Gin Kiteboarding Cannibal 9m 2014
Reviews / Kites
6,330
At A Glance
After a brief hiatus Gin Kiteboarding have returned to the market place, and it’s good to see them again. The Swiss brand were popular in the past amongst the more discerning rider looking for something a little different that was built to exacting Swiss standards. For the relaunch of the brand they have a new kite, the Cannibal. It’s a totally new kite from them, designed around an Open-C platform and aimed at a wide section of the market. Billed as a freeride, freestyle and wave kite it should offer something to everyone. It’s a three-strut design with a relatively simple bridle and a direct connection to the rear of the kite. It is available in 5.5, 7, 9, 11 and 13m sizes.
The Bar
As you would expect the Gin and Tonic bar has been made to some exacting standards, it’s one of the tidiest bars we have seen and it feels good in the hands too. The PVC covered depower line and metal centre hole should mean it lasts for a very long time. The integrated floats are a nice touch and there are decent sized bar horns so you won’t get into a mess when winding up the lines. The chicken loop releases with ease and is also very simple to put back together. The front lines have a 600kg breaking strain to inspire confidence and the bar is available in 44cm or 52c widths.
In The Air
When you first launch the Cannibal you will instantly notice how stable the kite is. It’s very well balanced and will happily sit wherever you put it in the window without drifting too much. The handling of the kite is direct and very responsive, the wide tips combining with the well-thought-out bridle to offer near C-shape responsiveness. In lighter airs the kite lacks a little low-end power, and it struggles a little with its upwind ability at the very bottom of the wind range. In essence it’s a kite that likes to be ridden powered up, and this is where it really comes alive. The top-end is very impressive and it remains stable even in gusty conditions. Intermediate to experienced riders will get a lot out of the Cannibal, it is when you really start to test its performance that you get the most out of it. Jumps and kiteloops are great fun and the kite delivers a smooth stable loop that inspires confidence. Unhooked the kite is very well behaved as well and it leaps forward after you pop giving you those precious moments of less power in order to perform your tricks.
Overall
It’s great to see the Gin brand back on the scene, but even better to see them bring such a great kite to the market too. The Cannibal is fast, responsive and exciting to ride. Whatever your style of riding you’ll enjoy the Cannibal, and freestyle riders will really get a lot out of it.
Videos
This review was in Issue 44 of IKSURFMAG.
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By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
