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Kitesurfing has been experiencing growth in numerous ways all over the world. And Cabrinha kites are dedicated to matching its pace steadily. So, if you have an eye for this brand’s product units, why do you not sit down with us and look at their specific reviews?
In this post, you will have a quick look at the reliable brand and delve into some of their notable kite models this year.
Without any further ado, let’s get right into it.
Cabrinha: At a glance
Twenty-one years ago, Neil Pryde & Pete Cabrinha joined forces to design a complete kitesurfing gear for satisfying every kitesurfing demand. Thanks to the research and development facility in Hawaii and the Hong Kong Pryde Group’s best-in-class production factory, Cabrinha’s team has become famous in the kitesurfing realm.
Cabrinha kites are primarily known for their user-friendliness and durability, and Cabrinha’s proprietary safety system, Cabrinha IDS (Intelligent Depower System) characterized by its excellent depower characteristics. These attributes make the brand’s kites fantastic for any target group – be it veteran or starter: with the fun they offer on the water ensured!
It is worth mentioning that some participants in World Tour Championships have chosen to ride Cabrinha kites in Speed, Wakestype, Surf. & Freestyle competitions. As of late, the company’s models have become even more impressive in how excellent, comfortable, and safe they are.
With a committed team of designers, product developers, testers, & engineers, the brand has worked closely with its modern plant to guarantee a product unit is top-notch, including the models mentioned below.
Some of the best Cabrinha kites in 2021
1. Cabrinha 2021 Switchblade Kite
This is the brand’s flagship kite and has been in their series for a genuinely long time. The product has experienced material and construction-related changes; however, its principle profile stays as before. The Switchblade this year is a superb choice for not only newbies but also pro kitesurfers. Here, we are addressing the 9m-size option in winds of 20mph to 30.
A couple of the key highlights and attributes you may love about the 2021 product unit are truly simple water relaunches, simple upwind riding, and incredible wind range. It also gives seamless power delivery & a responsive feel, big boosts & significant hang times, aside from being superior for an assortment of disciplines.
Compared to the Cabrinha 2020 Switchblade Kite, the 2021 one does not see many adjustments. Indeed, it feels basically the same as last year’s model that Cabrinha introduced the novel Nano Ripstop Canopy in. In case you miss it, that canopy’s stiffness is higher and its responsiveness is no joke in comparison with the earlier versions.
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As much as we can notice, what makes the 2020 and 2021 Switchblade different is the bridle material. This brand is utilizing a new material with supposedly higher stretch resistance.
Speaking of the Cabrinha Switchblade in general, we have been using it for a while at this point, which should be long enough to recommend it to you.
You may like it because the item is a simple kite for novices to pick up kiteboarding. In other words, it is predictable to the point that you can figure out where your kite when being airborne, and you will be able to feel the wind via your bar. When the wind picks up, It is alright to push out on the bar, and the kite will right away dump the power. As the Switchblade product unit is responsive to direct user input, novices have the chance to foster muscle memory faster.
When it comes to intermediate riders, they will find the model’s ‘floatiness’ advantageous. As soon as being in the sky, this kite can make a rider floating for a more extended time than numerous other models. That is brilliant for learning different basic rotations like a backroll or for picking up advanced board-off moves.
2. Cabrinha 2021 FX Kite
In this post, we are mentioning the 14m-size model. While the vibe is practically like the 2020 FX kite and pretty similar to the 2016 and 2019 Cabrinha kites, we notice a few slight modifications to the materials, changing the kite’s performance. Before going over FX’s adjustments & performance, let’s see who its target customers are.
The product unit is intended for the kiteboarder expecting for their kite’s ‘feel’’s control. Likewise, riders searching for the most amount of unhooked or hooked-in performance may not be able to get enough of this Cabrinha. Above all, its performance qualities make the model extraordinary for an assortment of different riding styles, not only unhooked freestyle. Speaking of riding experiences, starter riders and those with advanced levels alike may like the FX kite.
How about its performance characteristics? As addressed above, the product unit is a terrific selection for riders wishing to control the manner in which their kite feels.
In other words, the main bridle boasts tuning options. The external bridle’s setting is the “A” & “B” one for bar pressure & turning pace. It is worth mentioning that the Cabrinha model improves with a whopping three tuning options on its main bridle. They are More Depower, Standard, and More Line Slack.
