Kite for Beginner Switchblade or Reach

[Lagam]

Hi,

I started learning kitesurfing end last summer. Started learning water starts just before kite session ended. I want to progress this summer with my own kite. I got the same offer for a set of 9m and 12m Cabrinha Switchblade and North Reach from a dealer far from my home. I can't go and test them. I've really no idea which to choose. Both are 2021 models.
What I get thru googling is that SB has proven itself for a decade but is kinda outdated. Will certainly make me happy as a beginner. But not sure what is going to happen as I progress compared to North.
I liked the idea of light bar pressure with Norh Reach. However; I don't know how different compared to SB. I guess reach is a more state of the art design but not sure what difference it makes. It sounds like reach will make me more happy if I became an intermediate rider as it is more responsive(google rumors). Will it be difficult to learn with Reach then?

Any help is apricated.

[Herman]

Beginners tend to worry too much about gear.

Imho it would be wrong to think of the SB as outdated. Neither kite will impinge on your progress. You are not likely to appreciate the subtle differences until you are riding competently in a specific style. I suspect you would be happy with either kite.

A general thought ~ big powerful type who wants to jump go with 5 strut kite.

~ more interested in light feel and wave riding go 3 strut kite.

Initially stay away from high aspect kites as harder to relaunch etc.

[unnuhi]

I think you can’t go wrong with the SB. I love them especially in gusty winds. Wind range is amazing.

[Matteo V]

What Herman said!

[Sun]

Also agree with Herman. Both a great kites. Reach will probably work better in lighter wind, since the 12 Reach will be lighter than the 12 SB, but the 9 SB will have better top end especially if you are 200 lbs or more.

[iriejohn]

I have had much older Switchblades (over 10 years ago) and I don't have nor have ever flown North Reach kites. But I have friends who have North Reach V2's (2021) and I can see that (as they say) they do fly really well. If I didn't have Ozone Enduro V2 7/9/12m I would definitely have Reach V2 7/9/12m. A very nice all-round kite.

[Lagam]

Thanks all for the great comments. I’ve decided to buy Reach.

Any recommendation with the bar size for using with 9m and 12m kites? Navigator control bar 45-50cm and 50-55cm are the two options.

North recommends 50cm(8 to 10m)-55cm(12m+) for freeride as seen on the attached picture. Seller thinks 50-55cm will be too big for a 9m kite and suggests 45-50cm. However, it looks like I’ll have to use 50cm configuration for both 9m and 12m even if I buy 45-50cm option. So no use of 45cm configuration?

Still sounds like 50-55cm is reasonable per North’s recommendation.50cm for 9m and 55cm for 12m. Seller really confused me. What do you guys suggest?

[Kitemenn]

Thanks all for the great comments. I’ve decided to buy Reach.

Any recommendation with the bar size for using with 9m and 12m kites? Navigator control bar 45-50cm and 50-55cm are the two options.

North recommends 50cm(8 to 10m)-55cm(12m+) for freeride as seen on the attached picture. Seller thinks 50-55cm will be too big for a 9m kite and suggests 45-50cm. However, it looks like I’ll have to use 50cm configuration for both 9m and 12m even if I buy 45-50cm option. So no use of 45cm configuration?

Still sounds like 50-55cm is reasonable per North’s recommendation.50cm for 9m and 55cm for 12m. Seller really confused me. What do you guys suggest?

You can pick any...you will see you will set it to the 50cm setting and never change again...

So maybe best to take the smaller one so if you need you can make him smaller! Big is only really nice for really big kites in my opinion

[iriejohn]

You can pick any...you will see you will set it to the 50cm setting and never change again...

So maybe best to take the smaller one so if you need you can make him smaller! Big is only really nice for really big kites in my opinion

This ^^^

[Herman]

Good luck with your purchase …. If you think how you might extend your quiver, if next is a 17 get the bigger bar, if next is a 6m get the smaller bar. When you start just fly both 9 and 12 on the 50cm and leave it there until you are competent. Arguably all kites can be flown on all bars with the right technique.