Pedro Fernandes
After receiving the good news from Kitesurfeolis, official distributor of the Ozone kites in Portugal, to be part of the team in order to promote the brand in Portugal I was anxious to try the kites as soon as I received them.
After a forced pause of 6 months for a knee injury, this was one of the best news that left me motivated to get back in the water and practice some Freestyle and waves.
With the wind conditions of Alvor it was in the following day after the delivery of the kites that I tried them.
For the first tests I made use of the kites Instinct Sport 13m and Edge 9m.
Both kites have an excellent construction noticing itself how much the Ozone cares about all the details of the kites. They present handles of self-rescue, bridles in the leading edge where connects the fifth line and anti-invert system (when in the water).
The system of depower in the bar is sufficiently easy to use in contrast of what it happens with some kites with a great depower. The Sport is the only model with one-pump that makes the kite really practical. In both models water relaunch is really easy, being necessary only to pull one of the back lines. The kites being no bows, but fifth line hybrids don’t have the same depower of a bow what to me is great.
The Ozone in these kites managed to eliminate the back-stall and with the stability that they have it’s excellent to ride un-hooked (especially the Sport).
Instinct Sport 13m
First Experience (about 12 knots): Not being used to big kites with light bar pressure my first contact was a bit strange but in a short time I got the feeling and the timing of the kite. I found an excellent light wind kite, being the only one that could go up-wind easy, jumping and making some kiteloops and powered moves with good pop.
Second Experience: Seeming that it was light wind I only took instinct 13m for the beach and when I arrived there I noticed there were good conditions for my 9m… Anyway I decided to try the 13m so I could feel how it holds in stronger winds (about 20 gusty knots). Although this kite is really good in light winds it presents a great and sufficient depower and with almost 20 knots I was only overpower in couple of situations. The kite jumps really, really high and in this day I gave the biggest jump of my life. I could manage to do some high handle-passes and some kiteloops (only when the gust passed  This kite for a 13m is a very fast kite managing good pop for un-hooked moves. A great day with some of the “Mens of Alvor crew” LOL.
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