Ozone Reo 9m 2015
Reviews / Kites
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At A Glance
The Reo was introduced in 2012 as Ozone’s first full-on wave kite. During the last couple of years it has won fans the world over, and rightfully so. It’s a lightweight kite with a simple three-strut design and quite a low-aspect ratio. For 2015 Ozone have utilised the new Technoforce D2 canopy material which is a double Ripstop nylon fabric that is much stiffer and hard wearing than traditional canopy materials.
There are various tuning options on the kite so you can set it up for either hooked, or unhooked wave riding. In addition you can tune the tuning speed and bar pressure too. Ozone’s high volume inflate/deflate valve makes a welcome return and this will ensure you are the first one of your mates out playing in the waves.
Whilst the kite isn’t covered in rubber bumpers and reinforcements Ozone have taken care to ensure a high quality construction teams up with superior materials to make the kite strong but exceedingly light. The simple bridle doesn’t have any pulleys and there is a direct connection for the rear lines.
The Bar
The Contact Control System from Ozone is a 4-line set up with a push-away quick release. The mechanism is very clever and really easy to operate even under high load, it is also very simple to reconnect when you want to get riding again. Top marks for calling it the Megatron too, which instantly makes it even better, it can be set up in a standard safety mode, or a suicide mode. There is an above-the-bar trim system which uses a cleat and also a magnet to keep the trim line neat and tidy. Overall the set up is very clean and simple with no extraneous clutter, the safety is a front ling flag system so you can completely ditch the power in the kite if needs be.
In The Air
We always enjoy flying the Ozone kites here at the mag, they have an air of simplicity matched with amazing flying characteristics that always makes the test a pleasure. The Reo is a fantastic wave kite, we’ll get that out there straight away. It’s exceedingly responsive to bar input, especially when you set it up on the fastest setting. It has a very pivotal turn, which is great for those cross-onshore days when you need to utilise the kite to get around the wave.
Where it really shines though is when it comes to drifting, the lightweight nature of the kite, coupled with the low aspect ratio sees it hang in the air effortlessly. When you are charging down the line and the lines go slack you’ll have the confidence with the Reo that you’ll come out of the top turn with the kite still in the air, and there it is every time. The bar pressure is light and the wind range is also impressive, you can generate a lot of apparent wind in light airs as the kite is so manoeuvrable and the top end is equally impressive!
The depower is great too, allowing you to dump power and engage it with small movements on the bar rather than having to sheet in and out full armfuls. The thin nature of the leading edge helps the kite to hammer upwind, despite its low aspect ratio. This means you can get more ground back faster and get more waves in on any given day.
Overall
Fast, dynamic and responsive are words we would use to describe the Reo. If you are looking for an impeccably behaved wave kite you won’t be disappointed. Down the line drifting is excellent and the depower is great too allowing you to dump and engage power as and when you need it on the wave.
Videos
This review was in Issue 47 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!
