Kite suggestion req - bang for the buck air

[john a]

Eleveight RS sure impressed me with hangtime and playfulness. Still need to test the big sizes though, but felt fun in the small!

Do you know who sells these US? I don't see any pricing or weight info, otherwise it looks like it fits my requirements nicely.

Update: found some pricing info from one dealer... seems inline with the "reasonably" priced options. Hmmm.

No not really sure in the US, but the distributor have a Facebook page, maybe send them a message and ask for a dealer near you? Maybe even a demo? https://www.facebook.com/eleveightusa/?fref=ts

[KitingPolak]

No not really sure in the US, but the distributor have a Facebook page, maybe send them a message and ask for a dealer near you? Maybe even a demo? https://www.facebook.com/eleveightusa/?fref=ts

Yeah, I shot them a couple of emails.

I ended up ordering a 12m RRD Obsession; the price was very good and with the 3 struts hopefully it will be a bit lighter than the old 13.5m monster. I'll still be on the lookout for a 14.x something.

[KitingPolak]

If you can find a Roca in the size you want it will probably serve your needs very well. I find the Roca a little more direct/aggressive than the Pivot but lighter than the TS. Otherwise, the Eleveight RS is its spiritual successor.

The Naish Park is also good and should be pretty cheap if you can find one.

Sun,
Have you flown the 14m Eleveight RS and Pivot? If so, I'm curious how you'd compare them. Do you know which is lighter? It's ridiculously difficult to find weight information about kites... should be front and center along with the size IMO.

[Sun]

If you can find a Roca in the size you want it will probably serve your needs very well. I find the Roca a little more direct/aggressive than the Pivot but lighter than the TS. Otherwise, the Eleveight RS is its spiritual successor.

The Naish Park is also good and should be pretty cheap if you can find one.

Sun,
Have you flown the 14m Eleveight RS and Pivot? If so, I'm curious how you'd compare them. Do you know which is lighter? It's ridiculously difficult to find weight information about kites... should be front and center along with the size IMO.

I have not had the chance to fly the RS yet, so I will speak to my experience on the Roca V2 (2017, 10m) compared to my Pivot (2016, 6m). Both Naish and Best/Eleveight should do a decent job of scaling the feel of the kites such that the small models handle similar to the large models, but we know it can be quite different, so fair warning.

Speaking to performance, the Roca turns more on a wingtip than the Pivot. Nothing like the TS or a C kite, but I can literally loop the Pivot about the center strut, just twirling in the sky. The Roca likes to turn at about midpoint between the wingtip and the center strut. For me this feels like the Roca generates more power during the turns, but I cannot redirect it as fast as the Pivot. Range on both is great; I can sine the Pivot like crazy and get going in 20 MPH on my big board, and just park the Roca on the same board at 18 MPH. Timing for jumps is similarly forgiving, but the Roca is more floaty. In all, the Roca feels like a forgiving and detuned TS, where the Pivot feels like a more aggressive, less drifty, more well rounded Cabo.

Speaking to weight, I am afraid I have no clue. Looks like the RS has a variable number of battens per size, seemingly more on the larger kites. I believe the Pivots have no battens regardless of size. However, the Pivot seems to have more panels (more stitching) and uses heavier fabrics overall, so it may be a wash.

[KitingPolak]

I have not had the chance to fly the RS yet, so I will speak to my experience on the Roca V2 (2017, 10m) compared to my Pivot (2016, 6m). Both .....

Speaking to weight, I am afraid I have no clue. Looks like the RS has a variable number of battens per size, seemingly more on the larger kites. I believe the Pivots have no battens regardless of size. However, the Pivot seems to have more panels (more stitching) and uses heavier fabrics overall, so it may be a wash.

Thanks Sun, appreciate your feedback. I'm going to see how the pricing works out. Looks like the 2017 Pivots might be had at a pretty good discount since the 2018's are coming/have come out. If there's a large price difference between the two then I'll just let that settle it. I can always pick up the other brand in a 9 or 10m size later.

Peace!

[Bartolo]

If you can find a Roca in the size you want it will probably serve your needs very well. I find the Roca a little more direct/aggressive than the Pivot but lighter than the TS. Otherwise, the Eleveight RS is its spiritual successor.

The Naish Park is also good and should be pretty cheap if you can find one.

Eleveight RS sure impressed me with hangtime and playfulness. Still need to test the big sizes though, but felt fun in the small!

Hi John,
Could you elaborate a bit more about your experience with the Eleveight RS? What size did you use in what winds? What way did you use it, freestyle, boosting, loooping? I am looking to get some more feel for this kite.
Thanks!

[tegirinenashi]

... I will speak to my experience on the Roca V2 (2017, 10m) compared to my Pivot (2016, 6m)...
Speaking to performance, the Roca turns more on a wingtip than the Pivot...

Are you serious? (Comparing the two different brands in 6 m and 10 m sizes and discussing performance differences?)

[john a]

Hi John,
Could you elaborate a bit more about your experience with the Eleveight RS? What size did you use in what winds? What way did you use it, freestyle, boosting, loooping? I am looking to get some more feel for this kite.
Thanks!

I ride the FS mainly but have 8 and 12 RS also. A friend of mine have the 14 though but haven´t got the time to try it yet.
Used it for boosting, looping, free ride and boardoffs. I do prefer the FS for handlepasses as it slacks more. The RS is really playful. Better hang time. Has a better low end. Think the FS goes higher but the RS has more hang time. It is very precise. Light on the bar, very predictable. Normally I ride bigger kites on small bars, and prefer them slow normally, but even though the 8 was fast it was easy to control even though I dont ride small kites often. Big kites are playful! I love it for big air and boardoffs! It is a bit kinder than the FS, I was quite overpowered on the 8 one session, but still it feels so controllable and playful. Know the question was about the 14, but can write after I have tried later this month, or hear if some of the those guys can answer more on that size. I did have the rock I 14 (and two TS) also flew the 12 and smaller quite a bit, and judging on the difference on the RS to the Roca, the 14 should be super fun. It is better tuned for sure! Should be really great for big air and old school!

We have a guy over here who does all the tricks strapless freestyle, he really loves the RS. Say it is totally perfect for that type of riding also.
Here a short video teaser of him on the RS shot on drone:

https://www.facebook.com/kitebrothers/v ... 103192688/
https://www.facebook.com/kitebrothers/v ... 103192688/