Review RRD Passion 2011

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Riding type: Allround/Starters
Year: 2011
Brand: RRD
Size: 03m, 05m, 07m, 09m, 11m, 13m
Type: Delta
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Kite

The Passion is RRD's beginner/intermediate kite.

Designer Goals

The Passion is the kite designed to help you start riding and jumpingby offering stability, depower and easy handling. High bar pressure ensure good feedback to the kiter and makes it easier to feel where the kite is and how the power is building up.

Details:

Riding type: Allround/Starters
Year: 2011
Brand: RRD
Size: 03m, 05m, 07m, 09m, 11m, 13m
Type: Delta
One pump: Yes
Bridles: Yes
Number of struts: 5
Colours: Various
Bar length: 55cm
Line length: 22m to 25m
Bar: 4 lines
Depower: Clamcleat
Safety: Pull
Swivel: Yes
Variable bar length: Yes
Oh shit handles: Yes

Who is this kite for?

The 2011 RRD Passion is a beginner/intermediate kite. With its stability, depower and handling this kite is suitable for your first kitesurfing and jumping experience. The bar pressure is quite high and gives good feedback through the steering lines. This feedback allows you to feel where the kite is in the wind window and makes the chance of being surprised by the forces of the kite smaller. This kite was made for easy handling.

Off water

The Passion is a slick looking one-pump kite.  RRD covered the tips of the struts with reflective material.  We are not quite sure what the use of it is, but it sure looks cool!  The bridles of the Passion are long, to help you when packing the kite RRD developed the bridle fixer, it allows you to store the bridles under some Velcro to prevent them from getting tangled. There are three pulleys on each side. Pulleys are generally known to decrease the reaction to steering commands. The Bar is simple but good. It has a clam cleat and no oh-shit handles. The safety system is also pretty basic, but performs as required.

 Reflective strut tips Passion 2011RRD Passion 2011 lineRRD Passion 2011 Bridle FixerRRD Passion 2011 Safety system

On water

Stability is the most important characteristic of the 2011 Passion, compared to the 2010 Passion this model is a huge improvement. Super stable!
Even though the Passion uses a lot of pulleys it cannot be considered slow.  The low end is good and the Passion has a nice glide-phase.  The power buildup is gradual and has little to no boost. The kite is very easy to ride, does not surprise you and keeps on giving feedback in the whole depower range. In case of gusty wind all you need to do is depower the kite to dump the power.  When overpowered the steering pressure increases, but the feedback the kite gives also increases giving you good control. If, by chance, you do get too overpowered, you should have enough slack by using the clam cleat to make it back to shore safely.  The Passion is very suitable for your first jumps.  With limited technique the Passion allows for basic jumps without losing control of the kite.

Conclusion

The 2011 Passion is a huge improvement over the 2010 model; it is a good beginner/intermediate kite. Its stability, feedback and power buildup make it easy to handle. Scoring high on these characteristics is just what you want from a kite as a beginner.  If a beginner kite is suitable for advanced riders depends on what the rider is looking for. Advanced big-air riders will like the 2011 Passion for its hang time and the ability to deal with very gusty conditions. So if your home-spot offers gusty winds regularly the 2011 Passion might be a good choice.  When the wind decreases in force the good low end allows you sinus your way back ashore.
The 2011 is a good beginner/intermediate kite, but depending on what you are looking for it might also be suitable for more advanced or all-round riders.

Basics

Safety system

Difficult Easy

works, but somewhat simple in design and finish.

Kite re-launch

Difficult Easy

Windrange

Limited Wide

Good low-end and a lot of depower in the high-end. Use the clam cleat to finetune to get a long depower range when overpowered.

Total depower

Still pressure Total depower

Kite stability

Unstable Stable

Oldskool

Lift

Gradual Explosive

Gradual lift, easy to jump and glide.

High-end

Small range Large range

Good depower and more steering pressure in high-end.

Glide phase

Short Long

good glide phase with a lot of control, even with limited rider skills.

Low-end

Small range Large range

Wave

Turning circle

Large radius Small radius

Reaction to steering action

Slow Fast

Steering with low line tension

Not so good Good

Lang depower stroke, constant feedback and steering reaction during depower. Good for beginner and intermediate kiters looking for feedback.

Feedback at edge of wind window

Minimal Great

Slightly retarded, but more direct than expected from a kite with three pulleys on each side.

Race

Maximum speed

Difficult Easy

Kiteposition in wind-window

Middle Edge

Going upwind

Hard Easy

Acceleration

Slow Fast

There are 1 reviews on this product:

RRD Passion 2011
Name:
Ydwer 
kitefinder.com - 19.10.2010 at 01:07 hour
Comments:
I tester the 9m in various conditions. The first thing I felt straight away was it's safe feeling. The wind was pretty gusty but the kite was so stable and easy to control. I never gave me an unsafe feeling. I was the one in charge.

Perfect kite for beginners and intermediate riders!

Unhooked was not so good. Because it stayed deep in the wind window after edging. For beginners it gives you the perfect constant pull to keep you going during the first meters. 
3 kudos - +

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