Daily review from the launch conference of the 2018 collection - today we will focus on kites only
Every day we learn about a different field
Watch the video from the day dedicated to the new kites at the conference
Brands:
In the connection between the brands, it is evident that the Bandit brand is strong, both in comparison to the parent brand f-one and in comparison to other brands of kits that exist in the market. Rafael Seles emphasizes the huge commitment of the entire team to continue to innovate and improve the Bandit every year and of course, not to spoil it.
Raphael emphasizes that in the variety of the company's kites, the uniqueness of the other kites (not only the Bandit) must be maintained and developed and progress must be made in all channels. I mean, F-one is not just a bandit.
Browsing speed
Sells emphasizes the dilemma of surfing speed: a kite that propels the surfer forward too fast, makes it difficult for the average surfer in turns and waves. On the other hand, some surfers want to run fast. That's why the FORTIVE entered this year, which is designed for speed and even for fast competitions, while the Bandit is designed to be slower (slow at surfing speed and fast in Sibsov).
Sells explains that he has come to know that kites that fly the surfer forward too fast cause a loss of control among most surfers. That's why you have to slow down the forward pull a little and give redrift, which increases the pleasure of surfing.
The development process:
The development of each product is done on Kate 9, with over 30 prototypes. Every week the laboratory receives responses from the field. On Friday a new prototype is released and the following week Mika continues testing. When you reach an excellent product, continue with 7,5 10. Then expand to the big kits. Mika and Robert have to deal with a large amount of models in a short time. Around the month of May, every year, a freeze is carried out and the models are finished in preparation for production, which takes place in the summer. Around October the new models begin distribution to agents around the world. Mika and Robert have been working closely for several years and they understand each other quickly and thus enable progress in the development of the models. Raphael guides them in determining the design guidelines and actually functions as the company's chief designer.
"Together we have 50 years of experience," says Raphael Lahi Fe.
Bandit 2018
Many surfers ask what has actually been renewed this year.
We have some secrets, Raphael explains. The changes to the canopy are small and measured, because such a good product must not be spoiled. This year we are focusing on stability in turns, preventing swinging in extreme situations. We are careful about excessive speed in surfing, and soften the feeling of the kite. The bandit entered the window a little more and ran less forward. We know that the more we soften the pull, the lower range performance suffers because the kite pulls less forward, so we soften it very gently and every inch of canopy change is carefully scrutinized.
This year we lowered the hard seagull in the tips. Taking the weight of the small seagulls off the tips helps the kite's maneuverability. We fight to lose every gram possible, explains Seles.
The location in the window:
This is an essential feature of the design. As the wind increases, we look for the kite to run forward, to allow the surfer to control the power, while when the wind decreases, we look for window entry and stability. A kite that runs too fast forward in a weak wind will crash, Raphael explains.
In the big kites, we plan to enter the power window, to prevent flapping and to enable smooth sailing without the kite collapsing.
The feeling of the bar:
Mika, the tester, works around the clock on the reaction the surfer receives with every movement of the bar. We want to allow a quick release of the force in pushing a bar, while in pulling a bar we plan a gradual and not extreme increase in force.
In the kite rotation, we added a bit of power this year, in order to have a continuous rotation. Along with that we want speed in the kiteloop, so there is a lot of fine-tuning of the feedback from the kite here.
The new bar:
The basic bar comes in a length of 52 cm and the length can be changed to 45 using two adapters that adjust at the ends of the bar
This development is designed to allow surfers to enjoy one bar while using all sizes and types of the Katy.
There is a similar bar whose basic length is 45, intended for surfers whose basic bar is too long for them in kitesurfs.
the front strings
This year the splitting point of the front threads can be determined by shooting the thread in the ring for the bandit and removing it from the ring with kites used for light wind.
For those who forget the stap, there is a printed explanation on the bag.
Float on the front string:
A new buoy was added on the front string above the bar, in order to float the string when the kite is in the water and make it easier for the surfer to find the front strings, when necessary
The surprising kite of the year - Fortive
This is a kite originally built for speed competitions. After the kit was in use, the company began to adapt it to the general public, in a very long development process, which lasted 3 years (!). The result is amazing: this is a kite that is built to run forward in the window, even in winds of 10-12 knots and flies the surfer with crazy refinement. In addition, the kite bounces high in light winds. Of course, you give up something and that is the maneuvering in the waves, in which Bandit has no competitors.
The canopy of the Fortive has an open arch and the bridle is adapted to this. The front strings open 1.5 meters above the bar thus creating a wide V that supports the wide canopy.
I surfed the Fortive and was amazed by its insane speed in a light wind. The 14 drew me faster and sharper than the Bandit to a significant degree. Surfers looking for a fast RIDE should check out this kite in the large sizes 12, 14, 17, before choosing their kite this year.
Kate Freestyle WTF – C-shape
The kite is designed for perfect support for surfers performing anhook. The decision to produce a freestyle kite stems more from the fact that the team needs tools to compete in the freestyle competitions and less from the market demands for a freestyle kite with extreme capabilities. The WTF kite is not intended to replace the Bandit, which provides a solution as an all-around kite, for a wide range of sea conditions and of course for freestyle at a good level.
The surfers of the freestyle team are looking for a variety of features that "normal" surfers are less familiar with.
The jump (pop) and then the slack is the part where the bar is passed behind the body (handel pass).
The young people involved in the competitions create a common language with Robert, in order to succeed in transmitting to him the requirements concerning every second they are on the air. Every second in the exercise, there is a different expectation of the kite's reaction, depending on the development of the exercise.
The wtf Kate makes less power than the Bandit for the same amount.
Most of us won't understand what they're doing there in the exercise anyway, so let's start by taking a good look at the video I took with Seth the Brazilian.
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