Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Which Cabrinha kites?

Forum for kitesurfers
Champ
Rare Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 1:36 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby Champ » Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:38 pm

I want to get my old kites replaced. I have a Xbow 9 and 12m2 from 2006 (1.gen) and a Contra 14m2 from 2007 (know its oldschool, but had a break from kiting for a few years...). I have been happy with these kites, especially with the good wind-range and hangtime.
However I want a series that cover the high-end windrange as well (the Xbow 2012 goes only down to 9m2). I want less bar-pressure and I am tired of kiting with straight arms and bend back.
Switchblades or Xbows? Maybe a combi - small switchblades and a large Xbow? Year 2011, 12 or 13?
Appreciate advice :D

knotwindy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2385
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 4:49 am
Local Beach: baja, gorge
Style: erratic to none
Gear: yes, I use gear
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 274 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby knotwindy » Mon Dec 03, 2012 12:27 am

as you can tel by 61 views and no comments,
not a Cab :o :lol:

User avatar
Flight Time
Frequent Poster
Posts: 400
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:08 pm
Local Beach: Venice Beach
Skyway Bridge North
Style: Freeride
Gear: 12 Epic Screamer
14 Epic Screamer
12 Liquid Force Havoc
16 Cabrinha Switchblade
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Venice, Florida
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby Flight Time » Mon Dec 03, 2012 12:48 am

knotwindy wrote:as you can tel by 61 views and no comments,
not a Cab :o :lol:
Nothing specifically wrong with Cabs, maybe not a lot of people have the 2013s to comment on them. People seem to like North, I know guys that swear by Best, I'm in the process of becoming partial to Epic. Stick around, someone has to have some 2013s out there somewhere. I hear that the Crossbow is nice in the 13.

User avatar
davesails7
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2220
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:36 pm
Kiting since: 2006
Weight: 75 kg
Local Beach: Virginia Beach
Style: Race
Gear: ML B3
R1V2 11. VMG 13, 15, 18
OR Mako 130x35
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby davesails7 » Mon Dec 03, 2012 1:26 am

If you don't like bar pressure, you should try some other brands. All the Cabrihnas I have tried have a lot of bar pressure (various years of Crossbows, Switchblades, and to a lesser extent Drifter). People who like Cabrinha like that heavy bar pressure.

The new Cabrinhas will be lighter on the bar than that 14m Contra. I had the '08 14m Contra and sold it after a month. The bar pressure was insane with those pulleys on the bar!

User avatar
Caesar
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1141
Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 3:44 pm
Local Beach: Cumbuco, Palm Cove, Port Douglas, Yorkeys Knob
Gear: Not telling unless I'm getting paid.
Brand Affiliation: Nothing...
Location: DownUnder/Brazil cumbuco-oceanview.com
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 6 times
Contact:

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby Caesar » Mon Dec 03, 2012 1:44 am

Champ wrote:I want to get my old kites replaced. I have a Xbow 9 and 12m2 from 2006 (1.gen) and a Contra 14m2 from 2007 (know its oldschool, but had a break from kiting for a few years...). I have been happy with these kites, especially with the good wind-range and hangtime.
However I want a series that cover the high-end windrange as well (the Xbow 2012 goes only down to 9m2). I want less bar-pressure and I am tired of kiting with straight arms and bend back.
Switchblades or Xbows? Maybe a combi - small switchblades and a large Xbow? Year 2011, 12 or 13?
Appreciate advice :D
Hi mate,

I was kiting Switchblades for 5 years until I swapped over to Epic kites (Screamer 9m and 10m LTD). I'm happy with their performance.
Today I helped a friend to improve his kite skills. I kited his 11m 2012 SB upwind so he could go downwind again. If you want to stay with Cab kites and the high bar pressure is not an issue for you, that kite was pretty ok.
But you might want to try a different kite and might be surprised (positively).
I don't have any affiliation with the Epic brand.

Cheers
Caesar 8)

User avatar
Flight Time
Frequent Poster
Posts: 400
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:08 pm
Local Beach: Venice Beach
Skyway Bridge North
Style: Freeride
Gear: 12 Epic Screamer
14 Epic Screamer
12 Liquid Force Havoc
16 Cabrinha Switchblade
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Venice, Florida
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby Flight Time » Mon Dec 03, 2012 1:56 am

davesails7 wrote:If you don't like bar pressure, you should try some other brands. All the Cabrihnas I have tried have a lot of bar pressure (various years of Crossbows, Switchblades, and to a lesser extent Drifter). People who like Cabrinha like that heavy bar pressure.
Now that you mention it, my 16 Cab SB has insane bar pressure compared to my Epics. Fortunately it isn't affected much by gusts, so I still have intact shoulders. :D

