Rider: 70 something kg, Intermediateish
Style: Freeriding, Surf
Weather: 18-25 knots
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: Ozone Fan - buy my own kites, usually used.

I wrote a review a couple of weeks ago about the new Ozone Edge RX 11m, Steve from Kitepower kindly sent me a demo for a week, it was certainly a nice kite, but not exactly what I was looking for, and I still needed some convincing that Ozone's move from 5 lines to 4 was a step forward.
After flying the Light XC yesterday I am sold. Anyone looking for a surf kite should take a close look.
A quick summary-
4 lines
Short bridles with NO PULLEYS
Lightweight, only three struts
Extremely well built/designed kite and bar
Adjustable bar pressure and turning speed.

Kitehard has already given a very good description of the Light XC in another review, so I won't go into the Bag / Bar / Repair kit stuff in detail here, but it's all simple and well designed, love the plain kitebag, KISS principle, the through the bar leash could be spinning, but that's about my only complaint.

The main thing that I think deserves attention is that this thing flies beautifully. The previous models were billed as beginner/school kites that conveniently were good for wave kiting too, they were OK for lighter wind down the line drifting, but I found even the 7 too slow through the air.
The Light XC should probably be considered a high performing wave kite that can be tuned down for beginners.
The kite has 2 steering settings, hotrod and tractor. I tried hotrod first, similar light Ozone bar pressure, easy to fly with one hand, and lightning fast turns, this thing fangs around! I was really surprised and had a ball giving it a workout.
I came in and tried self landing with the new through the bar flag out system, flew the kite just above the beach with the front upper line connected to the leash, steer down lightly and unhook, perfect landing, kite sat there comfortably getting sandblasted in 20+ knots.
I switched the steering setting to tractor, took a few minutes, and relaunched, the flag out system resetting itself nicely without help.
Bar pressure was noticably heavier, the kite still fanged around with a good yank, steering with one hand in the centre of the bar now pretty impossible.

Finished the arvo off with a 2 beach downwinder and a big

Considering that this kite's been released for a couple of months now, I'm surprised that we have heard so little about it. I don't know if I'd like the bigger sizes, but the 8m is a peach. Anyone who can see the advantage of a simple, well built, pulleyless SLE should check it out. Now huey, how about some wind AND waves?

Kitepower Australia said...

If a rider clips the leash to the flag out line, then he can either loop the other way to undo centre line twists or unclip the leash for a moment and unwind the twists by hand, then clip the leash back onto the flag out line.

Yeah, that's what I mean. I ride with the leash suicide, except when launching and landing.
I agree the level of depower is nice, there's enough to keep things comfortable, but not so much that it flutters and falls out of the sky.

I have only flown the 11m Edge RX and the Light XC 8 so far, and only had the one ride on the Light, so I'm a bit reluctant to say too much without some more time on it, which might take a while because the forecast looks crap.
I tried giving it the odd boost yesterday, riding a small strapped surfboard, I don't even have a TT at the moment, not bad at all, but not like the 9m Edge 2 which just wants to fly.
The Edge RX and Light XC are at opposite ends of the Ozone spectrum, the High AR Edge and Low AR Light.
I think the Light's strengths are it's fast turning and dynamic handling, stability, light weight and driftability, and simple and strong build. Pretty respectable jumping is a bonus, but I don't think it's a hang time machine.

Would It be fair to say that the light XC is the best allrounder in the ozone range? I get the feeling the edge is geared towards riding fast and boosting mainly, the sport for wakestlye, the light being so stable is good at everything but great at nothing?
also given that the light is the lowest AR out of the range is it the gruntiest with the best bottom end? would also be the easiest to relaunch?

bennie said...

Would It be fair to say that the light XC is the best allrounder in the ozone range? I get the feeling the edge is geared towards riding fast and boosting mainly, the sport for wakestlye, the light being so stable is good at everything but great at nothing?
also given that the light is the lowest AR out of the range is it the gruntiest with the best bottom end? would also be the easiest to relaunch?

