2015 Cabrinha Switchblade Kite Review
2015 Cabrinha Switchblade Kite Review
by Steve Negen
Time to get up and go to work. Yes that means catching a plane, flying to the Bahamas and testing all the new 2015 Cabrinha, NP, Imagine Surf and JP Australia gear. You know the old saying - it a rough job but somebody has to do it. Sucks to be me.
Now back to the gear review.
The best has arrived! I have been riding Switchblades ( and lots of other kites too) since the original edition was produced back in 2006. 2015 is the best edition Cabrinha has made to date. Full low end power as you would expect from a Switchblade. The 2015 Switchblade has all of the lovely grunt on the bottom end that make a 10 meter feel like any other 12 meter. The flatter sail also gives you great drive upwind for those of us who don't want to work quite as hard to stay there. The massive on demand depower makes rigging the right sized kite simple - a 12 meter will cover most of you riding range.
Turning is just a bit smoother than 2014. The kite has little less pivot on the wing tips, which some riders won't like as much, but it is so perfectly smooth coming out of the turns. You know exactly where the kite is at all times. The kite is so simple to just park and ride, but will still get you down the line on a wave or boost you up to some fantastic heights.
Jumping was similar to last years Cabrinha Switchblade. Load up the kite, pop and up you go. The Switchblade jumps high, but not necessarily huge airs. It is relatively floaty once you are in the air, but again not the ultra floaty jumps of a Velocity. Easy to jump, great air time and it's always nice to know exactly where your kite is when landing. I don't ride unhooked much, so I can't give you an honest opinion on unhooking. Call Tucker or Nathan after August 1st for their low down on the unhooking.
There were no waves where we were riding, but I did point it down wind and go a few times. Decent drift and I suspect pretty similar to the 2014 Switchblade for waves. A good wave kite, but certainly not a specific wave kite like the Cabrinha Drifter.
The Switchblade is probably one of the best kites ever made for all types of riding. If you are new to the sport, this is the "can't miss" kite to buy. Easy to relaunch, massive depower, super-efficient upwind, the best build quality in the industry and a reworked bar that is now one of the easiest in the industry to reset.
I am super stoked for my new 2015 quiver. Normally I ride a 14 / 10 meter Switchblade combo. For 2015 I will be riding a 17 meter Cabrinha Contra and 12 meter Switchblade. At 210lbs this will cover my wind range for 10-30 mph. I haven't decided if I will add a 9 meter Switchblade or a 9 meter Drifter to complete the quiver. In Michigan when the wind start pumping above 25 we start seeing some really nice waves.
