2011 F-One Kiteboarding

Oct 7, 2010

Author: sbckiteboard.com / Raphael Salles

There are so many new products and technologies that we are excited to introduce to the market and see how they fit in. The two-line SUP Kite is a huge challenge. We are curious to see how much we can change and increase the scope of what kiteboarding is today. We think that it’s the kite companies’ job to spend on R&D and allow our sport to be increasingly more attractive and not just push the high end products for advanced riders. I remember another sport that suffered a lot from that (I let you guess which one!) so lets try not to make the same mistakes again.

Biggest news

We have a lot of nice products coming out for 2011 but I believe one of the most interesting is the SOURCE, a brand new Stand Up Paddle kite. It’s a new way of riding in very light winds ranging from 6 to 10 knots. The SOURCE is a two-line kite! We worked hard on the new Bandit 4: new feeling with a new shape. Our twin tips lineup will integrate a new fin box system in order to receive all kind of fin profiles.

Highlights

SOURCE: Our goal is to open up our beloved sport to everybody that is willing to get wet and make it incredibly easy and fun with less than 10 knots of wind: This is the “Ride Everyday!” concept

“Share your passion”: The SOURCE plus a Stand Up Paddle board is great fun starting with only 6 knots and if there is no wind whatsoever, you can still use your paddle!. So regardless of the conditions, you will get wet. This SUP Kite riding concept is perfect for the beach during summer times, to share your passion with your family and friends, and bring up new comers into our sport.

For those who do not kite yet, getting on a SUP with a two-line kite in 10 knots is much easier than with a regular four-line kite and a twin tip. As a result, it will open our sport to people that might think that kiteboarding is only an extreme sport and reserved to athletes. Kite schools will be able to teach faster and get more students all year long even during the light wind seasons. To complement the Source, we will make some SUP boards as well.

BANDIT 4: The BANDIT is our most challenging kite to design. It fits so many types of riders and disciplines; it’s tough to improve it especially after three years of development. Our goal was to keep all its initial qualities while improving the sensations you get out of it. The two most radical changes on the Bandit 4 are the square tips and three struts, which translate into a lighter kite, with improved turning speed on a smaller radius, especially at the end of kite loops for example. Numerous characteristics have been improved while keeping the kite easy to fly and to control for everyone. The direct bar feeling allow riders to know exactly where the kite is at all time and what the kite is doing.  The BANDIT 4 is always flying where you want it to go.

We have a new bar based on a new full aluminum technology and made some significant upgrades on the chicken loop and the quick release system.

SURFBOARDS:

We are introducing a new shape for some of our bamboo custom surfboards. The now well recognized bamboo sandwiched construction is unchanged. Two new fish 5'4" and 5'6" are being added to the lineup to complement the successful Fish 5'2" for lighter wind conditions or smaller waves. The 5'8"- 5'10" - 6'0" Signatures Series have a new shape with a V double concave and a new outline. They carve much better and allow super tight or long curves at full speed with a much easier approach. Beginners will appreciate the ease of riding and more advanced riders will be impressed how these new shapes handle radical turns, both during bottom turns and release off the lip.

The 6'2" remains the same and we have a new 6'4" for light wind days or bigger riders.  Both are excellent pure surfboards for the light wind days as well.

TT: 

The TRAX is getting a new shape with a V double concave (yes the surfboards designs have had an influence on our twin tip’s shapes…). With the new TRAX, carving is improved with a smoother way into the chop. We have kept the excellent shape of the TX intact. For the new school riders, and to improve control and twist, we have added on the new ACID the Twist Control 3D Carbon Cross developed for the Trax.

On all our twin tips, you will find our new Uni Box system. This is the first time on a twin tip that you will find a box system, similar to what you can find on a surfboard. The main purpose of the Uni Box is to be able to pick any thickness of fins profile and not being limited by the size of the screws. Our fins are now 5 mm thick with an asymmetrical profile to reduce drag allowing our Twin Tips to glide with less effort.

New technologies

Our Kites construction remains the same with our Force Frame and Fusion struts technology, which is unique on the market, although we have added some new reinforcements.

After three years of development and great momentum around the world with some of the best and dynamic wave riders such as Mitu Monteiro constantly pushing its limits; our bamboo sandwich technology has now an incredible strength/weight/comfort ratio that is unmatched on the market and that any Kitesurf riders is looking for.

The new Uni Box Fins system for our twin tips is a new technology that was really needed for our twin tip development.

Kite models

Source: 7/9/11/13/15/17m available in September 2010

Bandit: 5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/14/16m available in September 2010

New full on Delta freeride kite to replace the Revolt available in the spring of 2011

Board models

Trax (freestyle), Acid (new school), Sk8 (carving) and TX (all around freeride) available in the fall of 2010

Surfboards available in the fall of 2010

Website address: f-onekites.com

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