Ozone 07/ big quality issues :(

[nEcKeL]

I'm using my ozones instinct sport 07 (9 and 13m2) for a bit less than a season, and what i can say is that i am very disappointed with the conctruction quality of the stuff...

I am no sponsored or radical rider so this could apply to any of us...

Although a lot of positive things have been said and written about quality of ozone kites (on kiteforum for ex) , i objectively cannot agree with that.

I have been kiting for 8 seasons and i never sailed such fragile kites and had so many problems with my kites.

I've mainly been kiting with my 9 (75% of 30/35 sessions)

Here are the different problems i had :

A part of the stitching of the leading edge of my 9 had to be restichted after only 4 months (fell under the guarantee)

Pumps are both broken (one even at first use)

Still on my nine, the part that holds the valve together with the cap has broken (never happened to any of my kites before although they were used for more 2 or 3 seasons) and the fabric is starting to tear appart at the stitches on 5 cm on the leading edge, making a nice blister on the leading edge

After these both last things happened (after my last session of last season) the kite was brought to my dealer who brought it himself to the importer here in holland.

He came back from there with one brand new pump and telling me that the problem with the valve is my fault (!!!) and the leading edge problem is not a problem.....so nothing can and will be done about it

I haven't used my 9 since then, but i foresee (i'm a material engineer) that the leading edge will soon explode because it is fragilized on this one point.

I am not an isolated case since nne of my mates also had big problems with exploded struts on his instinct edge

Otherwise i'm really happy with flying the kites, they're great in any other aspect, i was so happy with them in the beginning that 4 of my friends bought each 1 or 2 ozones on my advice (sic!!!)

when i bought them, I had planned to resell them and go again with the new 08 models....

Since i had all these pbs things have changed, i will sell my quiver although i don't think anyone will take any risk to buy my 9.... ( i would not) and go for anther brand, even if ti will bring more hassle with testing and enquiring....

That was it, just wanted to share my point of view, if you have any comments, please react

Nico

[marlboroughman]

So you get a new pump and a restitch job on the leading edge under warranty. Right? The plastic connecting the valve cup broke. This is somehow Ozone fault? What is the big deal anyway? If you can't live with it buy a new bladder. My understanding is that the other thing is that the reinforcement patch is coming off? Happened to me due to the fact I self launch a lot both summer and winter so this thing will fray from friction. I do not blame anybody just put the sticky patch over it. I can take that 9m of yours and put another 100 sessions on it no problem. I've seen people putting 100 sessions on these kites and going through two bars. Things you describe are nothing. Two things piss me off about Ozone though: One is the controls being the way they are different from everything else. Second is that in order to get a deal on it you have to buy from US. So US currency is weak but buys a lot more Ozone? I just do not get it.

[waynepjh]

I have beat the crap out of my ozone self-launching on rough sand and had to send it away
to get fixed. My problem was the attachment points had some wear on them so I had them replaced with stronger webbing so I would not have any failures. The most damage though is from my friends throwing boards or duffel bags on my kite and putting holes in it! You have to be very careful with kites they are all fragile and could tear or pop from the tiniest of protrusions. It sucks that you could by a expensive kite and the first time you fly it and the thing blows up when self-landing, seen it happen. ALL KITES ARE FRAGILE!

[tungsten222]

Original message expired.

[panchito]

Well...... i must admit up this point my 06 Instincts ( when i sold them ) used to be in perfect conditions including my 11m with more than 100 sessions on it ...

Some how my Edges dosen´t look so good after a full season ( i´ve got 3 of them + a 5m light ) ... not really much to complain about but i have lots of small holes ( 1-2 mm ) on all my kites and since i self launch and land quite a bit i am really missing some more protection on the front part ( LE - canopy ) .

My bar is working fine after i removed the F&%$·"" back line trimmers , and Ozone pumps are one piece of S**** although the 07 ones lasted a couple of months more than the 06 which some of them didn´t even last one single session.

Overall i would say that the quality is ok.

