There has been a few threads on kiteforum regarding the kites from a few people who have seen them around, and some of the posts are very amusing, yet I would rather concentrate on the UK where I’m based than have to deal with a lots of silly and irrelevant comments from a worldwide forum. There will be two kite specifc threads on trade expo, hopefully later today, but here is some general info for the UK.
There are two things I would like to point out straight away; probably the most important aspect of these kites.
Already on the Kiteforum threads people are saying “yeah, they look like this”, or “they look just like a copy of that” and “they are from the same factory as such and such” it makes me laugh for none of it is true, and even if it was, it is not relevant anyway.
Also people asking “who the designer is” expecting it to be an existing designer in the industry, and by association a opinion drawn as to what the kites will be like.
The answer is very simple and the complete truth; the design oversight, prototyping, testing, production….. it’s Shinn; all of it. Each kite is completely unique; every size bespoke, (no scaling) with no industry base kite template, despite what people may think, every kite is built from the base up according to the kites size and use; for the laws of physics are different for every size and intended use.
He uses a CAD programmer to move the shapes around, as Cad programming is complex, and it’s industry front end, surfplan, is VERY crude. So in effect the designer is Shinn and his riders.
The bar components are all uniquely designed, and very different. New moldings, new technologies, nothing borrowed, everything engineered, by engineers, from the ground up.
Mark has been working with kite design throughout his history in the sport, and his history is very diverse. His center in Tenerife stocked every kite of every make for two solid years, so the research and comparative testing that went into these designs is huge, and completely unblinkered.
Throughout many conversations over the last year one point has always been paramount; Nobile has made an incredible impression with their board designs and this name is not enough to carry a kite brand on the back of board success. The kites have to be as good in comparison to the existing kite industry as the boards are, no exceptions. If they were not then there is no point in releasing them. They also have to be relevant to the market; performance and handling that everyone can access and appreciate, just like the boards.
Mark is now confident enough to push the button, and here they are.
I have tried only a pre production 666-NHP, in some very unpleasant conditions mid summer. It was very impressive, and the first kite for many years that had me pushing it’s limits a step at a time, for I was honestly fearful about giving it full-welly in full power conditions. Not from the fact that it was unstable, (quite the opposite in fact, it was extraordinarily well behaved and balanced for the hideous conditions we were in) but more from the performance point of view; its performance was too high to simply get on and mash the accelerator pedal to the floor… lol
From the kites that left the distributor meeting (back to the far flung corners of the world) the response has been extraordinary; these are all importers who already distribute existing kite brands; so a new product is a real potential risk for them. I hope we have the same reaction over here.
We will have test kites in the UK early in January. They will be sent to magazines, a few key retailers, and demo days. You’ll be able to buy them in Late Febuary we think.
Price is not yet set; they will not be cheap, yet they will not be taking the piss either.
Full details, pics and vid footage;
http://www.nobilekiteboarding.com
I will also post up two specific threads to the two kite models in trade expo.
a good Christmas and New Years to everyone!
