Review Cabrinha Switchblade2 12.0 2007

[Ozone Kites AUS]

Review for Cabrinha Switchblade2 2007 12.0

Times tested: 2-5
Range: 15kn to 22kn

Good:

Bad:

Review: Firstly, I am not a rocket scientist. And I sell all three brands.
There was a clear favourite for me amongst the 3, and I suspect what I like in a kite, the majority of people will like too.

Conditions were 15 -20 knots, choppy, wind fluctuating a bit at the beggining of the session and towards the end as well, basically it was lightish with strong gusts at the beggining, and same with less strong gusts at the end.
I used 2 boards with all 3 kites, a 1.52 x 44 Underground FLX and a 1.33 x 40 Carboards, I weigh approx 75kg and I was wearing blue budgie smugglers under my wetsuit.

Tried the Atom 12M first, Matt Snowdon tried the Waroo pro 13M, both kites were rigged on 25M lines on Flexi 50cm atom bars.

The Flexi turns tight, without lots of power in the turns unless you hold the bar in, it depowers to at least 90% on the range in the bar, flight speed is fast, and the kite can be worked better than some SLE kites to get power and stay upwind. I tested the safety which is a fifth line type of arrangement that runs from below the bar, through the bar to the swivel on the front lines. There is no fifth line to the kite, when the chicken loop is released the front lines a held and the rears are released by around 2M this is enough to flag the kite and it crashes to the edge of the window and can be relaunched as the bar does not tangle in the lines and the quick release can be put back together easily. Relaunch is like the Ozone Instinct, North rebel, etc, play with the tension on a rear line keep swimming to the side but keep tension on the lines.
Bar pressure is light with a great feel. Construction is excellent as you would expect from one of the worlds most experienced kite manufactuers. Single point inflation, externally plumbed, dacron framing construction for a crisp feeling kite and super easy repairs. Beefy bridle lines, minimal pulleys (none on the bar). Flying lines are 360kg and thin, plus they are split into 20M and 5M extensions, nice option. Bar is thin with excellent grip, rubber ends with line holders. Bag is similar in design to the Instinct, Slingshot bag. Has leading edge camber battens. Jumps easy, not as floaty as the SB or the Waroo, but still good and easy. Kite retails for $1849, great value IMO.

Next was the SB2, 12M which I have ridden a couple of times. It is a slightly more technical kite to fly in lulls or lighter wind, the sheeting of the kite can be harder to feel for some kiters, but the bar pressure is light and the kite gives good, light, rear line feedback. Not as tight turning as the Atom, but tighter than the Waroo pro. This kite had the best bottom end of all three on test, with the waroo pro 2nd, atom 3rd. Once the wind is up this kite is a pleasure to fly, very stable in the air with its single point inflation 5 strut design. I crashed in the water twice, simple rear line pull relaunch. I really like the shape and feel of the new 07 cab bars. Bridles are beefed up where they run through the pulleys, construction is beefed up from last year without adding much weight.
Flight speed is fast and boosts are big and floaty with rapid acceleration off the water. Easily my favourite kite out of the 3 on test, would be nice if cab could put the 20M and 5m line extensions on their kites, this gives riders so many more options, especially if they have two bar and line sets.
The bar stopper works really well and the bungied trim doovers make for a very clean and easy to spin bar design, with the leash clipped round the plastic covered centre line, below the bar. Retail $1949 for the 12M SB2 complete, also excellent value IMO.

Waroo pro 13M, is a grunty kite, slower to turn than the other 2 kites but probaly the most lift although the wind was dropping for the 40 mins I got on this kite, flight speed is fast. The kite can turn tight enough, but requires progressively more effort to do it and feels like it has plenty of power in the wider arc turns. Heaps of depower on the Flexi atom bar, did not test the safety or relaunch of this kite, because it was not rigged on the 07 waroo bar, which is similar in function to the flexi bar.
The kite looks great in the air, similar in shape from a flyers perspective to a Link. The construction of this kite is impressive, fully framed dacron around all struts and leading edge, and the leading edge is super thin and tough with a dacron outer with cuben bonded inner. I pumped it until I though my pump would break, I reckon I had at least 10+ PSI in it. No single point inflation but all valves have stopper balls and they all worked fine, in this 5 strut design. Bridles are beefed up where they run through the pulleys, these kites have 4 pulleys on the kites none on the bar.
Bag is simple but functional, better than on last years kites though.
The new bars are colour coded and have parts that are easily replaced when worn, should be available soon. The kite will retail at around $2100, complete.

