I reluctantly tried an 11m Edge on Monday. I say this because with 7 struts, 5 lines, anti-inversion lines and only 11m, I really never had any interest in trying this kite. So grateful to the mate who forced it on me… it was a great 4 hrs of kiting. No pimping but best kite I’ve ever flown… by a country mile. I have flown the Helix, Crossbows, Switchblades, Ion 2, Waroo’s and many others. Still waiting to try the Rev and Nemesis


Kite: Ozone Instinct Edge 11m
Board: Underground FLX 128
Location: Kurnell
Wind: 15 – 23 knots NE probably gusting to 25 at times
Water: Flat with chop
Rider Weight: 79kg
Rider Ability: Intermediate (3yrs-jumping, kite looping, just starting unhooking)
Usual Kite: Own and fly 07 Waroo’s. Crossbow’s prior to that.


NEGATIVES: The only flaw I could come up with, if I was getting super picky, I would prefer a tiny bit more depower throw on the bar. But then again, I’m not used to this kite yet. Oh.. and yeh… it doesn’t come in pink damn it !

POSITIVES:
I don’t know where to start.

Hardware: Bar and lines superb quality with 5 line system all labeled and super heavy duty. The Instinct is a high aspect flat kite. The kite construction is faultless in appearance and pure quality all the way. It doesn’t have one-pump which I actually prefer. There are no bridles at all except to spread the load on the 5th line and give the kite its high projected area. The valves are the best I’ve used and inflate/deflate super easily. All fittings and fixtures on the kite are very well thought out and only there if necessary. The bag looks awesome, is a good size and does have all the bells and whistles.

Flying: It delivered a lot more power than I was expecting from an 11m. The power delivery and depower is so smooth and it ate gusts better than anything else I’ve ever flown. The kite seemed really grunty and just seemed to perform better and better as the wind got stronger. I didn’t get the opportunity to establish is upper and lower wind ranges but I sure would love to find out… especially the high end as the boost on this thing was amazing. The stability of this kite is brilliant; it just sits where you left it and is so predictable in flight. The first thing that really stands out is that these kites have almost no backline pressure which takes a little getting used to but I started to love after about 10 minutes. The great news is, this sucker turns without backline pressure as well. It’s hard to explain but this kite turns so effortlessly at any radius you choose. I’m not a great kite looper as yet but back loops were powered and strong for the whole 360 degrees of the loop which is a really nice change for what I’m used to. It was always fully powered through turns, both up and down stroke with no sign of stall.

I was able to get used to this kite really quickly which is unusual for me but really nice.

But the thing that I could not believe about this kite was the boost and hang time. I couldn’t get over it, particularly considering that I wasn’t anywhere near its upper range. For the whole time I was out, I was constantly surprised by the height I was getting on boosts. It goes huge! Hang time has always seemed the same to me on kites before this one but it stays up there forever. It’s actually a bizarre feeling being up there that long which I’ve never experienced before. As such, the landings are really soft.

I cannot comment on how the Instinct flies unhooked as I didn’t try it and wouldn’t be qualified to give an opinion although I would really like to hear someone’s opinion on that aspect.

I’ve read every thing I’ve just written and it sounds like a pimp fest but this is an honest review by a normal rider. I have done other reviews which have had a ton more negatives and in my opinion, justifiably so. I’m not asking you to take my word for it, but if you get the opportunity, try an Ozone Instinct Edge. I’ve never enjoyed a kite so much.

I never thought I’d say it, but my Waroo’s are going up for sale.

Cheers,

IAN

Is there a distributer in Perth?
Thanks )_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_u

Hey Tobes,

Feel your pain on the price thing... the only thing that makes the pill a bit easier to swallow for me is the build quality and accesories etc... at least you can see where your money goes.

QUESTION: Can anyone give me an opinion/review of the 9m Edge ? I would like to get one of these as well as the 11 but I am concerned that 9 might be a bit close to the 11 in wind range. Conversely the 7 is too big a gap. Any thoughts ?

quote:

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Originally posted by uturn

Is there a distributer in Perth?
Thanks )_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_u

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Try SOS in Freo, they are an Ozone dealer, don't think they have any on the shelf at the moment but they have sold a few and may be able to put you in touch with the owners.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

be interested on your final choice

Some guy at Sandgate today did a self-launch with an Instinct and in what I thought was a classic case of front lines to back and back to front incorrect rigging (kite flies up and as soon as kiter pulls bar in, the kite dives down), he told me it was because the line that goes across the kite got tangled. Has anyone had the same experience with this middle line? His girlfriend came to the rescue and tried to catch the kite on its trailing edge. Lucky no one else was in the kite's rolling over path.

