Another Crossbow review + some ideas

[KiteKarl]

Took out the 12M today in about 14-23 mph. 185lb rider on a 125 litewave. It was gusting into the mid-upper 20's and found myself pretty lit on my 12M nemesis just before the test. After I launched I was impressed by being able to take my hands off the bar and park the kite at zenith and forget about it. Solid in the air, no pull on the beach, very safe. Upon water starting I immediately noticed the difference in turning. Turns on a dime. You could probably water start just by sheeting in but I guess it's force of habit. After getting planing just park and go. This kite heads upwind like no other. I think it will change board design quite a bit because you really need no edging skills, you can ride it very flat like a snowboard and just use the bar as a throttle. I have a hard time imagining that it would be possible to get overpowered on this kite. The feel is so different that I don't believe someone could learn on this kite and be able to ride a regular kite. It literally takes no skill in edging. Jumping is very different due to the lack of bar feedback. It's easy to get up to speed and hold your edge but once airborne is difficult to feel where the kite is from the bar. I've heard that after a couple of hours on the kite you get used to it and get the timing down but I didn't and so was given the opportunity to test the relaunch. It's a no brainer. Pull in a steering line and it's up. Time to ditch my 5th line kites. It's really a revolution and will change riding, especially in gusty wind and waves since you can turn the kite on and off so easily. I'm thinking that a 9 and a 16 would cover me for everything. I felt like I could handle a much larger kite. Small adjustments to the strap make a big difference in power as well as the huge range in the cl. The kite actually needs to be sheeted in a bit to turn in transitions. I would like to see Cabrinha design a dual trigger powerlock system for this kite. Since it has a plastic cl line you could just design notches in it with a trigger to fit in the notches from both sides. Pulling the trigger would release the fangs on both sides and you could pull in or push out and release the trigger where you wanted it to stop. Pretty much a multi-position powerlock. This would allow you to ride one handed as opposed to the current setup where you have to pull in. A few guys from our local shop who have ridden it several times were going huge so I know it's just a matter of familiarity with the kite. I have yet to try the takoon and the rapture so would like to make a fair comparison. I look forward to having a low wind kite and a high wind kite. No more re-rigging or different line lengths. This is gonna be a very different year for kites...

[ZenWind]

The report of a heavy bar pressure concerns me the most. How heavy was the bar pressure needed to turn or jump the kite? Thanks.

[KiteKarl]

The report of a heavy bar pressure concerns me the most. How heavy was the bar pressure needed to turn or jump the kite? Thanks.

The bar pressure wasn't that bad, at least not for riding and turning. As stated, I really didn't get jumping down on it in the short period I had to ride it so I can't really say how much it needed. All I did find is that when jumping, bar feedback is much less than a standard kite so perhaps I didn't sheet in enough. This is where the powerlock bar would help so that you could lock after edging just as you have sent it.

[davidmac]

Nice review, do you think getting the 16 12 and 9 would be overkill? I have ordered all 3, it was the only way I could get rid of my old kites. By the sounds of what you say, you should never need more than 2 boards max. Money saved in other areas I guess.

Please add more once you have had more time on it.

Cheers
Dave.

[KiteKarl]

I think you could get by with the 9 and 16 but the most common wind range in most places would be covered with just the 12. I'm going back and forth on wether or not I should just get the 12 for now. If you had all 3 and a surfboard then you'd be set no matter what the conditions. You're gonna be stoked.

[davidmac]

Karl, judging from the 12, what would guess, the very bootom end of the 16m to be?

I am looking at selling my 19.5 contra aswell to help pay the balance. Wise move or not? Saying this, from the feedback on the neilpryde forum, it looks like Cabrinha will be bringing out a bow - type light wind kite to replace the contra's soon. Even if there is talk about the new kite, the contra prices will plummit.

[KiteKarl]

Karl, judging from the 12, what would guess, the very bootom end of the 16m to be?

I am looking at selling my 19.5 contra aswell to help pay the balance. Wise move or not? Saying this, from the feedback on the neilpryde forum, it looks like Cabrinha will be bringing out a bow - type light wind kite to replace the contra's soon. Even if there is talk about the new kite, the contra prices will plummit.

Hard to judge. When the wind is that light there are so many variables, weight, board, current, technique, etc. Probably comparable to an 18 or 19. Your maybe gaining 4 or 5 at the low end. This is the part where people flame each other over ridiculous trivial crap about how they can kite in a bug fart so I won't conjure any theories over the gin a tonics I've been gargling...

[ed257]

I wonder when Best or someone else will come out with a resonably priced version of the Crossbow type of kite. If Cabrinha can make one out of dacron ripstop then so can Best and others like Venom, Chinakites, etc.

Ed