They Arrived in WA today, 9.5 and 11.5. will give them a run as soon as possible. Just checked out the Slingshot RPM 12 last week, yet another fantastic kite from the Slingshot loft, Dave will have a couple to try at kitestock.
Also the Nobile 555 and 666nhp have arrived at last ( and have not had the chance to ride yet) . There will be lots of cool stuff to try at kitestock but if you cant make it there will still be plenty of demo gear available as normal from the store.
Choicey
Best still with no one pump?
I for one will never buy a kite without a 1 pump - I just don't have time to stuff around, I want to get on the water & go.
Looks good otherwise doesn't it!
Hey guys,
demos are starting to be sent out. Check in with you local Best dealer for further details.
some pics from Kitestock 2009
Hi guys,
If a kite is well designed, It shouldn't need to have differing pressures between the struts and the Leading Edge.
Not many pumps even have the capacity after a month of normal beach use to pump much more than 10 psi (if you can believe the gauge).
How come Dos needs so much pressure? How does it behave if you only pump it up to say 6 or 7 psi all round? The Combat GT is similar in design but has one pump and you only need pump it to 6psi and it's rock solid.
Just interested. 
Good winds,
I have it ! The 11.5 Best Kahoona Demo, Nice light kite, Good simple bar & lines Turns fast, good pull & lift. Seems to launch well in light wind compared to some other Delta kites. The kite will be on the beach at Maroochy for the rest of the week, come & have a demo let us know what you think.
Thanks Joe for the opportunity to demo the Kahoona on the Sunshine coast.
I am also looking for best shopriders on the coast to help with a best slider & kicker weekend, so if you think you are the best rider, ring the shop, you might get a shop sponsorship for the up & coming comps.
Select to expand quoteKitehard said...
Hi guys,
If a kite is well designed, It shouldn't need to have differing pressures between the struts and the Leading Edge.
Not many pumps even have the capacity after a month of normal beach use to pump much more than 10 psi (if you can believe the gauge).
How come Dos needs so much pressure? How does it behave if you only pump it up to say 6 or 7 psi all round? The Combat GT is similar in design but has one pump and you only need pump it to 6psi and it's rock solid.
Yes you have to pump it up to 10psi in the LE and 12 in the struts. Why? it is a verry simple kite limited bridle etc to hold the shape so if you dont pump it up they become destorted when you load up against it on a hard impact if its not correctly inflated the Le can become semi inverted folded back across the kite or fully inverted. I have never seen any problems pumping them up to recomended pressure but i have seen under inflated kites get bridles caught around wing tips kites folded in half flying off of the safety line only best bet just pump it up correctly.
2009 Best Kahoona 9.5m review.
Got to take the Kahoona for a thew hrs on the weekend in around 20kts and was supprised at how well the kite put up with everything i did to it. Initially it was just supper easy to fly got you on to the plane and going upwind easily the bar presure was lighter than the bandit. Jumps were nice and smooth but not to big easy to controll hooked in rolls the kite just sat there with minimal input. The kite didnt show any bad characteristics didnt stall or luff the power when sheeting in ond out came on and off smoothly. Unhooking on this kite was almost to easy and looping it just gave a smooth consistent pull. The ocasional stack and the kite didnt punish you if you droped the bar it just sat up there with verry little power. The relaunch was verry simple like the bandit.
BUT SHE AINT NO BANDIT. With all the hype about this kite being like the bandit i was left wanting that little bit more. I wanted more power when you pulled the bar in the 9.5 kahoona had less power than my 8m bandit dos. It didnt boost as high, didnt have the masive pop or supper aggresive unhooked riding. It didnt have the instant speed or fast turning that i love about the bandit but it isnt a bandit and we probably shouldnt stereotype all delta kites as being like bandits that would be like saying all c kites are the same or bow kites etc.
