Ozone Zephyr 2013

Ta Steve, so apart from it's upwind ability compared to the previous models any other noticeable differences...presume though this will come more clear when on a TT.

I think the lower end of the zephyr they struggled...but it seems they have built in better bottom end in this zephyr. That's what I think steve means...I may be wrong.

Only in its high upper limits and lower limits have I found it lacking in its upwind abilities, but compared with the edges it for sure isn't as good, maybe that's why they've built in the edge into the new zephyr,

Hi guys, that was me on the Red, White & Blue Zephyr. I have to say this is my first Zephyr & I really didn't know what to expect. I'll do the best I can to describe my experience. Ive never flown the Edge, so I cant make a comparison. I've just got the two 2013 Catalysts. Conditions seemed absolutely perfect, around 15 Knts. This is where I struggle a bit with my 12m. Went straight from KP across the road to the Bay. It was like Christmas day getting the Zephyr out of the bag. Took no time to inflate. This is the first thing that surprised me . I've seen guys take 10 minutes to inflate some 17m kites using an electric pump. The lines are 27 Lm & bar is 55cm. I was really bracing my self when it launched from beach but it was smooth. Have a 139 x 42 chopstick. Water start was also extremely smooth. Feel of bar through turns was soft but very quick & responsive. Going up wind with this board was completely effortless. I've got a Shinn 150 King George & Monk FE coming this week so can't wait to try these. Didn't have any trouble with the gusts low or high. There were a few gusts around 20 Knts but didn't at any time feel like i had to depower. The Zephyr was just planted there. It was like a prima ballerina on the end if my lines not a 3 Ton truck. I was out for about 45mins but my confidence & comfort level was so high I wanted to go right through Botany Bay heads into the open ocean. It was an exhilarating ride. Can't wait to get out there below 15 knts with the bigger board . Unfortunately can't comment on jumps & tricks , I'm not at that level yet but the Zephyr will help me progress on so many levels. Cheers

I got the 2010 zephyr I go up wind quite well, my light weight prob helps with that, in fact I progressed some much on my zephyr then the cabrinha SB 09 14m. I learn upwinds, tacking, tieside, back roles, front roles, poping, kite loop transitions, even tried jumping kite loops ( but that doesn't work unless you jump high enuf from what I learnt haha)
Go zephyrs!! I gotta save up for the 2013 model

Rider: Weight 75kg,
Style: Cruising
Weather: 10-15 knots
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: I work for Kitepower QLD.

I thought i'd found the best ever light wind kite when the original Zephyr came out back in 2010. Then I do recall us saying that the new Core XRLW was the best ever light wind kite in 2011. And 2012 saw the Core XR2 LW – which was the best ever light wind kite. Last week we had three 2013 Ozone Zephyrs rock up on the shop floor. You guessed it, BEST LIGHT WIND KITE EVER!!!!

This time, I'm not kidding. You can talk to the two lucky owners of those Zephyrs – Daryl and Dave. You can talk to the 11 individual (and independent) riders who had a demo of the new Zephyr last weekend at our demo day. All of them came back with huge smiles, nothing but praise and it wasn't even 15 knots!

But here's a proper review of the kite for those of you who are really keen to hear what it was REALLY like.

So a light wind kite is supposed to do a few things. It's meant to be powerful. It's meant to fly in light winds. To do that, you need to have a clean and efficient shape with no drag, flutter or silly things pulleys hanging in the air to hold it back. Check, check and check. A telltale sign of a great kite is the fact that it doesn't have much wingtip flutter in the turns (and CERTAINLY not in level flight).

The Zephyr is rock solid, and that positive turn is what really becomes apparent the moment you flick this kite into the window. It pulls steadily, recovers from the dive with a gentle pull on the bar, and then settles into straight line flight with no effort at all.

Like Steve said above - the old Zephyr “required a bit of technique to get upwind.” The new one doesn't. While it's no Edge in terms of upwind sorcery (we still don't know how that kite does it!) You'll be more than impressed with how simple it is to get back to where you started. That's what light wind riding is all about right? I won't get into how exactly to ride upwind on it, basically just stand there. It's as simple as that.

