Whos got bow kites on order then and which ones.

I Headed down to the Surf/kite trade expo last week, ( Awesome reef brazil stand, with models but thats another story)!!

Pretty much every brand either had one there or was talking about the one they have coming out.

Ive gone for the GK sonic, ( should be here in 3-4 weeks), but have got a demo coming in 2 weeks. 11 meter is supposedly equivalent to a 10,12,14 and 16 meter classic LEI. If it is that good, itll be interesting hey!!

be intresting to see but they gotta work on the prices i see cabrinha's 16 bow ready to fly is over £1000,00..ouch.....who's going to go for that when you can buy three kites for that money,, ok it might have 100% depower but a newbie (unless there from dovey), isn't going to spend that much dosh on a kite they might trash..be intresting to see but what i hear about the crossbow is that lt's extremely heavy on the bar..

i belive graham is getting the 12 and 16 around october time

[Edited on 20-9-2005 by col123]

yep been trying to keep a close eye on feedback.

seems strange cabrinha have already brought out another bow. to be honest apart from the crossbow, they are fairly C shaped. i wonder if its all in the bridle? i'm hearing better things about the 9m bows. windrange of 15 to 30+kns.

Hydro have an open day bash the weekend which I believe they will have some Crossbows to demo.

As a newbie I'm just watching what happens for this year but was just thinking about getting a mid range bow and then a large LEI for the light stuff.

i've ordered a sonic 11m also. put my deposit down.

and it's one hell of a lot cheaper than the cab!

nice one mate. from flying a globe last year the KPO is a winner. may well go that way. looking to sell my stuff in Nov

Will,

How much is the Sonic? I've some sweet reviews but no firm prices?

Just writing my list to Santa.....

Mark

Shem,

I checked out the GK site and watched the video -but you've seen it in the flesh - does the safety deploy as soon as you release the bar (similar-ish to the Nova)??

safety releases straight away no attempt made to stop bar sliding 150cm away but low bar pressure so no need to let go. just get a harness line for dead man trick if thats what you wanna do. they are £799 in uk for 11m complete.

can be got from europe cheaper but takes longer to get it.

glad to see there will be a selection on the beach to check out. will be interesting to see how well they really do perform and if they will take over from the normal lei's, or as some say : may suite some riders but not all.
keep spending yer cash men!

gotta be done! can't get to beach so buy kit instead!

Like will said, its compleate de power. The bar system is like nothing youve seen before, really simple. When you drop the bar, the kite depowers and stays above your head for a second before descending!! If your quick enough you can grab the centre line and pull the bar back in to stop it falling out the sky. Just remember no more letting go of the bar to untwist lines! Like will said, it'll be well worth fitting a harness loop with a q/r, although bar pressure is light any way. Having seen it tested, 15 stone men where going up wind, powered, in 14 knots on the 11meter. The other bonus on the Sonic compared to the cab and nova is that there is hardly any bridle, and no pulleys to get jammed.

Interesting times!!

2 pulleys at kite, no?

I've got a 12 & 16m Cabrinha Crossbow on order. Should get the 12m next week so will post my verdict after trying it out.
The bar pressure on the Crossbow should be very light due to the pulley system.
They are a little pricey but when you consider the 12m will probably cover the same wind range as a traditional 9m-14m and you only have to carry one kite it starts to make sense.

Just put me deposit on A GK Sonic 11m !!, Buying from europe, saving £140. Will be with me by 18 Oct. can't wait

where did you order the sonic from.that sounds a good price

Sorry to say it, but its compleate opposite bar pressure on the sonic to what your expecting. The pulleys make it heavier. I spoke to Rob today, who had been out riding yesterday on the 12 cross bow, and he loves the power and lift, de power is great, but the bar pressure was so much he had to stop riding after 15 mins!! Robs no weakling either, so start working out now!!

poland for the cheap sonic's

and i'm testing 3 different brands at a secret spot on saturday, so will let you know probably in 3 weeks time..secrecy act etc

sonic has heavy bar pressure?

blah blah blah blah blah bar pressure blah
[Edited on 13-10-2005 by willf]

[Edited on 13-10-2005 by willf]

dohhhhhh got too excited i'm testing in three weeks time

I take it that means we'll see you at the weekend then Col..... Things went a little mad here after you left today... We had what you could call some 'proper weather'!!!

Al.

The sonic bar pressure is neither heavy nor light, apparently its just perfect!! The turn rate of the kite is super fast as well, apparently faster than a RRd type6!!

