My Method Rocks!

[pixelpedro]

Hi first let me congratulate the switch team, on the excellent job with shipping, I took the free shipping option, just cause I'm in FL, and there isn't much going on here in the summer, and I had the kites in 5 business days, unbelievable fast. Are you sure you're shipping from HK? lol

OK, Yesterday: 26-30 mph Side shore, 2-3ft, I took my 6'0" Wam (Quad setup), 9m Method fresh out of the bag, and to the beach. Inflate half way, shake it up a bit, make sure bladders are in place, just in case, LOVE, and I mean LOOOOVE the inflation system. holy cow, to inflate was super fast, I mean granted there isn't much LE and 3 struts to inflate, but still, I've never been done riggin so quickly. I must admit I was a bit weirded out with how thin the LE is, but is good, I inflate really well, and off I go.

I inspect the kite, looks solid, fabric looks like every other kite, although I'm not sure if it is, the kite seems incredibly light, which I guess could be due to the 3 strut and reduced LE diameter. Bridal seems thicker, stronger that other kites I've owned or flown. Nothing extraordinary or surprising about the obvious construction.

Immediately I dive the kite and I get yanked off the board, almost tomahawking the kite, shit this kite has power, so I regroup, and go out, WOW, what a feeling, the first 15-30 mins was feeling the kite out, tons of power, can't imagine any other kite being quicker, holy cow this guy is fast.

So I go out, through the break, quickly, and powered up, I make my first real turn, OOOOOMG, here it is, the freaking power turn I've been reading about, it is awesome, I wiped out my first one though, didn't expect it. but from this time on, I was on, I felt like a Formula 1 on a turn at 200 mph, what a feeling. So I crashed my first turn, so I'm getting ready to relaunch, kite is sitting waiting on me ... it was like the kite was asking me ... come on you pansy, get me up, let do this! excellent relaunch.

I crashed the kite 3 times, not my fault, chicken loops completely came out of the harness, not sure still how that happened. Another time was during that power turn, well offshore, and another near the impact zone, which I though was gona be a real bitch, cause one of the wings was taking a lot of water, all 3 times, kite just jumped out of the water. Very impressed.

On the wave I'm a bit more powered that I'd like, I did notice that the throw is relatively short, keeping the kite powered up a bit, allowing it to remin a bit hot on the wave, perhaps I should've been on a smaller kite. But it drifts wonderful, and again, I love the fact that I pull on the bar, and the kite is there, turning where I want it, when I want it.

I'm used to ridding Cab SBs, so the bar pressure didn't bother me at all, the bar pressure I though it was perfect, if the element had this much bar pressure, I'd change quiver, mainly cause of the versatility, but if that means loosing kite turning speed, I'd stick with the method. I like to feel the kite.

I didn't boost any (intentionally), but can't wait to take the kite for a spin on a flat day, feels like it boots big time. I could feel the uplift at times, and feel GOOD.

OK, now is not all good: but I'm not blaming the kite yet, could be me not used to it.

There was a time, not sure exactly what happened, but the kite passed over me, and completely fell out of the sky, I recovered it, but it was very weird. I was recovering my board when it happened, so honestly not sure if its something I did with the bar.

Another thing is, I noticed this is a noisy kite, It flutters quite a bit, you can hear the fabric a lot during the gusts, it handled the gusts OK, not its best, but honestly so far so much good, I don't care, I can adjust to this.

I also noticed that the kite like to fly powered up, I tried depowering a bit, and the kite seemed to drag, it felt slow and without any power, didn't affect the turning speed, but seemed to depower A LOT, almost too much, with just a bit of depower.

My main complain is the bar. the depower got jammed once, I had to get off the board to concentrate on powering my kite back up, the bar seems a but cluttered though, and the BS velcro on the depower DOESN'T WORK, so the depower strap is dangling, and wraps around the center line.

This was my first time out, so ... Thanks to Tropical Storm Debbie, considering getting a 7 or even the 5 for more wind range.

In a nutshell, I'm honestly starting to think, how did I ever fly anything else. This is what I'd always thought a kite should be and behave like.

So there my 2 cents...

[dyyylan]

Just from flying my friends combat the other day I agree with what you said about the depower rope dangling, I got stuck sheeting out a few times and had to untwist it. However, you said it depowers too much.. Since I also flew sbs I totally know what you mean, the trim strap depowers the kite a lot more, so you only need to pull it in about half as much as cabrinhas. The amount of depower via the trim strap on the sb is almost nothing, I would always be fully powered up with it or fully depowered

[pixelpedro]

Yeah a few tweaks ... I'm used to the SBs, so is a change, but one I'm liking very much.

Have you gone out lately, it's been freaking awesome. Me and a buddy are thinking of heading to Delray, maybe further down to your neck of the woods, since is cross-offshore up here.

[Tightlines]

Hi Pixelpedro, glad your enjoying the Method so far.
I noticed you commented and asked a couple of questions on a youtube I posted of the Switch Method 7 and I have replied to your questions there.
I have got to get around to editing and posting a few youtube vids one day, I'm a bit slack and prefer to just go kiting.
I don't like to say to much online because it is only going to be viewed as pimping but I have had a quiver of Methods for over a year now and love them for wave riding.

