Switch Kites @ Brouwersdam Holland
Hi, as I was a dedicated Ozone fan, I got a chance to put my hands on a Switch Kite Method ( wavekite).
After flying the 7m of a friend I was sold, and ordered me a set 5m 7m 9m Methods kites.
The delivery went fluent, and when unpacking the kites and bars, there was not any idea this is a cheap kite, everything neatly packed, bars have their own little sleeve, leashes looked pretty good, bars the equivalent of bars where you pay a double price for, the bags to carry the kites as well as the pumps are high standard and a nice complete repairkit.
I am a lucky guy, because the next day we had 30 knots of wind, so took the 5m Metod for a ride.
I was used to the Ozone C4 kites, and must say this kite flies much smoother, gust are smoothed out, but yes you get the power. The Ozone C4 knocked the power.
I am a 57 year old beachbum with a tennis elbow, I can tell you the difference, this Method, is much friendlier to my tennis elbow than the C4 was, for example, if you want to make tied jibes with a lot of speed you really have to pull hard at the c4 bar, let me put it in another way, the force you need to do that, is much higher than with the method, and the method nicely follows the movement and keeps the power without the on off feeling you get from the Ozone C4.
The wind was very gusty, the depower is great, the barpressure, depends in how you fly the kite if you sheet in the bar completely, it gives a little bit more barpressure than the C4, but I like my bar like 15 cm away from the end, and this guys, give you no more pressure that for example a C4 plus the kite gets its maximum power.
As I cannot explain this all as a professional, which I am not, but my experience is that I am totally happy with the kite, you can have it drifting along with you, and even with no power in the lines you steer it away and it reacts immediatly.
These are the kites/shapes I have been waiting for ( yes I have test flown eclipse and wainman long time before this method) but for now Method will be my kite to go with, on my directional 6.1' strapped surf.
I state again that this kite gets you going, and the longer you fly it the more you will love it!
Good winds and good luck to Switchkites with their superb start!
Frank L. Belgium/ Holland ( Brouwersdam)
(ps: I ordered the Nitro 14m for lightwind and my free raceboard ( Sector 60) will write a report on that later if I tested it this weekend)