Cant wait!!!!!!!!!!

My 12m is at the port know waiting to be unloaded.
Should have it in a few days so will let you all know just how fantastic it is soon.

shem have you become a gk rider or pimp or something? why does it say gk kites beneth your posts? don't tell me you're getting a free kite?!! no wonder your banging on about them so much!

Actually "mr I put my hand up animals arses". Im paying for my kites. Because of my kite school, I obviously get offered a lot of free kites, However Ive given back my free kites, and am paying for kites, because I want a certain one, and brand.

It says GK, beneath my name, because as with any other kite pimp out there Im spreading the word!!

Incidentally, just checked on the shipment and its less than 2 weeks, I should also have a demo on Monday.

cool!
i reckon we've made the right choice. can't wait not been so excited in years!!!

Like wise, Im gagin to get mine. I got a serious lofting again today, Boys on the beach said it was 15-20 foot, and I landed in less than an inch of the wet stuff, admitedly it was 25-30 knots and gusty, but hope fully the de power will make life safer, from reports 30 foot jumps are becoming common place with the sonic as well!! ooer!!

just to be devils advocate wasn't everybody going to get best's hellfish...were's that now

It's good to see everyone getting excited! Looking forward to seeing all these new kites on the beach. And hearing the reviews.

For me, I'll wait 'till next year when they've ironed out the lumps and bumps....

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pluto
It's good to see everyone getting excited! Looking forward to seeing all these new kites on the beach. And hearing the reviews.

For me, I'll wait 'till next year when they've ironed out the lumps and bumps....

---

Some people eh?

i thought you said you wern't going to bring that up

Just been out kiting!! Ooer!!

tried two bow's today not on water land only, gusty conditions, one was ok but did overfly a bit in the gusts, the other was very good light on the bar, maybe even to light wierd feel etc,but the ability to kill power seemed to work, only static flew but potential looks to be there.

should be on the water with them soon and give a better feed back, sorry but can't say what brands, all i will say that its not flexi or north and there due out V soon..

SO FAR IMPRESSED THE PERFECT QUIVER MAYBE..!!!!



DON'T BELEIVE THE HYPE

From what I've read and seen on other forums it looks like the Cabrinha Xbow is the kite to go for.

Still waiting for mine to arrive...it's in the port waiting to be checked. Come on you damn porties!!

Whatever happened to Palmer???????????? aka Graham?

did you get that info from the cabrinha website by any chance..i think shem's got the kite to have, if you believe the hype that is

i know i've got the kites to have ; and there in Norman

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i know i've got the kites to have ; and there in Norman
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Neil - terrible punctuation, from a teacher as well!!

Hi Dunk, changed my user name cus it pisses me off trying remember who's who on here!

[Edited on 5-10-2005 by Graham]

Neil, sometimes, things do move on and get better ; )

Graham, We knew who you were as Palmer , the dude that spends a lot of time asleep in his car!

Oh and if you can't remember who I am , I'm Dunk, short for Mark!

ah Dunk, then why have you not ordered this new technology? i'm going to stick around with the stuff i know that works for me at the present and wait to see just how good these new kites really are.
after all i dont want something that might just take me over the edge, a round earth! who ever would beleive that none sense.
anyway i'm saving up for a new van ,much more important!

Neil, I think you need some English lessons!

Leo lessons in anything would sure help!

Some of these new bows sound like a heap of sh1te, but others seem to really have it all together..

I recall having a discussion with my uncle (Head Professor of the canadian Airforce's aerodynamics laboratory) back in 2000 about kites, and his immediate comments were "They are failing to harness the wind energy efficiently". He went on to say that a wing-type sail would be more appropriate. So there you have it.

I certainly think they are the way of the future, but try it before you buy it!!

Yeah, once they get it right, Bow kites have GOT to be better. The trouble with traditional 'c'-shaped kites is that there is a lot of material in the canopy doing nothing as far as generating lift or power goes, but doing a lot as far as ading extra weight goes. 'C'-shaped kites do of course offer lots in the way of depower and stability, so if a bow kite can offer improved depower, and similar levels of stability then they should be onto a winner as the canopy should be more efficient overall, should have less weight and therefore be more responsive to boot.

You only have to look at nature... you don't see many birds with 'c'-shaped wings!

Al.

Only just brought what I thought was the latest and what'd you know it all changes again ( bugger!). I think I'll wait, see what happens. I wonder if Nobby Raish/ North will get on the band wagon??????????? As Col says whatever happened to the HellFish??????

