Had the chance to ride the new Assault 12m on two sessions so far. One time winds 12-17mph, sideshore condtions...and this morning winds 13-20mph, gusty Southwest winds(offshore, but I rode inside the inlet). So basically, two session testing the low end...more to follow on the high end of hte kite:

Kite Construction: Looks good...has the spider inflation system(two pump). Actually think it is more trouble than it is worth, but I guess it does save a little time. Like the other bow kites, a few pulleys, some bridles, etc.

Bar/Line set: Like this a lot. Has the pulleys on the bar like some of the others, but comes with a plastic covered chicken loop line, and a really nice stopper ball that actually works.

Self Launch: sand on the wing tip and up she went...

Shape: It is a fatty! Very medium to low aspect..the 12m is a big kite!

Speed: Okay speed. Not fast by any means, but not dog slow. I would like it to be a little faster, but some people may like the slower feel. It pivots pretty quick and does generate some nice power through the turns, but is slow coming back up after the intial turn.

Jumps: okay jumps, but again I was in pretty low winds for a 12m.

Bar pressure: Not the Sonic or the Waroo in terms of being very light, but very close. I would say definitely on the light side.

Unhooked: Worked very well for unhooked stuff. Very stable, easy to control, very nice.

Overall, good kite. Very easy to ride, not super fast, but very stable. Very "fat" and good pull...seems like a great wakeriding bow kite compared to some of the others. For wave riding or jumping, there probably are some better ones out there, but it can work in that capacity too.. We have it in the shop for demo, if anyone wants to give it a try...

Have you flown the 16m? I am hoping it will be a good kite for the damn light winds I have to deal with over here on the gulf. Daily 8-14 knots on a good day If you have any input on the 16m please let me know, I am shopping and trying to see which bow would be a good choice. Intermediate rider, Weight: 155lbs., Board: WLF 130. Thanks.

Hello. I haven't flown the 16m yet...only the 12m. The Assaults are good kites(we do sell them in our shop), but I think there are some better ones out there right now. The Sonics, Waroos, Answers, and Flexifoil IONs are all leading the way in my opinion.... For super light winds, you could go with a 14m Sonic, 16m Waroo, 16m Answer, or 15m ION. Lots of options...all with pluses and minuses...

Why do you think the Waroo is better

It is just a preference thing. For me, I like no pulleys on the bar. It gives me a more direct feel to the kite. So for me, the Waroos, Answers, IONS, and Sonics top my list. All have no pulleys on the bar and feel very similiar to a C shape kite(what I still ride). There are lots of other people, that like the Assault, Crossbow, Switchblade, Turbo Diesel, etc.. better than the ones without pulleys.... For example, I brought the Assault, Answer and Waroo out for a demo one day, and it was mixed on who liked what the most... Some of the guys that ride Crossbows and Switchblades, liked the Assault the most. Some of the guys that haven't flown a bow kite yet, liked the Answers and the Waroo the most, and vice versa... it all depends on the person and what you like...

What about the qualtity of the kite

In terms of best quality, I think Flexifoil leads the way, then probably Slingshot, then all the others...

What about Ocean Rodeo One? quality ? bar pressure ? performance

Does the Assault needs the bridle adjustment and have you tried it?