Hi there seems to be a bit of interest in this kite so I thought I'd start a new thread so we don't have to download and scroll through all the pictures each time there's a new post. (But thanks PR for the informative review and high-res pics.)
Steve and others who've ridden them, I'm saving at the moment to replace my switchblade 3 quiver of 10m and 8m. Wondering about 12/8 or 10/8? I don't expect you to have done a back-to-back test, but how would you estimate the range of the 10m catalyst compared to the 10m sb3?
Also, how does the park-and-ride bottom of the 12m catalyst compare to the 10m? I know that with the 2008 switchies the 12 had only a bit better bottom end than the 10 and sacrificed a fair bit of turning speed, meaning that unless you were heavy, a 10 was a much more versatile option. So, how would you compare the comfortable ranges of the 10 and 12 catalysts? (I'm about 78kg, and mainly ride in Melbourne where the wind tends to be on or off, with not so many marginal days as Sydney.)
Yeah, pics need to be resized and reduced a lot, otherwise pages take forever to load, under 100kb per pic is ideal.
I've tried the 10M Catalyst back to back with a 10M SB IDSX, I like both kites, but I like the Catalyst a lot more after that test!
Wind was approx 18-22 knots, the Catalyst felt smooth and nimble, easy to ride and was boosting well.
When I swapped to the SB I was amazed at how a kite I used to rate now felt trucky and a bit slow. I think it boosted bigger easier, but its turn rate was slwoer and it was harder to get the kite forward late in a jump, to land swish.
This years Switchies are grunty, more like the 2008 kites than the 2009's, but the top end is a bit less. They can be ridden in strong winds for their size but in my opinion they ride like crap when ridden overpowered, with lots of trim on and slack in the back lines - they feel very doughy like that and hard to control.
The Catalyst has a better top end and equal bottom end once a rider gets used to it, some riders pick it up straight away, basically don't choke the kite. Riders that pull in on the bar without feeling the kite report poor bottom end, yet another rider of similar weight can go out and get heaps better bottom end, just by having a lighter technique.
So 10m Catalyst would be very similar range to SB3 10M, IMHO. I would recommend the 12/8 combo, the 8M is a wicked kite and the 12M feels lighter and quicker than any other 12M I've tested this year.
You are basically the same weight as me, and that combo will give me a range of 13/14 to 30-35 knots with 2 boards.
Cheers Steve, sounds like 12/8 will give me a bit more top and a fair bit more bottom than my current 10/8 sb3 quiver, with enough overlap too.
Time to start putting my change straight in the piggy-bank.
