quote:
Originally posted by carbine
The nationals isn't representative of the general kitesurfing public.
fair enough, maybe in perth where the water is flat everwhere, and you can stand up, you might see 50% bows on a very bowey day....
but if you come over the "other side" of the continent whilst still popular there are far more arcs & peter lynns flying around than bows, you might see the odd 2 or 3 out and the rest are c shape or
air mattersses. Tha fact is they have pros and cons, like c shape, like ram airs, they all have +'s and -s, but IMO I would much rather see a beginner on a kite that can't get bridles tangled, and when you engage your safety have a chance it won't work 100%.
the new c shapes offer the same and better wind ranges, better safety systems, and just as big jumps. The sponsered riders usually get to ride what performs best, so for the cabrinhas; there bows must be better than there c shapes hence all there riders are on them, and they rock, Ive ridden them and they far out perform any of the pre 04 c-shape kites i've ridden
if you take a look at some of the other brands, they have managed to get bow performance, out of a 4 / 5 line setups without bridles, and cheaper... without the pulleys either. and unless you have tried any of them you wouldnt believe the performance they give, it's pretty much the same as comparing a bow to a pre04 c - shape in difference of power delivery and wind range, and more importantly safety features/relaunchability.
but they still don't feel like a bow and thats why bow riders love bows.
