Next demo day is at Hunstanton on the 5th July during the third round of the BKSA freestyle event. The demo may be held at Old Hunstanton or Brancaster depending on weather conditions.
We have a couple of Primadonna2s, a Wildthing 2 and a DaVinci BAT in the demo fleet.
However, if there's something you especially want to try, let me know and I'll do our best to have a demo kite available.
Drop an email to info@leftfieldkitesports.co.uk to be kept up to date with demo days and locations.
PS. Demos also available at Hunstanton/Brancaster on 28/29th June. Email for details.
Thursday 19 June 2008
Thursday 5 June 2008
JN Online Shop
Leftfield Kitesports has now gone online offering the full range of JN Kites, Boards and Clothing.
www.leftfieldkitesports.co.uk
www.leftfieldkitesports.co.uk
Da Vinci Bat
Had the new Da Vinci to test recently. A 12m 'Bat' version, the unusual shape is optimsed for low wind use.
I'm not really a bow kite fan and wasn't expecting much from the new kite. How wrong I was!
More of a hybrid design than the Primadonna, it's still a 5line kite, but has double front line attachments (no pulleys) and a slightly flatter overall shape. The DV also comes with one-pump which is welcome on a large kite. Only 5 struts on this kite (as opposed to 7 for most JNs), but the canopy shape is very clean - not a wrinkle in sight.
In flight it felt similar to the 13m Primadonna on the turn, slightly more depower but retaining that linear feel. The 12m Bat has a better low end than the 13m Primadonna, and boosts very well indeed, even in light winds. It also pulls nice and cleanly in kiteloops although not quite as smooth and tidy as the Primadonna, but really not far off.
Sadly, I never got to try it fully lit to test the top end, but I'd imagine that you would get excellent range on this kite.
I lent the kite to a landboarder who usually flys Ions, and he was amazed at the low wind performance and boosting ability.. "easily better than the 12.5 Ion" and that's hardly a bad kite.
The Da Vinci has been quite a surprise. I think it's possibly the best kite in the range for the majority of riders. JN deserve to shift a lot of these this season.
Monday 2 June 2008
08 Switchcraft Bar
Been a while since I last posted and a lot has happened, so I'll attempt to catch up in rough chronological order!
Was lucky enough to be one of the first riders to get the new Switchcraft bar. This is JN's new 08 bar and a welcome upgrade to the CBS system which was starting to show it's age against some the latest bar/line sets on the market.
The 'alex' release of the previous JN bars is now a simpler affair that releases by pushing away from the body. This has two advantages - you can fire it without pull from the kite, and it's doesn't fire accidently if you pull it whilst hooking in.
The bar itself is thinner than the CBS and features 'horns' on the end enabling you to select effective bar length by switching between the two ends (there's a larkhead on the end of line connecting to a knotted stopper line that passes through the horn ends). You can also turn the horns through 180 giving you 4 sizes in total from one bar.
Other features include two sizes of chicken loop included, an anti-tangle fifth line and perhaps the best bit of all - an 'autolock' system which locks the chicken loop facing the right way when unhooking.
The bar is also very adjustable. It has a moveable stopper ball on the centre line and the depower trimmer can be very easily moved up or down too. It's very simple to set it up just how you want.
As you can probably tell, I'm pretty impressed by the Switchcraft. It was the one place where JN were lacking in comparison to their competitors and they've come up with a well thought out deisng.
Was lucky enough to be one of the first riders to get the new Switchcraft bar. This is JN's new 08 bar and a welcome upgrade to the CBS system which was starting to show it's age against some the latest bar/line sets on the market.
The 'alex' release of the previous JN bars is now a simpler affair that releases by pushing away from the body. This has two advantages - you can fire it without pull from the kite, and it's doesn't fire accidently if you pull it whilst hooking in.
The bar itself is thinner than the CBS and features 'horns' on the end enabling you to select effective bar length by switching between the two ends (there's a larkhead on the end of line connecting to a knotted stopper line that passes through the horn ends). You can also turn the horns through 180 giving you 4 sizes in total from one bar.
Other features include two sizes of chicken loop included, an anti-tangle fifth line and perhaps the best bit of all - an 'autolock' system which locks the chicken loop facing the right way when unhooking.
The bar is also very adjustable. It has a moveable stopper ball on the centre line and the depower trimmer can be very easily moved up or down too. It's very simple to set it up just how you want.
As you can probably tell, I'm pretty impressed by the Switchcraft. It was the one place where JN were lacking in comparison to their competitors and they've come up with a well thought out deisng.
Sunday 13 April 2008
Atmosphere is go and Primadonna finds it's legs
Looks like we're on for sponsoring Atmosphere08. Details should be confirmed over the next few days, but I'm hoping to be at the event in an official capacity for JN. I'll be getting some additional demo kit for the event, but if there's anything you particularly want to try then you can get hold of me via Kiteboarder, Kiteforum or Flexiforums, or I'll be posting something on the Atmosphere forum once we're officially on board.
Got out again on Sunday. Was more of a lightwind cruising session though and I thought I'd be way underpowered on the 13m. However, for the second time in as many weeks it's surprised me with it's low end.
