2014 Cabrinha Switchblade Kite Review
2014 Cabrinha Switchblade Kite Review
by Steve Negen
Well, I was pretty stoked: I had the new kite in my hand and wind on the beach. Wind speed was varying from 12-18mph, the water was super choppy with 1-2 foot chop, and there was virtually no line anywhere I could find to avoid it. But it was warm and pretty windy, so who could say no?
First impression taking the kite out of the bag – this is definitely a Cabrinha kite. Everything felt clean and in place like all Cabrinha products. The bar looks almost exactly like a 2013. Even though there is a big change from IDS to 1X overdrive, you virtually won’t know it by looking at the bar. Even with the rigging the only difference is a shorter bridle in the center. I adjusted the bar out to the wide setting – super easy and a great length for a 14 meter kiteboarding kite. I have to say, I really liked the way it worked and how the bar started short; my concern lies in the possibility of sand jam down the road. Only time will tell. My guess is the guys who are careful won’t have many problems. If you throw your bar into the sand and don’t set the Overdrive Shift Handle pegs, you will most likely have a one size bar down the road. One big thing you will notice with top tier brands is the quality of the nylon used – Cabrinha has always used top end ripstop. High-quality nylon, like the 2DR that Cabrinha uses, will most definitely translate into longer kite life and a better flying kite.
Onto the water – like I said, super choppy – I rode for 90 minutes and was pretty tired from working my legs non-stop. I'm just point this out so that my review reflects the conditions – I never had a wave to go down or even a clean line to really try to load up the kite. I did tumble a couple of times when I wasn’t paying attention, so that gives you an idea of the chop.
The 2014 turning was on par with the 2013, but the '14 had more grunt. The combination was excellent. Props to Cabrinha for picking up some of that low end again! Bar pressure felt fairly comparable to 2013, but this was hard to tell with working my board and kite non-stop for the whole session. All in all, it was pretty much what I expected from the information Cabrinha put out. The 14 meter would be a bread and butter kite for riders in the 190-210lb range. I think the 12 will gather back some of those riders in the 160-190 range who were a bit under powered by the 2013 and used to the serious grunt of a 2012 Switchblade. This is a fantastic kite and will most likely be my main kite for 2014 at 205lbs.
As some of the local riders know I am famous for letting people borrow my kites to take for a test ride when I am done. It’s great – everyone thinks I'm a nice guy – but really I just prefer to let someone else put my kites away. Anyway, local rider John jumped on the new 2014 Cabrinha Switchblade for a downwinder with his daughter. He currently rides a 13 meter Crossbow and 10 meter Cabrinha Switchblade. He referenced how the kite 'flew like a Ferrari' compared to his 13, but didn’t have the same bottom end. So remember – size is only a number – actual low end power and speed can vary dramatically from kiteboarding kite to kite depending on shape and the goal of the designer.
Who should buy this kite? Any new rider will love the 2014 Cabrinha Switchblade. The bar system is about as easy as it gets, the setup is the best in the industry, and the range seemed super solid: I rode from 12-18 with very few times being underpowered and never being close to being overpowered.
I would give the new Switchblade a 9 out of 10 with the caveat that I didn’t try to water re-launch it. Great work Cabrinha Kites. Please send me that new Cabrinha Contra 17.