BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Okay guys how about a little imput. I have kinda been on the fence for my new kites this year. I thought I was sold on the whole bow thing. Actually the Rap2's. But as I get closer to buying I'm getting less convinced that that is the way to go right now. What is it that the bow kites do better than C-kites? Do they turn faster? Jump higher? Are they more stable? Really are they pretty much the same with a fancy bridle?

I find myself going back and forth unable to decide. After seeing the type 7's in action at OB, and reading about them with the type wave bar, what would be the advantage of a bow?

Dewey

Dewey,
The RRD TW and T7 need to be ridden with 5th line to use the full depower on the wave bar, right?

That means if you're choosing between the Rap and the RRDs, you're choosing between a 4 line kite with a bridle and a 5 line kite without a bridle?

It seems like any safety/depower system, including the SAFE on the Rage IIs, is goiing to have some potential for snaggage, mishaps, etc. When I was launching Charlie's Rap 2 a few weeks ago, the bridle somehow got hooked over the tip of the wing. On my Rages, I've had the SAFE system bridle hook around itself after launch, causing the kite to power up on just one side. And of course, everyone with a fifth line has had some sort of problem at some time or another.

Does any one know if the wind range as good as they advertise. Im looking to get a low wind kite and I would like to here some of the bow kite owners honest opinion.

Alot of it has to do with the rider. Heavy weight or light weight. Type of board used. Light wind kiting ability.
Two different guys may have very different opinons about a kites low end.

Biased opinion: Ever meet anyone riding a certain brand that never switched back to their old favorites?

(Hint: the initials I'm thinking of are RRD...)

Had I the money I would dump my Outrage 12 & 14 and pick up a Rapture 2 12. A lot of this has to do with the more "windsurfy" feel that a a lot of the reviewers have mentioned. That's my background. As it is I plan to pick up a new bar as I'm unhappy with my current homebrew 5th. Looking at the Slingshot Profire and the RRD Total Depower. Will the RRD TDP work with non-RRD kites do you think?

I don't use the RRD de-power bar personally, since I like full juice all the time (Z, ZH, HiR)

Ollie?

I've been comfortable on many occasions on my 12M xbow when it was 12-35. I'm really lazy and was sick of blowing up 3 kites a day so it was like a gift from heaven. I still like the feel of jumping with c kites better but if you're the same then there are some compromises between bows and c's like the shockwave. The xbows still need some work. The bar system still sucks and the punch through ball is too tight to begin with and shortly thereafter, too loose and always punches through. The pulleys can be a mess when you wreck. There are so many brands out now I would just demo a bunch of em before you buy.

Bulll... I also look into the RRD TDP bar and as far as I see it should work with all kites as long as you have a 5th line connection. Olli uses the bar and he should know for sure if it works on the others too.

CU, G

I read that the TDP bar will work with any kite that has a 5th. It's a simple design. You got to give it to RRD for thinking out of the box on this one. From what I've seen their kites rock to.