that "surfed" the swell...can't wait to get this thing in the waves! The general comment by newbies to very experienced kiters was WOW...VERY NICE!!!!!..and when will it be available?

A rider who sells and rides Naish kites said...very impressive, couldn't find anything wrong with the kite. A WW rider using a skim board sd the Crossbow had a MUCH smoother depower/power system than his WW...made riding his skim board much easier. A SS rider called the kite a gust buster as it was so easy to control.

However, (as mentined by Dax in his review) no one commented that the jumping was higher or the hangtime longer than their traditional inflatables. This kite reguires a slight modification to the way you jump and the way you do unhooked maneuvers, and will take a few sessions to get it dialed.

So, if there is a lingering doubt about jumping and hangtime claims, I've included a link to a short video of my friend John starting to get it dialed. John is not sponsored by Cabrinha nor is involved in the kite industry....he has a real job in the Silicon Valley. He has previously had hang times of 6 sec on his 12M...but never on a small kite...think his 3rd jump is 6.5 sec....remember he is on a 9M. I will post some additional footage of the kite flying, relaunching, looping (I hope) and a few more jumps as soon as I get it together....

http://www.teamcoyote.net/2005Coyote/pa ... ssbow.html

steve

[dt]

It looks like nice jumps for the amount of wind and it looks like John was sheeting in at the end to slow the decent for soft landings.

dt

[sq225917]

9m=10.5m comparing projected area.


nice hangtime on one of them.

[NIN]

That's some awesome video! Looks like he was getting some pretty awesome air to me. I don't think that I'd be complaining. I've heard from a person who has used the kite and the word is that the height is about the same but the hangtime is killer. From any video that I have seen this seems to be true. Can't wait to get my hands on one.

[UNSAFE]

sq225917 Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:54 pm Post subject:

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9m=10.5m comparing projected area.


nice hangtime on one of them.

Yeah,
But it has the range of a 12m down to a 6 or 7m, plus complete shut off.

[KGN]

Looked like pretty nice jumps to me.
Should be an interesting kite

[sq225917]

yeh no doubting the top end.

[MKM]

Top end is good, but actually the bottom end is really the part that stands out.

Experienced one, I still disagree on the heigth of the jumps. It's true that it surely out lasts traditional kites in hang time and distance, but in looking at John's jumps, he was still sending the kite a bit much. Additionally, if you sheet out just before the pop and then sheet in quickly, you gain the extra height. I will post some vid shortly.

Kent

[Cab Driver]

I agree with Kent. I watched Kent go triple mast high (next to a windsurfer) on Saturday. That was on the 9m in choppy water in 29 mph of wind. That's roughly 40-45 ft of air.

The fact is that I nearly had the 9m going on the skim board in 8mph. I know I can do it in 10-11 and I weigh 180 lbs - on a 9m!

Todd

[butchtoo]

I got to ride the Crossbow on my home turf in The Gorge. 3 sessions over 3 days. The range IS off the scale. Those 3 sessions ranged in wind conditions from 12m - 10m - 7m. The crossbow I rode was a 9. Yeah, in 12 conditions I was a slightly underpowered but no worries of the kite falling out of the sky and a great powered session. In the 10-7 conditions the kite was awesome. It definitely likes to be ridden lit.

I was roped into being the guinea pig on a hot launch straight downwind. It goes against your natural instincts. I was worried that I would get yarded - big. I just sheeted the bar way out and brought the kite up to neutral in slow motion, right through the middle of the power zone. Unreal.