Ozone Edge 17 vs. Zephyr vs. North Dyno 17

[Cray]

Hey!

I need to get some freeride lightwind gear. My current quiver is made out of North Rebels (9 and 14). They are nice park and ride kites but now I need also something bigger, doesn't need to be park and ride, but I'm used to stable kites with a lot of depower.

1. Can somebody who has tested any two (or three) of the mentioned kites tell me what the differences are? I'm interested in the light-wind, boring, freeride performance.

2. If my information is correct, both Zephyr and Edge are still the 2013 models. When are the 2014 models coming out?

[plummet]

some info here
http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kite ... -Dyno-17m/

[Westozzy]

Hey!

I need to get some freeride lightwind gear. My current quiver is made out of North Rebels (9 and 14). They are nice park and ride kites but now I need also something bigger, doesn't need to be park and ride, but I'm used to stable kites with a lot of depower.

1. Can somebody who has tested any two (or three) of the mentioned kites tell me what the differences are? I'm interested in the light-wind, boring, freeride performance.

2. If my information is correct, both Zephyr and Edge are still the 2013 models. When are the 2014 models coming out?

I've ridden all three, own the zephyr. The zephyr is not in the edge and dynes league in terms of true light wind...sub 10 knots, given same board, same rider, same wind etc. efficiency comes with the aspect and race design of the dyno and edge. The zephyr comes alive at 13/14 knots and it a great kite to practise your tricks, even unhook..but it pulls hard still, be aware. The zephyr is also the best kite in the waves out of the three. The zephyr has a great top end.

The link from plummet is a good one. Read the posts by puertz, I have ridden with him and his crew, they live in Darwin (shit capital of Australia) and have ridden all three kites a lot, although their pick for edges anyhow is the 19m edge (and I agree it is for some unknown reason to me a much better kite than the 17m edge).

Honestly you ride north which has its own particular feel, as does ozone. There is not much to be gained is anything with a 14m rebel and the zephyr so cross that one out.

The dyno has bar pressure and static grunt between the the edge and the zephyr and overall it feels like a north kite. Concur as well, as the wind picks up the dynes bar pressure drops while the other two increase...which is a good thing for the edge.

Personally I think you will like the dyno, and it makes sense given your quiver, but all three kites are awesome. If you go the edge go the 19m, it's equivalent to the 17m dyno and that's the only way you will maximise your gain for what will be an expensive purchase.

Hope that helps.

[andrewb44]

How does the Zephyr compare to the OR Flite?

[Kamikuza]

How does the Zephyr compare to the OR Flite?

New one or the old one?

Bottom end grunt seems to be about the same but the previous Flite is a much zippier handling kite.

[jplmain]

I use to have the 17.5 flite now I own the 19 edge. The flite has more grunt and turns faster but will drag you downwind more then edge. The edge gets me 2 to 3 knots and up wind better. The edge also has a tamer top end then the flite.

[Cray]

Plummet, Westozzy; thanks for the info. Much appreciated. It seems North dealers are hyped up on positive Dyno reviews and want an arm and a leg for the 2013 Dyno.

Seems that becouse of IKA mandated release dates, both North Dyno 2014 and Ozone Edge 2014 get to be release sometime around March 2014:
http://www.thekiteboarder.com/2013/11/2 ... ide-ozone/

...have ridden all three kites a lot, although their pick for edges anyhow is the 19m edge (and I agree it is for some unknown reason to me a much better kite than the 17m edge).

Could it be that 19m Edge feels better becouse it comes with the 27m lines instead of the regular 25m lines?

[airsurfer]

The edge 19 doesn't necessarily come with 27m lines you can choose the bar and lines you want. I fly mine on 25m only and it still kicks ass. I don't see any need for longer lines on it because when you can't ride with this kite then it's probably best to do some other activity. This is the first big kite I've flown that has similar flying characteristics to normal sized kites.The float is amazing single rolls become doubles and triples especially off a kicker. I've flown the 2013 Dyno 17 and 15 and both are very good IMO both go upwind better (higher angles) than the Edge 19 with a TT board but they also turn much slower and less responsive and not as much grunt..

[Westozzy]

No, they brought out the 19 and 10m well after the other 2013 batch is there is a discernible difference, especially the 19m. Very nimble for a 19m and much better than the 17m all round in my opinion. But it is still an edge, requires board speed and good technique to jump properly.

[Puetz]

Hey!

I need to get some freeride lightwind gear. My current quiver is made out of North Rebels (9 and 14). They are nice park and ride kites but now I need also something bigger, doesn't need to be park and ride, but I'm used to stable kites with a lot of depower.

1. Can somebody who has tested any two (or three) of the mentioned kites tell me what the differences are? I'm interested in the light-wind, boring, freeride performance.

2. If my information is correct, both Zephyr and Edge are still the 2013 models. When are the 2014 models coming out?

... the Dyno will fit in nicely with your 9, and 14m, I've got roughly the same quiver (7, 9, 12 and 14 Rebel shared with family) and works well. One of the traits I like is they all have a good amount of bar feed back so you can feel where the kite is with accuracy even when depowered. The Edge felt soft and changed with differring winds and the Zeph right in the middle erring on the "bar feedback Rebel feel" side rather than the softness like the Edge.

The Zephyr is similar in power and turning to the 14 so if your after better light wind performance, the Dyno is definetely the go, especially since you can swap bars between kites and has a similar DNA feel. We came close to getting a Zephyr for the missus but after a few demo's she found that the Zeph got a heavier bar as the wind came up and she didn't like that (which I didn't mind at all). She liked how the Dyno got a lighter bar as the wind picked up but not too light, with still having steering accuracy.

Edge is a good kite but to achieve the same power as the Dyno you'll have to check out the 19m which is similar to the Dyno 17m. The 17m Edge needed too much apparent speed to get the power I wanted, more than the Zeph, so wasn't good enough for me as a light wind kite, plus I found it would fold or bend in the LE when pushed hard.

Zeph is such a fun kite and better in the waves than the Dyno but if your after that really light wind performance from the kites you mention, the Dyno is the pick.

cheers,

Robbie

ps hey Eppo, I think you ment to say "sh!t wind capital of Australia".