Saludos

Franz

[marlboroughman]

Some are less fragile then others. I would say Ozone is one of them. If this thread was started to hurt Ozone because some stitching came off after self launching it is just silly. Ozone is hurting themselves by it's own stupidity. One thing is not understanding that they have a niche of the market and it is the people that actually like the fifth line and not offering an optional fifth line flag but it is quite something else when they offer different price in Europe then US. They think those EU shops will want to carry Ozone after being shafted like that. I do not know, Ozone is making so many mistakes they might end up like Wipika, nice kites zero interest.

[waynepjh]

I think that kites are fragile. imo
The analogy I use is this, people say certain skis are crap because they hit a rock and blew out an edge. There are times you hit a rock really hard and nothing happens does that make that ski better or was it a rock that had no sharp points on it. I have had many differen't kites and they all are fragile and can be torn by the smallest point!.IMO its only nylon not steel!

[panchito]

Some are less fragile then others. I would say Ozone is one of them. If this thread was started to hurt Ozone because some stitching came off after self launching it is just silly. Ozone is hurting themselves by it's own stupidity. One thing is not understanding that they have a niche of the market and it is the people that actually like the fifth line and not offering an optional fifth line flag i´m not by any means a kite tech guy but i can tell you from first hand ( i´m probably one of the very few people who has actually " flied " a 5th line Instinct ) that the system is hard on develop , to explain you why it hasen´t achieved the results to be included on the kites would take too long but to think that is " just " a simple mod you are wrong otherwise you and many others out there would come long time ago with a solution and beside of complaining i don´t see any contribuition from your side , also this year i am not longer involved in this project since it is ( if you believe it ) a really time consuming work and the little free time i have i prefer to kite instead of spending countless hours at the beach testing but it is quite something else when they offer different price in Europe then US.what about a North Rhino 12 for € 1780.- ( $ 2,700.- ) or a Best Waroo 11 for € 1.190.- ( $ 1.860.- ) and those kites are sold like hot potatos, just to name you a few , also my new Apple Macbook cost me € 999.- ( $1.600 ) and at the Apple store in your country you pay $ 999.- so for $ 1.600.- i could get a macbook pro ..... yes i know life is s*** They think those EU shops will want to carry Ozone after being shafted like that. I do not know, yes you don´t know Ozone is making so many mistakes they might end up like Wipika, nice kites zero interest.actually to my surprise Ozone kites are selling really good .... at least here in Tarifa , last weekend i saw several " green " Ozones ,looks like it will be " the 08 color of choice " and many guys are telling me that the new Sport is da kite, great depower , C kite feeling , excellent for unhooked tricks , in general much better than last years kites .

By the way ..... the new 08 bar has 30 cm shorter leader lines .... did you noticed ? as long as i remember it was one of you " mayor " complains and not forgetting a swivel at the CL , and of course the depower strap is also lower positioned .... looks like the Ozone guys do listen to customers ?

I just hope that their 08 pumps last longer than a few sessions ..... maybe i´m also luck and they listen to my complains .....

[marlboroughman]

I've been riding Ozone with fifth line flag for three months in the snow flagging it after every session and it works like a charm. Buddy of mine keeps flying with those idiotic anti inverts lines and he is bugging me every five minutes to take them of the wing since they never stop going over it. My Ozone guy is very upset about US prices and telling us to order there. He doesn't give a shit about Ozone anymore.

[panchito]

I've been riding Ozone with fifth line flag for three months in the snow flagging it after every session and it works like a charm. Buddy of mine keeps flying with those idiotic anti inverts lines and he is bugging me every five minutes to take them of the wing since they never stop going over it. My Ozone guy is very upset about US prices and telling us to order there. He doesn't give a shit about Ozone anymore.

Uh .. i see .... so without the anti invert lines ?.... ok ... what about this : try your set up on strong gusty winds in the water and tell me how it works , and don´t forget to add some nice waves in between .

That was our first option back then .... and we almost lost the kite ( teared in half ) on the first try luckily i released the CL on time otherwise .....

All protos we tried on land did work like a charm .... but then on the water it was another story

So you think that your mod is bomb proof ? then prove it

You don´t like the anti invert lines ? well most people i know they actually do like them.