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2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

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Cab Driver
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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby Cab Driver » Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:43 pm

alexeyga wrote:
Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:38 pm
Gonzolinho wrote:
Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:43 am
SamPolish wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:53 pm
Not sure of 2018 but my 2017 was hurting my elbows, sold it and got gts4, could not be happier, low end is not as good but overall so much nicer kite
a very strange comparison. Might be a Core dealer..... :bye:
Doesn't matter, Cores are a lot easier on one's arms, especially the GTS-es. SB has always been a phat elephant in that regard.
FYI, GTS <> Switchblade. These are totally different kites. When was he last time you rode a Switchblade, what year, what bridle mode? I work for Cabrinha and find that I have to put the kite in the high bar pressure mode. Our kites have gotten so light in the bar over the past 4 years that I ride ALL of them in the heavier setting.

You can't change physics. The kite pulls you through a combination of your arms and your harness. I personally don't like being pulled around by my harness. So I choose to use more of my arms. Even so, this is not like the feel of a 2008 Switchblade. All too often I see comments like this about Cabrinha's heavy bar pressure that are just false. The Switchblade does not have a lot of bar pressure - PERIOD. If anything, I am pushing to add more bar pressure in future designs to get to a happy medium.

Back to topic. The 2018 dacron will take 3 hours or so of riding in order to soften it up. It's super stiff right out of the bag. A trick I usually do is the first two sessions I don't pump up the kite to rock hard status and the wear in period won't be as noticeable (don't under-inflate, but just get enough air in their to keep the canopy stable).

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby alexeyga » Fri Feb 16, 2018 9:38 pm

Cab Driver wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:43 pm
alexeyga wrote:
Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:38 pm
Gonzolinho wrote:
Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:43 am


a very strange comparison. Might be a Core dealer..... :bye:
Doesn't matter, Cores are a lot easier on one's arms, especially the GTS-es. SB has always been a phat elephant in that regard.
FYI, GTS <> Switchblade. These are totally different kites. When was he last time you rode a Switchblade, what year, what bridle mode? I work for Cabrinha and find that I have to put the kite in the high bar pressure mode. Our kites have gotten so light in the bar over the past 4 years that I ride ALL of them in the heavier setting.

You can't change physics. The kite pulls you through a combination of your arms and your harness. I personally don't like being pulled around by my harness. So I choose to use more of my arms. Even so, this is not like the feel of a 2008 Switchblade. All too often I see comments like this about Cabrinha's heavy bar pressure that are just false. The Switchblade does not have a lot of bar pressure - PERIOD. If anything, I am pushing to add more bar pressure in future designs to get to a happy medium.

Back to topic. The 2018 dacron will take 3 hours or so of riding in order to soften it up. It's super stiff right out of the bag. A trick I usually do is the first two sessions I don't pump up the kite to rock hard status and the wear in period won't be as noticeable (don't under-inflate, but just get enough air in their to keep the canopy stable).

I wasn't the one who made the comparaison, and if I was looking for a direct competitor to SB from Core - that would be the XR 4/5... That later - Imho - being a better kite in all regards - including the bar pressure.

The thing with bar pressure on SB-s has a lot to do with the rider's weight. A 100lbs IG-babe riding an 8m in 15knots might find the pressure perfectly normal, but a 200lbs rider who'd have to use a 12 or 14m in same conditions - very likely - will have a different experience. You could of course try to pull that "don't like to be pulled by your harness" horse-radish, but bar pressure is bar pressure no matter from what angle you're looking at it. Why bother altogether when there are better and more comfortable kites out there?

B.t.w. I'm not affiliated, nor I own a single piece of gear from Core, but I do try to test as much equipment as I can.

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby SamPolish » Sat Feb 17, 2018 1:48 am

I can only speak from own experience,
I own/owned 2016 sb in 7 and 9 m(damaged,unrepairable and my own fault), 2017 9m(sold), I also fly 2014 north dice, 2016pivot and 2017 gts4
We might have different experiences regarding bar pressure, different physical strengh too but if many of Us feel high bar pressure in some kites I guess that there is something in this.
My pivot is also hard on the bar and I dont like it, it does not change the fact that I do use it but only when Conditions are right for it.

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby mikelet » Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:34 am

I own 2018 switchblade 12m and had a few sessions on it . Being a big guy , i couldn't be happier with the performance of the kite IMHO it's an all terrain with good low end and fantastic gust managing and solid in higher winds ( wayyyy better than 3 struters....) , i am more focused on waveriding with Ozone Reos from 10m to 6m and wanted a bit more versatility from my 12m , that said i'm not into freestyle but i certanly enjoy some sessions of big air and old school here and there through the year...
I hardly disclaim on the heavy bar pressure of the SB ( light setting) , i find my REOs V3 to have more bar presure and usually get more tired of them . If anything and to be exact to the feelings IMHO i find the SB to need a harder input to initiation of the turn ( and i said INPUT on the bar, nothing to do with turning speed) than other kites, but something i can deal and get used with no problem, but again it has nothing to do with bar pressure ...i use mine with Cab bar + 2m extensions = 24m línes....

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby blacktip » Sat Feb 17, 2018 4:16 pm

I think there can be high barpressure on the SB and its a nuisance, but I would say its not the kite causing it, its an out of tune bar causing it. Well not entirely the bar to blame: I kind of like to see the third knot for the backlines removed from the kite.