Not sure if the kite has 'bedded in', the colder (and more dense) UK wind is making it work, or my light wind technique has improved.. but either way I was able to keep upwind of the general rabble who were often armed with much bigger kites.
Was good to fly the WT2 and Primadonna back-to-back. I think that if you're coming from older kit, the WT2 will feel the more instinctive kite. The Primadonna requires a period of adjustment to get the best from it. However if your into freeride, wave riding or wakestyle mentalism it is worth it.
Where I think the WT2 may work well is on a landboard. It requires less edge to boost high, and works well at lower winds - the PD2 can go huge, but goes better on the land when well lit and using the ample depower.
Got out again on Sunday. Was more of a lightwind cruising session though and I thought I'd be way underpowered on the 13m. However, for the second time in as many weeks it's surprised me with it's low end.
Not sure if the kite has 'bedded in', the colder (and more dense) UK wind is making it work, or my light wind technique has improved.. but either way I was able to keep upwind of the general rabble who were often armed with much bigger kites.
Was good to fly the WT2 and Primadonna back-to-back. I think that if you're coming from older kit, the WT2 will feel the more instinctive kite. The Primadonna requires a period of adjustment to get the best from it. However if your into freeride, wave riding or wakestyle mentalism it is worth it.
Where I think the WT2 may work well is on a landboard. It requires less edge to boost high, and works well at lower winds - the PD2 can go huge, but goes better on the land when well lit and using the ample depower.
Saturday 12 April 2008
The New Old School
Yay! Spring has finally landed.
Having watched the wind blow in from the north-west for the last few weeks (about the only direction that doesn't work at the local spots) and bringing snow and general gnarlyness with it, I relieved to report that I have finally got out for a couple of sessions.
Clare's just bought a pair of Waroos (11m & 7m) in turquoise and a funky crazyfly girlies board. Got a stonking deal too, and Waveriders were the only shop we visited that pitched their sales speak at her and not me. Come on guys - Girls do ride too!
We got out last friday for a relaxed sunset session. Was so nice to be on the water again, and our new wetsuit purchases did their job admirably keeping us both toasty, even if I do look like a hamster in my hooded rashie!
Today saw just me out. Wind was in the 20's, so thought I'd give the 10m WildThing2 a go.
Whilst setting up, it was pretty obvious a big squall was about to come in. However, some idiot seemed intent on going out on 13m Fuel whilst the wind was gusting and really picking up. (The rest of us were sat on the beach waiting for it to blow through and the blue skies on the horizon to reel in a bit closer). I'm sure he felt terribly macho as he scudded off downwind barely holding it (or himself) down on maximum depower.. tw*t
After a few minutes, it all died down and we got a good few hours of splendid sunshine and 20mph+ wind. The WT2 is certainly a different animal from the Primadonna. Even laid out on the beach with it high AR profile and pencil-thin struts, it's obvious that this kite is designed to go fast and high.
On the water it lived up to it's looks, boosting very high indeed with little effort. However, this is a high-ar kite and to get good float you have to go into your jump with speed, redirect and glide. You cannot simply hang under the kite. Upwind ability was excellent and it really did accelerate when pointed slightly downwind. Depower is not as good as the Primadonna, and pulling in the trim doesn't do that much. It's way ahead of the old WildThing, but doesn't have the range of it's flowery cousin.
Overall, it's an old school kite with some new school manners. If you want to go huge or fast, then this is your kite. I've compared the Primadonna/WildThing to North's Vegas/Rhino range before and with the latest iterations this comparison is still valid, although the WT2 is probably closer to the Rhino 07 (minus the mad strut arrangement).
The WT2 is a specialised beast for the intermediate-advanced rider, and will appeal to those who find the latest crop of kites a little too tame. There's also some great deals to be had on these kites now that the Primadonna/DaVinci are out.
I will probably stick with my Primadonna 2s for general riding. They offer a bit more versatility and range, whilst sacrificing a little of the dramatic lift and speed of the WildThing, although the WT may come out when I need an altitude hit!
I am also hoping to try my hand at racing at one or more of the BKSA rounds this year and the Wild Thing may well end up getting an outing here too.
Having watched the wind blow in from the north-west for the last few weeks (about the only direction that doesn't work at the local spots) and bringing snow and general gnarlyness with it, I relieved to report that I have finally got out for a couple of sessions.
Clare's just bought a pair of Waroos (11m & 7m) in turquoise and a funky crazyfly girlies board. Got a stonking deal too, and Waveriders were the only shop we visited that pitched their sales speak at her and not me. Come on guys - Girls do ride too!
We got out last friday for a relaxed sunset session. Was so nice to be on the water again, and our new wetsuit purchases did their job admirably keeping us both toasty, even if I do look like a hamster in my hooded rashie!
Today saw just me out. Wind was in the 20's, so thought I'd give the 10m WildThing2 a go.