Well Dunk DUDE,

You seem to be boosting way higher than everyone else on those ravens of yours!! So why change eh?!

naish,north, flexi, slingshot,best even ozone are all sewing away as we speak....especially ozone!!!!!!!!!!

Naish Pigeon, North Hippo, Flexi Light Drizzle, Slingshot Turbo Diesel (I sh*t you not! Those boys have got some real imagination in the gorge eh?) & Ozone Fluffy all for imminent release.

Watch this space, times are a changin'

Leo dude,

It only looks like I'm boosting so high because I'm so small!

Yeah the Ravens seem to be working for me at the mo, I'll ride them into the ground then see whats around then.

the reactor and the cam and the recurve..mmmmmmmm

Shoot they're much better names than I came up with, I won't apply of the marketing jobs just yet.............but Slingshot Turbo Diesel still makes me chuckle

Why not call it something butch like the V6, V8 or the Slingshot Capri!?

Sure is some wierd names. Theres a local pub around here which serves a cocktail called a TURBO DIESEL, Bet that boosts ya high!! Itll be interesting to see OZONES first attempt at a true water kite??

A Kite called a capri now yar talking!!!!!!

Got my Xbow last night...where's the bloody wind this weekend???

Hi Shem... good to see you fella. I'll be back up with el Sonic when there's more wind.

@Col ... Nie trzyma wasze oddychanie.

watch out graham has got his new kites; expect to see him curled up in his car at borth?

Ooch, below the belt!

You need to have plenty of sleep for the post kiting activities.

didnt mean it graham.
will be setting off at 3.00pm

sean how you doing long time no take pee

graham looks like your 16 xbow will be tested with the light winds.

any takers for north wales?

sup Col...

Long time no take pee for sure fella.

Still pimping for the darkside I see.

Hope its all good.

tis good my friend, but not dark anymore, cool photo's on the kiteboarder site...still the same people on there from way back when it was bksa..


top pimping marks my friend

mind you with a product that good who needs to pimp

later col

thought i'd give my 2 pennies worth about these bow kites.

just had a play on graham new 12m Xbow. for the first few minutes it felt quite different. once on the water it was fantastic. the gusts which were pushing me off my edge on my 12 had gone. jumping off the lip was very floaty and with a bit more practice would have been much higher than on my 12. the bar pressure was quite heavy and the tear drop bar shape is not very nice. the turning speed was not quite as fast as my 12 but when asked it did spin around. would be so much fun with a surf board.


so top marks for the kite but the bar setup i'm not so sure. even with the stopper on, the bar is a long way away. the sonic with the cleat would i assume be able to sheet in or out so the bar was in the perfect place for the conditions.

yes bow kites are the future.

i will have to see what Santa brings

your santa must be way richer than mine if hes started bringing kites!!

santa buys from south africa so its a 3rd cheaper!!!

my views on the x bow;
me out on a 12 mtr in that wind, i had been out on my 9 mtr yarga!
kite delivers the power oh soooooo smoothly not like our LEI's. i agree with Chris makes you realise just what depower really feels like!
oops sorry got to go ,will be bakc to edit the rest in a while
right i'm back;
unfortunately Graham had not located the stop ball system on the centre line prior to launch so i had to constantly hold on to the bar and could not fully relax; no one handed or no handed stuff!
the chicken loop is rather large and like Chris i felt i would have benefitted from longerrrrrrrrrrrrrr arms,however that is easy to fix and is down to personel mods,i dont like jchicken loops and prefer to use a stasinless cleat.
again i agree with Chris on the shape of the bar; found it uncomfortable to hold,caused pressure points on my fingers,has the designer tried out this shape?
i didnt find the pressure on the bar unduly heavey, thank goodness for the pulley system;because of the pulley reduction system you have to move the bar twice as far , not really a problem, just a niggle.
build quality as with most modern kites is excellent.
a real possitive point; Graham didnt put it in the water!!!!!!
sorry Shem, will let more afluent kiters purchase all this modern technology and wait till at least the second generation are out with the "all the first generation problems ironed out " labels on them!
by that time i will be able to afford my next generation van!
thanks to Graham for letting me have a go and he didnt fall asleep on the beach!

[Edited on 10/10/05 by mNeil]

Could this mean that your moving on from the Yargas then Neil!!

have finished the post now Shem

My 11m sonic should be with me by the Oct24/25th,

Lot's of kiter's are raving about this kite, Turn's a lot faster than thr CB & Nova, 100% depower, Light bar pressure, Good on the elbow's, for thoses who suffer!.