The tuning choices adjust the FX’s position in the sky’s area where the kite can fly (aka wind window). And they will tweak the Cabrinha’s particular performance function as well as the manner in which your kite feels.
What is more? In terms of the improved performance for this year’s model, the bridle material is a significant adjustment. It has become stiffer and longer-lasting with decreased stretch.
And the item’s responsiveness is a perceptible difference from a prompt point of view. The Cabrinha 2021 FX works to respond to every last input from your bar. But, that is not all, one of the highlights and attributes you may appreciate about the model that has become upgraded this year is the capability of feeling precisely and consistently where the FX is flying.
At the end of the day, regardless of the manner in which this model is tuned, it is an admirably constructed kite. It is predictable, hard to lost power and drop in low winds, and boasts an extensive wind range, impressive responsiveness, & simpleness to water relaunch. In addition, the fact that the Cabrinha 2021 FX Kite is well-tuned makes it easy to use for a wide range of level kiteboarders.
3. 2021 Contra 1 Strut and Contra 3 Strut
There you have it! The keenly awaited 2021 Contra product unit, famous as light wind foil Cabrinha kites!
As you may know, the Contra kite is a primary one in the series. It has been around for a while – namely, 2020, 2019, 2016 versions, etc. And when it comes to the model for 2021, the brand has introduced an additional single strut design in the smaller kite. Meanwhile, they kept the Cabrinha Contra 3 strut construction in the bigger sizes.
After testing the newly released 11m one strut kite, we are confident that the one strut construction gives the model an amazingly light feel & open canopy, known as a terrific construction for softer wind conditions. That is, for your information, what the product unit pays special attention to. Also, foil addicts may love it; the reason being is that those smaller sizes bring the foil route into focus.
The new single strut hybrid kite is accessible in sizes 11, 9, 7, 5, 4, and 3m. The original three strut one’s size options are 17, 15, and 13m. In addition, you can pick between three colors across every size.
One thing to note is, there are no additional reinforcements you may discover on some other product units. Understandably, that assists in keeping up the light feel while maintaining its quality as well as the complete and absolute purpose of producing in wind speeds from ten knots,
That is not all; it is worth addressing that the brand has kept on leveraging their nano ripstop canopy material known to be rigid & stable and, at the same time, hold the fluid level of response. And as you can see, High Tenacity Dacron is put around the Cabrinha 2021 Contra Strut kite, thus positively impacting the handling attributes and simultaneously keeping the model’s sensitive areas away from damage. With the one strut, the kite is not just featherlight but far more agile, which will enable it to become genuinely active while riding a foil.
Generally speaking, in case one of your main kiting disciplines is foiling, you cannot go wrong with this lightweight kite. Thanks to it, you will ride in the lightest wind condition with more ease. It is significant to mention that the brand has genuinely thought carefully about making this new design good, providing foilers with an even stronger motivation to go out when the breeze is gentle.
What’s more, assuming foiling is not your thing, the model is as yet an incredible kite for novice – intermediate riders. How about more advanced riders who are possibly more interested in freestyle or big air? Then, they may want to check out another product unit in the series – for example, the Cabrinha FX.
A quick look at Nano Ripstop canopy material: 2020 and 2021 Cabrinha kites’ highlight
Again, kites in the series have been upgraded, given that the brand has introduced the entire novel Nano Ripstop canopy material. It is a dependable selective coating joined securely to the greige cloth through the plasma treatment process. That makes Cabrinha significantly different from their competitors’ canopy materials (i.e., with the cloth only put down briefly into the coating).
For your information, plasma treatment will make the kite stay feeling true to life for the duration of its longevity. And the canopy’s less sizable Nano Ripstop pattern magnifies the quantity of each panel’s cells, which significantly expands tear strength and decreases elongation on the bias at the same time. That is indeed the way a material stretches at 45 degrees to the weave. After all, it is staggeringly significant since you attempt to keep your kite’s shape unbending when it is airborne and to stay away from any canopy stretch if the kite crashes.
Final words
We hope that the above on-point review of some notable Cabrinha kites this year helps with your best, most informed choice of your most suitable model for the next riding experience.