Whilst setting up, it was pretty obvious a big squall was about to come in. However, some idiot seemed intent on going out on 13m Fuel whilst the wind was gusting and really picking up. (The rest of us were sat on the beach waiting for it to blow through and the blue skies on the horizon to reel in a bit closer). I'm sure he felt terribly macho as he scudded off downwind barely holding it (or himself) down on maximum depower.. tw*t
After a few minutes, it all died down and we got a good few hours of splendid sunshine and 20mph+ wind. The WT2 is certainly a different animal from the Primadonna. Even laid out on the beach with it high AR profile and pencil-thin struts, it's obvious that this kite is designed to go fast and high.
On the water it lived up to it's looks, boosting very high indeed with little effort. However, this is a high-ar kite and to get good float you have to go into your jump with speed, redirect and glide. You cannot simply hang under the kite. Upwind ability was excellent and it really did accelerate when pointed slightly downwind. Depower is not as good as the Primadonna, and pulling in the trim doesn't do that much. It's way ahead of the old WildThing, but doesn't have the range of it's flowery cousin.
Overall, it's an old school kite with some new school manners. If you want to go huge or fast, then this is your kite. I've compared the Primadonna/WildThing to North's Vegas/Rhino range before and with the latest iterations this comparison is still valid, although the WT2 is probably closer to the Rhino 07 (minus the mad strut arrangement).
The WT2 is a specialised beast for the intermediate-advanced rider, and will appeal to those who find the latest crop of kites a little too tame. There's also some great deals to be had on these kites now that the Primadonna/DaVinci are out.
I will probably stick with my Primadonna 2s for general riding. They offer a bit more versatility and range, whilst sacrificing a little of the dramatic lift and speed of the WildThing, although the WT may come out when I need an altitude hit!
I am also hoping to try my hand at racing at one or more of the BKSA rounds this year and the Wild Thing may well end up getting an outing here too.
Monday 18 February 2008
Cabarete Days 12-14
Had a good last few days. The swell has settled down a bit and the wind has been a good 18-22mph.
North rider Ania Grzelinska arrived in town and promptly set about throwing down some very impressive moves.
As for us mere mortals of the kitesurfing world, Clare achieved IKO status 3.J which just leaves upwind riding and jumping, which given the determination shown the last few days isn't going to be that far away.
Clare did try going out on my gear. She liked the smaller lighter Spleene 134 over the barn door she'd been using with the school, but the Primadonna wasn't such a success. In fact, I'd be surprised if she flys it again! Whilst she prefers bows over C kites for certain, the JN bar remains too reachy and too thick for those with small hands and short arms. Clare often steadies the kite with one hand around the depower rope, and this proved difficult on JN. (The bar pressure is also a little higher, which I personally like, on the Primadonna over the Waroo).
Whilst there is the option of a DaVinci on a different bar, Clare has taken an interest in the new North Evo - which does look pretty funky. The only downside is that North must be the only manufacturer who we do not know anyone who works or rides for them. Any North dealers out there want to offer a deal? :)
(The Paris board looks nice too)
As for me - I decided on the last day that I really did need to knock out a few kiteloops before I got back. I had hoped to get out on the 9 again, but is simply wasn't windy enough, so the 13 would have to do.
I'm glad to report that even the larger kite loops very smoothly indeed - less 'yank' than the old kite and more of an elastic surge. I, being old and fragile like this a lot, but some die-hard C kiters maybe prefer the snappier delivery of the older kite. However, this was on a fairly big kite and I'm sure the 9 will be a bit more brutal in it's delivery.
There are two sides to this though.. you can be lulled into a false sense of ability and talent and be convinced that you are Ruben Lenten. In this case, the kite will still make it perfectly clear that this isn't the case and dish out a good spanking.
North rider Ania Grzelinska arrived in town and promptly set about throwing down some very impressive moves.
As for us mere mortals of the kitesurfing world, Clare achieved IKO status 3.J which just leaves upwind riding and jumping, which given the determination shown the last few days isn't going to be that far away.
Clare did try going out on my gear. She liked the smaller lighter Spleene 134 over the barn door she'd been using with the school, but the Primadonna wasn't such a success. In fact, I'd be surprised if she flys it again! Whilst she prefers bows over C kites for certain, the JN bar remains too reachy and too thick for those with small hands and short arms. Clare often steadies the kite with one hand around the depower rope, and this proved difficult on JN. (The bar pressure is also a little higher, which I personally like, on the Primadonna over the Waroo).
Whilst there is the option of a DaVinci on a different bar, Clare has taken an interest in the new North Evo - which does look pretty funky. The only downside is that North must be the only manufacturer who we do not know anyone who works or rides for them. Any North dealers out there want to offer a deal? :)
(The Paris board looks nice too)
As for me - I decided on the last day that I really did need to knock out a few kiteloops before I got back. I had hoped to get out on the 9 again, but is simply wasn't windy enough, so the 13 would have to do.I'm glad to report that even the larger kite loops very smoothly indeed - less 'yank' than the old kite and more of an elastic surge. I, being old and fragile like this a lot, but some die-hard C kiters maybe prefer the snappier delivery of the older kite. However, this was on a fairly big kite and I'm sure the 9 will be a bit more brutal in it's delivery.
There are two sides to this though.. you can be lulled into a false sense of ability and talent and be convinced that you are Ruben Lenten. In this case, the kite will still make it perfectly clear that this isn't the case and dish out a good spanking.
