Ocean Rodeo Flite Gen 6 (2018)

[SparD]

No official release yet but it seems some got their hands on them !

Found this video on the Hydrofoil Videos topic :



and these on the youtube channel :





I love the pink one !

Kitehume or anyone else who got their hands on the Gen 6 Flite, can you give us your impressions ? Compared with previous Gen ?

[Kitehume]

Yes I got the 14.5m and 10m 2018 Flites.
I weigh 67kg.

Replaced my 2016 14.5m flite and the 10m flite is new to me.

They now have black leading edges. White always looks dirty on the old flites.

My thoughts on the 2018 14.5m flite compared to the 2016 version.

The new flite 14.5 now has 2 pulleys in total compared to 6 on the 2016 version.
Weight has gone up 300 grams. 3400 to 3700 grams. It’s lost maybe some ultra low wind stability.
Bar pressure is slightly more.
Does not turn as fast. The 2016 was very easy to loop. And it changed direction quicker.
The 2018 is less sensitive on steering input.
Jumping seems bigger and longer on the 2018. I seem to find myself more down wind cause it jumps so big.
Relaunch is equal or slightly better than 2016.
So it feels like a different kite to my 2016 version. I feel I can progress with the new 14.5m. Learning some old school tricks. Like front rolls and board offs. Because the 2016 had very sensitive steering with fast loops. You always had be wary of giving to much steering input and end up looping it. Which was great for back roll kite loops. I can still do them on the new version, but requires a lot more bar input.
I will use it for foiling in 8-12 knots. And twin tip 10-20knts.

Now my thoughts on the 2018 10m flite.
Has only two pulleys too.
This is a new kite for me. I have used the prodigy 9.5m before.
The 10m Flite is So fast, in its steering and flight through the window. Love it. Reminds me of my old 2016 flite 14.5m. But on steroids. Very easy to loop. Nice and tight loops. Very agile.
It weighs 2930 grams. So not super light weight. Like some 1 strut kites. But good for a three strutter.
Gets me going on a foil from 12knts comfortably. Probably could get going from 10knts. And a Twin tip with light wind board from 15knts.
Relaunch can be tricky in light wind. Does reverse launch easy. And if you can pull the opposite centre line in it will make the relaunch very easy.

My foiling thoughts compared to the 9.5m prodigy.
You go faster on 10m flite. The prodigy has a fatter leading edge. So it’s top speed is not as fast.
Turns and loops faster. Easyer to get up on the foil in lighter wind.
The 10m flite seems to have more wind range. Looks like I will be able to use it from 10-18knts. For foiling.

Good winds to all.

[Kitehume]

Update on my thoughts on the 2018 14.5m flite.
Had a session using it with the ocean rodeo control bar. Sore a marked improvement in the steering.
Originally used my old ATB bar with so I could get a direct comparison between my 2016 flite.
The control bar has a lower Y than the ATB bar. So I think that is where the improvement in steering has come from.

[nothing2seehere]

Out of interest. Do you still need the line extension pigtails for the back lines for the new 2018?

[Greenturtle]

This is a significant bump up in weight. Too bad!

Im pretty sure everyone using these really appreciates the ultra light construction more than whatever (if any) durability is gained by adding it back on.

In my experience light and heavy kites alike get damaged when abused. But the light one flies the better.

[EastCC]

Out of interest. Do you still need the line extension pigtails for the back lines for the new 2018?

No line extensions needed.