Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

[alden]

I give Ozone credit for developing the Zephyr at a time when the market movement was telling us that big kites were dead and that everyone needed only a 12m. And the Zephyr was maneuverable and had a good top end which added to rider safety in the event of increasing wind during a session. Now the light wind kite market is booming. But I’ve noticed the Zephyr getting left out of light wind reviews. I think other manufacturers have focused on simply generating more light wind power, sometimes at the expense of other desirable kite properties.
So if I was a Zephyr Product Manager, and since the 2014 Zephyr release seems to be lagging anyway, I would focus the Ozone R&D team on the following:

1. Increase light wind power by increasing area to 17.49 m^2 or such, (the undisclosed size game that other manufacturers in this kite category seem to be playing).
2. Put a little more power in the canopy shape, even at the expense of a little bit of its higher wind capability (It has some to spare. I’ve ridden a Zephyr in 20+ knots, no problem).
3. Keep the light weight.
4. Continue to develop the direct feel four line pulleyless handing even further.
5. Continue to develop low wind relaunch ability.
6. Continue to develop the kite as a good platform to try out and progress new tricks on, with reduced risk of injury due to lower wind speed, including unhooked tricks.