Well.. it's now time to pack up and go home. It's been a fab trip and the wind has been good for us throughout the whole two weeks. I would wholly recommend Laurel Eastman Kiteboarding if you are thinking of coming out here - they can hook you up with accomodation and the instructors and general atmosphere are really good. They are also positioned on the best bit of the beach.
I'm very happy with my new kites. It's true than JN's first lady has become softer with age, but the performance is still on hand when you need it. As a freeride,freestyle and wave kite it works really well. Other kites may have more ability in one particular area, but the Primadonna2 seems to cover all bases pretty well.
Camber Sands just isn't going to feel the same.....
(Watched the new Ben Wilson DVD last night - why are there no waves in Kent?)
Friday 15 February 2008
Cabarete Days 7-11
Been an interesting few days. Firstly my wedding ring went missing - fairly sure I removed it before I went out kitesurfing, so was somewhat annoyed that it had disappeared. After some investigation our maid 'found it on the grass outside the apartment'.. Given that if I had left it on I had been throughly tumbled by some big waves that afternoon, I wasn't totally convinced.
Anyway, it's back now and that's a good thing. Quite odd how you can get so attached a small lump of metal!
As for the big waves mentioned earlier, we've had a couple of mad days with high winds and big swell. Been trying my hand at amateur wave-riding.. was getting quite confident (even on my twintip) until I went into a big wave a bit too slow, which jacked up behind me, the nose of my board dipped and the rest was just a long protracted gurgling noise as I got the full washing machine treatment.
I emerged to find my kite lying in the path of the shore break. Given that I'd seen quite a few kites coming back up the beach with holes punched clean through them, I ditched it onto the 5th line to hopefully take some tension out of the canopy. Kite got twisted up and spat out on the beach but was unharmed, proving that it is tree and wave proof!
Conditions clamed down a little yesterday, enabling Clare to get out for another session. She's progressing really quickly, getting up on the board pretty much every time. It can't be long until she's fully cracked it, and she's hoping to notch up her IKO3 before leaving (which includes going upwind and jumping!).
I had a quick play on the Waroo.. Not as alien-feeling as I thought it would be. I can see why Clare has taken to them as they turn much like a foil kite, pivoting around the centre rather than the tips on a C-kite. Not a bad kite really, plenty of power for the size but the bar pressure felt vague with the bar any further out than the last third, and it was difficult to gauge how much power you had dialled in from the bar. The Primadonna whilst not having quite the same amount of depower (although, not far off) feels more progressive to me.
That said, the female half of the Primadonna1 flying couple here said she actually disliked the bar pressure on the new kite, which just goes to prove that not everyone is suited to the same thing.
It's the last few days before returning to the cold reality of home. Clare's hoping to become a kitesurfing goddess and I'm hoping to acquire big enough balls to test out the kitelooping performance of the Primadonna2. What could possibly go wrong?...
Sunday 10 February 2008
Cabarete - Days 4-6
Well.. it's been sunny and windy everyday. Can't really complain! Clare's had a little tuition and got up on the board on her second lesson (something that took me weeks!)
Getting on very well with the 13m now - the range is fantastic. Even when it's really blowing, I've barely had to touch the trim. Been enjoying going huge instead! Getting big air with the increased depower is very easy.
The kite doesn't go so well at it's bottom end (although the warm wind here may be a little deceptive) I do think that the old kite had slightly better bottom end performance. I don't think I'd buy a bigger one than a 13. Will be interesting to try the WildThing2 when I get home to compare in this area. Not sure whether a 16.5WT2 or a 15DaVinci BAT would be the better low wind kite.However, the top-end performance is way beyond the old kite. There's a german chap here with a brace of old Primadonnas. Yesterday, he went out on the 12 while I was on the 13 - both going well. I think the bottom end of the 13PD2 is closer to the old 12 than the 14. However, as the wind picked up he was soon in for a 10 while I was simply enjoying the view from a higher altitude on the jumps and still having plenty of depower to fly upwind.
The comfort factor on the new kites is great. I couldn't care less if people think old-school c kites are more 'hardcore'.. I haven't had to ride out a gust in a plume of spray and gritted teeth since I got here, I just push the bar out and carry on. Long sessions are far less tiring and the added power control on carves and landing rotations is very welcome.
Clare seems have taken to bow kites and is getting on well with the school Waroos. 
Most of her previous kiting experience has been with quick turning fixed bridle kites where the power is made on the stroke rather than through the turns and bows seem to come closest to this with the added bonus of huge depower and safety. Hopefully the new JN Switchcraft bar will shorten the reach to the trim enough for her to try a DaVinci.
I personally think a bar with a trim adjuster on the chicken loop and a sliding stopper would work well on the new JNs. Will have to see what they come up with...
Forecast continues to look good :)
Wednesday 6 February 2008
Cabarete - First 3 days
Well, we are here, the sun is out and the wind has been blowing...
We spent out first few nights at Kite Beach at the Extreme Hotel, now run by the KiteLounge guys. Pretty basic, but pretty cheap. Sadly the kitchen area and a few other bits aren't ready yet. They've only had the place a few weeks, and it's best described as 'work in progress'.