I will be honest though and say that if you want a kite for tt, jumping and freestyle there are better kites on the market (all of the other Switch models for a start) however they do jump ok.

One of the most common mistakes people make with flying a Method (and I think you have recognised this already) is flying a kite that is bigger than required, I am lucky that I have 5,7,9 &12 so can usually always select the right size.

Today was a classic example, at my local it was fairly strong gusty wind, I went out on the 7 at first but the wind picked up and although the other kites that were out were all around the same size, (2x6 BWS's, 7 Cabrinha, 7 Ozone C4, and 8 Rebel) and I could have managed on the 7, I came in and pumped up the 5 and was perfectly powered.
Although they still handle ok at the top end of there wind range they do get a bit savage through the turns, some people don't like the Method because of this but if you select a size so that you are more in the bottom end of it's wind range the power generated in the turns is a big plus and they are unbelievable kites to fly.
Some folks like to start on a big kite and if they are having trouble holding it then they drop to a smaller size, I would thoroughly recommend always starting on the smallest size Method that you think you can get away with and if you are struggling then grab a bigger kite, you will be blown away with how much power they can generate.
You mentioned that the kite was noisy well to me that is a sign you were overpowered, when you have the correct size kite there is virtually no flutter at all.
I very rarely pull any depower at the cleat, there is a lot of depower available by sheeting out the bar and if that is not enough you are better off grabbing a smaller kite.

If you want to do some twin tip freestyle stuff, I probably prefer the Element over the Method in the larger sizes, although I do like heavier bar pressure and the Element felt to light at first, you do get used to it and they are a better allround kite.
I mainly ride a surfboard in waves though so normally use the Method and only use the Element for flat water.

Anyway enjoy the kites and when you can get yourself a 7, to me that is the pick of the sizes and is equal to most 9's for wave riding.

[pixelpedro]

Oh cool, just saw your reply this morning, Cool video, very smooth ridding BTW I hope to get that good one day soon.

Yeah I realized that this isn't the kite for TT, I mean that's not why I got them, but wanted a kite that would perform well should I choose to use a TT and do some tricks.

I realized yesterday about the kite size. And like I said on your video reply, I'm gona consider getting either a 7 or even a 5 for more range, I just don't like to have too much gear. My ideal quiver would be 2, max 3 kites, a TT and my Surf Board, no more.

I got a 12 and a 9, I'm almost regretting the 12, meaning, the 12 and the 9 are so close range, and I'm now noticing the power of the kite, that I should've tried the 9/7 combo instead, but I was afraid of not being able to hit the water on lighter days but just not having a kite. I'm a hair lighter than you

Tnx for you comment.

[kazi]

Yeah a few tweaks ... I'm used to the SBs, so is a change, but one I'm liking very much.

Have you gone out lately, it's been freaking awesome. Me and a buddy are thinking of heading to Delray, maybe further down to your neck of the woods, since is cross-offshore up here.

Cross-Offshore down here now too

[pixelpedro]

Yeah a few tweaks ... I'm used to the SBs, so is a change, but one I'm liking very much.

Have you gone out lately, it's been freaking awesome. Me and a buddy are thinking of heading to Delray, maybe further down to your neck of the woods, since is cross-offshore up here.

Cross-Offshore down here now too

Where u at Kazi?

[ZigZag]

I am one of the kiters referred to by Bill Hansen in an earlier post. I hated the 9m Method so much, that I forced myself to buy a 7m and a 5m Method as well.

Today I had an opportunity to fly all 3 Methods in quick succession. We had a coastal low with winds that started off at 25 knots, and dwindled down to 15 knots about 2 hours later. I rode with the 5m for 40 minutes. When the wind dropped to 20 knots, I swapped to the 7m and rode that for another 40 minutes. I rode the 9m for 30 minutes in 17 - 15 knots.

Shepstone lighthouse 27 June 2012.gif (20.39 KiB) Viewed 3252 times

It appears that the Method with the least bar pressure is the 5, followed by the 7, and then the 9. Maybe all that adrenalin at the start of the session gave me superhuman strength, and that is why I thought the 5 had least bar pressure!

If the trend is correct, and can be extrapolated, it would mean that the 12 has the most bar pressure of the lot. Anyone with a 12m and 9m Method who would care to comment?

[pixelpedro]

I am one of the kiters referred to by Bill Hansen in an earlier post. I hated the 9m Method so much, that I forced myself to buy a 7m and a 5m Method as well.

LOL

If the trend is correct, and can be extrapolated, it would mean that the 12 has the most bar pressure of the lot. Anyone with a 12m and 9m Method who would care to comment?

I have a 12, still in the bag, haven't used it yet. I'll keep you posted.

[overhead]

I have been lucky enough to fly the 7M most the season and have flown the 9M about a handfull of times too. I would say the bar pressure might be a little more on the 9M. Maybe due to the kite size. In any case, I am not worried about it. To put things in perspective, I just spent the weekend waterskiing and talk about bar pressure. As kiters we really have nothing to complain about.

Overhead

P.S
I have a 12M also and it is still waiting for the maiden voyage.