Weight 98kg
Favoured - Surf Style
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: Test Team Rider ( had to purchase kite )
To start with I purchased the 10mtr BWS ,( comparing this to my 11mtr Octane ) Definately more powerful than my 11 Octane,Initially I thought it was a little stiffer in the air through the turns-once I adjusted my style a little the 10mtr was awesome down the line, I found the kite to always have a full canopy of wind and yet not want to yank you off your board. Relaunch great although the kites seems to never do anything silly so it rarely hits the water..
Then I purchased the 8mtr BWS, ( comparing this to my 9mtr Octane ) Once again heaps more power but a very predictable power, not ON & OFF just steady, This kite turns absolutely quicker than my Octane and there was no riding adjustment required. The 8mtr could be flown to turn with you through your turns or just set it and let it run down the line, For those people who are under the 85kg mark could nearly get away with this being their only kite.
What ever kite you ride - enjoy this awesome sport and keep it safe.
You are riding a Rev1/Rev2 Hybrid with no pulley in the front, so no twisting.same designer. I cant think of anyone who said the rev range was anything but special. much better bar though......
Octanes were too an all round kite and didnt sit deep enough in the window unless you were a good wave rider. and the rev gave you room for error. BWS is a "Rev 3"
"BWS is a rev3"... dunno never ridden a rev... but i have to say, pretty stoked with the "room for error factor" on the BWS. already saved me a few swims! very happy new customer...
Next time your down the beach and see a Slingshot rev1 or 2 check it out. Your canopy will look almost identical and you will notice a few modifications to the bridle etc. All kites are pretty damm impressive these days, and the noise was designed purely as a wave kite.
Dave - do you ride BWS kites with a twin tip or surfboard ? I know these kites are perfect for surf but I am keen to hear what people think about them on a twinny ,, I have not used my twin tip yet on either of my BWS kites.
i have been riding the 8m noise prototype this week while im waiting for my 6m to arrive on monday.
I am 70kgs and i have used this kite in 15-30knot winds. the kite wasnt very happy being flown fully depowered, but lets be honest none of them do. very happy with the ease of flying the kite and setting up.
looking forward to my kite arriving, will leave a review when i do.
Had another 5 session on the 8mtr today - so stable , even in 25 to 30 knots. I am going to order a 6mtr . Everyone who has one says they are unbelievable and grunty too. Good Kites !
They should have just called the kite the Ben Wilson Religion - oh that's right, RRD already used that name.
Me, I'm agnostic - still waiting for a real review.
So far looks like Dave's come closest - a Rev 3 with a nice bar.
A review :: A very structurally tough kite yet simple, no pully's for a more direct response. All BWS kites i would say are steady powered- ( feel powerful but dont rip you off your board through the turns) also a 6mtr BWS kite is as powerful as a 7 mtr Octane or F-one, an 8mtr BWS is as powerful as a 9mtr Octane/F-One and so on with all the sizes. The kites sit forward in the wind window and also drift down the line with ease- Perfect up wind kite too. Bar and lines are very user friendly on the hands for the long sessions on the water, Having the whole package under the bar makes things even easier again - De-Power, safety and swivel ensuring no tangles or out of reach items above the bar. , ! I believe these kites have a stability better than an F-One or the Rally, the power of a North Fuse ( but steady power ) , Great turning speed and a safety system that is a dream. I loved my Octanes and Revs but these are a few steps ahead. Hope this helps.
age;19
weight:70kgs
style:strappless hooked in/strapped surf board
kite: 6m noise
build: 10/10
turning: 8/10
power:11/10
depower:7/10
relaunch:10/10
down the line drift:10/10
upwind: 10/10
stoked:heaps
i receieved the kite two days ago and have had two solid sessions in perths 20knot seabreeze. yesterday i was just flying out in front of brighton beach, wind was up around 20knots with the waves up aroud the chest height.
getting out the back i found the kite very steady in the wind despite the gusty conditions. Going up wind was a breeze I had no trouble going 50m upwind on my tacks.
Today i did a downwinder from city beach to scarborough, agian with the winds at least 20knots +. i had depower on the kite set to half way while in the waves. with the waves breaking only 10m from dry sand I had to rely on the kite to turn and go with me as soon as I made the drop in to the wave. Every turn the kite never missed a beat. riding the left handers down wind the kite would float for as long as i needed then pull me out with the pull of the bar.
i found the 6m kite to be as powerful as my old 2010 9m cabrinha nomad.
i plan to buy either a 8m or 10m in the future for light wind days however having test fly the 8m prototype i think it will have enough for me
sorry, but a bit off topic, may already been posted
this is fkn sick vid of wa and wave kiting
respect to the camera crew taking one for the shot
@ryland
just wondering what you do after that last re-entry and onto the beach at flozza?
i usually end up on the sand ?
