This is the first time I've done anything like this so please do bare with me :D
Paul very kindly sent me a 2012 9m Arawak to demo. So I would like to air my views as way of thanks for the loan and to enlighten anyone that would like to be enlightened.
A bit of background from me, I've been kiting for a year and six months. I'd like to think I'am of intermediate level. I'm 65kg. I ride a 130 x 40 Shinn Monk, 133 x 42 Caliber with Ronix Parks boots and a strapless 5'6 NSP fish surfboard. I get out quite a lot either landboarding or Kitesurfing. This review is just an average joe opinion.
I've had the kite for a month and have had 3 landboarding sessions and 5 kitesurfing sessions. I've been lucky enough to have it out in all sorts of conditions, light, overpowered, gusty, twin tip, Wake boots & Strapless surfboard.
The kite:
Out of the bag it is a nice piece of kit. Looks solid in build quality. Reinforcement buffers on the leading edge, one pump system with the lock off clips in neoprene sleeves, Two valves inflate/deflate. Quite a long pulleyless front line bridal. All simple stuff. Graphics look sick! :D
The Bar:
The safety release is probably the best I've seen. Solid push away release. Easy to reset and can be done under the water simply. It flags to one front line and has a suicide ring that can be fitted to the chicken loop. Small chicken loop but solid and solid donkey dick. Depower is above the bar pull pull straps. It's does this in a tidy manor with locating loops. Straps are colour coded and have + & - symbols for the less able like myself :D
Flying:
Is quite simply awesome! First session I had was a gusty Landboarding session. Probably gusting 15-25 knots. Coming from a Hybrid C with very little depower the Arawak felt very simple to fly. It eats the gusts and spits them out. I think this is to do with the long bar throw and bridal setup. Stable was my first impressions.
Jumping:
It didn't take long to get a feel for it. Jumping on land is great. It's simple, It likes to either be sent slow and ridden fast or vice versa. Either way it puts you up there very nice indeed.
On the water it boosts big, the hangtime is miles better than what I was expecting. This makes for some fun floaty transitions. It loves a down loop! I had it out in wind gusting 40 knots(I'm 65kg). By all rights I should've been on my 7m but I wanted to find the top end of the Arawak. Downlooping it after a boost, it picks you back up before putting you down for a sweet landing. Not once did I get ripped down wind on a down loop. Again I think the amount of depower the kite has is a big help.
Kite loops:
It likes to be looped! With in 20mins on this kite I comfortable enough to loop it. It produces a great pull. Not the break ya neck yank of a C kite but definitely an enjoyable wang! Today I had the kite in a comfortable 25 knots and the loops where great fun. For a 9m it is very efficient at catching you on a kite loop. Given the fact it jumps well makes the loops that much easier.
Unhooking:
Unhooking is good. It fills my requirements anyway. I'm not doing technical handle passes so can't really comment on it's line slack ability, however I did some surfaces passes and It had a bit of pull when riding downwind but it's not impossible. For your basic Raley's, S-bends, Back rolls etc it is a very good park and pop kite. With a bit of trim it sits at 45 comfortably. I did mention to Paul that the chicken loop could be bigger for hooking back in but that said I quickly got used to it.
Upwind:
Upwind is perfect. Again the large depower allows the kite to sit on the edge of the window, with some good board edging you can fly upwind. I found that this is also the same on a high rocker board with wake boots(in chop!).
Waves:
Waves, It works. Again I put this down to it's depower range. Full chat toe side carve into a face, bar out and the kite drifts with you where you need it.
Relaunch:
Relaunch is quick. Pull one back line and off it goes. I also had to a couple of relaunches in the waves and it handled the situation well.
Pro's:
See all of the above.
Con's:
The chicken could be bigger for hooking back in. An interchangeable loop might be nice ;) Not so keen on the pull straps however as far as pull straps go this one does it very well.
Today I can honestly say I had my best session on the water... It just so happened to be behind this kite. I would have a quiver of these kites tomorrow if I could afford too. I feel like I've progressed on this kite. It's made me realise that what I'm currently flying is hindering me. That is how I would sum up the Arawak!
Here is some gopro clips of the kite in action. Unfortunately the kitesurfing vid doesn't show any looping other than some front roll kite loops. Sent Kite loops where on the menu today and I didn't bring my gopro....I know, I know video or it didn't happen right :cool:
Land:
Link for those on phones
Another link for those on phones
Water:
And another Link for those on phones
If you got this far I thank you very much for putting up with me :D