Can't knock the guys, dead friendly and helpful, but we've decided to upgrade to a somewhat plusher (and more expensive) pad as we're going to be here for 2 weeks. More on that later..
Day One
Arrived, had a couple of beers, ate food and passed out.
Day Two
Bodyclock woke me up at stupid o'clock. Waited around till noon for the wind to kick in (The winds here are thermally driven, so you're almost guaranteed wind from 12-6) and set out on the 13m.
Spent the afternoon adjusting to new equipment; My board hadn't been ridden without booties before and required some fiddling with the footpads to get my feet in the right place to edge effectively, and it was the 13's first outing on the water.
The PD2 is a little different to the old kite in it's power delivery and it wasn't until the end of the session that started to feel at home on this kite. The kite definitely is at it's best when well powered and as the wind filled in during the afternoon it started feeling more solid. However, I pretty tired by then and called it a day.
One thing is for sure, the water here is fabulously warm, even in February :)
Day Three
Awoke to find I had been early breakfast for the local insect population. (No A/C or fan, so closed windows weren't really an option)
As the noon wind watershed approached, a big front loomed on the horizon. Once the accompanying light drizzle has passed, the wind really picked up and I nervously headed out with the 9m. (on the correct knots this time!). The kite was well powered and I soon started feeling at home, trying a few jumps and spins (or 'crashes' they are otherwise known). Some of the locals then went out and set about completely overshadowing my airbourne prowess with some real big air and unhooked mentalism - some of these lads are sh*t hot.
Once the brief high winds has settled down, I went back out on the 13m. Felt much better this time, and I was soon out on the reef playing with the waves, and actually landing some jumps and tricks! Taken a little while to find my feet with these kites, but they are coming good now. Feel much like the old PD1, but even smoother and with much improved depower.
My session ended a little oddly. I got sent off downwind by some crashing learners and had to exit out between the reefs further down the beach. Walking back with the kite, I was watching the other kiters rather than my kite which promptly wrapped itself around the top of a coconut tree (stupid yes, but not a hazard I'm used to on my home turf!).
Thankfully with a little persuassion and cursing I was able to free the kite and lines from said tree before anyone other than some local gardeners had the opportunity to laugh at my expense. I glad to report that kite and lines are perfectly fine.
JN Primadonna2 big tree durability test: tick.
After all that, we went off looking at some potential alternative accomodation, which unfortunately was full :(
However, got chatting to the very friendly Laurel Eastman (ex pro kiter, and now of SeaSpecs advert fame!) further down the beach, who hooked us up with a good deal for one of the swish apartments near her kiteschool. Was somewhat more than we had been paying, but we're now living it up in a fully air-con'ed two bedroom apartment with a fab kitchen, all mod cons and no darn mosquitos.
However, got chatting to the very friendly Laurel Eastman (ex pro kiter, and now of SeaSpecs advert fame!) further down the beach, who hooked us up with a good deal for one of the swish apartments near her kiteschool. Was somewhat more than we had been paying, but we're now living it up in a fully air-con'ed two bedroom apartment with a fab kitchen, all mod cons and no darn mosquitos.
So, the accomodation is now less 'extreme', but the forecast is looking good, I've settled into my new kites and hopefully I can make up for it on the water!
Clare's looking at hooking up the kiteschool tomorrow and taking to the water (albeit on a Waroo!) which is good, although if the kitesurf bug does bite, a windswept Camber Sands in March might be a bit of a shock when we get back!
Wednesday 30 January 2008
Only 5 days to go!
Just started packing for Cabarete. Hoping my lightweight non-descript kitebag will slip under the radar at check in. Should be able to keep my bag under the standard 20kg limit.
As much as I want to test the 10m WT2 out there, I think I will have to contend myself with the 13 and the 9. I had originally vowed just to take one kite, but the 9 in it's nice rucksack bag should pass as hand luggage :)
Got an email the other day to say that the new Switchcraft bar should address the reach issues experienced by shorter riders on the CBS Evo, which will no doubt give me a great excuse to buy one!
As much as I want to test the 10m WT2 out there, I think I will have to contend myself with the 13 and the 9. I had originally vowed just to take one kite, but the 9 in it's nice rucksack bag should pass as hand luggage :)
Got an email the other day to say that the new Switchcraft bar should address the reach issues experienced by shorter riders on the CBS Evo, which will no doubt give me a great excuse to buy one!
Sunday 27 January 2008
Sunday morning trundle and small-person issues with the JN Evo Bar
Well, not much wind to be had this morning but here's some nice pictures anyway..
I happy to report that the 13m PD2 was nice and stable even in the light winds. It was just a shame I couldn't repeat the big air of yesterday now that we had a camera!
Once I'd finished dawdling about at 5mph, my wife Clare had a play with the kite. The first thing that became apparent is that the new Evo bar is even more unsuited to those of smaller stature than the old CBS3+1.
Now I have long arms and hands like shovels and really like the new layout. However, Clare is nearly a foot shorter than me with somewhat shorter arms and smaller hands. The bar itself is therefore too thick to hold comfortably (the JN bar is chunkier than most) and the reach is far too long.
Now it is of course possible to move the stopper ball to suit her shorter arms, but that doesn't stop the trim adjuster still being miles out of reach, added to which she'd then have a very short depower throw.