Relaunch? I didn't crash it, but out of 11 independent demo'ers – most of them did. And I never heard a single mention of it. Something tells me it wasn't a big deal. Either that or the jellyfish were a bigger problem than getting the kite out of the water. With such a clean design and top quality fabric that Ozone use, water just beads off it anyway so I'm sure it relaunches as well as a Catalyst.

Top end? This is a funny one actually… Those of you who know Daryl know he'll be the guy in 25 knots on his old Zephyr. So when a southerly buster loomed on the horizon we weren't at all surprised to see him with the new one pumped up on the beach. Around the time he came in (mostly in the air) the wind had hit 30 knots. Admittedly that was beyond ridiculous, but Daryl said he was comfortably until it got over 25 knots. Same as the old Zephyr. Perfect!

Low end? It's not any lower than the old ones, I mean – short of filling your kites with helium (no, not really… It doesn't work) you can't get any lower than 5 knots with a big board. The difference between the old Zephyr and the new one is the fact that you can ride upwind easily and be comfortable in those low winds. Threshold winds as Cabrinha would say…

As for jumping and freestyle… Hey, I wear Nitrous shorts now. I don't do rolly-polys anymore. But I did jump it and went about 3m high. What do you expect in 10 knots? I saw Daryl about 15m up though once the wind hit – he's still up there.

So I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a fantastic big kite and I'd love to have one in my personal quiver for the light days. I'd feel comfy handing it to a learner (I did!) and knowing they'd be able to handle it. I'd also hook up to it with a raceboard and feel pretty competitive in the light air.

Now I know there's no negatives here - and I tried... I really did... Because most of you guys like my reviews because I DO point out the bad bits. But i just can't find any.

here is another nice little review about the Zephyr from a former world champ who never rode a bridled light wind kite before.

www.intheloopkiteboarding.com/ozone-zephyr-2013-review

Had a go on an old Underground 1.52 x 44 with the 2013 Zephyr today, on the correct size bar and lines - 54cm x 27M lines.
Wind was 9-14 EAST to ESE, with tide working against me, so losing a knot or so (at Kurnell).
Bad wind in close as its slightly cross off in that wind, but was able to get going. Stayed out for about 30 mins, ended up downwind at the Cat Club, walked back up to knobheads place and went one groin up, had one run and came back in.
Verdict, bottom end on this board is around 10-11 knots, its was the holes and lulls that killed my ability to stay upwind.
Had my sector 60 there but was not confident enough in the wind or my ability to get back to it if I stuffed a gybe (likely).
Super stable kite, even in these flukey conditions it never felt like it would fall out of the sky.
Then it was beer o'clock.

Rider 95 kg, freeriding boosting downwind and upwind excursions. Saturday winds 11/17 knots 4 hour demo, Sunday 12/20 knots 3 hour demo
Thanks Jason Westoz demo Safety bay pond. Used Axis Patrol light wind tt. 55 cm bar 25 m lines.
Red and white zephyr 17 looks superb in the air, great design and shape, stands out in the crowd. A superb smooth and stable kite in 11/20knots no depower in flat water. Straight line board speed fast, equal with guys on smaller kites. Slightly less developed power than my edge 17(which is being traded for 19 edge) , I found it easier to go upwind on the zephyr. Bar pressure light similar to edges and catalysts, both off which I kite with. For me 14/16 knots into boosting, around 10/15 feet high and 30 downwind drift leaves room for plenty freestyle tricks.17 knots + timing correct 20 foot high 50 foot drift. Easy to boost and down loop above your head or slightly lower in front off you and gently down onto the water. It is smooth in boosting similar to edges and cats. Kite turns faster than 17 edges and slower than cat 14 and is responsive and easy to turn. Relaunch very easy and tested it. With a zephyr bar and 27m lines I feel 8/11 knots on a sector 66 will be achievable. Conclusion, kiting is my addiction and Ozone kites is my chosen brand. This is worth a demo. Thanks Westoz , can I have a new red and white zephyr 17 for easter, great forecast for weekend

