I'm thinking of replacing an my 11m2 kite. Not sure what to get. Debating between an 11m2 Ozone Edge or a 12m2 Airush Lithium? Both 2011. Heard good things about both.
My requirements:
I want light bar pressure (but NOT non existent bar pressure),
I like boosting, so I want a kite that boosts easily get me reasonably high and has long floaty jumps.
I don't do much wave kiting.
I kite in conditions which are quite gusty so I need a kite that can handle gusts and can relaunch easily if I get stuck in a wind shadow or try something stupid.
I want a kite that will not fall out of the sky if I jump downwind and at the same time, stupidly keep the kite behind me.
I want a kite that has some grunt so I don't need to work it to generate apparent wind in lighter conditions - i.e. I want a kite that I can park in position and will go upwind well without me having to keep moving it.
I have had kites that do some but not all of the above. Will the Ozone Edge or Airush Lithium fit the bill? If not any suggestions?
Any advice?
Thanks, A.
I kite Sydney Botany Bay summer & winter and recently purchased the 15 & 11m Edge 2011. Also ride North Rebel and have owned many different kites.
Very impressed with the 11m. Huge wind range and best kite I have ever used in the gusty westerlies this time of year. I have been out on days when it ranges 15 - 30 and it copes well.
Bar pressure very light - but you can adjust to be more. Floaty jump and easy to control. Haven't stalled it yet - not sure how hard to do so.
I use it with a race board at times and it has extremely good upwind ability.
Raw grunt ? It doesn't have that raw power feeling that you can get from other kites - like I get from my Bandit Dos. However good low end, particularly when put with a bigger board.
I originally liked the old Edge II from 2008. I thought the 2009 Edge was a dog and it took me a while to try the 2011. The 2011 is the best kite I have ever had.
Hi Andrewb,
You couldn't have picked two more opposite kites in terms of characteristics. The Lithium is the Farm tractor and the Edge is the Ferrari.
Almost every characteristic you mentioned in your first post describes the Edge with the exception of the Edge relying on apparent wind much more than the Lithium in lighter winds. This same feature also gives the Edge it's massive wind range and excellent upwind ability.
The relaunch would be same for both Lithium and also Edge in normal wind strength, in uber light wind, Lithium would likely be a little easier because it is low aspect and has pulleys.
Like I said, they are two opposite kites. The Edge is a race winning high performance machine that is fun and easy to ride and delivers insane lift, control and feel.
Demo them both and you'll see what I mean. 2011 Edge is still my favourite performance kite of all time and by a country mile .....
DM
Hi Andrewb44
The 2011 11m Ozone Edge will tick all the boxes in your list.
The bar pressure is adjustable and on the lightest setting still gives back excellent feedback so you always know where the kite is.
If boosting is what you are after then this kite is a definate must try, the boosts and hang time from this kite are amazing. I'm at my limit on this kite at about 25 knots but that's when the more experienced guys head out on it and the height and distance they jump just has to be seen to be believed.
The other thing about this kite is how fast it is, I continually overtake my son on his C4 (much to his disgust and my delight 
) travelling much faster and pointing much higher in to the wind. All you need to do is work the kite 2 or 3 times, edge the board and it just light's up.
What I love about this kite is it's silky smooth and predicatable at all times which gives me confidence to try new things.
You should demo both kites (I haven't tried the Airush Lithium) but once I took the 2011 11m Ozone Edge for a demo I found that it had everything I was looking for and went with that.
