boardhedz
Member
Member #: 1853 Posts 3
Registered: 24-4-2006 Member Is Offline Mood:
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 posted on 24-4-2006 at 13:56 |
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Shockwave or Switchblade ??????????
Please help a newbie !
Hi, I am completely new to the sport and plan to buy my first kite as soon as I have sorted my dilemma!!! I have been windsurfing,
wakeboarding, snowboarding for a number of years and haven’t tried kiting for fear of the dreaded dragging down the beach, but at
40 and with the introduction of the de-powerable kites I thought now‘s the time!!!!!!
I’ve done a little research and feel (rightly or wrongly) that the Naish Shockwave 12m or the Cabrinha Switchblade 12m would be
the best kites to take me from complete beginner to a reasonable standard; I am prepared not to scrimp on the kite as I feel this is
the important bit of kit; could you please help!!!!
I feel both kites are not too different, (remember I know nothing though) but, because I am not experienced at all, I cannot fully
appreciate the relative merits of both control systems, or the de-power systems, which will work the best and stand the test of
time.
If anyone can offer any advise I would be very grateful as I am keen to learn and want to get going.
Thanks to anyone who responds 
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mNeil
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| posted on 24-4-2006 at 16:12 |
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have flown a FEW bow kites and although they are not for me they are great for learning, far safer than our conventional C kites in a
learners hands.
of the few that i have seen and tried and are available;i think the cabrihna crossbow is the best made and flies striaght out of the
bag without much setting -up for a beginner; 11 mtr is the one to go for.
only my opinion.........that should put the cat amongst the pigeons!
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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Gavin Jones
Grommet  
Member #: 1758 Posts 7
Registered: 1-3-2006 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 24-4-2006 at 16:29 |
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Cat - Pigeons, you Neil??? Never!
Have a look at them all!! The kites are much of a muchness. The bit that you'll spend more time looking at is the bar, so find a
system that you are happy and confident with - and understand.
I haven't tried many varients yet, the Slingshot Turbo Diesel has a nice simple bar set up. Lookout for the new offering from Ozone.
Very good reports on the Jungle Drums, claims not to invert in strong winds too.
Need any help, call me...
Paul Salisbury
www.kitesurfteacher.co.uk
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mNeil
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| posted on 24-4-2006 at 17:14 |
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no relation to Davey Jones then Paul?
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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shem
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| posted on 24-4-2006 at 20:01 |
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Urgh No Neil any Bow but not the switchblade!! Ive flown all the bow style kites and Id say stay away from the "Bow" Main design.
Instead head for the SLE, Supported leading edje designs, They dont invert for starters, and the bars are generally far simpler. Ive
got a 12 meter naish shock wave, a Sonic and a caution Answer if you want to try a few out. I havnt tried the naish on the water yet,
but on the land its very responsive and fast on the turn. Well built, however I think bladder changing is gonna be a night mare with
the octopus system, I may be wrong, but hope I never have to change one!!!! The Answer is super fast, very aggressive, awesomly built,
a real star of a kite, this has 80% not 100% de power, and is probably suited to people that want the feel of a C kite, with a bow
kites wind range. Personally Im still loving my Sonic, it just seems to have every thing going for it. But like I say, come and give
thenm a go. Im sure if you want to try any others COL will hook you up on his brands as well.
Dont buy before you try!!!
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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mNeil
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| posted on 24-4-2006 at 20:15 |
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but i didnt mention the switch blade ,Shem i said the crossbow, thats the only one i've flown and not seen consistantly
explode!.....only joking guys!! ummmmmmmmmm
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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Fat Shady
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 1506 Posts 178
Registered: 6-10-2005 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 24-4-2006 at 20:23 |
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All Joking aside, one brand in particular does have real build quality problems .......
