Rider: 75kg, 12 Seasons riding.
Style: Freeriding, Surf,
Weather: 14-35 knots +
It seems strange to be reviewing the Kahoona again so soon after the V3 back in February, but we are getting the V4 early to bring the Southern hemisphere release dates of the full Best range to the start of our season rather than scattered through the year.
I have had the V4 for the past 2 weeks 5.5, 7.5, 9.5 and 11.5 and being in Geraldton have had the varied conditions this time of year throws at us from mild 14 knots onshore to 35 plus knots cross shore fronts.
Initial package arrives and in display boxes, looks the part, I particularly like the 2 bags, one heavy duty backpack and a lightweight sock to store with the struts inflated, much better than fiddling around with extended bags and zips(in my opinion).
This season brings one pump as an option to the range, this is going to be a major plus for some, but for me the weight saving and the dollars I go standard inflation.
We all know the canopy quality is as good as you get so I won't go into that.
I managed to use all 4 over the past two weeks, the Kahoona has maintained that simple relaunch, turn the kite off the water no technique required, for beginners this is fantastic, for wave riding getting the kite up quick before going through the rinse cycle is always good. Low end grunt is still there, bottom end for my weight on the 11.5 with surfboard was 11-14 knots and held this kite very comfortably to low 20s, 9.5 bottom end around 16 knots, 7.5 20 knots and 5.5 23-25 knots, I took my estimates from Geraldton Port shipping Channel wind readings after the sessions.
The 5.5,7.5 and 9.5 feel very close to the V3 with slightly more top end,but the major improvement is their stability through looping the kite, Delta style kites have a tendency to get overloaded in the wing tips but these held their shape very well. For me the standout has to be the 11.5m, I hate big kites, living here my big kite is generally a 9m but they have obviously worked on the bigger sizes, nice light steering input and a lighter bar pressure, this kite trucks upwind and has a great pull through the whole window without any heavy feeling at the bar a definite standout and one I shall enjoy using in light winds.
Do you need to upgrade your V3? Only if like me you love getting new kit, these kites last, there are a lot of V1s in use around here and we get more kiting than anyone, lots of UV, lots of flogging on the beach. Kites do get tired but we adapt and really don't notice the performance falling off until we demo something new. If you are in the market for an excellent freeride kite that excels in the waves give one a demo, they should be arriving in the shops any day now. Feel free to give the odd green thumb always makes you feel good! but reds ok too :-)
Hey Pumpnjump
I have the V3 9,5mt and did notice it didn't have the extra low end grunt of the V2.
Apart from that everything else had improved especially the quality.
Has the low end improved from V3 to V4 and what about the turning comparisons.
When do you get the TS to test , I hear it should be pretty good in the surf as well, especially if you are more progressive and into unhooking.
I felt that the first Kahoona had slightly more bottom end at the bar, but I still seem to get out in the same low winds with them, maybe the quicker steering has allowed you to generate that power by moving the kite around rather than static pull,either way the later versions are a marked improvement, TS wise I will have them for demo very shortly, hopefully within the next couple of weeks. I am in Perth for the first week of October with the V4s hopefully there will be some wind that week.
Having kited the final prototypes of the TS, I am really looking forward to the production models being out, but I won't offer a review until I have kited them, production models have in the past ended up being different to the prototypes we have used and to give advice based on that may well end up being wrong, but as with the Taboo the TS is a more progressive kite demanding a rider who can really fly their kite to get the best out of them.
Hi Pj ...
I also have the V3 Kahoona 7.5m and can't get enough of it. The things i noticed the most from the V2 was the turning speed has been reduced and it gave alot bigger ark in a loop , which for me was a bit of a downer for downlooping in the waves compared to the V2 but an upside for the V3 is its HUGE hangtime and vertical lift. Has the V4 gone back to faster turning and does it have the hangtime and vertical lift of the V3 ? Joe seems to thinks so but would like your thoughts too. I have pre ordered my 11.5m V4 but i'm very hesitant to sell my V3 7.5m until ive tried the V4.
Hi easto, the 7.5 V3 is a great kite, testing back to back with the V4 I feel the extra stability in the wing tips is a bonus for looping, especially when under full load, the bar pressure felt very similar and turning a little more pivotal, this would be due to the front outer bridle attachment being moved closer to the tip, jumping is still very impressive with that great glide/hangtime, overall it is what we look for each year small incremental improvements, if you tried the 7.5 V1 back to back with the V4 there is a massive difference thats where you really notice 4+ years of model development.
Hey Pumpnjump
I see you tested the 11.5mt as well.
Did you ride it in the surf ?
Does it turn fast ,etc, so you can actually kitesurf a wave if you are desperate to get out there.
I would be exaggerating if I said it turned fast enough to chase a wave down the line in light wind, I have yet to find a large kite that can do that and I have kited a lot of them out there, obviously in cross to cross off its fine as you can park and ride, where it excels is on shore mush in light wind it is a lot of fun, it is light on the bar redirects pretty quickly, relaunches so easily even in the dodgy 12-14knots I was in today, nice floaty jumps these kites have soooo much glide you can really take in the scenery, as I said before this size does appear to have benefitted from some changes, it is a large kite I am enjoying getting use of on days I would have normally sat in the carpark.
Yeh even in the v2 range I liked the 11.5m the best and my brother still uses this kite. Really suites the overall design. If they have made it a little quicker etc through to the v4 would be awesome. You are right really floaty jumps, really nice kite. Hated the 7.5 but loved the 11.5.
Tried the 9.5 V4 yesterday and wow that kite sure has improved since V1. I had a quiver of V1 and finally sold them because of the high bar pressure and also they were a bit unstable when ridden overpowered.
Yesterday I started my session in winds of +- 20 knots so I cant tell about the low-end ; the kite had really good lift with some great hangtime, the bar pressure is ok not light but a lot less than the V1. It isnt killing the frontarms like I remembered. The kite feels rock solid and reacts very good to gusts for a delta shape with only four struts. I pumped it really hard though. I was tracking upwind really good and I had good power through the turns. The kite is very easy to fly, you don't have to work it, you can just park n ride.
At some points the wind really picked up; actually it cranked up to 35 knots and the V4 9.5 was still very stable. I was popping some really nice big air with some really nice glide. Yes Best has a solid product in the Kahoona.
Get my V4s this week.....it's going to take alot to beat the V3s ...biggest hang time ever !
My honest review will come soon.
