Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Forum for kitesurfers
john251
Rare Poster
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:22 am
Style: Freeride
Gear: Best Kahoona 7.5, 9.5, 11.5
Best Spark 135
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby john251 » Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:38 am

I am replacing a quiver of Best Kahoona's, which were my first kites. I enjoy cruising, boosting and doing hooked in (so far) tricks. I ride a twin tip on a lake that has quite a bit of chop. Can anyone advise as to which of these kites they prefer or what the differences are between them? Cheers.

User avatar
dyyylan
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1754
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:45 pm
Gear: N/A
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby dyyylan » Tue Mar 31, 2015 2:48 pm

I own the Nitro 4 12m and have flown both the 2014 and 2015 TS in 12m, 10m, 9m.

They are very similar kites, just minor differences.

TS has slightly more grunt. You get more power by just sheeting in.

Nitro has more power in the turns. TS turns slightly more pivotally.

Nitro has more depower at the bar, and only one attachment point for rear lines. You get the full range of the kite without having to change knots (big plus, imo).

TS drifts slightly better, though both are heavy 5-strut kites so neither drift as well as a surf kite.

Nitro gets more immediate lift when jumping, but I think overall height and glide is similar.

Nitro sits closer to the edge of the window and can be pushed forward with your board edge, giving it almost endless top end. I've ridden the 12m in almost 30 mph (I weigh 145 lbs), it's insane.

TS sits a little bit deeper and gives more grunt when you're in the low end of the wind range. I think the actual low end is about the same, once you are used to both kites and know how to keep the nitro in the pocket so it stays powered up.

Both kites relaunch very well. TS might relaunch a little bit faster.

I feel like I can get better upwind angles on the nitro, though it's hard to tell with the currents we've been having recently. On a day with a mild current I can rip upwind on a twintip without even trying.

I like the overall feel of the Nitro better. No pullies on the bridles just give it a more direct feel.

TS is easier to fly for beginners. Nitro takes a little better technique to get the most out of it.

I like the Switch bar a lot more than the Best bar. It's adjustable so you only need 1, the lines don't stretch as much, the swivel on the chickenloop is easier to operate. The above the bar swivel is absolutely worthless.

Overall - both kites are very refined, you really can't go wrong with either of them. I went with the nitro mainly because of price, it's half the cost of the TS.

User avatar
randycasburn
Frequent Poster
Posts: 398
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:09 pm
Local Beach: Lee Side, Ft. Walton Beach, FL
Destin Pass
Beasley Park
Big Sabine
Favorite Beaches: Lee Side Park, Ft. Walton Beach
Beasley Park, Ft. Walton Beach
OBX Sound side
Kailua, Oahu
Kahanamoku Beach Honolulu, Oahu
Gear: Ocean Rodeo Flite 17
Ocean Rodeo Crave 12
Ocean Rodeo Crave 9
Ocean Rodeo Mako 150

Ocean Rodeo Origin Light 159
Ocean Rodeo Duke
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby randycasburn » Tue Mar 31, 2015 4:38 pm

dyyylan wrote:...
Wow. Nice dyyylan. Very informative.

Ref top swivel: So it doesn't work well - although it looks cool 8) Consider replacing it with the Wainman ceramic swivel. I replaced my OR swivel with one and I am very happy with the results. You can configure it to work as single or dual line release.

Faxie
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1468
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:39 pm
Local Beach: Netherlands. Maasvlakte, Slufter, Domburg, Brouwersdam, Ouddorp, Vrouwenpolder, Grevelingen.
Style: Freeride, freestyle, wave.
Gear: Crazyfly Hyper 2022 7-9-12, Infinity 2021 9, Raptor Extreme 2020, selfmade bar.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 121 times
Been thanked: 127 times

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby Faxie » Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:57 pm

For me the swivel does work well. Seems to differ from one person to another. Same as all the other flagout swivels.

User avatar
dyyylan
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1754
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:45 pm
Gear: N/A
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby dyyylan » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:36 pm

It kinda works, it's definitely not as reliable as something with a big bearing in it like the slingshot, LF, etc though. Not a huge issue because the swivel at the chicken loop is large and easy to turn. A lot easier to turn than the best one, which is quite small and difficult to turn.

john251
Rare Poster
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:22 am
Style: Freeride
Gear: Best Kahoona 7.5, 9.5, 11.5
Best Spark 135
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby john251 » Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:14 am

Thanks for the detailed response. I think you covered everything! If the swivel on the Switch bar is no worse than the one on the Best bar I should be fine, as I've been getting by with that one. Very tempted to pull the trigger on the Nitro now.

naishdude
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 968
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:14 am
Local Beach: Holland
Spain
Danemark
France
Favorite Beaches: everywhere at the seaside, where it is allowed to kite
Style: cruising& wave
Gear: Airush Sector 54 V5, Cypher5'8 active, compact 5'6, Compact5'5 active, Limit Waves custom 5'6
Ozone reo V5 12 9 7 5
Brand Affiliation: none
Location: outer space
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby naishdude » Wed Apr 01, 2015 10:35 am

john251 wrote:Thanks for the detailed response. I think you covered everything! If the swivel on the Switch bar is no worse than the one on the Best bar I should be fine, as I've been getting by with that one. Very tempted to pull the trigger on the Nitro now.
do not hesitate, I fly the Switchkites from their startup, I spend more time on thge beach than most weekend kiters as I am retired, I can kite every day as I live at the beach for 7 months a year.
even in the wintertime we put in some sessions.
I have Methods V2 with V2 controllerbar, sizes 11/9/7/5m
just a couple of weeks ago I crashed my 5 m, and had a tiny leak next to the main valve, I made some pics and sent them to Switch kiteboards, asking them if I could repair this and the best way to do so, next day got an email back that they would send me a new bladder at no cost...
I was amazed, in my whole kiting history, I never had one brand responding and helping me out like that !
The 5m was one of the first V2's to come out! so there was no regular warranty anymore on it, secondly I crashed the kite, which I wrote...well DOne SWITHKITES!!

so do not worry!
hit the button :thumb:
dude :cool2:

taiguy
Medium Poster
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:13 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 20 times
Been thanked: 37 times

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby taiguy » Wed Apr 01, 2015 9:13 pm

dyyylan wrote:...
Just wanted to say that was a well done comparison.

john251
Rare Poster
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:22 am
Style: Freeride
Gear: Best Kahoona 7.5, 9.5, 11.5
Best Spark 135
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby john251 » Thu Apr 02, 2015 6:23 am

Do you know if there would be any issue using the Nitro on a 2012 Best redline bar?

User avatar
dyyylan
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1754
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:45 pm
Gear: N/A
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Switch Nitro4 or Best TS 2014

Postby dyyylan » Thu Apr 02, 2015 2:20 pm

john251 wrote:Do you know if there would be any issue using the Nitro on a 2012 Best redline bar?
It should fly fine, but it won't flag out 100%. I think the oldest best bar that uses a single-line flag out (like the new Nitros) is the 2013


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Baidu [Spider], Brent NKB, Google [Bot], suisd12, Vivo3d and 359 guests