I experience the bp light to medium. Fly all my Cab kites on the inner connection for increased feel and better profile angle (less backstall possible). On top of that I use a small bar to increase the riderinput for an overall better connection with the kite.

I ride waves, however I wouldnt necessarily limit myself to the Drifters, cause even after 16 years of kiting, the feel and flow of the SB puts a smile on my kiting heart everytime.

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby alexeyga » Sat Feb 17, 2018 5:09 pm

blacktip wrote:
Sat Feb 17, 2018 4:16 pm
... cause even after 16 years of kiting, the feel and flow of the SB puts a smile on my kiting heart everytime.
:rollgrin: Judging by your nickname, after 16 years of riding nothing but Cabs - you really need to get out of your bubble and try other stuff - just for the sake of it... At the very least if you won't enjoy other kites - it will come as a surprise that you don't need to steer your kite with a snow shovel for the bar... :thumb: :rollgrin:

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby Cab Driver » Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:10 pm

alexeyga wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 9:38 pm
Cab Driver wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:43 pm
alexeyga wrote:
Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:38 pm


Doesn't matter, Cores are a lot easier on one's arms, especially the GTS-es. SB has always been a phat elephant in that regard.
FYI, GTS <> Switchblade. These are totally different kites. When was he last time you rode a Switchblade, what year, what bridle mode? I work for Cabrinha and find that I have to put the kite in the high bar pressure mode. Our kites have gotten so light in the bar over the past 4 years that I ride ALL of them in the heavier setting.

You can't change physics. The kite pulls you through a combination of your arms and your harness. I personally don't like being pulled around by my harness. So I choose to use more of my arms. Even so, this is not like the feel of a 2008 Switchblade. All too often I see comments like this about Cabrinha's heavy bar pressure that are just false. The Switchblade does not have a lot of bar pressure - PERIOD. If anything, I am pushing to add more bar pressure in future designs to get to a happy medium.

Back to topic. The 2018 dacron will take 3 hours or so of riding in order to soften it up. It's super stiff right out of the bag. A trick I usually do is the first two sessions I don't pump up the kite to rock hard status and the wear in period won't be as noticeable (don't under-inflate, but just get enough air in their to keep the canopy stable).

I wasn't the one who made the comparaison, and if I was looking for a direct competitor to SB from Core - that would be the XR 4/5... That later - Imho - being a better kite in all regards - including the bar pressure.

The thing with bar pressure on SB-s has a lot to do with the rider's weight. A 100lbs IG-babe riding an 8m in 15knots might find the pressure perfectly normal, but a 200lbs rider who'd have to use a 12 or 14m in same conditions - very likely - will have a different experience. You could of course try to pull that "don't like to be pulled by your harness" horse-radish, but bar pressure is bar pressure no matter from what angle you're looking at it. Why bother altogether when there are better and more comfortable kites out there?

B.t.w. I'm not affiliated, nor I own a single piece of gear from Core, but I do try to test as much equipment as I can.
It sounds like you haven't flown the kite, so everything you wrote is nonsense. It's ridiculous that you would trash something you never rode. And, by the way, XR and SB only comparable for big air. Otherwise they are very different. SB is a mega-loop monster, rides unhooked, and is serviceable in the surf, whereas these are in general not in the XR wheelhouse. I'm not saying it's a bad kite. People should try before they buy, be careful reading reviews and other brand sponsored media, and make the decision on their own. There is a reason why the Switchblade is a crowd favorite. The bar pressure comments you make might be applicable from a decade ago, but not anymore. Please try the new kite. You will be shocked.

Lastly, about your "horse-radish" comment, you can't change physics. The kite has to pull from somewhere.

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby alexeyga » Thu Mar 01, 2018 10:50 pm

Cab Driver wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:10 pm

SB is a mega-loop monster, rides unhooked, and is serviceable in the surf
Have you just said that Cabrinha design team is a bunch of morons and they've been nothing but waisting their time with FX for nothing while the SB is doing the exact same thing? :lol: :thumb: Nice sales pitch!

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby Cab Driver » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:26 am

alexeyga wrote:
Thu Mar 01, 2018 10:50 pm
Cab Driver wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:10 pm

SB is a mega-loop monster, rides unhooked, and is serviceable in the surf
Have you just said that Cabrinha design team is a bunch of morons and they've been nothing but waisting their time with FX for nothing while the SB is doing the exact same thing? :lol: :thumb: Nice sales pitch!
No - that's what YOU said. This thread is about the Switchblade, not the FX. By the way, it's wasting, not waisting. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about any of the Cabrinha kites. Feel free to PM me.

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Re: 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade 10m Issue’s

Postby dudleyhayden » Fri Aug 24, 2018 5:42 pm

Hi I hope you can help me!!! I have a kite school and only ride Cabrinha! I have found the bar pressure on the 2018 kite and bar severely heavy. I was kiting with a mate the other day and jumped onto his 2017 10m SB and bar and it was way way way lighter feel. No I've also rode the 2017 SB on the 2018 bar and the bar pressure is still severe......my question is did Cabrinha Cabrinha make the little centre steel opening on the 2018 bars smaller than the 2017's?? Do you know if the 2019 bar pressure will be lighter? OR IS IT the stiffness of the 2018 SB frame that is influencing the bar pressure.....I always ride on the A settings on the wingtips as B is too much for me. I jump15-20m jumps. Any advice appreciated thanks. You can also email me direct on lessons@rushkitesurfing.com


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