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shem
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| posted on 24-4-2006 at 20:32 |
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Out of 300 of a certain kite!! 14 have had a fault, these have been warranted with new kites. How many Cabs have been replaced,
apparently none, all repaired instead! At the end of the day, its not down to the kite design, or production technique, its the person
on the sewing machine having a bad day! Unfortunetly theres not much that can be done about that. Just have a look in the sky next time
your at the beach, and count how many of the same kite you can see compared to others!! 50 % of riders cant be wrong. How many cabs are
flying nowadays?
Its all good anyway!!!!
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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leonardo
A Force-of-Nature *** 
Member #: 634 Posts 613
Registered: 8-4-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Chillin' ya bloodclot mahn
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 11:30 |
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I agree fully with Shem. Stay away from the bow style and look into the SLE's. The support from Sean at Airjam is excellent and I moved
to sonics from c's because they R INSANE.
I have seen all sonic riders improve their riding massively. The kite is versatile, super responsive, boosts delux and I'm easily
riding in 12knts with the 11m (this is impressive as opposed to HUGE WHALElike C-type 20m kites). My riding has really improved and
every session I seem to learn something new. I obviously moved to Sonics for a very good reason.
As for the TINY proportion of leading edge splits, if it happens u get a NEW KITE and that is a FRIKKING BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't
forget that after 4-5 proper sessions getting used to the sonic it suddenly becomes farkin awesome, and that is no joke. If u r into
waves, flatwater, new school, boosting, unhooked, kiteloops, downloops and hps, this satisfies all.
LEN10 LOOPING..
www.sskiteboarding.com
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macdonaldal
Beach Bum
Member #: 345 Posts 26
Registered: 1-9-2003 Location: Wolverhampton Member Is Offline Mood: Okay
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 12:31 |
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Leonardo said you can ride a 11m in 12 knots - What is the upper wind range of this kite ? Probably also need to ask 1) What weight are
you ? and board size ?
Al
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shem
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 12:38 |
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Leo is about 13 stone I think, ( although he looks far fatter and plump around the mid rift )!!!
I myself am a super slim, 13.5 stone, and ye agree with Leo, gets me going in 11knots, top end is comfertably 25 knots gusting 30
knots. Until you try one, you just cant understand how sweet it is!!!!!!!
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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macdonaldal
Beach Bum
Member #: 345 Posts 26
Registered: 1-9-2003 Location: Wolverhampton Member Is Offline Mood: Okay
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 13:24 |
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Thanks for that Shem - is that using the same board at the low end of the wind range (i.e. a short board) ?
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boardhedz
Member
Member #: 1853 Posts 3
Registered: 24-4-2006 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 14:31 |
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Hi the newbie again; thanks for the info. - so to recap; it would seem that I should go for an SLE kite, which includes the Switchblade
and Shockwave; but it would seem there is some mystery surrounding problems with one of them (remember I'm totally new to this and miss
bits) and the GK Sonic has been thown in which appears to fit the bill with a simple control bar and lighter bar pressure which appeals
as I'm no gorilla and don't want to look like one!
I am a complete beginner and not yet had a lesson, but when I have I could try several kites, including my bedsheet and probably will
not be experienced enough to say which is best (although I may be able to elimiante the bedsheet).
I feel confident taking advise from people who are experienced and know a lot more tham myself about kites; then buying the kite I feel
most appropriate, and then I will then get to grips with it, as I have with windsurfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding; there's no giving
up here.
I would not feel experienced enough to make a decision based on my initial attampts at kitesurfing, you guys know what you're talking
about give me the low down, let me know the problems?
Sounds like I should go for the Sonic but does it 100% de-power, can you spin the bar, does it have a stopper ball type arrangemenmt
where you can push the bar through for 100% de-power, is it fully adjustable, have the small problems been iron out with reagrd to
holes waering in the kite etc?
Thanks again for your time and valued opinions.
