Why are kite companies such crap???

[Faxie]

So, the question there is....should mail order kite shops also be the importer of a kite brand?
I know of two mail order kite shops that do business brick and mortar on a local level, do mail order nationally, and who are each the importer of a kite brand.
This makes it a bit tough for every local kite shop who would want to carry those kite brands, and if I had a local shop, I would not carry them.
But prices for kite gear is high, so the temptation to buy from mail order shops at better prices is always there.
And that is also a reason the direct sales model Switch is using is working for them.
I think that there are a half dozen kite brands that should seriously consider a direct sales model.

I see some more established kite brands (Crazyfly eg) going to a direct sales model.... same prices as the stores....

[sflinux]

Pictures of the fin box?
What's the point of the post if there is no mention of brand or model? (Is it a Naish?)
Country of Origin?
Next time, perhaps support your local shaper.
I'm surprised if you bought this board new, as I'd expect the used raceboard market to be quite abundant now that hydrofoils are in production.

[FredBGG]

Pictures of the fin box?
What's the point of the post if there is no mention of brand or model? (Is it a Naish?)
Country of Origin?
Next time, perhaps support your local shaper.
I'm surprised if you bought this board new, as I'd expect the used raceboard market to be quite abundant now that hydrofoils are in production.

It's not a Naish. I did not want to drop names, but someone else figured out what brand I was talking about. It's a North Board.

I contacted then for info on fin availability and guess what. Never got an answer.

Country of origin has bugger all to do with it. It is under a brand name and it's the brand that needs to oversee quality wherever it's made.

As for "supporting" my local shaper? Most are complete snobs that don't want to hear about surfing with a kite.

What has buying new or used got to do with it. Defective product is defective product.

[FredBGG]

Well, when you get it sorted raceboards are super fun

You bet Tout. I like the way it rides. Once I've figured out how to remedy the poor quality control BS I think I will really enjoy the board.

I've got the two side fins figured out... the rear middle fin still wiggles lose. Machining a plug to change the rear mounting.

[tautologies]

You bet Tout. I like the way it rides. Once I've figured out how to remedy the poor quality control BS I think I will really enjoy the board.

I've got the two side fins figured out... the rear middle fin still wiggles lose. Machining a plug to change the rear mounting.

Nice. I can't say anything about the quality since this was just a buddy's board but I tried their freeride race board and had a blast. Super fun to go really fast. I tend to like the locked in feeling of the bigger raceboards when going fast though, but definitely an easier ride.

[FredBGG]

You bet Tout. I like the way it rides. Once I've figured out how to remedy the poor quality control BS I think I will really enjoy the board.

I've got the two side fins figured out... the rear middle fin still wiggles lose. Machining a plug to change the rear mounting.

Nice. I can't say anything about the quality since this was just a buddy's board but I tried their freeride race board and had a blast. Super fun to go really fast. I tend to like the locked in feeling of the bigger raceboards when going fast though, but definitely an easier ride.

I totally agree with you. It has a nice ride with no leg burn and it's fast. Not as fast as a competition board, but fast and "entertaining". I think the designer was smart to find a good balance between feel and speed.

[Da Yoda]

I see some more established kite brands (Crazyfly eg) going to a direct sales model.... same prices as the stores....

If a manufacturer or distributer is selling directly with pricing set at the same MSRP as their established authorized retailers, then it's called "Direct Retail" (i.e. Crazyfly).

If a manufacturer or distributor is selling directly with NO established retailer network to support, then it's called "Direct Sale" (i.e. Switch/Zian).

Many major kite brands located or distributed here in the US have their own "stores" and offer "Direct Retail". Here's just a few...
Airush
Best
Blade
Cabrinha
Dakine
Epic
F-One
Firewire
Flysurfer
Gaastra
Liquid Force
Ocean Rodeo
Ozone
Slingshot
etc... (trust me there's quite more)

Several other major kite brands that are distributed here in the US are not sold directly per se, however the distributors either have a brick&mortar and/or a brick&click retail business on the side to sell their goods at "Direct Retail" pricing (i.e RRD, Xenon, etc...).

[Dimitri M]

Maybe if Dimitri said " Yea we have had some valve issues and we are working on it", it might restore a little Epic faith but he doesn't he just hypes his kites up more and then says look this guy has issues with another brand of kite I will give him your advice. Same shit when people were complaining about depower straps, he blamed it on the customer using them to much.

I am sorry you fill that way Mr.Drew22 but I have nothing to hide. As you can see form this post a lot of people are very happy with the EPIC kites. And yes it's true we had few customers that had some valves coming unglued form their bladders, but we did take care of them. Plus we had few other customers with other brands having valve problems and we did help them.
Now concerning your issue…Well if you are hiding behind a name how do you want me to be able to help resolve some of the issues you had with the kites?
So in few words who are you? What's your real name and what is your email?
As you can see I am not the one hiding behind an avatar name. In plane English: "You get what you see. The owner of the company talking directly to you".

[zfennell]

What has buying new or used got to do with it. Defective product is defective product.

because the manufacturer considers it to be a defective USED (ie. second hand) product.
do you want kite companies to cover second hand sales as well?

did the original owner indicate the fins were improperly fit or that he attempted to correct the matter with the shop?
( or did he just assume you'd figure it all out on your own, later?)
perhaps that's why you got such a great deal on the board...besides the 'bitchin" graphics.

how bout this?
give the board to the rocket scientist along with a case of beer.
i'm sure he'd come up with something

[SupaEZ]

Fred ...you are a photographer
Show us some up close high definition pictures of the wobble
Let us see the amount of fin tips deflection in millimeters
Don't give up contacting someone in charge at North in order to get satisfaction with your product
Just sayin'