New Gaastra and Liquid Force Kites for 2013
If you're a keen kitesurfer, then you want to keep yourself up to date with new developments in the sport.
In this series of articles, we look at the new kites that have been launched for the 2013 season.
This article is the 5th in the series and in it we review the new Gaastra and Liquid Force kites for 2013.
Gaastra have two new models on the market for 2013, the Jekyll 6 and the Jekyll 6 LW.
The Jekyll 6 as the name suggests is the 6th generation of the marque.
It is a Freestyle/Wave kite and Gaastra state that it is "without question the fastest and most performance oriented kite that Gaastra has ever built".
They have achieved this partly by improving the steering by using a straight tip shape and thicker diameter of the leading edge in the tip area.
They claim that it turns super fast and flies through the window all the way to the extreme edge, giving it "insane" upwind abilities.
It has an efficient de-power system that reduces the power by 85% when sheeted out whilst maintaining its steering capabilities.
The Jekyll is a dedicated 4 line SLE kite with the option to use a 5th line.
The Jekyll 6 LW is a light wind race kite which carries on where its smaller sibling finishes.
Available in sizes 16.
5 and 19 metres.
It boasts the same characteristics as the Jekyll 6, with a large sweet spot giving the kite the widest wind range in the Gaastra line up.
Liquid Force have three new models available for 2013, The Envy, the NRG and the HiFi X.
The Envy and NRG are updated versions of the 2012 models with new colour schemes and decals whilst the HiFi X is an all new model.
The Envy is a Freeride kite in sizes 4 to 15 metres, which is a considerably increased range for m the 2012 model.
It is a SLE kite with 3 struts and 4 lines.
It is Liquid Force's all purpose kite, designed to suit a wide range of conditions.
The NRG is also available in a wider size range that last year's version.
In addition to the 6, 8, 10, and 12 metre sizes available in 2012, there's now a 14 and a 16 metre option.
According to Liquid Force, the NRG is a "go big power kite" designed to deliver excitement every time you sheet in the bar.
Liquid Force's new kid on the block, the HiFi X, is a 5 strut C kite designed for high performance.
The company claim that it is the fastest turning kite in their fleet, making it a favourite with riders who demand the ultimate in performance.
It has been designed for riders with the expertise to tune a kite for increased power, performance and responsiveness.
So if you dream of hitting the PKRA and are a core rider who appreciates the power and control that a C kite offers, then maybe this is the kite for you.
In this series of articles, we look at the new kites that have been launched for the 2013 season.
This article is the 5th in the series and in it we review the new Gaastra and Liquid Force kites for 2013.
Gaastra have two new models on the market for 2013, the Jekyll 6 and the Jekyll 6 LW.
The Jekyll 6 as the name suggests is the 6th generation of the marque.
It is a Freestyle/Wave kite and Gaastra state that it is "without question the fastest and most performance oriented kite that Gaastra has ever built".
They have achieved this partly by improving the steering by using a straight tip shape and thicker diameter of the leading edge in the tip area.
They claim that it turns super fast and flies through the window all the way to the extreme edge, giving it "insane" upwind abilities.
It has an efficient de-power system that reduces the power by 85% when sheeted out whilst maintaining its steering capabilities.
The Jekyll is a dedicated 4 line SLE kite with the option to use a 5th line.
The Jekyll 6 LW is a light wind race kite which carries on where its smaller sibling finishes.
Available in sizes 16.
5 and 19 metres.
It boasts the same characteristics as the Jekyll 6, with a large sweet spot giving the kite the widest wind range in the Gaastra line up.
Liquid Force have three new models available for 2013, The Envy, the NRG and the HiFi X.
The Envy and NRG are updated versions of the 2012 models with new colour schemes and decals whilst the HiFi X is an all new model.
The Envy is a Freeride kite in sizes 4 to 15 metres, which is a considerably increased range for m the 2012 model.
It is a SLE kite with 3 struts and 4 lines.
It is Liquid Force's all purpose kite, designed to suit a wide range of conditions.
The NRG is also available in a wider size range that last year's version.
In addition to the 6, 8, 10, and 12 metre sizes available in 2012, there's now a 14 and a 16 metre option.
According to Liquid Force, the NRG is a "go big power kite" designed to deliver excitement every time you sheet in the bar.
Liquid Force's new kid on the block, the HiFi X, is a 5 strut C kite designed for high performance.
The company claim that it is the fastest turning kite in their fleet, making it a favourite with riders who demand the ultimate in performance.
It has been designed for riders with the expertise to tune a kite for increased power, performance and responsiveness.
So if you dream of hitting the PKRA and are a core rider who appreciates the power and control that a C kite offers, then maybe this is the kite for you.
