Ozone Edge V8 13m 2016
Reviews / Kites
31,617
At A Glance
The Edge is the longest standing kite in the Ozone tube kite line up, having originated when the original Instinct was split into the Light, Sport and Edge. Now in its 8th incarnation, hence the V8 moniker, it has become synonymous with speed, height and hangtime.
The Edge features five struts, a high aspect delta shaped canopy and an incredibly aerodynamic pulley-less bridle. The entire kite has been designed with efficiency in mind; the more efficient the kite, the faster it can go and more radical angles can be achieved. There is excellent reinforcement in key areas to aid longevity, but it has been only done where necessary and with the lightest of materials. The bridle on the Edge has been fine tuned to produce a smoother feeling through the bar and enhance the kites flying characteristics. It is also 50% thinner than normal to drastically reduce drag and speed the kite up.
The V8 is made with the new Teijin Technoforce D2 canopy material and the new Teijin Dacron on the struts and leading edge. This material has proved to be light, strong and stiff further aiding the kites performance. The kite comes equipped with an excellent robust backpack, and also a great repair kit with matching canopy colours for your kite and all the spares you could need – thoughtful additions to the package.
Sizes: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19m
Sending the kite into a jump will have you soaring for longer than you thought possible!
The Bar
The Edge V8 is compatible with both the standard Contact Bar and also the Race Control system should you wish to pursue this avenue. We had the new Contact Bar on test.
The 2016 Contact Bar from Ozone has had quite a facelift. Still featuring the excellent push away ‘Megatron’ chicken loop, it now also features an incredibly comfy ergonomic grip, which looks great too. All Ozone kites are four lines, and all can be used on the same bar making things that little bit cheaper if you were to get a few different style kites from the brand.
The safety system on the Contact Bar is of the highest quality. A light push of the release and the bar shoots up one of the front lines to the stopper ball situated on the front line.
Any twists in your lines are very easy to untangle with the well positioned ‘Spinning Handle’, and relaunch is a breeze with small stopper balls situated on each leader line. These show you exactly where to hold the line to get the kite to flip over. The throw of the Contact Bar is of ideal length. It allows the kites to depower sufficiently, but you will never be in the situation where you lose contact with the bar, something very important for smaller riders.
In The Air
We have had the Edge V8 out from the bottom of its range right up to the top in a variety of different conditions and have also used it for very different disciplines. Being a very efficient kite, it does produce power in the lightest of breezes, meaning you could get away with this as a light wind specific kite. In lighter airs, you do need to fly the kite to create some apparent wind, but once you are up and riding the kite will just keep going.
Though a high aspect design, it behaves perfectly and is very stable and controllable allowing even those at the beginning of their kite career to reap the benefits. Getting going is simple and easy due to the great power delivery and forward drive of the kite.
Speed is where the Edge V8 excels, but the handling is equally responsive and impressive. It won't catch you out like a 5m kite would, but we were incredibly impressed with the turning speed of the 13m. Riding upwind is almost unavoidable as the kite powers itself through the wind window and round to an almost alarming angle.
Once you are powered the fun really begins on this kite, cutting across the water is blisteringly fast and sending the kite into a jump will have you soaring for longer than you ever thought possible. Those interested in old school freestyle tricks will have a blast as the hangtime is incredible.
For unhooked freestyle the kite does perform well, really pulling you off the water and driving forwards. For advanced handle passes though, without the same amount of slack achieved by a ‘C’ shaped kite, some things may be a little trickier. Bar feedback is present at all times; this is not to say it is heavy, more that you constantly know where the kite is.
For
The Edge V8 offers insane hangtime, ridiculous speed and is very easy to fly. The build quality is fantastic giving you peace of mind that your kite will last for years to come.
Against
Nothing really, aside from perhaps sometimes you will get caught out by jumping too high, this of course isn't such a bad thing!
Overall
Though many may think primarily of the Edge as a race kite, it offers truly fantastic freeride capabilities. Huge floaty jumps, controllable power and a remarkable wind range mean this kite is a solid option for anybody wanting a dependable freeride and big air machine.
Videos
This review was in Issue 53 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit OzoneRelated
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!