By the end of the session I was really enjoying this kite just freeriding and a little freestyle it was just good fun, i think it would really suit people that want to head down that path learners to intermediate riders that just want to have fun and do a thew tricks etc, this kite will need a little pushing to take it further but probably wouldnt be worth it if you start riding a majority freestyle/wake style you would be better off with the bandit dos.
I would definatly recomend you take one for a demo if you are thinking of buying one as this could be just the kite for you.
I would Like to say to the person that landed the Best Kahoona on the beach at Maroochy river sand spit on Sunday, If you are so lucky to use new kites for demo, Don't be implacent, treat it as your own.
The way you landed the kite & left it on the beach was not safe the kite slid down the beach & hit the sand bags then ended up in the trees. You are so lucky it didn't hit someone or their kids, it was a busy day on the beach, & we as kiters are responsible for the safety & perception of the sport.
Come & get a lesson in safety.
One more thing the kite will be on demo here in Whyalla for a week or two. So give Easto a call and give it a go.
Nice kite from Best.
I'd rate it as the best learners to intermediate kite I've flown. But everyone will enjoy this kite.
I think waxy is right how its not as grunty as a bandit. It also isn't as fast across the window either. But I did enjoy it more than the bandit last night because of the gusty conditions.
The Kahoona just ate up the gusts nicely and didnt require as much bar input to keep the kite parked at 45 degrees while cruising. The Bandit was like someone smacking your ass with a wooden spoon when the gusts hit and didn't sit parked as nice.
Very nice kite.
If you are looking for your first kite or upgrading then have a look at this one. Its cheap and easy to fly, and wont hold you back while progressing.
We have a 9.5 on demo and others in stock now, in Sydney.
After an initial fly on the beach because a wind sucking storm, its not much like the 2 other delta style kites.
Its a kahoona.
Its a single colour, with a contrasting screenprint. The bridle is very compact and Best have used stainless rings in place of pulleys for two of the points of the bridle and on the third there is a pulley (incorrectly mounted, but easily fixed). It would be very easy to put pulleys in place of the rings, if an owner wanted to, however the rings most likely will work fine fo the life of the kite and would require no maintenance, other than the bridle line wear. The sections of bridle that the rings run on are easily replaced, they are plain grey 3mm amsteel (readily available from most kite shops).
The kite line connection points and the line ends are not kook proofed, no idea why not in this day and age????
Rear line connection points are fixed, with 2 knots on them, about 5cm apart. I used the one closest to the kite, and the kite was sensitive to stalling so I trimmed the front lines shorter and it flew nicely in the very light winds that were available one the storm switched off the wind for me and Kenny.
Self launched it easy, same as any bow/hybrid, tested the safety, seems to depower about 75% on the front lines, but hard to tell due to light and gusty winds. I then flagged the kite to one rear line and it sat down nose into the breeze.
Kite flies reasonably fast across the window and can be coaxed into tight spin like turns or with less rear line pressure it can do a more sweeping powered turn, shoul be a fun, easy kite for kite loops. In flight the canopy tilts around the pivot points, (as the bar is moved in and out) quite a lot for AOA and it should have a good wide wind range.
Construction is good, bar and lines excellent except for the omission of pigtails/kookproofing.
AND whats up with the hand killer leash??? Why is the metal T thing still on the release side, so that when you operate the leash great chunks of you hand get ripped up??? WTF, why have they not changed that?
Overall I think its going to be a popular, good value for money kite. Now we just need some more wind, maybe the Southerly will be enough?
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
Hi Steve or anyone else
i have been a huge fan of the guroo 12 m for waves for my weight 100 kg.mainly the light stuff so I thought that the 13.5 kahoona would fill the bill .Anyone familiar with both .Will I be dissapointed if I go this way ?.Unfortunately the demo kahoonas have not come thru here (wouldn't matter anyway we never get wind ,well ocassionally so it would just be sitting around so I haven't pushed hard for one to try )
ta
Lach
