Cabrinha Switchblade (2011)

The Kite was super stable and the recoil spring was Awesome. Flys forward in the window unhooked ;) this will be my next kite. reasonable turning speed and reponse. perfect amount of bar pressure. IDS system is so clean and is so user friendly.

Comes ready to fly out of bag, which this year can take kite with struts blown up. Lines look thicker and slide really easily. Kite has all of usual Cabrinha specific qualities, great one pump with awesome valve. Kite pump seems more solid. Bar has usual plastic on chicken loop line and new spring on line to help with bar return if you push through stopper, this is a bit bulky.

I was using Cab skillet 5ft6, initially wind was light, however I was straight up on plane going upwind. Did nice little downwinder from Port to Leighton road bridge, kite is nice and responsive for an 11m, not as quick as last year's Nomad. It has great low end and coped easily in lightish wind, noticed others on similar sizes were not quite holding there ground. Kite has good stability and is very cruisy to control. My mate who is relatively new was on 10m sb and was amazed at his progression.

Once the wind picked up a few knots and I changed over to 6ft 2 UG Pohutu, as I wanted to tack upwind to help mate who had walked up beach. Found the SB handled the more powered conditions easily, as usual self launching/landing was a breeze.

Overall really impressed with this kite.

14 used in Kanaha on a 12-14mph day. Plenty of pull. High bar pressure. Extremely slow kite even for a 14. Bar spinner does not function though the new spring on the chicken loop center line was very nice
11 used on a windy day in Kihei. Flew fine overpowered when others were out on 8s and 9s. Still extremely slow kite with high bar pressure. Makes kite a poor looper though jumps were lofty and controlled.
Overall both kites very stable and handle well hooked or unhooked in a straight line. Very slow turn response makes them a no go for me.