hi Menox,

The Ozone water kites are a mid season release as you probably know. The new snow and land kites are about to be released in time for the Euro winter. They've done some work on the bars and kites again and are pretty excited about the end result. More info when available. Watch this space!

The Ozone Instincts are generally released around the start of January. I was speaking to one of the owners of Ozone the other night and they have been hard at work making the kites even better and with lively new graphics.

Should be pretty sweet. I will truly be astounded if they can make the Instincts much better. I know for sure the new bar setup is going to have a below the bar safety flagging attachment but haven't heard much more. We still have the best part of summer to get through with the current model

I'm just looking forward to getting out there and riding again in some strong, steady seabreezes So unless your looking at buying snow or land kites, there's nothing much to report ATM. We'll keep you posted!

Good winds,

Gees Menox,

You don't settle for an Instinct. When only the finest will do. A 9 Sport is a weapon and a half. I think I've had my biggest and scariest jumps on a 9m Sport II.

If you're in WA, gimme a call for a demo, otherwise call up your nearest Ozone Stockist and grab a ride on one. I'm always keen to play with kites!

Good winds,

Hey Menox,

Sounds like you may just need to shorten your front lines a little if the kite is stalling and drifting back in the wind window.

The Instinct Sports do have a light bar pressure but you are probably refering to the lightness of bar on the Edges. They're really light. I reckon the Rev is about the same as the Edges. The Sport is a little heavier but still classified as light. Similar to the Switchblade3.

Go see Steve at Kitepower for a demo. I'm sure he'll be happy to help.

Good winds,

The bar pressure on my instinct edge II is the lightest i have ever felt on any kite. i really didn't like it initially, until i'd ridden the kite for a few hours, then i started to love it. i can kite in 20 knots with the bar fully sheeted in with just two fingers on the bar. my arms never get tired (that's good cause i have skinny chicken arms)

the main reasons i bought the edge are stability and jumping. the stability and precise feel of the kite are awesome, i think it's because the leading edge is supported at so many points and there are no pulleys - it all feels so direct and....... precise? i dunno it's hard to describe until you fly it. it doesn't feel like any other kite out there, so you probably won't like it straight away. definately worth a demo though. the jumping ability and hangtime are exemplary.

Ozone kite are one of the most stable kites out there, no matter what the heck you do to them.

On the 09 front i herd its going to be one bar will rule them all! Snow land water 7m or 13M.

But YES I AM AN OZONE PIMP

I love these things and will be riding them for years, my 11m is the original 06 one, still going strong, was my 2nd kite, and has had hard life, the only damage i haveput a few lil nicks in the LE sefl landing and launching on nasty sand, and have a few big patches on them.

The Bar has required some new bits, but lines are going strong. (New centerline after 1.5 seasons and new leader lines after 2.5 season)

It would be great if they could come out with a below the bar safety mod for the 08 bar (before the new bar is released ).

Kitehard said...

hi Menox,

I know for sure the new bar setup is going to have a below the bar safety flagging attachment but haven't heard much more.
Good winds,

I'd love to try a 7m edge II.

Are there any getting around south oz?

Hi Rhys,

The 9m Sport should be flying on the 50cm bar. I've also flown the 11m Sport II on the 50cm Bar and it was still great. Very quick!

Good winds,

walshd said...

I'd love to try a 7m edge II.

Are there any getting around south oz?

Phil from Phils Kite Shop, which has just moved to the "chicken shop" as the spot is known, is the Ozone distributor for SA, he will be able to sort you with a demo.
I know he does not have much stock right now becuase of the move, but give him a call and I'm sure he can get something organised for you.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Flux said...

Although not the water kites I managed to get a couple of rides on the '09 Frenzy and Manta's I have a '08 9m Frenzy I couldn't really tell the difference,(probably because I didn't have much time flying them) bar set up was a little different and they do have a safety leash attachment , funny how the frenzy doesn't come with a leash?
Brake line and an extra guide line on for the front lines were all I noticed.
New colours were pretty cool.
Ozone rule the snow

Hi Flux
Ozone kites rule on the water too, the word is spreading fast.
The Frenzy FYX 09, Manta II 09 and Access XC 09 kites don't need a leash. They have a unique safety system, its the red "top hat", if that is pulled then the front lines are released by approx 2M which is enough to kill the kite and it lands backwards on the snow/ground and cannot take off.
Flagging bridled foils to one line does not work.
A leash can still be used with the kites, it can be clipped to the black webbing that connects the two rear lines. If the megatron chicken loop is released, the leash will pull the rear lines tight and the kite will end up on the ground fast, just like if the top hat is pulled.

