Ok guys, just finally got out on the new 13m Solo I just ordered. I'm going to make the attempt on a review, but just note this is coming from a guy who's now in his 30's and currently has an 8 month old as well. So sessions are becoming few and far between. I also want to start out by stating a few obvious things I've realized:

1. I'm not a pro kiteboarder, nor will I ever be.

2. I'm less interested in the unhooked handle-pass kite-loops because now being out of work a few days because of a broken rib, is less cool to me than say putting food on the table for a little dude.

3. I'm 190lbs, and looking for a 2 kite quiver. So with a 9m Hypertype for when it blows over 20, this is the perfect addition.


First off, let me start off by saying I'm 6'2" 190lbs. My mother refers to me as talk dark and handsome, and I have BEAUTIFUL brown eyes. I like fufu drinks as well as long walks on the beach.....

I've been riding about 4 years (off and on with military travel and transfers), and I'm coming off a 13m RRD HIR, so wanted something with a little more range but comparible. I was heart set on picking up an Era, but D mentioned the new Solo, and that he really liked it. So the Solo it was, BUT I bought it with an ERA bar, because I don't need the long throw that the Solo bar or Best bar has due to my Ice cream eating ass already placing me at the peak of the low end on this kite.

Initial Departure
I went out for about 2 1/2 hours today here in Va Beach, and as soon as I got out on the kite (with obviously my last session being on the speed devil HIR) I was ready to sell this, what felt like, SLOW ass turd. Then after hearing everyone's story about there woes with their first transition period on the "bows", I figured I'd try to give it a chance. It started out blowing around 15 mphs, and I was on my Crazyfly 132x41. I was pretty juiced for a Yeti riding a McDonald's tray on a 13m which was pretty impressive.

Jumping
When I first pulled the trigger after trying to set the new timing on this pig, I noticed it didn't jump to the moon like my other kites, HOWEVER, the hangtime was surreal. Pretty cool, I felt as though I was just hanging from a tree. It may not be famous for it's incredible shuttle height like some of the other kites, but with the ability to hover like a Helo, it'll make board offs and such just as easy, if not easier. I'm kind of losing the thrill of just being able to jump over other kiters, and more interested in the handle passes and what not (which I still haven't mastered).

Wakestyle moves

The rally's and S-Bends on this kite are thebomb.com! Again I felt as though I was like some Chimp in the jungle, pretty bitchen! This kite is SUPER stable, and I'm starting to notice that it's not as slow as I first thought! My transitions seem to plant PERFECTLY, and my landings seem to squeak their so clean. Unlike my HIR, which I think Kitenb mentioned best when he said these high performance kites are very physical kites, I have to have my head on a constant swivel watching my HIR if I land wrong. The Solo seems to just be waiting for me to finish. I'm starting to get a crush on this kite.

Waves

Well what can you say about the bow kite in the waves that everybody doesn't already know. You could get a parking ticket on this kite while you actually enjoy SURFING a wave. When you turn this kite as you swap to toe side and smack the lip, it doesn't rip you through the turn like my "C" kite, but it is WICKED stable and allows you to control the rip, versus using your kite to make it happen. Different, but kind of cool really, it also feels as though this kite is getting a little faster. Actually come to find out after getting home, the wind is now 25 mph. Had I been on my HIR, I would have been ballet dancing the nut cracker versus really enjoying the session.



So it appears that Extreme Kites has stirred me into the right direction yet again. I've known D for a while now, and he seems to know my style better than I do. I can't give you pointers on how well this kite will do double kite loops unhooked landing blind, but for a dude who's just trying to get out in between diaper changes and baby baths, this kite looks like it's going to be the ticket! I'll post more as I get more time on it. I'm not going to post anything about construction or whatever, because we ALL know the durability of the Royals (just ask Kitenb about how well his Era swims). Although I have to say the no pulley thing is pretty sweet! I also want to try it without the 5m extensions as well as I noticed I forgot to move the lines to the "outside" knots to make the bar a little bigger. This kite seems to be EXTREMELY forgiving, and for a guy trying to increase his skill without being ripped back off the water like on my HIR if I make a mistake, the Solo may be the kite for me.

Well thanks to the advice of EK, and the others on this forum (thanks DOZER), I "unleashed the beast" on my SOLO 13m. I removed the front line on the rear bridle, and WOW, that kite seriously woke up! Doesn't have that wicked Cabrinha Crossbow style stability it had (now 2 kites for the price of one by changing the bridle), but much higher end performance for sure.

This is my first "bow" kite, as you may have noted from my previous post, but starting to love this kite. It blew between 15 and 18 pretty steady today and my Solo was a blast. Great jumping (now that I'm starting to dial in the timing), AWESOME in the surf and just all around fun kite.

Kinda funny cause this kite kind of reminds me of the car I just bought. I needed something practical for my new kid, but still wanted something fun. So I went out and bought a 378 HP Volvo station wagon. It may not be a Porsche by "description", but I guarantee it'll give you a good time!