If she wants to fly the JN's I think I'll end up having to modify a set-up with a thinner diameter bar, a more compact chicken-loop with a good QR and dispense with the 'alex' release altogether. (ie. connect the c-loop direct to the depower rope. This should bring the whole thing within reach.
As it stands, she looked very uncomfortable on the bar and I can't see her wanting to borrow the JN's much in Cabarete (which is or isn't a good thing, depending on how you look at it!)
Given the funky flower design, I could see a lot of girlies going for the Primadonna2, but the bar isn't ideal for the petite. Maybe all italian kite-girls are giants!
Once I'd finished dawdling about at 5mph, my wife Clare had a play with the kite. The first thing that became apparent is that the new Evo bar is even more unsuited to those of smaller stature than the old CBS3+1.
Now I have long arms and hands like shovels and really like the new layout. However, Clare is nearly a foot shorter than me with somewhat shorter arms and smaller hands. The bar itself is therefore too thick to hold comfortably (the JN bar is chunkier than most) and the reach is far too long.
Now it is of course possible to move the stopper ball to suit her shorter arms, but that doesn't stop the trim adjuster still being miles out of reach, added to which she'd then have a very short depower throw.
If she wants to fly the JN's I think I'll end up having to modify a set-up with a thinner diameter bar, a more compact chicken-loop with a good QR and dispense with the 'alex' release altogether. (ie. connect the c-loop direct to the depower rope. This should bring the whole thing within reach.
As it stands, she looked very uncomfortable on the bar and I can't see her wanting to borrow the JN's much in Cabarete (which is or isn't a good thing, depending on how you look at it!)
Given the funky flower design, I could see a lot of girlies going for the Primadonna2, but the bar isn't ideal for the petite. Maybe all italian kite-girls are giants!
Saturday 26 January 2008
Primadonna2 First Impressions
I was up at stupid o'clock this morning to catch the low-tide for a landboard session. I did toy with the idea of the hitting the water, but the frost on the car soon saw to that idea.
Arrived with it blowing about 18mph, cross-on, so the 13m was the first out of the bag.
Nice to see the new V-shaped nose line pre-fitted with the knots in the right places and conveniently tagged for high/low wind options. Setting up the old nose-lines just right was a bit of a faff.
Rigged the kite in low wind mode, with the new CBS Evo bar. Not much new here from the old 3+1 except the higher 'V' in the front lines. One nice touch is the small loops spliced into the centre line for the 5th to pass through. The higher V is supposed to help stabilise the new swept-tip designs, and once in the air you can see how - it's almost semi-sle like the way the LE is held by the two V's of the 5th and front lines.
First thing I noticed about the new kite is that it's not so easy to self-launch. Being one of the first on the beach, i was short of helpers and the combination of a swept-tip with a nearby spar, meant folding over quite a bit of kite and deploying a considerable amount of sand before she would sit still.
Once in the air, the first thing anyone from the old kites would notice is the depower. There's bags of it, yet the power delivery as you pull the bar in is very linear indeed. I'd tried a few of the early bow designs and disliked the on/off delivery, so this was very welcome.
Turning speed is not as aggressive as I'd been led to believe. There's been a lot of emphasis on the PD2 being tuned for faster turning, and I was expecting it to be a bit manic if anything. It is quicker than the old kite for sure when you crank it, but moves around very smoothly on small inputs. I found it to be a good balance, and with the light, but informative bar pressure, it was easy to tell what the kite was up to without having to keep a watchful eye on it.
Looping the kite gives a C kite type surge of forward momentum and it pulls cleanly through the loop. This kite doesn't pivot-turn like some of the bows. I personally like this, having flown C kites almost exclusively.
Boosting is easy, and big. The upward pull is less dramatic than the PD1 - more akin to say a flysurfer psycho3 or speed2, but you go higher and the float is very controllable. It took a few jumps to get dialled in, but being able to feather the power so finely proved very useful, especially in rotations where any under/over rotation could be adjusted for by being altering your hangtime at the bar. This a confidence building kite - the wind picked up to 25mph+ and I was quite happy going huge and enjoying the view!
After a while, I came in and swapped over to the 9. My 9 is earlier kite, and has already been used for magazine tests, including the recent KiteWorld review. A couple of small differences, namely the lack of a pump leash point (however, there is an additional 5th line attachment here, which works just as well), no size printed on the wingtips and no tags on the pigtails/5th line.
This was of little concern as I already knew which knots did what from the 13 and this simply reinforced the fact that the tags are a top feature, especially for beginners.
**(see footnote) My time on the 9 was short as the tide raced in and covered the beach. Much the same as the 13, except naturally smaller and faster. I did, however struggle to get big jumps fully dialled on this kite. The 9 is a very fast flying kite, it really does zip through the window, and this made redirection timing a little difficult. Moving my hand closer in on the bar helped a little (although the 9 has the same quick but progressive turning of it larger cousin) but I think I need to redirect later as the kite tended to zip forward in the window during the last few feet of landing and I'd end up coming in pretty hot.
I think the 9 will feel a bit more natural on the water and some more time at the bar will get my timing sorted.
