Blade Trigger (2012)

Ive been on north vegas kites for years , but tried my friends new trigger as i am looking to change this year. I was very impressed to say the least. I much prefered them to my 2009 North Vegas kites and the price is a little cheaper than most brands. Ive only tried the 2012 F-ones to compare but so far preferred the blades. I had one session in steady winds , and went back for some more when it was gusting up to 30mph. The 10m was holding very steady and gave me a lot of confidence.RElaunch is the best i have tried and I like the simple bar that has everything needed with out any gimmicks to get in the way. I didnt like the colour scheme personally , but im picky that way. Right now its the only thing puttung me off , but as far as the easy riding and good performance goes im almost sold. Just gonna try a few more 2012 kites before deciding.

I am in my 2nd year kitesurfing and bought slingshot in my first year based on my instructors recommendation. I really loved flying this kite, especially in 20knots+ but after constant problems with the bladders I sold my quiver and changed to blade in sept 2011. I chose blade because I was informed that they use the same factory to build their kites as many top named brands, and that their designer is also used by other top brands. Yet they where about 20% cheaper than a lot of the other new kites I looked at. I also had the offer of a package deal at www.kitesurfwarehouse.com which made the price even more attractive to me. I’ve based my ratings above also taking into consideration the price. If I had paid top shelf pricing though, nothing would score below 9/10.

In flight its really easy to use and very responsive. I love to boost and ride waves and this kite handles both really well. Its extremely smooth even in gusty winds. I’m still confident in 38knots+ on my 7m where my last kite felt too twitchy in anything over 30knots. I know that the blade prime boosts a lot higher than the triggers , but I didn’t like it in waves at all. It was a pure boosting and wake style kite. For the trigger it boosts about 80% of the prime (which is better than most kites I have tried) yet is still really smooth in the waves without pulling you off a carve when turning fast. Much of this is due to the wave setting on this kite which I really found makes a difference.

Build quality seems great with a lot or reinforcements where needed, but nothing that looks unnecessary or adds extra weight .

Overall after 6-7months , I am converted and will be adding a Fat lady to my quiver before summer starts.

At a Glance

The Trigger has featured in the Blade line up for some time now, and no doubt a few of you reading this will already be devout fans of the kite. This year sees a change in the design of the wingtip, it is less curved than in previous years and altogether more angular. The strong profile curve is still there with the middle strut helping to give the canopy it’s deep shape. Construction has been improved over last year; we’re seeing new wear patches on the wing tips and high stress areas. There is also plenty of attention to detail, which leads us to think Blade have really pulled out all the stops in the manufacture process on this kite. The simple three-strut canopy frame is still present and this makes pumping the Trigger up super quick, especially with the neat and tidy one pump system they utilize.

The Bar

The 2012 bar is very similar to the 2011 model, just some graphical changes and a slightly different grip. It is very simple and the whole set up is clean and functional. The primary safety is a total depower front line affair, which connects through the centre of the chicken loop. The chicken loop itself uses the same plastic moulded release system and the unit will spin to untwist your lines. There is also a stopper ball set up which allows you to go for old school manoeuvros.

In The Air

The Trigger is a freeride design; made to excel at anything you can throw at it. It’s a little more dynamic than the Vertigo, which is more of a wave kite and slightly less freestyle orientated than high performance Prime. Perhaps one thing you don’t expect from this kite though is just how simple and intuitive it is to fly. It’s a mellow beast that feels comfortable in your hands rather than scary. Perhaps it’s because we had been testing lots of C kites this issue but we instantly felt at home with the Trigger, like we were out having fun with an old friend! The bar pressure is fairly light, although there are two settings, in Freeride mode the pressure is a little less and the kite feels very responsive. Set it up in Wave mode and you get a little more feedback to the bar. Upwind the Trigger is excellent, the thin leading edge really cutting through the window. The 9m also has a very impressive range, in light airs the deep profile on the leading edge of the kite helps to give it extra power, and yet it is also very stable at the top of it’s wind range. Jumping is great fun, the kite doesn’t tear you off the water on take-off, but once up there it provides a good floaty platform on the way down. Kiteloops are also excellent, not too scary and a medium pull can be achieved if you slow the loop through the turn. You can also speed the kite up and get it to loop on it’s own axis which is even more tame for those of you looking to get into kite loops.

For

Well-built, great attention to detail with the bar and one pump system, very easy to fly with great upwind performance. Progressive kite loops mean you can learn with ease and get more radical as you improve, impressive low-end wind range.

Against

If you like an aggressive kite, look at the Prime, the Trigger is more chilled affair which may not appeal to the more radical rider.

Overall

Blade keep putting good kites onto the market and the 2012 Tngger is a great kite for the improving freeriders out there. Easy to fly and mellow, this kite won’t scare you but it will help to improve your riding by giving you lots of confidence to try new tricks.

I had a session with a virgin 2012 12m Trigger yesterday in classic NW storm conditions. Very simple and easy to set up, and the 3 strut one pump design is darn quick to get ready. When I launched the winds were about 15-18kts but the forecast was calling for it build to the 30's and maybe more!

I paired the kite up with a 2011 Mako 165 for the low end with no worries about control when the winds built (these boards have an awesome top end). I also adjusted the bridle to the advanced wave setting so I could get into drifting and carving the crud out of any wind waves that built and scream upwind afterwards. This turned out to be the right call as the winds built as expected.

I was blown away and grinning from ear to ear with the truly massive wind range this kite has, and how it handles when you are gliding through lulls or totally lit. Never felt like it was out of control and I could throw it straight across the wind window during transitions without it yanking me off my ride.

The kite reponds and turns beautifully in the low end and at full power even when all the de-power possible is pulled out of the sheeter strap, I was so stoked! This is exactly what I was looking for in a kite because the winds here are always gusty and unpredictable. Jumping is a real thrill ride, be ready to go high and go long cause this kite can jump HUGE! Looking forward to the next sesh and pairing this kite up with freestyle Twin tip to go even HUGER!

No drop offs or loss of traction in the air no matter where I threw it. That was sweet! It really stays connected and won't overfly or tumble when you just aim it at the edge or screw up. Outstanding recoverys and drifts... you can really count on this kite to be flying forward and waiting for your every command.If you are looking for a kite that can do everything and turn cruddy winds into an awesome session, this a most excellent choice IMO.

Awesome job Blade guys! I totally love this kite!