Had a problem wiping the smile off my face since I used a demo 11m Edge from Kite Power, thanks Steve. I now own a 11m and a 13m Instinct Edge. Fast, smooth turning, floaty, soft landing a joy to use. However the bar and the inversion lines were a pain. On the bar the OSH line tended to tangle with the depower strap and the fifth. While, during a launch, the invert (span) line occasionally caught around the trailing edge of the kite. Kite, still controllable but pulls to one side. Solved both problems by removing the offending items. Further the non swivel and the chicken loop have been replaced with a Cabrinah chicken loop with an inbuilt swivel. Easy to unwind by hand.

Very happy with the kites, but the bar and the safety systems need some work. Minor irritations given the performance of the kites.

Hey Tobes,

Flew a few Cabs, the New Nemesis 10m, Ozone Sports and Edge, Naishes, Gaastra's and the Rev in the last week. I normally fly 9 and 13 2007 Waroos. Its been a great opportunity to make a well informed choice of kites for the season. After all this, the decision turned out to be easier than I expected. Bought an 11m Ozone Edge yesterday.

PS:Self landing them is really Easy. I havent self launched one yet.

Hi Felix

What, wind strength, bar length, line length and kite setting did you try the Nemesis 10m on? If you like the ozone I am guessing you like feather lite bar pressure? Almost everyone who has tried the 10m Nemi found the AA setting on 25m lines and 45 or 55 bar too light, but I reckon you would like it if you like the ozone. Did you find it a bit to direct and responsive?

Seen this clip of slide launching the original Instinct?


The Edge might be a bit different because it is higher aspect, but I think it should work fine.

Self landing in medium-strong wind I connect the leash to front line safety, put the kite on the beach and then unhook.

I've got some pictures of the mods somewhere, but you don't need them, you've got the sexy 07 gear.

quote:

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Originally posted by kusu

Hi Felix

What, wind strength, bar length, line length and kite setting did you try the Nemesis 10m on? If you like the ozone I am guessing you like feather lite bar pressure? Almost everyone who has tried the 10m Nemi found the AA setting on 25m lines and 45 or 55 bar too light, but I reckon you would like it if you like the ozone. Did you find the nemi a bit too direct and responsive?

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Hi Kusu,

Went to the demo day purely to try the Nemi which I have been exited about for months. I was actually expecting to place an order for one after trying it. I've never been a fan of ultra light bar pressure and actually altered the rear bridles on my Waroos to increase it a bit. The Nemi was on the factory settings and 07 55cm bar with 25m lines. The bar feed back was good. I'm not rubbishing the kite, but for me it didn't turn or deliver power smoothly at all(in or out of the turns) and it was a bucking bull in the gusts. I much prefer my 07 Waroos and would prefer to stay with them instead (if I hadn't discovered the Edge that is). Please don't get me wrong, I am not sledging the kite, I wanted to buy one until I flew it, it just obviously didn't suit me at all.

Hi Dan I will try and give you a fair comparisome.
I am 100kgs also. 1 year kiting but a lot of time on the water.
Self landing and Launching, Boosting, ride toe side, good up wind ability. Learning back rolls and foward roles don't ride unhooked.

Boards: 07 Nobile 555 145 x 41 (get one they are awsome for guys our size),07 nobile 555 135,07 underground 138. (Had a 148 underground but I didn't like it.)

Kites: 07 North Rebel 14m, 07 North Rhino 10m, Ozone 13m Edge.
I got to say right from the start... I like both kites .
Here goes.

Bag: Edge wins hands down. You can pack the Edge away exactly as it came. You have a zip up pocket on the top so not everything falls out when to tip out the kite.Clips that help it zip up a place for evrything and a comfy back pack. First class. The Pump is a pump the guage being on the side is a pain when pumping up.(north do supply a good pump)

Bar: The bar on the Ozone is wider than the North.
North bar 5th element wins here. The clam cleat on the north does not function as well as the clam cleat on the Ozone, but the trim line on the edge does tend to wrap around the 5th line gear and is a bit of a pain. You do need to use the trim more on the Ozone than the North. I like the anti wear material in the chicken loop line on the Ozone.

