Review of Ocean Rodeo's royal blue 2009 8m Rise

[rodeoclown]

This is a very special kite for me.
One of those kites that is exciting from the moment you unzip it from its luggage like bag.

The spirit of the blue graphics really looks sharp, and the color scheme gives the kite an overall darkness to it without being black.
Some riders prefer dark kites because they are easier to track out of the corner of your eye when the conditions are grayed out by cloud cover or rain.


We have some of the toughest conditions in the world here in the NW.
Gusty shifty storm winds and piles of rocks, sticks and logs we call beaches.
This is what this kite can handle and this is what this kite loves.
Ross Harrington chose construction techniques and materials designed to handle frequent cycles of aerodynamic stresses and extreme conditions.
There are mulitple layers of reinforcement to the canopy and leading edge, including the kite saver...a spanwise shock strip woven into the structure of the panels and struts. This is a proven system for absorbing significant amounts of energy during an extreme impact or stress and saves the seams and fabric from tearing or popping loose. I think it helps give OR kites amazing control too, by unifying the wing in a way that eliminates canopy distortion. OR kites all fly super clean in the top end of their wind range because of this.
The one pump inflates fast, and the bridal is simple and strong with 2 tuning points on the kite for each line attachment.

You can fine tune this kite for your style or wind condition, from a bow like to a C like feel at the bar.
Its easy to self launch and from the moment I put this kite into the air, I noticed how compact and aerodynamic it felt. It slips wonderfully through gusty shifty winds in the 20's and 30's for me without much de-power at the cleat. I haven't tested the high end, but it feels like it could pull my 200lbs weight through winds up to 40 safely but probably with huge amounts of power. The tracking is rock solid and easy to park, and turning is progressive and fluid. I loved how easy it was to adapt to.
The way this vented kite allows you to point upwind effortlessly, then how calm and slow it can fly when you point downwind...like some dutiful servant awaiting your gentle input to zoom into traction once again so smoothly with just the right amount of bar pressure so you can feel where the kite is...this really inspires confidence when you are focused on riding. It feels like this kite can handle anything with a calm that can smooth out even the gustiest bitch of a wind. Its the perfect wave hunter IMO.
Yet, when you are ready to do some flying, there is an awesome power inside this blue beauty as well.
I'm talking about the way this 2nd generation vented SLE engages traction during a power stroke.
The feel of the "pop and pull" vertical hangtime is clean and smooth though out the stroke pattern and there seems to be a generous margin of recovery for overflight or backstalling. This is the easiest Rise yet for jumping big and long, and coming down with excellent control for any type of landing you want. And if you do lose it, the water re-launch is superb.
I get excited when I think about this deep blue 8m Rise that the BKB has let me demo this winter, its one of the "must try" kites of 2009 for sure.

[schmoe]

I read a review somewhere (maybe on this forum actually) that said the 09 rise is a refined version of the 08, little better here and there, but basically a version of the same kite. Can you compare the two directly to each other for those of us who know the 08?

[GhostDog]

if you search the forums for 2009 rise venturi you will find a 10 page thread that has some good info on the differences between the 2008 and 2009, I wrote a post about this on page 5 or 6 and another on page 9 or 10

[eag]

Nice review. That 8m is so fast and fun in waves. With a surfboard it covers a ton of range. Yes the 09 is a refinement on the very good 08. Faster through the window, thinner struts, less throw in the bar but equal depower and a generally smoother flight. The 09 bar has nice improvements too with mega strong 850lb lines.

Graphics are sick, but i prefer orange and red to be seen.

[H2orockett]

The new 8M Rise is very versatile and does cover a huge wind range. I use my mine in winds from 20 mph up to 30-34 mph, in flat water and surf. For flat water riding I rig the bridal in the max depower/faster turning setting. When the wind really picks up, I take off the line extensions and move the bridal to the slower turning setting. For the surf, I like it in the max depower/faster turning setting with line extensions removed. Of the three Rise kites I have (8,10,12 meter), the 8 has gotten the most use here in the OBX and traveling abroad.

The bar is also pretty impressive. I like the tension adjustable sliding stopper, line extensions, push away safety on the chicken loop, easy front line depower, and self-landing capability. No need for a complex and maintenance intensive safety system here. The OR safety system is simple and just as effective as any other on the market. To completely depower the kite, just push away the chicken loop safety and the leash pulls maximum depower on the trim line as the kite gently falls out of the sky. Re-engage the chicken loop safety grab the bar and your off flying again. Self-landing is easy too, just fly the kite to the edge of the wind window and pull the depower handle and the kite flips right onto the leading edge .

Nice job with the repair kit too. Three color matched repair patches, extra bridle line, inflation tubing, clamps, pigtails, and pulley.

I've been flying my 2009 Rises since the Fall and wouldn't trade them for any other kite.

Aloha!