So they have my attention and I think this material tech is the future but why not publish the weights here?
40% lighter than industry standard that has none !
I'm constantly amazed at how light my SMIK 6m feels in the hand, it is such a joy to ride in light wind with good surf. It will be tough to beat but I'm ready to buy new tech if the performance increase is there.
Good on Ocean Rodeo for pushing the edge. Can't wait to demo.
I may be wrong but I think we're talking $2,000/wing. With so many new wing designs hitting the market in the next few months it might not be advisable to commit to something potentially this expensive -- resale could be brutal.
Good on them for pushing the tech window. Price and weights would be handy to know. Handles look a little floppy.
A 5m Aluula Roam kite is $2499. Guessing an Aluula wing will be about the same. Less struts than a kite but more complexity in the boom strut and handles and stuff
www.google.com.au/search?q=aluula+roam+kite&source=lnt&tbs=ctr:countryAU
The background picture shows a window. The other pictures show stripey slot things that might be peekaboo windows. That could be a good idea.
oceanrodeo.ca/pages/wingsurfing
I would have liked to see a photo of the "ridgeback boom". It's a pretty important component to not show, especially with 12-15 psi in it.
The sticky-outey valves can be a magnet for the leash. Most brands put a neoprene cover over it. It can still tangle but at least you're not pulling on the valve when it's stuck.
Dyneema gets fluffy with age. If there's any exposed hook velcro on the leash cuff the fluffy Dyneema will grab onto it. After a few gybes my hand got tied up with bits if leash binding it. Assuming it's got bungy inside, anything I have ever had with bungie has perished and lost its bunge. You end up with a floppy leash that can get caught around your neck. I replaced mine with a coiled urethane leash. No sticking fluffy bits and no tangles around the neck. The odd tangle in the coil pulls out pretty easily.
I have a philosophical problem with buying ultra-premium priced gear. It might be nice to own and to use, but it rarely allows you to do anything that you can't do with something cheap and cheerful. You're generally better off riding more and developing your skills rather than buy an expensive thing that won't necessarily make you a better rider. Even extra longevity is a two-edged thing. Arguably a new mid-priced thing is going to work better than a 3-4 year old ultra expensive thing.
Absolutely buy whatever you like, especially if it makes you happy. Even better if it has specific features or a look or feel that enhances the activity. Personally I have a weakness for light weight, carbon and tuttle mounts in boards and foils. Still looking for a "killer app" in wings to grab my attention.
Maybe increased wind range is the overall benefit? Aluula kites are known to have super stiff frames as they can be pumped up hard, so maybe their wing will have less deformation / taco-ing/rattling at its top end? Going to be a while before any real world feedback by the looks of it ( ie after May ).
Select to expand quoteShlogger said..
Well, if it last twice as long. Any feedback from the kite community ?
What good is twice as long in a market that is evolving this quickly? I'll bet this wing is obsolete in less than two years and what's the resale price of a used obsolete wing? I'd rather lose 50% on the resale of a $1,000 wing than 50% on the resale of a $2,000 wing. Some won't care while others will. Once designs stabilize then a product that lasts much longer may be worth a premium price. This spring the market is going to be flooded with new product -- Sling Shot has a third wing coming (already has the V2 and Dart), Airush has the Pro, Duotone Slick, new Cabrinha just released, F-one Strike and many, many more.
For a long awaited release,with countdown timer to increase the tension,this is a bit of a turn-off.
More pics,some vids, and more numbers.Weight is a big selling point,wingspan is critical on 5m and up wings etc...
(Handles look a bit too minimalistic, i would have liked them longer.Or boom design like the upcoming Slick.)
EDIT: I just read about the "Matrix Handles,mix and match to your riding style..."
You can move them?,add more?.This might be very good then.
Of course all this will be just niggly details if the bottom and top end kick b&tt on anything out there now.
If a Glide 5m gets me up on foil like a 6m with good overpowered and downwind behaviour it would be a good buy.
Will have to wait for the true,non infommercial reviews.
Select to expand quotedejavu said..Shlogger said..
Well, if it last twice as long. Any feedback from the kite community ?
What good is twice as long in a market that is evolving this quickly? I'll bet this wing is obsolete in less than two years and what's the resale price of a used obsolete wing? I'd rather lose 50% on the resale of a $1,000 wing than 50% on the resale of a $2,000 wing. Some won't care while others will. Once designs stabilize then a product that lasts much longer may be worth a premium price. This spring the market is going to be flooded with new product -- Sling Shot has a third wing coming (already has the V2 and Dart), Airush has the Pro, Duotone Slick, new Cabrinha just released, F-one Strike and many, many more.
Completely agree. I see huge changes in handles, leading edge profile, not to mention the whole fragile bladder inside a sleeve concept. Move forward we will !
Select to expand quoteShlogger said..
Completely agree. I see huge changes in handles, leading edge profile, not to mention the whole fragile bladder inside a sleeve concept. Move forward we will !
Is anybody proposing a bladderless wing?.
OR are just changing the materials,first the Dacron,then bladders and then the ripstop.
