Switch kites article link -

[NYKiter]

And social media (such as Kiteforum) is a venue for open opinions, perceptions and preferences (not intentional slander) about kites and kiting equipment. Some may like Switch...others may not...

[Tiago1973]

limited performance?

MJ was top 5 (?) on last year PKRA with the Combat v1

this year, so far, is going 2nd between Youri and Pastor

personally don´t beleive you can compete at PKRA level if your gear is not solid

[plummet]

limited performance?

MJ was top 5 (?) on last year PKRA with the Combat v1

this year, so far, is going 2nd between Youri and Pastor

personally don´t beleive you can compete at PKRA level if your gear is not solid

Does a wake style kite really need much performance? This is a serious question. I'm not a wake styler. All I see in the vids is blokes riding with kites parked and then thy pop some unhooked rotations with the kite still parked. Seems to me that a wakes style kite needs very limited performance. It just needs sit there.

So the riders skill is the biggest impact as apposed to the kite he is flying. Compare this to course racing. You are screwed if you don't have a competitive kite. No matter how good you are.

[MikeYQM]

Yup Best did this years ago. Now look at them, right in the mix with everyone else. This isnt some "awesome for kiteboarding" business model, it a means to get their product out as quickly as possible and once they feel solid in the market, they jump on board with everyone else.

I'm not saying its a bad idea to try to flood the market with cheap gear and gain a following. Just be prepared when the prices creep up over the next few years like everyone else. Its a marketing ploy, not an altruistic kite movement.

[marlboroughman]

Well didn't Best also disapear from the face of the earth after they went "mainstream"

[BigPaul]

To those switch kite lovers.
listen to the stoke and ignore the rest. Unless it's true constructive critisism. There are a lot on this forum who just like to tear shit down for the sake of it.

Good luck with it all

[Tiago1973]

limited performance?

MJ was top 5 (?) on last year PKRA with the Combat v1

this year, so far, is going 2nd between Youri and Pastor

personally don´t beleive you can compete at PKRA level if your gear is not solid

Does a wake style kite really need much performance? This is a serious question. I'm not a wake styler. All I see in the vids is blokes riding with kites parked and then thy pop some unhooked rotations with the kite still parked. Seems to me that a wakes style kite needs very limited performance. It just needs sit there.

So the riders skill is the biggest impact as apposed to the kite he is flying. Compare this to course racing. You are screwed if you don't have a competitive kite. No matter how good you are.

Don´t see performance as only about aerodynamic efficiency, but something in the broad sense that will maximize the rider potential, either on wake-style, wave riding, airsytle or racing. And all these things look for different tools.

Tend to agree that gear could impact more in racing than on something valued on style, but still believe the differences between those guys at the top of their level are slim and would not accommodate an ´inferior in performance´ (/less suitable for the intend) kite.

Would had Youri won the PKRA if he was flying a Rally?

I do agree that Switch has less pedigree than some others, but in my opinion they are showing their game on C kites where it counts.


PS
I don´t ride Switch and didn´t particularly liked the Element V1 I tried.

[Hansen Design]

@plummet - maybe better to do some serious wakestyle competition and then comment on the subtleties of 'C' kite design? Being one of the heaviest PKRA riders, MJ needs a high performance kite to support his powerful style. He is very specific about how and where he wants it to fly and we spend many hours 'tweaking' the Combat for him. What you buy from Switch is exactly what he is using.

@Tiago1973 - Exactly!

@MikeYQM - Adding middlemen adds cost. Switch has no plan to alienate the end user. Won't happen.

@marlboroughman - Great product, great service, great price is the Switch plan.

@BigPaul -

@Tiago1973 - Switch listens to what riders want. Element2 changes the game. There are also three other vastly different kite models to choose from and they are all improving. We are working hard to earn our pedigree and your business.

[marlboroughman]

Switch is doing exactly what I've been saying for at least 4 years now. I thought Ozone was the best positioned for this kind of a model having their own factory. Best destroyed what they had because all the sudden they wanted to join elite club and it didn't work because they upset their hard earned customers and they were hard pressed to convince retailers to push their product for less.Without direct sales the price levels are reaching the point where it is becoming feasible to make the kites in the USA.

[plummet]

@plummet - maybe better to do some serious wakestyle competition and then comment on the subtleties of 'C' kite design? Being one of the heaviest PKRA riders, MJ needs a high performance kite to support his powerful style. He is very specific about how and where he wants it to fly and we spend many hours 'tweaking' the Combat for him. What you buy from Switch is exactly what he is using.
:

hehehe... Never going to happen I have zero interest in wake style.