Airush Lithium 12m vs Cabrinha Switchblade 12m

sb is a great kite just looking to change it iPhone. have flown the 10m lithium and really enjoyed it, felt a little quicker but hard to say, maybe just refined or something. will aim to try it again in the coming weeks then make a call. friends are on 8s and 9 s but may look to an 8 aswel pending cashnflow

Hey guys.

I want to buy no. 9 for myself and was trying Lithium 10 today from The ZU. I loved the kite how smooth and responsive it was but had an issue with flipping over (inverting) in a certain positions. It got worse in the end of the session when the kite got more deflated (I pumped it really hard) ... It WASNT nice feeling and I didnt feel compy at all.

Any experience with this matter?

One more thing. It looks to me that Lithiums are much more powerfull, I was able to fly my Rebel 12 (depowered to max) and Lithium 10 was overpowered a lot as well. I mite buy no.8 then ...

Cheers..

Vic

Vic, ome of my friends used the one from the zu after you, sounded like the depower above the bar had jammed from a previous use. once he un jammed seemed to be ok.

looking at 12 8 combination now, seems to have the range to cover everything.

just finished a session with my new 12m loved it. couldn't be happier.

I had the Lithium 12 depowered in winds around 20 knots on my Sector 60. The above the bar depower is smooth and effective. I give it 9 out of 10. Its much easier to operate than the depower on my 2009 Switchblade, which used to stick when loaded.

The kite flies really well depowered, I think it will max out for my 86kg at around 25 knots, but a safer maximum would be around 23.

I would normally fly my 10 at this wind speed in any case, but its nice to know the Lithium 12 has a good wind range and depower if the wind gets stronger while kiting.

I chose the Lithium over the SB.

This is my first full year of kiting > sliding turns, learning to ride toeside, riding strapless, and learning jibes...so I have limited experience with different kites. I did learn on and up until now ride Cabrinha SB's - an 09 12 meter and an 011 8 meter. I demoed an 013 Airush Lithium 10 meter and now own a 2013 Airush Lithium 9 meter and 12 meter.

The SB's are nice kites. Both the 12 and the 8 m have nice smooth power, go upwind like a bandit, and have great wind range. One day I had an opportunity to demo a 013 10 meter Lithium. I was sold. The wind was blowing 18-26 mph (I weigh 158 lbs) and was riding a North Crossride TT 135 cm in open ocean - flat water, some small chop, and occasional swell. The 10 meter was bigger than I needed in the those winds but it handled the gusts easily and I was quite comfortable. I loved the immediate, well I guess the best way to describe it - a plug and play feel. The kite felt immediately familiar and the transition usually associated with going from one kite to another was seamless - example: demoing an 013 North Rebel took me a little time to adjust to it's flying character. This alone doesn't make it a good kite, but there is something about the Lithium that is just so intuitive without being "boring".

Compared to the SB: it turned pleasantly quick but overly so; had arms reach depower (SB's depower is sometimes greater than I can reach and have to lean over to ride depowered even with the kite in depowered mode); had as someone mentioned Smooth Power Delivery (SB's are smooth but there power comes on progressively as you move the kite, the Lithium's power seems right there and is easier to deal with as a newer kiter); instant relaunch (SB's don't have this..there are worse kites than the SB but it can be tedious in marginal conditions) the 10 m Lithium relaunches from the water at least twice as fast as my 8 m SB.

The SB does have better forward speed (if such things matter unless you're course racing) and goes upwind better. This isn't to say the Lithium doesn't do those things well. Given what I understand about low aspect ratio kites, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the Lithium moves up toward the front of the window when park and ride. When the wind climbed towards the upper twenties I didn't notice that the Lithium didn't handle quite as well as the SB's. Again this wasn't really a problem, I mean I'd be getting off my SB at the upper end of it's range as well. It's just that the SB's have an edge in control on the upper end of it's wind range. The SB also seemed more stable in @ the twelve o'clock position when it got gusty/windier.

The bottom line...two good kites but I preferred the Lithium. I would no doubt still be happy riding with my SB's or the new North Rebels. BTW, the 013 North Rebel was another fabulous kite > NICE and Precision. And, I loved that kite too. If I were a more advanced rider perhaps I'd opt for one, but the Lithium just felt right. It's much in the way you feel when you're trying on shoes and you finally put on a pair that makes you say, "Oh ya."

I've been on my 9 meter Lithium in anything from 14 to 30 mph winds and am loving it - upper 20's for my weight is really at the top of it's range but I survived it just fine. I finally got my 12 meter Lithium and looking forward to getting out on it.

The Airush Smart Bar: very comfortable; like the depower straps - easier to grab than the Cab. SB "balls"; and the adjustable one bar fits all kites works quite well.

PS: Another kite worth looking at and one I demoed > Cabrinha Vector: 9 meter and 7 meter. I like them better than the SB > easy relaunch, fast pivotal turning. The bigger Vectors in the 12 m plus size are a little doggy but the small ones are great high wind kites > more stable than the Lithium, but not as fast turning or as powerful. The Vectors have the nice plug n play feel, and remind me of slower turning and less powerful Lithiums, but not at all a boring sedate beginner kite. I bought a 7 meter and use it as my high wind kite. I liked it better than the 7 meter SB I demoed in 25-32 mph winds.