All with Aluula based tech if i remember correctly from an interview with one of OR founders.
www.eastcoastkitesurfing.com.au/product/hl-series-glide/
Demo HL wings arriving very soon @
Kitepower and The KiteLoft
I had the opportunity to ride a couple of different protos; one was a full dacron version and another was the HL version. They were still far away from being final production versions, but initial impressions are very positive. Both versions handled drifting really well and the Matrix handle system allows for super fast custom handle placement. The Matrix handle system is one of my favourite features as I could easily have my hands exactly in the right position for sheeting/maneuvers without a bunch of extra handles in the way or in useless positions for my way of riding. It's definitely leaning more towards the minimalist side of things in keeping with the OR intention of keeping things as light as possible while engineering strength and reinforcement in key areas. The Aluula boom/strut holds super high pressures, is very stiff, and is much narrower in diameter than any other wing I've seen. It has a sleeker look and is much less cartoonish looking compared to some of the huge diameters we're seeing from some other wings. Windows were small and well placed for me. I rode the HL 5M proto in 12-18 knots in head high surf and it was well behaved and a ton of fun. OR is later to the wing game but the combination of materials and innovative tweaks should make their production wing a good top-tier option. I'm super curious to try the full Aluula air-frame version to see what the stiffness and stability feels like.
I'm pretty stoked to try it out. Wings actually fit perfectly into Ross Harrington's design lineage and I feel he has a leg up in most anyone here. We'll see.
Took a while but HL 5m in shop for demo now. No wind but pump it up, looks great, well made and the centre strut is pretty small compared to anything else! Takes 11-12psi.
I have a 5m allula proto in my possession and it certainly has a both better bottom and top end that regular Dacron wings. The thing is, while it retains its structure when overpowered...your still overpowered lol.
The weight of it is so much lighter than anything out there. It really is a special wing.
Ya so i got out on a full Allula wing yesterday. I feel like my personal gear is garbage sadly after that remarkable experience.
Looks like RRD are joining the allula wing club. I'm sure this is just a prototype. looks very light.
Select to expand quotebaldy123 said..
Looks like RRD are joining the allula wing club. I'm sure this is just a prototype. looks very light.
Duotone already has an Aluula kite for sale, the wing will be sure to follow soon.
I've heard second hand that the full aluula frame wings can be really harsh to handle if they are at all overpowered - due to the stiffness. Maybe the hybrid design with only the aluula boom is actually a happy medium for the application of this material.
looking forward to hearing more reviews.
Select to expand quoteVelocicraptor said..
I've heard second hand that the full aluula frame wings can be really harsh to handle if they are at all overpowered - due to the stiffness. Maybe the hybrid design with only the aluula boom is actually a happy medium for the application of this material.
looking forward to hearing more reviews.
I dunno man, my firsthand experience with the full allula wings(both of them) was that they had abnormally good top ends, compared to Dacron wings. Somehow I was in 25knots on a 5m allula and it was awesome. If it hit 30 I'm sure it would be harsh but that is because you shouldn't even think if being on any 5m wing in 30knots IMHO. So, the question is-what size wing and wind speed was that person on to feel overpowered.
Select to expand quotemartyman said..Velocicraptor said..
I've heard second hand that the full aluula frame wings can be really harsh to handle if they are at all overpowered - due to the stiffness. Maybe the hybrid design with only the aluula boom is actually a happy medium for the application of this material.
looking forward to hearing more reviews.
I dunno man, my firsthand experience with the full allula wings(both of them) was that they had abnormally good top ends, compared to Dacron wings. Somehow I was in 25knots on a 5m allula and it was awesome. If it hit 30 I'm sure it would be harsh but that is because you shouldn't even think if being on any 5m wing in 30knots IMHO. So, the question is-what size wing and wind speed was that person on to feel overpowered.
That's reassuring. Did you find the low end to be any better on the 5 versus a non aluula wing? How were the handles?
what do you mean by "both of them" (implying more than one full aluula wing)?
Select to expand quoteVelocicraptor said..martyman said..Velocicraptor said..
I've heard second hand that the full aluula frame wings can be really harsh to handle if they are at all overpowered - due to the stiffness. Maybe the hybrid design with only the aluula boom is actually a happy medium for the application of this material.
looking forward to hearing more reviews.
I dunno man, my firsthand experience with the full allula wings(both of them) was that they had abnormally good top ends, compared to Dacron wings. Somehow I was in 25knots on a 5m allula and it was awesome. If it hit 30 I'm sure it would be harsh but that is because you shouldn't even think if being on any 5m wing in 30knots IMHO. So, the question is-what size wing and wind speed was that person on to feel overpowered.
That's reassuring. Did you find the low end to be any better on the 5 versus a non aluula wing? How were the handles?
what do you mean by "both of them" (implying more than one full aluula wing)?
ya both the low end and high end was "bettet: on full allula
Can someone explain why, according to Ocean Rodeo's own wind range chart, the 4 and 5m have almost the triple wind range compared to the 6 and 7m? It is the same chart for both Glide models. This doesn't square with my experience from different wing sizes, albeit different brands.