I could write more, but breakky is up, we have demos of all the above kites and more, demo's are by arrangement with Kitepower staff.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack


Rider Profile

Weight (kg): 71-80
Ability: Intermediate
Style: Jumper
Preferred Water: Flat
Preferred Power: Good
Preferred Kite Size: 14.0
Most Used Kite Size: 16.0
Preferred Board Style:
Preferred Board Size: 131-140
Brand Affiliation: Shop
Similar gear used:




For pictures and more reviews click here

[Lourocks]

Is the SB2 as quick as a Normal 12 m C kite ? or more like a SB1 12m ( turn like a 14m C kite in my opinion ! )

[KittJ]

It is a slightly more technical kite to fly in lulls or lighter wind, the sheeting of the kite can be harder to feel for some kiters, but the bar pressure is light and the kite gives good, light, rear line feedback.

Hey Steve, that was a very helpful assessment of the three kites and puts the SB2 in some perspective.
I've noticed that you and several other reviewers have consistently used the phrase "more technical kite to fly". Could you explain exactly what that means ...

I am guessing that it means that the kite needs to be constantly moving in the window and the rider needs to constantly be able to recognize when he has to ease the bar out to "speed it up" to keep the kite from stalling. If so, does this suggest that it might not be an ideal kite for beginners because in lighter or fluky air, to the beginner it will seem to just unpredictably fall out of the sky? KittJ

[Gianni G]

Here is my 9.19 indian rupees

Comparing the SB1 to the SB2 I felt the SB1 had more low end but was not as precise at the SB2. The SB2 flys faster has heaps less bar pressure. Rigging time of the SB2 is streets ahead of the SB1, not only the 1 pump, (sorry sprint) but also not having the pullies at the bar saves a few minutes untangling too.

I can't do any unhooked tricks but I do occaisionally try, I dont think the sb2 will need as much or any depowering before unhooking like the sb1.


The SB 1 is like a big machete, but the SB2 is like a scalpel.

[redneck]

Kitepower
Have you ever flown a wahoo 12, not Pro., and if you have how does it compare to the SB2 in turning.
Redneck

[whipPed]

Check out the Switchblade II video.... follow link::

http://www.cabrinhakites.com/index.php? ... &Itemid=25

also click video to watch a 4 minute vid of it in action.

LB

[whipPed]

oh, steve: did u find u had to pump up the switchblade very hard so it wouldnt lose its shape when trying to relaunce?

had that problem couple of days ago, on a 12, but it was only blowing like only 8 knots.

thx..LB

[coimbraz]

I want to buy 2 SB2...
What's the correct sizes to buy wanting to cover the range 12-30Kn...
12-8 or 14-10???
My weight is 79 kg....

[J R R Tolkien]

Can anyone else comment on the turning speed of the SB2?
I thought it was very slow.

[bigwave]

Can anyone else comment on the turning speed of the SB2?
I thought it was very slow.

I tried the SB2 14m yesterday in very powered conditions.I thought the turning speed was about average for this size kite.The more aggresive you were with the bar the better.The kite is super stable and really nice to fly.I thought the kite had very good low end grunt.
For me ,I like the Xbow2 better.Its faster(I have the 12m) turning and very stable as well.The SB2 has great range(just like the Xbow2),I was really wound on the kite with no problems,excellent feel on the bar ,easy to know where the kite is.The Xbow2,SS Link and Waroo Pro I used this week ,all I thought turned quicker than the SB2,but they were all 12m and the SB was a 14m.