Switch Kites thoughts?

[switchkites]

Since Switch is a customer-direct brand, our product development team works hard to make improvements based on customer feedback. Here is a recent report from a rider demoing the new Element3 series. The complete thread is on our forum.
Cheers!

Jerome
I actually have the Element 3s that Rick got. I am demoing them. Yesterday I was on the 9M and the wind just stared to blow huge half way through my session at Roosevelt, most of the other Kiters went in to get smaller kites. I just pulled the depower line and enjoyed the bigger swells. The point being this kite absorbs gusts better than any kite have ever flown, and depowers amazingly. Thus the wind range is far bigger than most kites, as I said most of the other Kiters went in for 7M kites, I could stay out on the 9 M NO problem.

I am a fairly new Kiter but had similar experiences as you on the Nitro 2 and also on Liqid Force Envys. I too dreaded the gusty Gorge. Not anymore, now I say bring it on, with the Element 3.

[bigcane]

My 2 cents. I own a 7m E2, 9m M2 and 12m N3 as well as kites from some other brands. Been kiting since around 2000 and not related to Switch in any way. They build a high quality kite and i think almost everyone can find a kite that suits their style from Switch. Both the method2 and nitro3 have huge windrange as they have a flatter profile. The element2 has a thicker profile, more C shape and a lower aspect ratio and therefore sits further back in the window so it turns really tightly and is fun for allround TT riding, waves and freestyle but consequently has a lower windrange at the top end than the method2 and nitro3. Kite design is a compromise so you need pick the design features that match what you want out of a kite, one kite is not going to do everything well no matter what the hype says. Personally i like less grunty kites that fly more forward in the window so i prefer the method and the nitro. The nitro3 is one of the biggest boosting kites i have ever owned, huge depower, great upwind angle, nice bar pressure and easy relaunch. A very refined design. Have not tried the E3 s yet.

[woodfu]

I dont know about any of the other models but the i have tried the Method 2. Impressions were that it has so much bar pressure that i couldn't get an impression of the kite at all. I honestly dont have the arms required to steer it and be able to get a feel for it without fighting with the bar to get the kite to turn.

Construction seems very hard. Certainly gives the impression of durability. Bar is also very hard. No padding at all and quite rough on the hands. Not for me.

The chicken loop like ALL the big plasticky chicken loops that companies are using at the moment feels dodgy and seems to jam easily. I was given a demo setup on suicide and wanted to change it to flag out but couldn't get the CL to release easily as it was full of sand... not confidence inspiring.

I must say though that being able to easily order reasonably price kite parts from their website is a god send and the service is good. Don't to know of any other companies that have that accessibility. Certainly not like Naish that seem to have a policy of ignoring anyone who contacts any level of their supply chain and making it pretty much impossible to get any parts without buying an entire new setup.

Keep that up and let me design you a better bar and CL so i can order some...

[NYKiter]

[Faxie]

I dont know about any of the other models but the i have tried the Method 2. Impressions were that it has so much bar pressure that i couldn't get an impression of the kite at all. I honestly dont have the arms required to steer it and be able to get a feel for it without fighting with the bar to get the kite to turn.

Construction seems very hard. Certainly gives the impression of durability. Bar is also very hard. No padding at all and quite rough on the hands. Not for me.

The chicken loop like ALL the big plasticky chicken loops that companies are using at the moment feels dodgy and seems to jam easily. I was given a demo setup on suicide and wanted to change it to flag out but couldn't get the CL to release easily as it was full of sand... not confidence inspiring.

I must say though that being able to easily order reasonably price kite parts from their website is a god send and the service is good. Don't to know of any other companies that have that accessibility. Certainly not like Naish that seem to have a policy of ignoring anyone who contacts any level of their supply chain and making it pretty much impossible to get any parts without buying an entire new setup.

Keep that up and let me design you a better bar and CL so i can order some...

