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First take on the new Ozone Explore?

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jjbruck
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First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby jjbruck » Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:21 pm

Ozone just released their first single skin snowkite, the Explore:

https://ozonekites.com/products/land-sn ... xplore-v1/

I've always been intrigued by other single-skin kites like the Peak, but never ridden one. I'm curious what folks think about this new Ozone kite! What are the tradeoffs vs. their other beginner-intermediate snow/land kites like the Access? Of course chime in if you've already had the chance to ride one :)

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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby kitexpert » Wed Sep 26, 2018 7:44 pm

I like how it looks like, actually quite a lot like those I've made during last few years. Much more canopy curve and more "traditional" construction than what Peak has.

Compared to Access single skins produce less dynamic lift (which is needed for jumping) but they have more grunt and they fly in very low winds. Other single skin benefits are listed behind the link. Personally I like when you can use couple of kite size smaller single skin which allows quite fast and reactive feeling not having that foil kite slowing inertia.

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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby fernmanus » Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:35 am

I have been flying the FS Peak kites for years. In light or intermittent wind, the Peak easily out performs the Access. I have been flying my Peak 9 when other kiters with Access kites can’t get their kites in the air. It is true that the Peak. Is not a great jumper, but the Access is not great for jumping either.

I am curious to see how the Explore stacks up against the Peak 3.

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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby a99 » Thu Feb 06, 2020 8:08 pm

Any users reviews of Ozone exporer ? Comparission eith Peaks ?

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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby Matteo V » Thu Feb 06, 2020 10:36 pm

fernmanus wrote:
Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:35 am
I have been flying the FS Peak kites for years. In light or intermittent wind, the Peak easily out performs the Access. I have been flying my Peak 9 when other kiters with Access kites can’t get their kites in the air. It is true that the Peak. Is not a great jumper, but the Access is not great for jumping either.

I am curious to see how the Explore stacks up against the Peak 3.
AYKM??? What planet are you snowkiting on? I have 2010 ozone access as lender kites. I can jump, I can roll them, I can use them to get me up vertical faces. The freaking Peak 1 and 2 only busted up my shoulder trying to kiteloop back roll the maybe 9 or 6m in high winds. I even used the in 10 meter access to do some good distance Glides with the access. 6 meter was fine for getting me down Hills when I had very little experience of actually how to Glide. No Astroglide needed on the bottom of my board.

The peak, up until V3, was a crap shoot to jump. Now this V 4 comes out and everybody talks about its drift for down the line foil kitesurfing. So let's have an honest opinion of the stuff V4 on the snow?
Last edited by Matteo V on Thu Feb 06, 2020 10:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby Matteo V » Thu Feb 06, 2020 10:45 pm

a99 wrote:
Thu Feb 06, 2020 8:08 pm
Any users reviews of Ozone exporer ? Comparission eith Peaks ?
Come on, I asked this question a bit ago.

Ozone paragliders claim that single skin is bollocks. But then again, (FS), who was somewhat impotent in the past few years as actual competition, comes up with something that is superior, you might want to complain about it a bit.

So yes, single skin kite development (Grammy's go to flysurfer). Ozone, who needs to catch up, get second place, behind kiteexpert. All right, the math don't quite work out but k e gets 1st and a half place. So what you got ke?

tomtom
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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby tomtom » Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:44 am

Edit sorry this is off topic in Ozone Explore thread


So let's have an honest opinion of the stuff V4 on the snow?


Peak 4 is perfect exploring - A to B snowkite. Best i ever tried. Not very much for gliding. For gliding its best to have wind direct against hill face. You go downhill strait against wind with kite overhead and just pull up bar to glide. For this you need kite with little resistance for you to even go directly against wind /or steep slope/ I found that bigger Peaks needed to glide on my rather shallow slopes doesnt allow me to go fast enough downhill. Smaller peaks do - but they are too small to glide. For gliding you need big kite with low drag. That is not Peak but i suppose its not Explore nor access. This gliding is very different thing from jumping. 5m Peak is one size fit all valley to ridge kite. Kite up, pack ride down. You can loop yourself up in very low wind down and survive up cause you are on very small kite.

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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby B-Roc » Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:42 pm

I like how the Gin Shaman closes the cells on the wingtips to eliminate the flutter that was criticized so much in the early Peaks and seems like it will be a problem on the Explore as well based on Ozone's own video.
https://www.ginkites.com/shop/shaman-3/

FWIW, I don't own a Shaman so I'm basing this only on videos and I am a fan of their (early) snow kites.

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Re: First take on the new Ozone Explore?

Postby tomtom » Fri Feb 07, 2020 9:39 pm

Yea, closed cell on tips are important, Peak3 was horrible kite. I cannot imagine why ozone decided to go without when clear example was set that its much better with. I admit - I never tried Explore. But they looks and seams to behave like Peaks 3. Shaman is slower turner than Peak4.


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