Kiteforum.com

Hey guys,

Let me tell you about my riding first.

180cm - 90kg
kiteboarding: 4yrs
style: freeride
board: nobile NHP 134
kite: SB 2010 12m

Yesterday was about 15-16kts i stopped at my local shop and grabbed a demo SB 2011 11m kite to take it for a spin.

1st thing i noticed was the bag improvement, now they have the board straps back again, something that i definitely missed from the last years... also the colour of the bag changed and not matched the colour of the kite... or at least wasn't black, [i haven't seen the other kite colours yet].

The kite looks awesome! the material seems a lot more resistant and light, looking at photos online i was kind of put off but the colours but looking it on the day light, the cabrinha camo style looks awesome!!!...

few things changed on the new model, the back lines now have only 1 attachment point and a little stabilising batten right at the tip of the wing...

the sprint inflation system looks more refined with a hose sleeve that goes all the way along the hose now...

in the air, the kite looks small compared to a 12m SB, but it's heaps faster and stable, so it's easy to generate power with it... in the beginning it felt a bit under power, compared to my 12m but it was just a matter to get used to it, [be in mind the wind was pretty light and the tide wasn't helping much ether...]

But i definitely can see this is going to be a really fun kite when the wind is around 18-20 knots... good kite for waves too as it turns supper fast.

the bar is a bit different this year, they added a spring to keep the de-power straps at reach without having that clip on the centre line, that you have to adjust down every time you let the bar go, now the spring will always push those straps down...

the little balls on the straps seem a fraction bigger, i didn't compared to my ones, but if they are, it will be easier to hold and pull down on windy days...

the lines on the bar are different, they look more stiff and tangle free, but they won't create kinks on it if you bend them...

Relaunch was really easy like all the cabrinha kites, but i was kite impressed even on light wind like yesterday i didn't had any problems with it...

I was out for about 1hr, and i had a lot of fun with it, just wish the wind was a fraction stronger... so i could try some jumps and stuff...

cheers,
dan

A couple things, not to be rude, but it sounds like you flew the new crossbow because they don't ussually make the SB's in odd sizes and the extra strut on the end sounds like a Xbox, plus the new SB won't be out for a while just the new xbows and Nomads are coming out in about a month.

I hope they do make the SB in 11m this year...the fact that it was camo means it could of been a SB or Nomad? Most importantly how was the bar pressure compared to 2010?

OceanAdventures wrote:A couple things, not to be rude, but it sounds like you flew the new crossbow because they don't ussually make the SB's in odd sizes and the extra strut on the end sounds like a Xbox, plus the new SB won't be out for a while just the new xbows and Nomads are coming out in about a month.

hehehehe... yeah, i'm not that dumb, hehehehe....

it was definitely a new SB, this year they are doing a 11m.... which is pretty cool as a 10m is not enough for me so i always had to go with a 12m, but the 11m is perfect!

Skooner Jr. wrote:I hope they do make the SB in 11m this year...the fact that it was camo means it could of been a SB or Nomad? Most importantly how was the bar pressure compared to 2010?

The bar pressure seems to be lighter than last years, but than again was a smaller kite than i'm used to... but compared to my 12m SB 2010 it was definitely lighter...

cheers
dan

thanks for the report on the 2011 Switchblade, good stuff. Is it as stable as the 2010, or is it twitchier, sounds faster? Curious where it flyies in the window when powered, I know you where not powered but next time you take it out can you let us know, thanks again for the report.

nice work Dan . any pictures to post ? how about the bridle system , any change at the puleys?or to the atachment points?2009 SB relaunches way better than 2010 SB any comparison to 2011?
i think we gonna have the chance to test it in 2.5 mounths from now, lucky guy!!

dankron wrote: hehehehe... yeah, i'm not that dumb, hehehehe....

U da man...I want a SB for high end...maybe leaning towards XB for low end. Thanks for the review.

2011 SB sizes are:
16m
14m
12m
11m
10m
9m
8m
7m
6m
4m

Bye Jankie
www.bali-kitesurfing.org

I just bought my 2010 12m SB

I'm always 1 year behind...

Hope 2012 come soon, so I can buy my 2011, hehehe

nice rewiew tought

I just purchased the 2011 Switchblade in 12m and 8m, I own a 2009 10m. I have been kiting about 1 year. I really like this kite and it has a lot of power and light bar pressure, jumps are easy and the kite stays put in the window. I got the blue and it looks better in person than in the photos, quality is great and the bag is much better but not as nice as the bags from North IMO. I like the new bar with the spring and the grip is soft as are the bar ends.

I have noticed with the 12m that it does not seem to move to the edge of the window when on the water, I have to work to get the kite on its edge, almost having to rock it up. This was never the case with my older 10m, maybe it is my technique but I would like to hear from others on this.

Thanks