Hi, I am just starting out at Kitesurfing coming from a strong windsurfing background and was looking to purchase a good all rounder kite. I am currently travelling so only have space for one kite. I need it to have very good wind range, be reasonably safe (I will be kiting on my own alot) and exciting eough that I wont outgrow it in a year. I am looking to get heavily into waveriding once my skills have progressed enough but right now will be out in all conditions as my location changes regularily.
I am currently considering either the Switchblade IDS 10m or Eclipse Nano 11m (or maybe the 9?).

Any thoughts on these kites or other options would be most appreciated.

Read Funksters detailed review on his Nano

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=51438

I haven't tried the Crossbow so not to sure how that stacks up,but have flown the Switchy and the Nano, they are both very good kites, easy to fly, relaunch etc.
If waves is your thing though I think the Nano would be the way to go.
I can see myself being heavily red thumbed here because there are way more Cabrinha owners out there but I wonder how many have actually tried the 09 Nano's in the waves?

The switchblade is an awesome kite
Great range, grunty, fast and well made. Very nice kite for waveriding.
It was my 2nd Fav kite of the year last season.
The 8m was just something special such a great kite

Eclipse have yet to produce anything that gets me as excited.

Demo them both first.

poor relative said...

Eclipse have yet to produce anything that gets me as excited.

So for the record, what 09 Eclipse kites have you tried?

poor relative said...

Demo them both first.

Good advice Reli

Why all the Eclipse love
You guys aren't sponsored or getting free gear or selling them per chance
Balance is what its about

I'm still waiting on the wind to try this Kima i've got on lend
Last Eclipses i tried were the first made batch of Thrusters and Nano's
They were hardly inspiring.
Crap materials, crap chicken loop, crap response, slow etc....Thruster was phenomenally grunty tho

I hope that the Kima changes my mind. I do really
However after trying the Switchy last season and since it started well i reckon it would be tough to beat especially by any kind of eclipse.
But prove me wrong please...i love being proved wrong.

BTW Have you seen the new LF envy now that looks insane

I say we take a bunch of kites and head to that reef break down your way next week Sam

Whatcha reckon

Switchblade no question about it...

^^^ Blatant BS and sure to dent (any) credibilty of the poster!

For a start the 08/09 Nano has diff wing tips etc etc. In truth the 08 Nano was modified to become the new 09 Kima and the 09 Nano is a significantly differant (new) design.



These are two very diff kites so a bit like oranges and apples. Still.. here goes..

Simply put, they are both very good kites - but geared differantly.

Switchy equals higher performance - this is not neccesarily going to be useful to you until your 2nd season though. Anyone who suggests you will be kitelooping and pushing the envelope in your beginner stage is full of cr@p. Many folks on this site (and other forums) completely and utterly forget what a beginer needs from a kite and can only think about what they (after 2-3 seasons) are looking for themeselves when giving advice. However, switchy's are very good, well loved kites that don't seem to have any bad habits and are made well from all reports.

The Nano is not as high performance but an ideal beginers to intermediate kite - no two ways about it. The Nano is significantly cheaper, to the point that you could maybe afford 2 kites (and one bar) for not much more than one Switchy. Having the right size kite (of any brand) for the conditions beats having the coolest brand - although incorrect sized - kite for the conditions hands down, it is also heaps safer too. I guess you are stuck with one for travelling though so look for the best windrange. My Nano 9m has a very good windrange that is do-able and fun from 15 knots and super fun from 20-30kts (on a twinny and i weigh 85kgs). Dunno about the switchy's range - it is probably pretty similar as they are said to have good bottom end.


My $$$ went on a Nano recently but I don't have a prob if your on any brand kite as I don't stand to lose any sleep/$$ over it. I am not affiliated in any way - unlike some posters (or imposters).

