Hi all,
I just flew the New Alliance Yesterday and it was upgraded with the Naish Smart Loop.
The Smart loop cleans up you bar a lot, no more adjuster strap, no more toggles, and the biggest advantage, easy adjustment from the base of your chicken loop, no more leaning forward to de-power your kite, meaning you can keep your weight on your edge and maintain control whist adjusting.
The Smart loop retro kits arrived yesterday, so they will be available at your local dealers Monday/Tuesday (east coast, or Friday west (to those that ordered them)). A Definate worth while upgrade in my opinion.
Another big benifit is you only have to replace the TRIM LINE if you wear the rope out, cheaper and easier than replacing the whole chicken loop.
Feel free to go to www.naishkites.com/ and check the SMART LOOP out.
Regards,
JB
You can either retro your own 5th line as many people are doing now on the SLE/Bow style kites, or use the existing freestyle leash attached through the hole in the pulley. Your local dealer can be of assistance in setting this up, if they are having trouble get them to cal me and I'll will run them through it.
Regards,
JB
I have been hanging out for this- the helix is sick and this will give it some extra wind range.
Gave the smart loop a good workout today, super clean no reaching over to depower the kite, and it only takes 5 minutes to fit.Also fitted a swivel to the top of the pulley.
Definitely worth it.
Ahh and the fish rocks.
looks like one of the many others that were made before it just its called "smart"
Many other what? The Smart loop is radically different from any Chicken loop Naish has ever made. The only loop that comes close to it is the 08 Iron Heart. It's smaller, lighter, and easier to use than ever! and has replaceable TRIM LINES, so you only have to replace the silver line instead of the whole C/L. Excellent system, definately worth the upgrade.
Regards,
JB
Any tips on how to tune the Helix with the smart loop, mine doesn't seem to fly as well with it fitted ?
The Golden tip when setting up any bar, is to ensure that all your lines are even when the bar is fully powered up (i.e. unhooked and at it's maximum power setting). I suggest setting the Smart loop to full power, lay your lines out (untangled) and put a screw driver through the ends. Then set you back lines to a knot were all your lines tension up at the same time when you pull on the bar. This is the best starting point for all kites.
Regards,
JB
I am sorry to interject but if I had just bought one of these kites with a 'standard' set up I would be right pi$$ed off!
Optional extra....what a bunch of cr@p! Afterthought more like. Since when did kites have optional extra's? Kites cost enough of our hard earned cash and should come out of the bag complete and ready to fly with the latest set up.
This 'smart loop' is either a result of rushing the kite to market or is a new ploy to screw more money out of the customer. Either way the manufacturer should bite the bullet and offer the upgrade for free, as have other manufacturers when they realised that they have not tested the product enough before releasing it.
Sorry if this upsets the forum pimps but the whole thing stinks.
having the trim cleat on the chicken loop has been done by liquid force, slingshot and some other brands already. lightweight is already done as well.
Sure it looks like a good loop but its hardly revolutionary, just a refinement on what other brands have made and thats why people like junglist will reject it completely as its been over hyped and its obvious.
Junglist,
The Smartloop was always an option with the Naish 2008 range, we used and tested the Smartloop back in June in Maui. Unfortunately the Factory fell behind in producing the Smartloop in time for the early release. Southern Hemisphere countries had the choice to either wait until late October and get SMARTLOOP, or get kites in August with std loop. We choose Std loop and early delivery, but the price of the kite was changed accordingly (i.e. the kite is cheaper with std loop) SO no-one is ripped off, some people shop on a budget, if they are happy with the standard loop then they can get on a SIGMA kite for a cheaper price, to those that want all the bells and whistles, the upgrade kit will bring the kite to the price you would have paid (with the discount now available, see the next post, or info on the Main forum) if we did order all the kites with SMART LOOP.
Unfortunately items like the SMARTLOOP and IRONHEART are made of components from many different manufacturers, and it only takes one item to delay release of a product. It is always a dream to have all products ready on time, and available, but when were talking about 2008 model products getting out onto the market as early as Sept. 2007, I think there doing pretty well. Anyway as I said, if you go for the SMARTLOOP upgrade retro kit, your kite will be the same price as if you purchased it complete that way, except now you have a back up STD chicken loop for Free!
Regards,
JB
Hi all,
After much consideration, we have decided to give a discount on SMART LOOP Retro kits to existing HELIX and CULT customers. This will be done by store credit from the dealer you purchased your 2008 NAISH SMART LOOP from. Your SMART LOOP will be Discounted by 30% and credited to your NAISH dealer this week. Please note that this is out of our pocket as a good will gesture and not Naish international. Understand that all HELIX and CULT kites were priced with STD loop only. If you have any inquiries, please call your Dealer to discuss. Credits, pricing and issues relating to your purchase will not be discussed on the forum.
Regards,
JB
Love ya work. So what if kites come with optional extras. It is everywhere in our modern life. Name a car that doesn't have optional extras, when you buy a motorbike you can upgrade stuff, on an aeroplane you can fly economy or upgrade your seat. Why not with kites. I didn't think the standard set up was all that bad in the first place but with the smart loop fitted I had the confidence to take a 14m out in winds that I would not have even considered. If you want it get it, if you don't then don't. If you ride something else then what do you care anyway ? We were told before we purchased the kites that there would be a new upgrade for the bar and we bought them anyway so why whinge about it now ?
Geoff
The counter to that argument lies in the fact that it’s a very bad road (for the consumer - not manufacturers and dealers) to go down. Time and time again we hear people complaining about the price of kites. Personally I feel that for a high spec, high quality piece of kit they are pretty reasonably priced. However, saying that, to date you could expect to buy a kite with the latest technology 'out of the bag' with no need for upgrades. If this 'smart loop' is a precedent then it is a bad one (for the consumer) to set. How long will it be before manufacturers decide to flog kites with a sub standard set up in the knowledge that any serious kiter will have to dig deep again for an 'upgrade'?
You are right I don’t fly this brand however it does not exclude me from commenting on developments as I see them. Issues like this affect all consumers and you don’t necessarily have to be immediately effected to defend other kiters interests.
Respect to JB for the offer he is making, this is a very positive move that is customer focused and should be studied by others.
Cheers.