Haven't flown the Method2, but it has lower bar pressure than the Method1, and I didn't even mind the pressure on that one really. But a lot of people apparently did... The only other option is no pressure at all I think. Why would you want that? I don't see a lot of people complaining about the V2 bar pressure, so I think you're one of the few and it probably won't really be an issue for the topic starter. It's not that much different from a lot of other kites. I would say it's just medium pressure.

Bar grip is personal preference... I, for one, like a harder more direct feeling bar (isn't even that hard if you ask me... ) over a spongy bar (I hate the Ozone grip for instance). I'm not looking to cuddle my bar.

-Every- QR can get jammed with sand if you don't rinse them once in a while, even the 'impossible to jam' good old F-One velcro release. I had a hard time pulling that one once. Unjammable my ass.

I think the release system is one of the better ones. Release grip - hinge - CL. That's it..(Epic and Best release are even more simpler I think, but those grips can jam as well) Plenty of companies are using that type of release.

[woodfu]

I dont know about any of the other models but the i have tried the Method 2. Impressions were that it has so much bar pressure that i couldn't get an impression of the kite at all. I honestly dont have the arms required to steer it and be able to get a feel for it without fighting with the bar to get the kite to turn.

Construction seems very hard. Certainly gives the impression of durability. Bar is also very hard. No padding at all and quite rough on the hands. Not for me.

The chicken loop like ALL the big plasticky chicken loops that companies are using at the moment feels dodgy and seems to jam easily. I was given a demo setup on suicide and wanted to change it to flag out but couldn't get the CL to release easily as it was full of sand... not confidence inspiring.

I must say though that being able to easily order reasonably priced kite parts from their website is a god send and the service is good. Don't to know of any other companies that have that accessibility. Certainly not like Naish that seem to have a policy of ignoring anyone who contacts any level of their supply chain and making it pretty much impossible to get any parts without buying an entire new setup.

Keep that up and let me design you a better bar and CL so i can order some Switch...

Haven't flown the Method2, but it has lower bar pressure than the Method1, and I didn't even mind the pressure on that one really. But a lot of people apparently did... The only other option is no pressure at all I think. Why would you want that? I don't see a lot of people complaining about the V2 bar pressure, so I think you're one of the few and it probably won't really be an issue for the topic starter. It's not that much different from a lot of other kites. I would say it's just medium pressure.

Bar grip is personal preference... I, for one, like a harder more direct feeling bar (isn't even that hard if you ask me... ) over a spongy bar (I hate the Ozone grip for instance). I'm not looking to cuddle my bar.

-Every- QR can get jammed with sand if you don't rinse them once in a while, even the 'impossible to jam' good old F-One velcro release. I had a hard time pulling that one once. Unjammable my ass.

I think the release system is one of the better ones. Release grip - hinge - CL. That's it..(Epic and Best release are even more simpler I think, but those grips can jam as well) Plenty of companies are using that type of release.

You must have arms like a Mr Universe and hands like a stone mason. Do you have trouble gripping things without crushing them? Do cats run away when you pat them?

You should cuddle your bars once in a while. They get lonely being left in storage closets, garages and sheds when they're only taken out to get yanked on a few times a week.

Its all perception bro. And no the next step is not no bar pressure. There is quite a few steps in between the Methods bar pressure and the original GK Sonic which was the lightest kite on the bar that i ever tried and really seemed to have no bar pressure.

And you're right about QR's jamming. Though im yet to experience any of my Naish QR's Jamming ever. From 2006 on ive not had one fail to release when i've needed it. Though i wash my gear after i use it.

The new style QRs that Best, North (had late models from both of these companies be crunchy and difficult on me as well), Switch etc are using are a poor design imo. They have some good points like a central mini fifth and the piece that keeps the bar away so you can use the release where ever the bar is but the over all the design (the point of a CL is to be able to release) is a complete failure imo.

Still at least we've moved on from pin releases...

[woodfu]

Just thinking wasn't it GK that introduced that big plasticy style of release and wasn't there a bit of controversy about them jamming up? I seem to remember a video..

[Westozzy]

I have used the north CL for years and the similarly designed switch one. Nothing wrong with them at all. They do the job just fine.