Where did you get to test the 09 kites? From what I have heard the Manta II is similar and more refined, but the Frenzy FYX is a completely new design and is very different.
Check this new item from Appozone.com
http://www.appozone.com/showthread.php?p=15453#post15453

More news here
www.flyozone.com/snowkites/en/news/headlines/9204

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Lol you do man, that was AGES ago!

Hey Menox,

You do know that the blue colour is no longer in production? which makes the blue ones much more valuable as they are now collectors items.

The only blue ones left will be the stock that the current retailers have in stock, once they are gone, thats it!

There are two levels of obsession in life. One is when you start kiteboarding, the second is when you start riding Ozone kites.

Welcome to a new level of obsession.

Good winds,

No I am not a rep but over the years I have tried a lot of kites and Ozone is one of the better brands I have experienced.

I have a 13m 2006 instinct that I love. I had the wife sew on the extra attachment points near the rear of the kite and made bridals to match the 2007 kites. It added a lot of turning speed to the kite. Now I have ridden my friends 2008 13m Instinct and it is truly amazing. My friend is a rep so he lets me try out all the kites and we were both a little disappointed in the edge and sport but the Instinct rocks. Turns like an 11m and I can even kiteloop it and get it all the way around and back to lifting me up before landing which saves my legs as my old 13 would still be in the power zone everytime I came down. Lot of messy wipeouts.
It feels a little less grunty but the added turning speed makes up for that.
I will buy the kite on sale next year as summer is starting to end and I want to save some money as Ozones are not cheap.

As for the Manta, I purchased the 2008 this last winter and we had the best year in awhile here in Idaho (USA) end of Dec all the way to May4th and I found the kite so much better in turning speed from my 2007 Frenzy and best of all, when I would bring the kite too far forward on the side or turn under the kite, I was waiting for the tips to curl as my old kite did but the new kite just keeps it shape and floats back into the window. Trust me I do as much snow kiting now as I do water and the Manta is excellent.

Flux said...

Kitepower Australia said...

Flux said...

Although not the water kites I managed to get a couple of rides on the '09 Frenzy and Manta's I have a '08 9m Frenzy I couldn't really tell the difference,(probably because I didn't have much time flying them) bar set up was a little different and they do have a safety leash attachment , funny how the frenzy doesn't come with a leash?
Brake line and an extra guide line on for the front lines were all I noticed.
New colours were pretty cool.
Ozone rule the snow

Hi Flux
Ozone kites rule on the water too, the word is spreading fast.
The Frenzy FYX 09, Manta II 09 and Access XC 09 kites don't need a leash. They have a unique safety system, its the red "top hat", if that is pulled then the front lines are released by approx 2M which is enough to kill the kite and it lands backwards on the snow/ground and cannot take off.
Flagging bridled foils to one line does not work.
A leash can still be used with the kites, it can be clipped to the black webbing that connects the two rear lines. If the megatron chicken loop is released, the leash will pull the rear lines tight and the kite will end up on the ground fast, just like if the top hat is pulled.

Where did you get to test the 09 kites? From what I have heard the Manta II is similar and more refined, but the Frenzy FYX is a completely new design and is very different.
Check this new item from Appozone.com
http://www.appozone.com/showthread.php?p=15453#post15453

More news here
www.flyozone.com/snowkites/en/news/headlines/9204

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Hey Steve , I should have clarified , I mean they all should have a safety leash standard , as a few times the chicken loop activated on me and up a mountain in the snow this is not what you want, anyway catching my jacket cuff or something on it, I had to mod my chicken loop to make the red QR system harder to activate.
Got to try the '09s in Wanaka area New Zealand, Chasta had all the 09 range there and he was trialing them.
Quite a different style of flying in the snow ie kite looping everywhere, but these kites do there thing in these conditions and fly very different than my other LE kites , find the slow turning speed different , but the manta turns a bit faster than the other two.
Overall pretty impressed and looking forward to getting them out in the snow again before the seasons over.
As for the Instinct/sport etc I'd be keen for a fly for sure, but would be hard pressed to beat my Cab SB III's I predict.

Good point Flux, I'm going to pass on your comment to Ozone, and we will offer a leash on all the kites we sell here in Oz.
A friend of mine just came back from NZ's "snowpark", said it was epic, and on one day counted 27 kites.
He purchased an 8M AccessXC before he went on holiday, was a bit suss on the kite being too big and it being a foil, now he is convinced.
Putting your bindings on, ground handling, safety all way better with a foil, he said the LEI guys were getting flogged regularly and the kites were getting damaged on the cauli snow.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Hi Lex123,

I haven't heard all of the changes about the 09 gear but I would be very surprised if they add a stopper ball. You just don't need one with bar pressure that light and a short throw on the bar.

Seriously, I can steer the kite one handed using only light finger pressure. Why would you need a stopper ball?

Good winds,