FYI gisy $$ was a factor in my decision and if I had oodles of $$ I may well have bought a Switchy/Ozone/etc etc. For me at the intermediate level cruising cr@ppy waves and doing downwinders, getting the Nanos is not going to cramp my style at all and they are very very well behaved kites that I wished I had learned and progressed on.


Finally if you peruse some of the loudest Nano critics previous posts (not PR - he is just an angry funny talking fella) he seems to have a distinct (almost financially competitive) dislike for Eclipse (wassallthatabout??) so i'd be wary of any advice re: Eclipse from that angle. Competing brands retailers and barrow pushing.. sigh.. When will a noob be able to get good unbiased advice.

Either way you go you will be getting a very useable, good behaved kite. Best of luck.

Yep - Wall makes a valid point there. The only thing is it costs a lot more to get in with the SB to get a bit more back on the way out. Probably evens out in the end? Either way to get any real $$$ back fro your kite you would want to sell them in one season or 2 at max to get anything more than beer money..

gisy - seriously demo the kites and try to ignore graphics/bling etc and go with the kite you feel more secure etc on.

One thing no-one has mentioned I think (?) is bar feel. Whatever kite you get you don't want a super heavy or super light bar for various reasons. I think both of these numbers fit the middle of the road there.


BTW Rellie - do you always bag the cr@pper out of kites that you have sweet talked into trying - before you have tried them? No soup for you! We can't all sell the spare Range Rover to kit out on gold leaf flecked uber-kites you know.

Sawright big guy - at least you have tried some of their kites.

I have only had a quick squirt on the 9m Kima, but me thinks you will like the speed and turns for the waves. Noice little rocket ship, again with impressive bottom end. I went for the Nano as it is a bit better suited to boosting/freeride and, I guess, twinny riders.

In truth there is only nitpicking between most comparable kites out there.

There are still kites designed as oranges and those designed as apples though.

I didn't ask for the xxxx it was kindly offered to me.

BTW does the same excuse work for wifey when you come home withh lippy onya collar?

Bah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

How many questions from punters do you see like this asking about oranges vs apples?? Then after much well intentioned advice and input, from all n sundry, the poster goes and buys a cumquat anyway! Sigh..

Oh well gisy - good luck and we will look forward to future posts requesting advice on injury recovery (hope not though).

Well, Is it any different or more dangerous than the old C kites most of you no doubt learnt on?

Wowee, so you didnt listen to anyone who posted and went out & bought a kite aimed at advanced to expert riders. Excellent choice for a beginner!

At about this time last year I got an Eclipse Thruster 12m to learn on which I was told was aimed at advanced to expert riders (whatever) and sure enough I got well and truly wallaped on numerous occasions.
However, my overall learning experience was awesome and having a frighteningly powerful kite to learn on definitely taught me quickly to respect the kites.
The Thruster has plenty of depower and wind range (I have absolutely no doubt that the Nomad would be the same, probably better) that overall it was just fun fun fun!!
Certainly nothing like (I can't even imagine) learning on old C kites like Spacemonkey did 7 years ago (respect)!!!
Good work Gisy on the Nomad, sure there'll be some spills, but overall I reckon you'll have a blast on that thing, and in the end that's really what its all about!!!

Ha ha..... onya F5 top post. have had a few myself.
And gizy, you made the right choice......a kite

Shane71 said...

SammyJ

BTW Have you seen the new LF envy now that[b] looks insane

I most certainly have seen the Envy, yet to fly it though. I agree, it looks awesome and from all reports a very nice kite to fly. LF have really stepped it up again, which is impressive as the past couple years their kites and range have been great. Will try the envy soon I hope, I see some green next week

I just had to pip in on this, have tried the Envy and am doing so again today "Thanks Padi" and it is just wow, graphics are pretty sick to. It is a very fun kite, plenty of power, acceleration and agile, excellent relaunch as well. Ahhhhh, of to the water I go now.

Cheers

As soon as the wind comes I'm hussling Jason at West Oz Kiteboarding in Rockers for a demo