Ozone Razor 6.8M

Well It finally arrived the biggest kite I have owned to date, didn't have a clue what to expect, because I had never owned something this big. And honestly, I was thinking how much more could it pull anyway it is only 2.3 mt bigger than my 4.5.

Oh was I naieve or what, right from the start I was startled at the large increase in bag size. Obviously it was going to be that way but it just shocked me, anyway I took it out and was excitedly pleased at the appearance of such an awsome looking, and large looking kite laying on the garage floor. The colour wasn't what I was after, but they currently only come in two colours, and the yellow with white wasn't quite what I was after. But only two arrived in the country and guess what colour they both were.

NOTICEABLE CHANGES
Straight away I noticed a few changes in the kite, I still haven't established wether this is a new thing across the board or only on the larger models. The vents on the leading edge have now got a Mylar or similar material built into the cell walls at the opening of the vent's. Both my smaller kites don't have this feature, I think it is similar if not the same, except for the mylar around the vent opening's as the JoJo's vent opening's, but don't quote me on it.

The bridles are now coloured instead of plain white lines, not sure If they are the same material, but still are a great quality item. The handles have changed slightly they have lost the plastic tubing on the flying lines, that prevented finger chaffing, which was causing problems in the original handle's anyway. The loop in the break lines for anchoring up seem to be a little different in the way they are attached. And they come with a harness line between the handles which for myself is useless, as it is a piece of 3mm cord with sewn loops on the ends and a plastic tubing over it. I fly with a pulley attached to a quick release hook on my harness, and this just won't work with my configuration. The lines are also different in colour and I believe the material they are made out of is also different, they look to be of a better quality than the old white ones I have on my other kites.

FLYING
The kite needed a few adjustments to the brake lines on initial launch, but once they were set not a problem was encountered. I have found that you need a little more break on the big one, in order to get it to turn when you want it too. The turns are slower and require a little more thought and effort, then required for the smaller ones, as you would imagine everything is ampiflied.

I launched it cautiously into the window and found it quite steady, until I left it idle for too long and it flew straight over my head or out of the side of the window and luffed. This is scary, because of it's size it moves slower when luffed and you can see it slowly unfolding and here I am thinking hold on this si going to hurt. And bang it powers up and it feels like you are doing a deep water star behind a power boat with a lead foot for a driver.

The power comes on sort of slowly but with so much force and power it is scarey, the manufacturers use a wind scale that is in Bft. Now I don't know this scale but from what I can work out they believe you can fly these things in upto 15knots, get real you would die a horrible death just thinking about it. I was flying in around 6-9 knots and at times getting over-powered and going 4- 5 metres sideways down the beach. But what a rush the power comes on smooth but strongly and it really gets up and sings, litterally. The kite was whistling thru the air like nothing I have ever heard before.

My smaller kites unless really really powered up are almost silent. It may have something to do with the new lines and bridles but this bib beast definetely won't sneak up on people thats for sure. The turning was in it'self a real challenge at first, you really have to turn earlier than you do with smaller kites, now this might sound obvious to big kite owners. But I have never experienced it before, but quickly learned after luffing my first 5 or 6 turns that you really have to get the kite right into the turn before you even think about turning the buggy.

Even normal turns whilst flying along and signing the kite are slower and more pronounced, you really have to concentrate all the time, well initially anyway. After a while I was zipping up and down the beach, in wind that I would otherwise be cursing for not blowing hard enough. Not anymore, even when my mates JoJo 6m was having trouble staying aloft I was still able to continue cruising at speed, up and down the beach thumbing my nose too him. All the while thinking hey that was me sitting on the beach watching others buggying past and having fun in lighter winds, but do I feel guilty, Nah not anymore.

CONCLUSION
In summary I have nothing but good things to say about the 6.8 mt Razor, the subtle improvements seem to have only improved it's overall performance and appearance. It is for all intensive purposes a kite in the 6m range. But has .8 of a metre on the JoJo unless you get a 7m JoJo, it has .3 of a metre on the Raptor 2 unless you get a 7.5 Raptor 2. So it is an awsome aquisition for it's size and range and can far exceed the wind range of other competitors around it, when they upsize to try and counteract your speed they will become over powered.

While you are cruising with no sideways movement too hinder maximum speed. But in saying that I am rather heavy about 105 kgs, lighter people might have the opposite happen, they maybe overpowered while the competitors with the smaller kites are comfortable in the zone. So maybe a little balast is all that is required to fix all the problems for everyone who know's, different horses for different courses.

So all in all I am more than happy with Ozones 6.8 Razor, it is as good if not better than the smaller kites in design and performance. And will give you endless enjoyment and pleasure on than those less than desireable wind day's, after all it's about having a good time and enjoying yourself.

By : Troy Woollett