The Ozone Catalyst V1 - Very different for 2016!

Long hailed as THE freeride kite for lighter riders, the Ozone Catalyst is now in its sixth generation in 2016 and to celebrate, Ozone have made some hefty changes to the all-rounder. "It's a confidence inspiring, fun and easy kite to ride that will make your progression in the sport fast, safe and enjoyable." That's what they say about the Ozone Catalyst V1 (which is actually version 6, the Catalyst has been in the range since 2010). What more could beginners and freeriders want from a kite? To help deliver these desirable traits, the 2016 Catalyst has dramatically swept back tips, with a more delta like outline to them. That will help relaunch in light winds dramatically, as well as provide a linear depower feel for riders. But enough of the technical jargon, this thing looks like a ball to ride! Helping show it off, is the riders and friends from Isla Canela Kite El Paradise. The Spanish kite school is right on the beach Ozone have filmed a day in their lives. What could be better than a bunch of mates on the beach, a few kites and some volleyball? Of course the winners of the volleyball comp get to ride, the losers get to launch...

In addition to the new kite, Ozone have switched to a biannual release cycle, keeping kites current for two years instead of one. The release program has been used by some brands for years, and in the Paragliding world (where Ozone comes from) models are released up to 3 or 4 years apart.

We are happy to announce that from this year, 2015, we have moved away from naming our products on a yearly basis and we are now using the V for Version on all our kite models." Says the general manager for Ozone, Iain Hannay. "The first new kite to come with this name culture is the EDGE V8, Version eight of our High Performance tube kite. We have done this to avoid confusion in model updates and it also gives our design time for innovation rather than constantly updating because a calendar year has passed. We will still have a colour change each year to keep everything up to date and looking fresh within the market place."

Good news for the kiteboarding industry and riders alike, because for the shops, gear will be current for longer. The riders will enjoy worthwhile releases with actual improvements, and their kites will stay current for longer too! Check out the fun new video from Ozone about their new Catalyst V1 to remember what the sport of kiteboarding is all about!