This year Bennie all 3 models are super easy to relaunch, no swimming just point the bar or maybe in lighter winds pull on one rear line leader a bit.
The Light is great at jumping, waveriding, and unhooked.
I would say the sport is the gruntiest of the 3 models, and one of the gruntiest no pulley hybrid kites I've ever used.
If the winds consistently above 16/17 knots I prefer to use the Edge RX and below that I use the 14M LightXC, above 25/27 knots I prefer the 8M Light XC.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Hi Bennie,

I think 10 knots is pretty optimistic for any 12m kite. At 81 kilos and riding a specialist light wind board you could ride in probably 12 knots, but I would doubt 10 knots would be anything other than riding downwind.

The top end is doable on the right board and with the righ skill level. Steve rode the 8m Light XC in 30-35 knots at Dongara during kitestock and was pretty powered but able to stay out and he'd be probably around or less than 80 kilos.

The XC is a great kite and certainly the most versatile kite of the three. It replaces last years Sport in terms of allround goodness

Super fun to kiteloop as they pull really hard and are fast turning and very responsive like last years Sport II.

I think the Light XC will be the most popular in the Ozone range this year.

Good winds,

bennie said...

It sound like a fun kite, I cant wait to demo one!

I can stay upwind on my 12m sb3 in 10knots with my surfboard, its not the most fun, but when you get days on end of marginal conditions like we do in NSW, its way better than just sitting on the beach.

BTW I am talking about low pressure system generated wind, its more dense than that of a high pressure system, and thus packs more punch. If it was a 10 knot NE seabreeze, I would not be able to stay up wind.

So I guess my question should be, does the 12m ozone light XC have as good a bottom end as the SB3 12m? and is there sufficent crossover of wind ranges between the 12 and 8m lights?

Yes and Yes

I can easily stay upwind and have done on the 14M Light XC demo I have on a 1.46x46 in 10-12knots, and there is not a lot of difference in the bottom end between the 12M and 14M.
What Darren said about Kitestock and the winds I was comfortably kiting on the 8M Light XCF is true.
Overlap will be from around 18/20 -22/24, between those wind strengths you can start riding the 8M, but you could also still be on the 12M.


Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Well I've had another couple of sessions with the 8m Light XC.

One, a pathetic 12 knots session on a great big "funboard" type surfboard, the kite flies nicely in light wind, no tendency to fall out of the sky, and can be worked for a bit more power, I also had a go with a mate's 132 Shinn. There was enough grunt to get going, but not to stay upwind.

Thankfully some wind came back and this afternoon we enjoyed a typical 18 - 22 knot seabreeze. Nicely powered for me in these conditions. Thought I'd check out the boosting, so I took out the strapped surfboard, with the help of some little wave ramps, I enjoyed a much better view of the area. Not as good a view as I'd expect from the 9m Edge II, but not bad at all.
The surf was messy, but fun, the kite flies fast enough and turns fast enough to make the most of it. I was riding fast towards the kite at times, the lines would go slack, but the kite just drifted back till it caught some wind again. One of the real advantages of the light.
I also had a go strapless, again, nothing to complain about, enough depower to control getting yanked off the board in gusts, fast enough to follow the kite through turns on a wave.
I have gotten used to steering with one hand in the middle of the bar while surfing with my older Ozones. The bar pressure on the Light XC is heavy enough to make this difficult, even on the "hotrod" setting. My X-Bow flying friend couldn't believe how light it was though, so I spose it's what you're used to.
So after a few sessions I still haven't found anything that I don't like about this kite. If you are looking for a well built, well behaved, simple, pulleyless, short bridled SLE, track down your local dealer and ask for a demo.

got meself a 4m light last week for super high wind days and thought ill just give it a test fly in about 17 knots s/e on the sand at curramundi lake. i couldn't believe how much power i could milk out of it by sending it accross the window and looping it! i ended up grabing my board and doing a downwinder to kawana. couldnt stay upwind in 17 knots tho but i cant waite for 20-30 knots this kite is so very very god dam fast its crazy. i was flying the 4m light on the hot rod setting with 20m lines and im 53kg on a 130cm board.