[Faxie]

I dont know about any of the other models but the i have tried the Method 2. Impressions were that it has so much bar pressure that i couldn't get an impression of the kite at all. I honestly dont have the arms required to steer it and be able to get a feel for it without fighting with the bar to get the kite to turn.

Construction seems very hard. Certainly gives the impression of durability. Bar is also very hard. No padding at all and quite rough on the hands. Not for me.

The chicken loop like ALL the big plasticky chicken loops that companies are using at the moment feels dodgy and seems to jam easily. I was given a demo setup on suicide and wanted to change it to flag out but couldn't get the CL to release easily as it was full of sand... not confidence inspiring.

I must say though that being able to easily order reasonably priced kite parts from their website is a god send and the service is good. Don't to know of any other companies that have that accessibility. Certainly not like Naish that seem to have a policy of ignoring anyone who contacts any level of their supply chain and making it pretty much impossible to get any parts without buying an entire new setup.

Keep that up and let me design you a better bar and CL so i can order some Switch...

Haven't flown the Method2, but it has lower bar pressure than the Method1, and I didn't even mind the pressure on that one really. But a lot of people apparently did... The only other option is no pressure at all I think. Why would you want that? I don't see a lot of people complaining about the V2 bar pressure, so I think you're one of the few and it probably won't really be an issue for the topic starter. It's not that much different from a lot of other kites. I would say it's just medium pressure.

Bar grip is personal preference... I, for one, like a harder more direct feeling bar (isn't even that hard if you ask me... ) over a spongy bar (I hate the Ozone grip for instance). I'm not looking to cuddle my bar.

-Every- QR can get jammed with sand if you don't rinse them once in a while, even the 'impossible to jam' good old F-One velcro release. I had a hard time pulling that one once. Unjammable my ass.

I think the release system is one of the better ones. Release grip - hinge - CL. That's it..(Epic and Best release are even more simpler I think, but those grips can jam as well) Plenty of companies are using that type of release.

You must have arms like a Mr Universe and hands like a stone mason. Do you have trouble gripping things without crushing them? Do cats run away when you pat them?

You should cuddle your bars once in a while. They get lonely being left in storage closets, garages and sheds when they're only taken out to get yanked on a few times a week.

Its all perception bro. And no the next step is not no bar pressure. There is quite a few steps in between the Methods bar pressure and the original GK Sonic which was the lightest kite on the bar that i ever tried and really seemed to have no bar pressure.

And you're right about QR's jamming. Though im yet to experience any of my Naish QR's Jamming ever. From 2006 on ive not had one fail to release when i've needed it. Though i wash my gear after i use it.

The new style QRs that Best, North (had late models from both of these companies be crunchy and difficult on me as well), Switch etc are using are a poor design imo. They have some good points like a central mini fifth and the piece that keeps the bar away so you can use the release where ever the bar is but the over all the design (the point of a CL is to be able to release) is a complete failure imo.

Still at least we've moved on from pin releases...

My arms are average

Are you shure you didn't flew a V1? Because people were complaining about that one, and not really about the V2.

And the Naish release is almost the same... gets jammed as well over time without rinsing

[Kamikuza]

Switch posted a Nitro3 14m to our house in NZ while we were over in Feb/March for summer hols. Had the kite for about 2 weeks...

The weather didn't really cooperate... it was either full-on 10m weather or light wind. Being a lazy bastard, I never got around to comparing it against my 2011 Xbow 13m (or even the 10m ) but did play with it against my Flite 17.5 a couple of times...

Was pretty impressed with the wind range - it went in light wind almost as well as the Flite, making up for outright grunt with ease and speed of working the sine; bar pressure was more pleasant too. Took it out accidentally in high wind - other guys were well-powered on 10m kites and although the Nitro3 was a bit twitchy, it wasn't brutal - I still had a fun boosting session.

Easy kite to ride; does everything very nicely... probably more performance could be accessed by a more aggressive - or better - rider. Relaunch, self-launch and -landing are dead simple, even in light wind. Even reverse launched without issue. New bar is the shiznit too - love the rubber coating.