Very Respectfully,

Tits Magee

Great to hear that STOKE. Kite has tremendous range and great relaunch as well as the things you mentioned in your review. Easy to self launch or reverse launch as well!

Which Crazy-Fly are you riding?

I have both the 145x44 (not sure on the length anymore could be 148) for those light wind/surf days, and the Pro 132x41 for the fun days! (they're both the 06 models)

I agree about the relaunch ability. Actually, how is the relaunching with the bridal mod? I just moded it yesterday, and to be honest I was mainly just playing in the surf so didn't get a chance to drop it.

No change on the relaunch. Really fast. Faster than your ready for it if you are used to the older waroo's like I am.

Still waiting for the smaller Solos here, specifically, the 7m...

I know, we are all waiting

Simmer down Brian, I'll have it fixed soon and everyone can be happy again!

Toast do you realize it's hurricane season here and there's a hurricane nearby?
By the way, we saw you at JP Henleys tonight

was I wear my drag queen outfit like usual?

cool it bro!

where did you get that picture???

I finally got to use my 13m solo. I rode it on the solo bar with the wide setting for the back lines. I left the back bridal in the stock position for this session but will experiment with different setting later.

Wind was 18-22mph, other kiters were on 10m HP's &12m Cabrina's. I weigh 165 so I thought the 13 would be a little too big but much to my surprise I wasn't too overpowered.

I pulled the depower strap in about 1/3rd of the way and the kite was rock solid. Nothing twitchy, funky or wobbly in how it flies. It turns fairly quick for a 13m - not as fast as a Thruster or Hypertype but fast enough for my style of riding.

Near the end of the session, i saw some windsurfers on 5.0M sails so I estimate that the wind picked up a little bit to 20-24 or 25mph. I was super impresssed with the fact that I could ride it comfortably and still have some depower left.

I thought the kite jumped really well. Some jumps were elevator up high and some were just long and floaty. I like the way the kite downloops and it feels like it has a lot of grunt. This kite keeps a nice constant pull and is great for riding toeside and doing wakesyle moves. The kite turns smoothly with no delay.

Pros -
**the bar is really nice with a stopper, easy to use quick release and the front lines didn't twist up at all.
** Huge depower / fast relaunch
**One pump with clips for the struts. Nice big bag.
**No pulley on the bridal to wear out lines

Cons -
The depower strap is a bit far away. My arms are pretty short so it was tough to reach.

I really like this kite and will try the back bridal modification next time out. I think a 9/13 quiver would cover a huge wind range. Hopefully the low end will be as good as the top end of the kite.

Cool! Glad you like the kite. I've spent alot of time on the 13 in all kinds of wind. It really is a good kite. No pulleys is a big plus

Grunt, yes. The line mod helps speed up kite in light wind. With a spleene session I can be having fun doing rolls while most sitting on beach waiting for wind to come up.

I will try the mod when it's blowing 13-17. I have the skywalker 135x47 lite wind killer so hopefully it will be as good in the light winds as it is in 20 plus.

Anyone ride the smaller solo's yet: 7 or 9?

here's the kiteworld review of the 11
http://www.kiteworldmag.com/2008-kite-tests/royal-solo/

Has anyone flown the Solo on the 2008 Best Bar?

what size is the solo bar for the 13m?

The wide setting is 21" or 53cm. The narrow setting is 17" or 43cm.

Best and Royal bars are pretty similar. The best is $100 less expensive but the Royal has a wide and narrow setting and can be used on multiple kites.

The both have the stiffy disc, dual line depower, stopper, Rear OSR handle, line bungees and metal on metal safety release. The Best has 22+3m extensions the Royal has 22+5m extensions.

I like the way the Royal bar has a little 'thingy' to keep the depower strap from getting tangled up. The Royal chicken loop is pretty big, at first I thought it made the bar too far away but after unhooking It's a nice big loop to hook back into. I am not a big unhooked rider (shoulder issues) but the kite is superb when unhooked. I can't wait to try in on a surfboard in some waves - possibly on shorter lines.

The adjustment from 53cm to 43cm takes all of 5 seconds. At full power, all four lines are equal. Not sure of who makes the flying lines but they look pretty solid and have a black/grey waxy feel to them.

The best does have a swivel - the royal does not. However, I did not have any issues with the front lines twisting. I did a bunch of spins, backrolls and downloops in different directions and only had to reach up once in 1.5 hours to unspin the lines.

As you can see if the photo, the narrow setting is 17" and the wide setting adds 2" to each side = 21"

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=k3fVYswjnPQ

Nukin/Tits

Any sense whether or not the 13 has enough low end to be a big kite for a bigger (195 lb rider). I have a great light wind board (Crazy Fly 145x49). Right now I ride a hypertype 15 but I am almost always trying to decide between that kite and my hypertype 12. No pulleys is enticing.

-Tubbs