As an added bonus, before I switched to the Epic harness, I had a Cab harness with that weird little flare on the end of the hook, and invariably when I sheeted in hard for a jump, the damned C-loop would slip off the side of the flared hook, leaving the whole loop on one side of the hook, and the dick on the other. Then the only thing holding me hooked in was the dick, and any little bump after that would leave me unexpectedly holding a fully powered unhooked bar. On a 16, when you are trying to hook back in, it's not so much that you pull the bar and loop down to the hook, it's more like hauling yourself out of the water in an awkward pull-up to hook back in. :lol:

User avatar
Flight Time
Frequent Poster
Posts: 400
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:08 pm
Local Beach: Venice Beach
Skyway Bridge North
Style: Freeride
Gear: 12 Epic Screamer
14 Epic Screamer
12 Liquid Force Havoc
16 Cabrinha Switchblade
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Venice, Florida
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby Flight Time » Mon Dec 03, 2012 2:01 am

Caesar wrote:Hi mate,

I was kiting Switchblades for 5 years until I swapped over to Epic kites (Screamer 9m and 10m LTD). I'm happy with their performance.
Today I helped a friend to improve his kite skills. I kited his 11m 2012 SB upwind so he could go downwind again. If you want to stay with Cab kites and the high bar pressure is not an issue for you, that kite was pretty ok.
But you might want to try a different kite and might be surprised (positively).
I don't have any affiliation with the Epic brand.
Aah, another Epic flyer. I love my Screamer 12, and I have a 14 on the way. Like the boost on the Screamers? :D

User avatar
davesails7
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2220
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:36 pm
Kiting since: 2006
Weight: 75 kg
Local Beach: Virginia Beach
Style: Race
Gear: ML B3
R1V2 11. VMG 13, 15, 18
OR Mako 130x35
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby davesails7 » Mon Dec 03, 2012 3:04 am

I don't know if anyone can really recommend one specific brand based on what you've written so far. Try a few brands, everyone's tastes are different.

If you're looking for a kite with lower bar pressure than a 14m Contra, that means 99% of all kites will meet your needs :D

toyletbowl
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2808
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 1:00 am
Local Beach: Olbrich, Governor Nelson, Tenney, Burrows and McDaniels.
Favorite Beaches: Olbrich on SW and McDaniels on a SSW.
Sheboygan when it blows hard on a NE.
Style: Waves, Twin tip and Foilboards.
Gear: Whatever is available.
Brand Affiliation: Cabrinha, Slingshot, Core, Armstrong, Axis, NP Surf, Ride engine, Mystic. www.kiteridersllc.com
Location: Madison, Wi. USA.
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 9 times
Contact:

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby toyletbowl » Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:44 am

Hi Champ,

I'll help answer your question directly. First off...with the kites you are coming off of, any of the newer Cabrinha kites will be a huge relief on the bar pressure. Second, if you want the best value and bang for your buck, I would to with the SB (switchblade) IDS in either 2012 or 2013. The CB (crossbow) IDS is a great kite also, but more expensive and a little less versatile overall in my opinion. The Cabrinha kites are extremely well built and have one of the better safety systems.

Regarding the 2012 or 2013 Sb IDS, the 2013 has 3 main differences. It's faster turning, has lighter bar pressure (not a big difference though) and has less low end, but a little more high end. The 2013 bar also has a better reride system for the safety release.

If you want to save a little, there's some great deals right now on 2012 SB IDS's including from me, but if you have a really good local dealer, I'm sure they'd appreciate the business.

I hope this helps and good luck.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

zsabev
Rare Poster
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:19 am
Local Beach: Bulgaria, Turkey
Favorite Beaches: Boracay, Phillipines
Cabarete, D.R.
Tarifa. Spain
Rhodoes, Greece
Limnos, Greece
Style: freestyle, wave
Gear: North
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Which Cabrinha kites?

Postby zsabev » Mon Dec 03, 2012 12:41 pm

Hey Champ,

you will hear a lot of likes and dislikes about Cabrinha kites, but in the end: Cabrinha are not bad kites and the choice is yours what to ride :)
Check this links for deals on Switchblade and Vector 2012.
http://www.surfpm.com/kitesurfing/kites ... blade-2012
http://www.surfpm.com/kitesurfing/kites ... ector-2012


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Aberdovy kiter, andylc, arjas, Bing [Bot], DanielorDani, decay, htsc, supachip1, xoen and 393 guests