Both kites are super-smooth, and extremely stable. You can ride straight at these kites and they'll happily follow you downwind. If I had any wave-riding ability, I'm sure these would be fab. Both are also very forgiving of mistakes. You can swing underneath, go into transitions too fast and leave the kite behind and it doesn't seem to upset it all.
Unhooked, is again an improvement on the old model. It felt more natural at all levels of depower trim. Someone more into wakestyle would probably be able to give a more in-depth analysis, but my talent ran out during an unhooked front loop with grab, which ended with both me and the kite hitting the beach! Thankfully the 5th line relaunch on the CBS is just as good as ever.
These kites certainly deliver when you send them, but the silky handling really does boost your confidence level. Some will no doubt argue that the raw edge has been lost, but these kite perform better than the old ones with improved handling and safety - in any other world that would certainly be called progress.
The Primadonna continues to occupy the role of 'a kite for all things'. It has a definite c kite feel, coupled with the improved depower from bows. This kite would be a faithful companion on land, snow and water - freestyle, freeride and waves. I'd also recommend it for beginners - esp. the 13. This is a kite you could happily learn on, yet you'd never need to sell irrespective of how good you got.
I need more time on the 9 for sure, but the 13m is definitely promoted to the position of my favourite kite.
I'll be out again tomorrow for the racekites.com meet. Hopefully I'll get the 10m WildThing2 out for a fly. The wife should be out tomorrow too, so the next report should include some pictures!
** I'm now fairly certain I had the front pigtails on the high wind setting whilst flying the 9m. Would certainly explain it being fast and flat through the window. Maybe those tags aren't just for beginners. Doh!
Arrived with it blowing about 18mph, cross-on, so the 13m was the first out of the bag.
Nice to see the new V-shaped nose line pre-fitted with the knots in the right places and conveniently tagged for high/low wind options. Setting up the old nose-lines just right was a bit of a faff.
Rigged the kite in low wind mode, with the new CBS Evo bar. Not much new here from the old 3+1 except the higher 'V' in the front lines. One nice touch is the small loops spliced into the centre line for the 5th to pass through. The higher V is supposed to help stabilise the new swept-tip designs, and once in the air you can see how - it's almost semi-sle like the way the LE is held by the two V's of the 5th and front lines.
First thing I noticed about the new kite is that it's not so easy to self-launch. Being one of the first on the beach, i was short of helpers and the combination of a swept-tip with a nearby spar, meant folding over quite a bit of kite and deploying a considerable amount of sand before she would sit still.
Once in the air, the first thing anyone from the old kites would notice is the depower. There's bags of it, yet the power delivery as you pull the bar in is very linear indeed. I'd tried a few of the early bow designs and disliked the on/off delivery, so this was very welcome.
Turning speed is not as aggressive as I'd been led to believe. There's been a lot of emphasis on the PD2 being tuned for faster turning, and I was expecting it to be a bit manic if anything. It is quicker than the old kite for sure when you crank it, but moves around very smoothly on small inputs. I found it to be a good balance, and with the light, but informative bar pressure, it was easy to tell what the kite was up to without having to keep a watchful eye on it.
Looping the kite gives a C kite type surge of forward momentum and it pulls cleanly through the loop. This kite doesn't pivot-turn like some of the bows. I personally like this, having flown C kites almost exclusively.
Boosting is easy, and big. The upward pull is less dramatic than the PD1 - more akin to say a flysurfer psycho3 or speed2, but you go higher and the float is very controllable. It took a few jumps to get dialled in, but being able to feather the power so finely proved very useful, especially in rotations where any under/over rotation could be adjusted for by being altering your hangtime at the bar. This a confidence building kite - the wind picked up to 25mph+ and I was quite happy going huge and enjoying the view!
After a while, I came in and swapped over to the 9. My 9 is earlier kite, and has already been used for magazine tests, including the recent KiteWorld review. A couple of small differences, namely the lack of a pump leash point (however, there is an additional 5th line attachment here, which works just as well), no size printed on the wingtips and no tags on the pigtails/5th line.
This was of little concern as I already knew which knots did what from the 13 and this simply reinforced the fact that the tags are a top feature, especially for beginners.
**(see footnote) My time on the 9 was short as the tide raced in and covered the beach. Much the same as the 13, except naturally smaller and faster. I did, however struggle to get big jumps fully dialled on this kite. The 9 is a very fast flying kite, it really does zip through the window, and this made redirection timing a little difficult. Moving my hand closer in on the bar helped a little (although the 9 has the same quick but progressive turning of it larger cousin) but I think I need to redirect later as the kite tended to zip forward in the window during the last few feet of landing and I'd end up coming in pretty hot.
I think the 9 will feel a bit more natural on the water and some more time at the bar will get my timing sorted.
Both kites are super-smooth, and extremely stable. You can ride straight at these kites and they'll happily follow you downwind. If I had any wave-riding ability, I'm sure these would be fab. Both are also very forgiving of mistakes. You can swing underneath, go into transitions too fast and leave the kite behind and it doesn't seem to upset it all.
