CrazyFly Cruze 17m 2015
Reviews / Kites
41,705
At A Glance
Crazyfly used to only make kiteboards, and they have been doing that since the dawn of kitesurfing time. In 2009 they branched out into the kite-manufacturing arena too and over the years we have been impressed with the kites they have produced and especially the bar.
The Cruze is a light wind kite which only comes in large sizes and is fully dedicated to light winds. If we take a look into some of the design features the Cruze has to offer we will see that it is a flat Delta shape kite, is made with Teijin Technoforce Ripstop, features 5 struts, square wingtips, and comes with the internationally safety approved Sick Bar.
The Cruze is a high aspect flat Delta design, which gives the kite a lot more speed and supplies the rider with a more user-friendly feel as well as automatic relaunch. Automatic relaunch is something that has to be properly understood, it doesn't necessarily mean the kite will take off all on its own, the relaunch of the kite is somewhat aided by the shape meaning the kite will roll itself over into the launch position at the edge of the window easily and with almost no user input, something we all need in light winds. The square wingtips give the kite a nice direct feel and increased stability.
Moving onto the Teijin Technoforce ripstop, now over the last couple of years we have seen the quality of the ripstop used on kites increase. The better the quality the less likely kites are to tear and also misshape over time. Teijin is a high-density polyester yarn; this high end ripstop is lighter, stronger and has a longer lasting durability.
Sizes: 15m, 17m
The Bar
The Sick Bar has been very well-thought-out. Complying to international safety norm AFNOR NF S52-503 and being built in Europe, you can have confidence that this bar will do everything you need it to. The general look and feel of the bar is amazing; the diameter is perfect for most hand sizes, ensuring the rider has good grip as well as a comfy day on the water. The Sick Bar has soft bar ends with PU coated leader lines, so bashing your hands or getting a line wrapped around the end of the bar is never an issue.
The push-away release system is very simple yet efficient, it has the options of either suicide or regular safety, a chicken loop pin and also has a swivel built in the top so you can never do too many back rolls on one tack.
Coming in at 55cm with 24m lines, the Sick Bar accompanies the Cruze perfectly. You even have the option to add the included line extensions to maximise your light wind ability.
In The Air
The Cruze is a real powerhouse of a kite, it has a deep profile that generates plenty of low-end grunt and when coupled with a large twin tip or surfboard you’ll be ripping around the water way before anyone else has bothered to pump up. The upwind ability is good, even though the Cruze is a medium aspect kite, and sits a little further back in the window generating power.
The huge wingtips make the kite handle far better than it should for a 17m, once the turn is initiated then the Cruze will crank round a tight arc with ease. There is a slight delay in terms of the kite’s responsiveness, but that is a result of one of the kites great features…it’s light bar pressure.
Big kites can often be quite heavy on the bar pressure, which can make them a handful for smaller riders and those of the fairer sex. By using the huge square wingtips and a simplified bridle system the Cruze has one of the lightest bar pressures that we have come across on a big kite. It’s really easy on the arms, making it perfect for smaller riders looking for a light wind weapon. There is a slight pay off to the light bar pressure though, the responsiveness is a little lighter than some riders might expect.
Once you engage the bar there is a slight delay in the reaction time for the kite, in fairness this is to be expected from such a large kite. The light bar pressure makes it more pronounced though. Riders who are used to more direct and heavy feeling kites may take a while to get used to this, and riders looking for unhooked performance may find it tricky to get a feel for where the kite is whilst they are halfway through a move.
Once you have the handling dialled in however, you can get some impressive performance from the Cruze in some very light winds. As the wind builds the kite depowers well and doesn’t become a handful, which is a testament to the kites decent wind range. As the wind picks up the jumps just get more and more fun and the hangtime increases. It’s great for some old-school freestyle moves and airstyle tricks.
“The power generated from the kite was brilliant”
For
The Cruze is a great light wind kite, it is powerful and smooth through the air. Lighter riders will enjoy the soft bar pressure, and everyone will enjoy the handling and performance that you can get out of the Cruze. The overall package is excellent with the Sick Bar being a real highlight that shouldn’t be overlooked. You can spend hours under the Cruze without ever getting fatigued, that’s great in light winds when you often have to sine the kite up and down to generate power.
Against
The light bar pressure won’t appeal to everyone, and it does take a moment to get used to, but it is perfect for the smaller riders out there.
Overall
Confident beginners and intermediate riders looking for a light wind kite for the summer should definitely check the Cruze out. It is perfect for freeriding and blasting around on in light winds. Lighter riders will enjoy the softer handling too.
Videos
This review was in Issue 50 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit CrazyFlyRelated
By Robin and Sukie
With years of kite sport experience combined, you can be sure you’ll be receiving the highest quality of knowledge on the best equipment the industry has to offer.
