Ozone Reo V6 7m 2022
Reviews / Kites
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At A Glance
The Reo is the dedicated wave kite from Ozone, perfect for the rider who wants an uncompromising tool to maximise every session. Ozone is known for only releasing new products when it is ready, and the new Reo V6 comes with updated material technologies and tweaks to the design to further improve the flying characteristics.
We've long been fans of the Reo here at the magazine, a kite that has simplicity at its heart but packs performance into every square metre. While some brands beef up wave kites with patches and protection, Ozone knows that a light kite is a good kite, especially when riding down the line. Their factory in Vietnam is renowned for turning out incredible products, and the new V6 is no exception. While it might look fragile at first glance, the attention to detail and quality of the stitching and material choice is second to none. These are tough kites; Ozone just does it differently.
It's a three-strut design with a simple bridle that features Variable Bridle Geometry; this is a simple way to quickly tweak how the kite flies according to the day's conditions. There are two settings, one for offshore/cross-shore winds and one for onshore. The offshore mode allows the kite to fly a little further forward in the window and drift down the line. The onshore mode sits the kite further back in the window and gives the rider a more dynamic feel in the turn, crucial when you are whipping the kite around the wave.
New materials include a new coating on the canopy ripstop; this Ultra Flex coating improves feedback in gustier conditions and gives you a smoother ride. In addition, there is a new technical ripstop Dacron material used on the leading edge and struts of the kite. This new material improves the strength, durability and rigidity of the kite.
Sizes: 4m, 5m, 6m, 7m, 8m, 9m, 10m, 12m
On The Water
The Reo V6 is an intuitive kite to fly on the water; if you are used to a fast reactive kite, you'll quickly feel at home with this in your hands. We spent a lot of time with the Reo V6, so much that Tom, the local importer, almost missed taking it on his summer vacation. Across a wide range of conditions, it always delivered incredible performance.
In the onshore mode on the VBG setting, the kite feels fast and dynamic with a good amount of feedback for the rider; it also drifts well and can handle offshore if the wind switches. We expect most UK riders are going to use the kite in this setting as we are so rarely blessed with One Eye conditions here.
We are lucky enough to have a perfect wave spot near us that is often offshore, though, so when the wind blew, we quickly tweaked the bridle and headed out for a session. Changing the VBG is very simple; you only have to move two knots, and you are good to go. In this setting, there was a noticeable improvement in the way the kite drifted, and it sat further forward in the window. A little less bar pressure and feedback, but the hang in the air from the kite was very impressive.
The drifting capabilities of the Reo V6 are incredible; it's such a light kite, with no bells and whistles hanging off it. Another reason for the lack of patches is aerodynamics. Rob Whittall, the designer, was a world champion paraglider in the past and knows a thing or two about making things fly. All those patches and protective pads on kites add weight but also disrupt airflow. The goal with the Reo V6 and indeed all Ozone kites is to have the best aerodynamics possible.
This helps the kite to fly faster and smoother and keeps it in the air for longer. We loved flying the Reo V6; no matter the conditions, we had a massive smile on our faces the whole time. It's easy, intuitive and very dynamic and doesn't get in the way of your riding. It's an extension of your body as you carve around the waves, and we loved the near-instant response from bar input.
Water relaunch was also very impressive, it was easy to get it back up in the air, and that's important in the waves. Although the first defence is always to never crash the kite for the less experienced, it's good to know that when it does go down, you'll be able to get it back up again quickly.
Overall
With two distinct flavours in one kite, there is a lot to love about the Reo V6, the new materials help give the kite a smooth feeling in the air, and the lower weight keeps it in the air longer than a lot of other kites on the market too. Fast, responsive and intuitive to fly, it's up there as one of our favourite wave kites on the market.
Videos
This review was in Issue 94 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!