Nice Post POIDA !! I was going to flick on here myself - It cranks.. I have just received a 5' 9 Drifter myself -and if it does half of what RY is doing with it I will be super stoked., I cant wrap these kites and boards enough - Only recently tansitioning from SS to BWS I could not be happier with the Product. !
age;46
weight:87kgs
style:6ft strapped surf board
build: 10/10
turning: 9/10
power:10/10
depower:9/10
relaunch:10/10
down the line drift:10/10
upwind: 10/10
Was lucky enough to catch Dano See the BWS kite designer in Newy last weekend. Good to get a first hand insight into kite design, the kiteing indusrty and where BWS is headed.
Met up the beach at the Little Gibber Hawks Nest on Sunday about 1pm when the Noreaster was starting to kick in at about 15knts cross onshore with a small 2ft swell.
Had a quick spin on my 11.5 RRD Religion which was good to do to get a direct comparison with the kite I normally use.
Been on the surfboard for a couple of years in the beach breaks around Newcastle area and like most of the punters in the area ride hooked in and being a natural footer find am riding right handers up into the wind, Not much of that unhooked down the line caper, although am giving it a go.
Jumped on the 10m noise with the wind a bit gusty as were up near the gibber headland. Bar pressure is a bit heavier and turning speed a bit slower than the religion which I preferred. No problem with the wind gusts and kite is very smooth through the turns. The upwind ability of this kite was quite better than the religion and was able to ride a few down wind waves and make up ground easily. Kite floats down the line excellent and at no time looked like dropping. Probably on par with the religion but hey Im no expert in that department. Rideing upwind on the waves the noise was pobably slightly more depowerable. Did a few jumps and that kite has plenty in the testicle department. Sort of jump, go up, sheet in go up again with the landing sweet as. Quite suprising as I thought surf kites were no good in this area. The power of the 10m being a physically smaller kite than the religion is quite amazing. This kite would probably be the up to 15knt weapon Id reckon.
Jumped on the 8m with wind probably getting up to 17-20knts. Sweet as. This is the kite I thinks suits the average east coast north easter around my weight bracket. This kite turns naturally faster than the 10m but is still super smooth with I think ideal bar pressure. No problem getting upwind even with a few down wind waves ridden. As Dano advised these kites are designed to be flown with minimal or no depower and thus do still have a degree of pull when sheeted out. Going upwind on waves with this kite was excellent and I think for me this is its best feature. Then did probably a 2-3km downwinder and this is where the kite excelled. Not being real skilled in backhand down the line riding found I could line up and snap the lip and travel downwind no problemo, kite floating along and responsive enough to power up on demnd. Bought me back to me younger surfing days before the back went out. I think this is the ultimate test for a surf kite and to be able to test drive a kite like this on a downwinder is a bonus for a prospective buyer. Did a few back rolls and the below the bar swivel works excellent. Depower line cleat is similar to the Octane and needs a bit of effort to operate, but found no need to use it as the kite was ideal powered fully. Dropped the kite once when smashed by a huge three footer that came through, relaunched in deep water no problem.
Then jumped on the 6m for about 20 minutes, this kite is crazy. Wind still around 15-22knt and kite still had power to pull upwind. Lighter again on the bar than the 8m and steering is quicker as youd expect. Still as smooth as the other two kites.
This kite is the go for those weird cranking 25knt northeasters or the winter westerlies.
Found the bar for these kites very comfotable as was out for probably 3 hours with no blisters. All three kites are very used friendly just walking up the beach and self launch and land good. But the best feature I think of these kites is the upwind ability, being able to have a bash at downwind wave riding and then be able to get back to the starting point is a bonus.
To demo these kites as I did is a must for someone wanting to decide if the gear is right for them. BWS will have to set something up here with only online sales at the moment. The price of these kites is outstanding as I could purchase a 10m and 8m noise for the price of the Religion.
Thanks Beno for the demo and good to see you blokes taking on the bigger companies.
Totally agree Boonty , The way these things track upwind is unbelievable and I'm sure anyone who demo's these things will be impressed... However I can safely say to anyone - If they where to purchase the 8mtr Noise they would not be dissapointed. As I know this kite would suit all riders as it is great in nearly all wind conditions.