Same bar pressure as the edge. Nah that's bull****e, its heavier, but just right really. Very good feedback making it very easy to let the kite fly forward in the window then pull that bar in and the static grunt kicks in. And yet it is all done with ultra smoothness. That bar pressure is also perfect when back roll back looping, transitions with roll kite loops and even looping on a decent jump as you know exactly where the kite is at all times....kinda like the C4 in that regard. I can see why some guys unhook. The only thing is from watching an out and out unhooked boots kinda powered guy in Bali past two weeks the zephyr does not give you that slack in the lines a C4 or even a cat will give you. The higher aspect (edge) DNA kicks in and the slack is taken up with forward flying through the window. But for a freerider this is just what you want. If ya want to learn your unhooked moves go a cat then maybe a zephyr. Basically don't try and learn them on a zephyr...well you can but those handle passes can be tricky unless you are really dialled in...we all can't ride like Andy Yates.

It probably has the same bar pressure as the new C4, but remember its a bloody 17m kite, that's a lot of canopy man ripping through and down into the power zone.

I have ridden 3 to 5 hours a day on a TT in wind in tropical wind that requires a deft touch (just no balls, I am so looking forward to getting over powered back home when I get back, I like to ride with too much power then control not the other way), and I have not found the bar pressure a problem at all.

Reckon it has maybe less bar pressure than the cat, when turning the kite, but marginal. But oh my the power delivery shts on the cat from a very very large height.

It has that ozone smoothness I have grown the love not the mindless immediate grunt fk I find on the cat.

But hey each to their own.

As puertz said "there is nothing I can fault on this kite, nothing". He's spent a fair bit of time looking for alternatives being such a big guy at 120kg and the zephyr is on the list of potentials. Personally I've ridden a lot of kites and I say good luck finding a better one for what he wants.

Maybe the limited edition dyno based on the 2011, north are thinking of doing, but apart from that, can't see him finding anything else.

We will see I suppose.

Been on the 2011, 2012 and 2013 C4 all with increasing bar pressure as they become far more C orientated.

You gotta get on one really yourself to see rag regards the zephyr. Funny after 9 days it just become the normal to be on a 17m kite, didn't even think I was on a big kite in the end. Weird how we adjust hey.

Tell ya got back on the edge today after being on the zephyr for 10 days, just not feeling the love hey, damn it. Keep losing the bloody thing on multiple rotations, especially coming out with a transition loop, just got my ass smashed today. Totally lost it in the window! I'm on the middle setting gonna try it on the the highest bar pressure, see if I can get more feel when in the air. Bar pressure has it advantages man.

The Core is great for light wind down winders,but a shocker for going up wind...more skull dragging power than any other kite I have flown...but that's no good if you can't direct that power up wind.If you demo it make sure you do a warm up and stretch because after 30 minutes into trying to wrestle that kite up wind my previous shoulder injury from riding old switchblades re- emerged and my back was very stiff for the next 2 days.
I think edges will beat everything up wind...once they are dialled in by the rider and tuned properly.. There unstopable for speed and boost in light wind.The zephyr is marginally behind for speed and boost by a fraction,but certainly better than the edge for freestyle and free ride tricks. I demo the zephyr and the edge when I bought and that little extra speed when the wind was really light was the difference between boosting and or doing some piss ant jump!

Yeh the cores are good hey, little to low aspect for me though. The zephyr has such a nice blend to allow some trickery and then get you upwind.

No doubt the edge will out point most things at speed. But if you are willing to slow things right down and nugget that window to wrap around as far as you can, it is no slouch going upwind. The static grunt also makes it much easier through slight lulls or if you edge to hard to keep moving upwind. The edge still required correct trimming and board control. Edge too hard and she shoots to the edge of the window and you can lose speed...more technical for sure. Both awesome kites.

Nrg yeh the 2014 I have herd has no pulleys, direct connection, smaller bridals and changed tips for faster turning. Can't wait to try one.

50cm bar all good.

Get ready, get set....booooooooooooossssssttttt. 9m a bloody corker size.

Get it out in 30 knots man, pow!

Shortest knot mate. Can't stall an ozone kite, except the REO at times. Kite only has one attachment point.

Only when its really really Tonkin and I'm on the edge do I use the middle knot. Jumps better on that setting.

Too light! Looked out the window today at all?