And it's a lot cheaper, If i like it, may get the 14m next year

Might be a good Idea if Al puts a ban on this thread, its dragging a bit, and in a week or so time, when they all turn up well have to start another any way!!

oh Shem not another ban! we sufer from too many of those already!

Don't worry, theres no limit on topic length!!

If anything I'm amazed that this thread is still on Topic and hasn't gone off on a tangent yet!!

Al.

the square on the hypoptomus divided by the sum of all the angels in heaven is equal to the ..........
am i on the right track Al?

Surely you mean Hippopotamus??

Al.

ah there lies the rub!

does robin hood use bows!!!!

Hey, it's a comedy thread now. Sitting here smiling away...who needs Ronny Baker. (there's one for Neil)

By the way....the Xbow comes with the option of different size chicken loops.

Lets hope the wind is blowing again this weekend, maybe by that time i'll have stopped aching from the long session on Sunday!

Just had a email from the shop i ordered me 11m sonic from, just to let me know my kite's in and should have it on friday!!!.


Preying for wind, If have to see how Sonic compare's to the CB

Well the Cab has a better name for a start!

where did you get yours steveo?

www.kite4life.be in belgium

Paid by paypal, Cost me 970 Euro's about ?جø¬?660.00
complete, Just got first delievry today.
Colours available are
Yellow/Grey
Dark Grey/Light grey

Having a yellow/grey one, been dispatched on tomorrow, hopefully get it on friday.

Might give brancaster a go at w/end if the wind stays East

Graham have you sorted out that stopper yet?

stevo thats a good price. i take it no import duty. any vat?
did you just buy it off the net?

cheers

chris

Got the kite on a promo offer of 935 euro's , but they are still cheaper than the uk at Only 1000 euro's plus 35 euro's for postage to uk.

Paid online by paypal , c/card

And if i don't get on with the kite, can still sell it and get my money back !.

very tempted. think i may go for the 8m. 15 - 40+ knots. let us know how you get on.


cheers

chris

Sorted my stopper ball on the Xbow
A friend of mine has a 9m and his located ok
Needs a little extra help at 1st but then ok

Just hope you dont get the dreaded call from HM customs asking for theyre import tax, I know a lot of people that have been caught out on that from US sites, having said that would same rules apply for EU??

crossbow has tear shaped bar for a reason is designed for use with powerlock so you can twist it on and off that is why it is like that they assume everyone will upgrade when it comes out. something to do with bar pressure?

get yer point Wills but why didnt they just put a slight bend in the bar bit like cow horns and like my old stage 2; job done and the bar is still comfortable and circular in section.

steve... well done on snagging your Sonic at that price. I think you will have just about the only cheap grey import Sonic in the UK.

The reason yours was so cheap is that the Belgian importer sold direct at discount which of course is not good for Globerider. Maybe he doesn't have dealers ? Maybe I should put very cheap Sonics on the Belgian Ebay and put him and his dealers out of business... hell, I could do that on lots of euro ebays but of course I will not.

Fact is, I could sell direct at that price all day long as I'm the UK importer but I could not then supply and support a dealer network at the same time... as they could not sell at that price and make a living of course... and I do have dealers... including Shem who is now the GK dealer/school and test centre for mid wales.

The reason yours is also now delivered before UK kites is because, unlike many importers, I do not pre-order any product 'blind' without extensive testing... hence my Sonic tests, reports and photos were the very first in the world but our UK commercial availability is a couple of weeks behind some importers who just order and sell without trying product... one irony here is that you have bought a Sonic from an importer/dealer who hadn't even seen, let alone flown one and is using my photos to promote it on his website.

Globerider owner/designer Mat Pendle has recently emailed all international distributors to tell them they must not supply cheap and direct, or otherwise, outside of their territory or they will have their supply cut off... so it will no longer happen.

Anyway... I just wanted to put the record straight as this is a web forum and destined to be an archive of information.... there are certainly no bad feelings from me... I am always on the sniff for the best deals on my camera equipment!...

I would like to offer you full service and back-up as if you had bought a UK kite so you needn't worry about the lack of after sales service and hassle that buying a grey import can often have as a trade off.

You will be the proud owner of the hottest kite on the planet... The Sonic utterly wipes the floor with the xbow and nova in many aspects... don't hesitate to be in touch if you need any help tuning etc.

there is also a lot of info... here

[Edited on 13-10-2005 by Sean C]