In the process of weighing up options to replace my Octanes. At 100kgs riding directionals and occasionally the twin tip the 10-11m size is the all rounder.Have ridden the 10M Rally extensively, and its definately a front runner. Would like to have a crack at a 10M Noise, although they seem a little thin on the ground around our way in Port Stephens. Would appreciate a comparison between the noise and rally, but ideally a demo on the noise would be the go.
Constant winds,
Baz.
Firstly I believe the 8 mtr BWS is as powerful as the 10 mtr Rally - so comparing the 2 is not a true reflection on what you should purchase. The 8mtr BWS is so fast and nimble throught the air yet very powerful,.(8mtr BWS is one of the best kites I have ever ridden)
Below is MY interpretation on BWS v's RALLY --10mtr Kites only---
**Speed
BWS 8/10 ,,Rally 8/10
The 10mtr BWS kite initially feels a little stiffer in the air to the 10mtr Rally as it is a more powerful kite -after a couple of runs you get the feel of how the BWS flys and your away.
**Safety
BWS 11/10 ,,Rally 11/10 Safety on both kites is extremely simple and effective-BWS has a slight advantage as the release is easier to locate/grasp and quick to reset.
** Relaunch
BWS 9.5/10 ,,Rally 10/10 in my opnion relaunch is slightly better with the Rally -however I have not dropped my BWS half as many times as i did my Rally.. The rally dips through turns and manouvers as the BWS will fly steady all the times.Very Very stable
**Build Quality-
BWS 10/10 ,,Rally 10/10 -Both ktes are fantastic in quality- A couple of extra features on BWS (scuff guards, reinforced stitching in high stress areas,large dump valve)
**Looks
BWS 10/10 ,,Rally 9.5/10 - I'm a major fan of darker colored kites as when you pack them up slightly damp , all the colors seem to run/stain- I found the fluro/bright colors of the Rally harder to maintain. ( I kNOW you shouldnt pack them up wet- but this isnt a perfect world eiher)
**Boost
BWS 8/10 ,,Rally 8/10 - both 10mtr kites are not designed for huge boost, the BWS has definately got the power advantage - I have only ridden my twin tip a couple of times as I ride surf style mainly but I tacked upwind twice s quick with the BWS on a twinny than I did on the Rally.
**Purchasing & Delivery
BWS 10/10 ,,Rally 10/10 - I found the BWS online process faultless , Not one drama at all, I tracked my product at all times and it was delivered within 7 days.. Online purchasing is hard for some people to gain confidence with but BWS have a great communication system for all purchases.
The Rally you can buy over the counter and possibly demo a little easer.
Conclusion -- Tough call, but I chose to transition from Rally to BWS and dont regret the change. better surf kite and absolutely does nothing silly in the air.
The 10mtr is the biggest kite in my quiver - I'm 98kg. great power in the kite.
**** Remember if you are after the same power as a 10 Rally I strongly recommend the 8mtr BWS ****
Hope this helps.
Troytam,
Thanks a great comparative review between the Rally and the Noise. Key points in regards to the Rally were:
•Upwind ability: easily the best I've experienced which converts into more options in particular when riding onshore conditions.
•Boost: its one of those send it, sheet in and consistently goes big type of kites.
•Turning: found the rally will pause halfway through, prefer a smooth pull all the way through.
•Wind range: the 10m gets me going in 15 knots and found when riding in consistent 25 knots not adding any de-power.
So if the Noise can deliver as you say it can, all that remains is to ride one.
Constant winds,
Baz.
I am not aware of what Demo stock is about, Like me I'm sure nearly all BWS kite riders would be willing to give you a Demo on their gear . If you are unable to demo a kite anywhere a great place to start is an 8mtr Noise - I live in QLD - too far to drive sorry.
any more info on the 6m ? top end ?
I dont want a 6m that has the power of a 9m....I want something thats managable in 30kts +
~75kg and ride strapless.
Once it starts to get around ~25kts I am uncomfortable on my 8m RPM. close to 30 I cant even bottom turn :)
maybe 5m is a better option
i think if you going 25 to 35kn maybe the 5m
i got a 6 and up to 30 Im ok on at 78kg but
i dont like those conditions as its too choppy and wind is usually variable
unless you got some side off paradise spot with surf
Can anyone tell me whether the Noise is as prone to oversheeting as the Rev? Maybe my technique sucks, but I find my 13m Rev2 can easily oversheet even with the depower trimmed in a bit. Doesn't happen so much on a 9m Rev, but I find you have to fly Revs with a bit of slack in the back lines (esp. the larger sizes).
Considering replacing my Revs with the Noise or maybe Wainmans.