Purchase the Kahoona 2009 kite here!
Today, I took out the BEST Kahoona 11.5m with the stock BEST Red line bar 50cm/25m line. Mike S. who weights about 190 lbs had been riding it all afternoon and he just got in as he thought he needed a smaller 9m kite. I weight 155 lbs (70Kg) so I can see why Mike was quite concerned that I would be overpowered. I told Mike that BEST advertised the 11.5 Kahoona wind range should be around 12 to 26mph so it just perfect for me to test the higher wind range of the Kahoona 11.5m.
Mike measured the wind and it was blowing 23mph on the beach as I kited out into big head and a half waves with the 5'8" Underground FREEWAVE board strapless.
BEST promotes the Kahoona kite for wave riding so with the big waves, strong 23mph plus NW wind, and strapless Underground Freewave surfboard; I have gotten the best ingredients for a great wave riding day.
The depower strap on the bar is pulled in all the way: I am pegged to the max. A nice big wave jacked up and I dropped in for a nice backhand side. The Kahoona 11.5m felt smooth and sit nicely in the wind window as I tried to gun down the line.
Pumping up and down the face of the wave, the Kahoon followed me nicely. So far so good.
A few more waves and I felt super comfortable with the Kahoona. Unfortunately, I was pegged out to the limit so I could not test the Kahoona with unhooked waveriding for today.
My overall impression of the Kahoona 11.5m for today:
The kite turns nice and smooth.
It sits very nice in the wind window so I do get a nice constant pull while riding waves.
I don't like the feeling of the kite fluttering when the gusts hit it. (Probably because I was riding at the max wind range?)
This is the second Delta shape kite that I have tried, (Tested the F-One Bandit dos last year). So if you normally ride the F-One Bandit or North Kites or C kites, I think you will like this Kahoona as it has the similar feels of smooth turns and bar pressure.
If you normally ride wave hooked-in on the BEST Waroo kite, you will like the Red Line BEST 2009 bar. It has a long depower line.
