2012 Cabrinha Switchblade Kite Review
First Soggy Impressions on the Cabrinha Switchblade
A Review by Steve Negen
So I got a chance to jump on the new 2012 Switchblade 12 meter today. My low-life employees stole the kite (that I stole from the local team rider Brad) and headed to the beach. I showed up after Jake had taken it for a spin and he was out on the water so I grabbed the 2011 Convert 11 meter the boys had been flying.
Did I mention that it was raining? Misty and then rainy - not real pretty out, but it was pretty windy at about 13-20 up and down. Great day for photos and getting a feel for a new kite - not.
Anyway, I rode the Cabrinha Convert for 1/2 hour and then jumped on the new Cabrinha 2012 Switchblade. More Power! Switchblades definitely have that extra little grunt with the more pronounced bow shape. The bow shape of both the Crossbow and Switchblade also help you drive upwind better which was nice since it was almost straight onshore. By the time I started riding the kite was seriously soggy. I would guess it had tripled in weight so it was a bit hard to judge overall performance. It felt very similar to my 2011 Switchblade which I enjoy immensely.
I liked the looks of the new Quicklink depower system - very neat and clean. The new depower strap seems well-placed and was super easy to hook up to. I have to say I did not play with blowing the depower system since it was raining and I am a wimp. The complete bar spin seems to be dialed and I suspect it is a very good upgrade.
We will post more when we get a better day to play with the kite more. On a last note it is really interesting to watch a kite fall out of the sky after a jump because it is so wet. Jeff sent a nice jump, moved the kite down and forward and it fell like a stone.
Less rain and better wind will make for more complete analysis.
2nd joy ride with the new 2012 Cabrinha Switchblade 12 meter
A Review by Steve Negen
Jake and I hit the beach thinking the wind was at 15 plus. No... the water was glassy and the wind was light at about 10. Lake Michigan kiteboarding can sometimes make you crazy when you are set on a ride. Jake pumped up the 14 meter North Rebel and I had the 2012 Switchblade. Lucky for me I had an Aggression Super Phatty kiteboard as my secret weapon. I have about 30 pounds on Jake.
I jumped in the water knowing the walk of shame was coming. But hey, it's all about time on the water. I planed out with no problem so the wind must have been pushing 12, and I took a long tack out hoping it would fill in on the outside. With the long tack in came the kiteboarding walk back up wind. Ah, but hope flickered in front of me when I saw the wind line on the water. Sure enough, it filled in to 14-15.
At 200lbs, with a 12 meter Switchblade and a Super Phatty kiteboard, I was pleasantly powered and staying upwind even in 1-2 foot chop. The new 2012 Switchblade is fairly close to the 2011. It seems to be a bit quicker and have a little bit more bottom end. But honestly it is hard to say how much different it is. I know I was supposed to look at what settings my kiteboarding kite was rigged with, but I have been riding Cabrinha Switchblades a long time and they have only had one setting so I didn't fiddle with the new choices - next time. I promise.
The kite is super clean as all Cabrinhas are. All the lines match up perfectly with no problems hooking things up. The new fabric is really quite stunning. I would say it's my favorite look in a kiteboarding fabric to date. The new Teal / Orange (Miami Dolphin colors) rocks. Not crazy, but really fun for a color pattern. The bar and lines are standard Cabrinha issue except for the new Quicklink IDS harness loop which is the best harness loop to date for Cabrinha and probably everyone else as well. I went out and rode for a while and had too many twists because I have a tendency to back roll one way to much. I simply reached down and turned the harness loop right at my Dakine Fusion harness and spun them out. I was super stoked and kept playing with this feature often. One drawback that I noticed was when I had spun the center lines completely clean I had a slight bar vibration. If you get a new 2012 Cabrinha with Quicklink IDS harness loop keep a 1/2 spin or more in the lines and the vibration of the lines bumping will go away.
I was careful not to drop the kite much since it was light wind and the water was cool and I didn't have a wetsuit on. But the couple of times I did water relaunch was standard Cabrinha. Fast and simple.
I had a nice lull on a jump and the kite folded in a round ball and I was quite sure life was going to get interesting with a bit of a tangle on the water. But I pushed my bar out, the 2012 Switchblade straightened itself out and did a perfect hot launch about 4 feet above the water. The amazing depower allowed me to move directly into my body drag and get my Aggression kiteboard back in one tack. That's why I love my Cabrinhas.
So the big question for many will be is it worth upgrading? In terms of just the kite, I can't say it is enough of a change that this would be a great upgrade. Similar and very close in performance. In terms of the new Quicklink IDS harness Loop, this is a real winner. If you are riding a 2010 Cabrinha without the Recoil Spring and the new Quicklink harness loop, you would be in for quite a treat.
One thing I have found about Cabrinha is that they spend their time and energy fixing the problem areas of a kite, not trying to reinvent a successful kite. With the new totally dialed bar system, they are really going to have their work cut out for them in 2013.
Who should be riding the Switchblade? About 90% of the riding public can use a Switchblade. It certainly is plenty user friendly for a beginner and if you are not out trying to win the world championship in freestyle or get inside a barrel, there really isn't much this kite won't do for you. If you are a newer rider, other kites you might consider would be the Cabrinha Convert (a little better price), the North Rebel ( another kiteboarding kite that has been super tweaked over the years) or Liquid Force Envy for the price point buyer.
See you on the water.
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