Unhooked, is again an improvement on the old model. It felt more natural at all levels of depower trim. Someone more into wakestyle would probably be able to give a more in-depth analysis, but my talent ran out during an unhooked front loop with grab, which ended with both me and the kite hitting the beach! Thankfully the 5th line relaunch on the CBS is just as good as ever.
These kites certainly deliver when you send them, but the silky handling really does boost your confidence level. Some will no doubt argue that the raw edge has been lost, but these kite perform better than the old ones with improved handling and safety - in any other world that would certainly be called progress.
The Primadonna continues to occupy the role of 'a kite for all things'. It has a definite c kite feel, coupled with the improved depower from bows. This kite would be a faithful companion on land, snow and water - freestyle, freeride and waves. I'd also recommend it for beginners - esp. the 13. This is a kite you could happily learn on, yet you'd never need to sell irrespective of how good you got.
I need more time on the 9 for sure, but the 13m is definitely promoted to the position of my favourite kite.
I'll be out again tomorrow for the racekites.com meet. Hopefully I'll get the 10m WildThing2 out for a fly. The wife should be out tomorrow too, so the next report should include some pictures!
** I'm now fairly certain I had the front pigtails on the high wind setting whilst flying the 9m. Would certainly explain it being fast and flat through the window. Maybe those tags aren't just for beginners. Doh!
Friday 25 January 2008
Sore forearms
Well I spent my lunch break in a local park pumping away with some sexy new inflatable friends.
Stunning looking kites. The build quality is a step forward from the Primadonna1 and Easy Rider (and they were pretty well put together). The join between the struts and the LE is particularly nicely finished, and the kites have many great little touches, such the neoprene zip cover on the LE bladder access. The construction looks very tough, yet the kites are suprisingly light - they should perform well in low winds for LEIs.
The WT2 is notably high AR... almost scarily so, in a Flysurfer Speed kind of way. Methinks measuring the hangtime on this one might be best acheived with an egg timer.
*I'm really pleased with the initial look and feel of the kites. Only grumbles would be that old cone bags seem to have been retired (these were a handy long bag for storing your kites with the struts inflated) and whilst the LE comes with a pump leash point, neither the kite or the supplied pump comes with a leash - I ended up hanging onto the 5th line instead.
The lack of carbon spars in the new models is a real bonus when packing them away, which is just as well, as the bags have gone on a diet. However, the new PD2 bags do have much more comfy shoulder straps than JN riders have been previously used to, and there's nothing worse than a chafing shoulder strap after a hard day stomping serious wakestyle trickery (in my mind).
*It transpires that the pumps do in fact have leashes, except for the first one I got out of the bag. Typical! Also Liquidair tell me that new & improved cone bags are on the way. Yay!
New JN HP Leash
JN have brought out their own handlepass leash, called the powercord. Comes with a swivel hook attachment.
Nothing overly new here, but it will match your kite, and that will no doubt please some people (ok.. maybe just me)
Nothing overly new here, but it will match your kite, and that will no doubt please some people (ok.. maybe just me)
Good day at the office.
The morning drudgery at work was broken by the arrival of a very large parcel from JN importers, Liquidair.
(The JN record bag, is actually my old work bag - sad I know. I even have a cover for my laptop made out of a dead WildThing)
JN have changed their bag designs. All the bags now feature a toughened base (as first seen on the SemiFreddo2 bag) and the PD2 bag is now a more rounded shape with a zip opening up the whole front. The lack of rigid spars in the new kites is going to be very welcome when travelling.
Had a quick peek inside. First impressions are good. I'll hopefully pump one up at lunchtime and take a good look!
(The JN record bag, is actually my old work bag - sad I know. I even have a cover for my laptop made out of a dead WildThing)
JN have changed their bag designs. All the bags now feature a toughened base (as first seen on the SemiFreddo2 bag) and the PD2 bag is now a more rounded shape with a zip opening up the whole front. The lack of rigid spars in the new kites is going to be very welcome when travelling.
Had a quick peek inside. First impressions are good. I'll hopefully pump one up at lunchtime and take a good look!
Thursday 24 January 2008
JN Switchcraft Bar
JN have announced a new bar for 08 alongside the CBS Evo, which is adjustable in length. Not sure if this covers 2 or 3 of the current bar sizes at the moment, but I'll post more info and pictures as soon as I get them.
Incoming!
I'm currently awaiting a large parcel containing amongst other things; Primadonna2 in 9m and 13m and a 10 WildThing2.
I'm hoping to try these out on the landboard over the weekend. I'm also hooking up with racekites.com at Camber Sands on Sunday morning (27th - it's an early tide folks!) for an informal demo and review. If you're about, feel free to drop by and have a go.
The real test starts the week after, as I'll be spending 2 weeks in Cabarete with however many of these kites I can squeeze into my luggage allowance! To say I can't wait would be an understatement..
I'm hoping to try these out on the landboard over the weekend. I'm also hooking up with racekites.com at Camber Sands on Sunday morning (27th - it's an early tide folks!) for an informal demo and review. If you're about, feel free to drop by and have a go.
The real test starts the week after, as I'll be spending 2 weeks in Cabarete with however many of these kites I can squeeze into my luggage allowance! To say I can't wait would be an understatement..
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