Two years in the making, designed by Mark shinn and his team, the first sample kites are due very soon....
The 555 is Nobile’s 4 line kite, one half of a two kite range. It’s called the 555 as a direct comparison to the board range. To say that the qualities that endear riders to the 555 series boards are reflected in the 555 kite is being a bit over simplistic, but is essentially true. It uses 4 lines with a pulley and bridle on the kite and is aimed at any standard of rider, for any discipline, just like the 555 series boards.
Mark is very careful to stress neither range of Nobile kites is regarded as being better than the other. They are both most definitely different yet their ultimate performance capability is reflected in the fact that he uses both ranges of kites extensively on a personal basis, out of preference.
The Nobile website gives you far more visual and tech info than I could ever give you here so please take a look;
http://www.nobilekiteboarding.com
There is also some generic info in another post I have written about Nobile kites, for this is not just a Kite program tagged on the back of a successful board brand.
http://www.kiteboarder.co.uk/kitesurfing/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22050
In fact it couldn’t be further from it; Mark has been involved in kite development throughout his career, and knows that people who are used to his standard of board designs expect nothing less from his kites. He would never have released them if he felt his designs were not up to the job; it is the culmination of two years work.
Here is some of the official text;
Who is it for?
Free-riders looking to boost their confidence with maximum versatility, huge wind range and direct bar sheeting with out the classic bow draw backs of heavy bar pressure, vague steering and poor unhooked performance. The Nobile 555 also features incredibly simple re-launch, superb ease of use and 4 line Hybrid simplicity to ensure your peace of mind in all conditions.
Why did we make it?
Massive wind range allowing a two (or even one) kite quiver is a goal for us all, but until now achieving this meant too many compromises. Our goal was to make a high de-power, easy to use kite that that still had good performance, but did not feature any of the drawbacks of some of the bow kites on the market.
How did we do it?
We kept the same Natural Arc we developed for the NHP. However, to enhance the range of the 555 we used a 4 line SLE (Supported Leading Edge) Hybrid configuration. With careful placement of the bridle attachment points and some modification to its normal configuration we created a kite that delivers outstanding power range, clean and precise handling and fast, easy re-launch. Huge air comes as standard with the 555 along with unparalleled, direct, confidence inspiring handling – the perfect blend for free-ride use.
Key points
- 4 line simplicity
- Huge range
- Awesome power yet massive de-power
- Intuitive, fast re-launch
- Huge lift and hang time
- Controlled turning with a comfortable blend between axial and pivotal movement, (half bow, half C)
- Super stable gusty wind performance
- Natural Arc Shaping with SLE Hybrid form
- Light yet still direct bar pressure (no pulleys)
- FULCRUM Quick release
- SMART pump inflation
- 20m+5m line configuration
There seems to be a gulf appearing between the high depower 4 line kites and the performance oriented 5 lines, so giving kites generalized nomenclature is not really fair; as this looks like a standard 4 line SLE kite, so you would think it performs the same way. I have been told however that the 555 is far from the run of the mill handing of the 4 line SLE. Shaping aside, I have listened to a great deal of chat regarding bridle positioning and development, and many miles of bridle line before Mark started to find setups he liked.
I was surprised to hear Mark tell me that he likes the 4 line kite as much, if not more than the 5 line kite he developed, which is quite something, for at the beginning of the year we were both adament that the 5 line kite was leagues ahead of the 4 line in terms of handling, yet now it seems no longer the case.
The main concerns I had regarding the future of bridled kites I am confident have been addressed having spoken to many of the testers and independents who have tried the final kites to date;
Direct steering – kites with bridles have a lot of safety depower but this also gives poor handling. The 555 is reported to be extremely direct.
Minimal Bar throw – in fact looking at the bar for the 555 is look abnormally short, close to a C kite, yet retains the near total depower of the hybrid kite.
Huge depower - for both safety and range. This it most certainly has.
On a personal note I am really looking forward to trying these 4 line 555's if they are as good as he says, as I had trouble believing him about the change in 666 boards from '06 to '07 but he was right that time too.
Lastly, the fittings, bars and accessories; check out the smart single point inflation system on the website. Removable, external redundancy; very clever! I was honestly very impressed.
The bar system; completely new, no existing industry parts, everything is designed by Shinn and a team of engineers. The quick release; very simple, totally new, maintenance free, and researched with all styles and conditions.
We will have some sample test kites in the middle of January; these will go to the Nobile dealers, and the magazines. We are aiming to have the kites in stock by the middle of February.
At the end of the day we will all make our minds up after we have had the chance of a few good sessions on these kites, but with a track record like Mark’s these have to be one of the most interesting products to come into the sport for some time.
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). I know these testers are pretty high end, but it just goes to show how good the handling is on these shinn designed kites.