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mNeil
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 15:01 |
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def dont agree with the sonics being better in light winds...... my 11 yarga bottoms out at roughly the same wind speed as the 10
sonics and my 13 likewise to the crossbow 11; the yargas are measured as a flat area and are not the others measured somewhere near
projected area . now i weighed myself yesterday and i'm just under 12stone and my 125cm board ain grown any this year and wearing my
dry suit i cannot claim extra power from farting and i am seen to go somewhat upwind at times! (fish,fish,fish)
seriously though you are def on the right road as regards safety and early progression ; as for the rest; ask the fisherman how big his
last catch was
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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Fat Shady
A Force-of-Nature *
Member #: 1506 Posts 178
Registered: 6-10-2005 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 16:02 |
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From my personal experience I have found that having a bow/SLE or what ever you call a 100% de-powerable kite, boosts your confidence
like nothing else.
I have found both the Slingshot Turbo Diesel & the Cabrinha Crossbow to be heavier on the arms than my conventional "C" type
kites.
The Turbo Diesel seems to make a lot more power than the 1m difference would suggest compared to the Crossbow.
The build quality of the kites seem the same, but the Cabrinha bar seems better built. I cant help but feel the unprotected lines
running round pulleys on the Slingshot will wear out quickly.
And finally, as much as I like my Slingshot it has inverted a lot & that dosent fill me with confidence regarding relaunching. I
know the kite pimps blame the rider but the fact is that neither I or my mate (who is a beginner) have ever managed to invert the
Crossbow.
I cant comment on the Sonic because I have never used one but Shem is right when he says 50% of the kites out at Borth are Sonics. They
are very popular & riders do very well on them.
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carlessd
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 928 Posts 224
Registered: 22-8-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: new toys
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 17:37 |
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to be fair no one gets up wind like neil, except for steveo of course just ask tony. i've had 2 sonic 11mtrs and despite having had 1 explode, i would still buy the same kite again, i've seen peeps with this
inversion problem and it dont look good, i've had my sonic land in the water in all sorts of conditions, and the only time i couldn't
get back in the air was when the wind dissapeared, even Ckites have that prob though a neil. that all said i havent really tried many other bow kites either. i saw a best wharoo the other weekend at
branny, looked pretty good to me. but then the list just goes on an on an on. like shem said try them before you buy, and the sonic is
all you could want 100% de-power, can you spin the bar, it does have a stopper ball type arrangemenmt where you can push the bar
through for 100% de-power, is it fully adjustable etc.........
dont you eat of a bitter fruit!!
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col123
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 17:51 |
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wots with all this bow/sle kite talk..i'm i missing out
To Infirmary and beyond..
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leonardo
A Force-of-Nature ***
Member #: 634 Posts 613
Registered: 8-4-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Chillin' ya bloodclot mahn
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 19:56 |
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Dudes. I am 14 stone and my board is a cape dr 125 x 40cm fliptip.
Let us all get it right, kites r a personal preference depending on your style of riding. This really can vary as some c-type riders
like LEN10 pull insane sh1t with every trick in the book and then u get blokes that can't even kiteloop, boost or do a single unhooked
trick but still enjoy the grunt of a c-type kite. If u aren't jumping and doing big tricks and kiteloops then obviously you're going to
fly upwind!!! No points to whom i am referring to!! A lot of riders r going for the SLEs / bows like Robby Naish ripping up waves on
the shockwave, Andre Phillip killing it on switchblades and dudes learning downloops + handlepasses on the crossbows & sonics. But
to me I have seen someone change c-type kites 3 times whilst I've been having fun learning tricks on the 11m sonic all day. Ease of use
and less messing about, this is why so many r moving towards them. It is also not about weight or type of board but more to do with
experience and level of riding.
So make up your own mind cause any kite, whatever its' characterisitics, can be flown to a high level if the pilot really knows what
they r doing.
CAtch all you dudes at ynyslas this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!
ADIOS!!
THE BOK
LEN10 LOOPING..
www.sskiteboarding.com
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mNeil
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| posted on 25-4-2006 at 20:29 |
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caught one!
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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leonardo
A Force-of-Nature ***
Member #: 634 Posts 613
Registered: 8-4-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Chillin' ya bloodclot mahn
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| posted on 26-4-2006 at 06:38 |
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LOL! 
LEN10 LOOPING..
www.sskiteboarding.com
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