I am not buying any kites at the moment because there is so much new product coming on the market....almost too much. By the time Summer is here there will be too many kites which I would like to try. So many in fact that I wonder when I will actually buy my new kites.

None of the kite companies have been standing still. At the moment, there is the Hellfish, Cross Bow, new RRD, Naish 2006....how many more kites will there be by Summer? From what I can see, struts are getting thinnner, ranges are increasing, and safety is improving through simplification. Only the Cross Bow is radically different in shape while the Hellfish uses a radically new fiber.

Uncertainty is bad for selling kites. However, I do not think that we are so many years away from a dominant design emerging for kites.

for my level of ability, my 04 kites are still capable of doing the job...

i admit that the new 06 kite hype sounds great. The RRD, Hellfish, cross bow, i am sure all have there great points and are a right step forward in kite performance, or nailing a top design.

The only thing that puts me off is price. Round about 2000 for a new kite, need two or three of them, so make that round about 6000. to me that stinks and gives my wife a hernia.

What i like to do is wait for the new stock to arrive and buy all last seasons good stuff at lower prices by doing it that way firstly the gear is cheaper, in some cases a lot cheaper, and secondly you can buy the stuff that you've had a chance to demo throughout the year.

i'm not a flash kiter by any means so having the latest and greatest isnt really going to make that much diff is it???

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Originally posted by getfunky

Ummm... but when was the last time you thought I don't like what this hype (read: bull#$%@) is telling me, in fact I'm sure last years models sounded better???

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Yeah your totally right without any doubt, this years models will be better, if you believe the hype but that doesnt preclude the fact that 04 and 05 kites were good too.
06 kites will come with their own set of unique problems/issues that will be well known by end of 06 season so by the end of 06 season you should have a good idea of what was good in 06 and in theory get a bargin, all be it a season late...

Agreed 100% jan, this product cycle thingy has been going on since the beginnig of time; but I do still find it fascinating to watch.

haha kk