Lines: The ozone lines are thicker and stiffer well labeled. And kook proof like the north. I like the Ozone lines a little better as they seem easier to separate when rigging. Attaching the 5th line is easier on the north, the pigtail is harder to get at on the Ozone. The Ozone comes with 27m lines, my north has 25m lines.

Pumping up the kite:
The valves on the Ozone are excellent way better than North. I don't like 1 pump or even 2 pump systems. Spent too much time swimming after my Rhino when I was having problems with the strut bladders.
An extra minute or 2 on the beach pumping up beats the **** out of the problem caused when half your kite goes flat. If 1 rib deflates on a 1 or 2 pump system you got problems.

Launching the kite: With the Rhino you can turn the kite up and just let the bar go, The Edge prefers you to fly it up. Once up though you can let the bar go and it will just sit there where as the rhino will start to wander around.

Bar pressure: Here is were you notice a huge difference. The bar pressure on the north is very high and constant. The Ozone there is minimal bar pressure. In light winds there is no bar pressure.
when you turn the rebel you can feel the bar pressure increase on one side or the other but with the ozone the bar pressure doesn't change. As the wind picks up though you get nice bar pressure on the Ozone but again it is minimal. Its a weird sensation at first but after a short while flying the Ozone you learn to love it.

Flying the kite: The first thing that stands out is the stability of the Ozone compared to the rebel. Even with the light bar feel you very quickly get used to knowing exactly where the kite is. I have trouble flying the Rebel with one hand as I just can't seem to park it. It is constantly on the move. Where as the Ozone just sits where you put it. My 10m rhino does the same thing ...very stable kite.
In light winds I think the Rebel has marginally more low end grunt than the Ozone. But with the right board choice this can be overcome. They are very close. The upper end with the Rebel i can comment on ...I have been out in over 30 knots with this kite had a little trouble holding my edge in gusts, but still had the kite under full control. High end gusts give your arms a great work out, but for 100kgs guys you can still have a good session with the 14m Rebel in winds under 35 knots. I haven't had the Ozone out in high winds yet ,but from the feel of her so far I think she handles gusts better, and the top end would be higher.

I spend most of my time riding around in heavy chop with quite big waves out the back but they are very close together.
The Rebel likes to go slower, and is quite suitable for these conditions. The Ozone is much faster, much like my Rhino. How ever it will fly very well further back in the window making it very nice also in these conditions. On the waves, for me the Edge wins. The light bar pressure and they way the kite just hangs up there means you can surf the wave and then quickly turn the kite to regain pressure. I am not a wave expert I just know that I had the most enjoyable session a couple of weekends ago on the waves. I was out till dark just going back and forwards on the waves absolutely loving it.
I could not get the rebel to perform the same last weekend.

Like the Rebel the Turning improves as the wind picks up. The Ozone turns faster then the 07 Rebel, I can't comment on the 08, but I would like to fly one and find out.
The Ozone likes being signed much more than the rebel.
I have had the confidence to loop the Ozone as the power through the turn is very smooth on the Ozone. Still not sure about looping the rebel.
Both kites will back stall, you can recover the Ozone if this happens but the rebel will always hit the water.

Boosting:
The rebel is very easy to jump basically just send the kite and pull on the bar and up you go. My landing technique is not so good yet but I do get plenty of height so I have had a few sore rib days with the rebel.
The Ozone requires better technique and timing to jump. Send the kite from about 10:30 then Edge hard upwind and as you feel the lift, pull in on the bar and wow! you go high. The nice thing about this kite is the huge hang time and soft landings, this kite seems to glide. So needless to say I like the Ozone better for jumping. I have actually managed some nice landings and this because of the extra hang time gives me time to sort things out. The other thing that helps is that you can actually park the kite at 10 or 11 and it will stay there while you pick your wave. I have found with the rebel that I have to keep watching the kite on the Ozone I hardly look at the kite at all any more.( although it is a pretty kite I have the Orange black and white one.)

If I was only allowed to keep 2 kites out of my current quiver it would be the 13m Edge and the 10m rhino. If I was only allowed to keep 1 kite it would be the Ozone.
The Edge is just such a nice kite to fly. I got into this sport for enjoyment and the Ozone just leaves me smiling every time I go out on it.
Dan you need to try these out first but an hour on the Ozone will probily get you hooked. Sorry this turned out longer than expecteded.

no worries let us know what you think once you have demo'd one of these babies.