Review RRD Passion 2011
« Return to search resultsRiding type: | Allround/Starters |
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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 |
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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.
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
works, but somewhat simple in design and finish.
Kite re-launch
Windrange
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
Kite stability
Oldskool
Lift
Gradual lift, easy to jump and glide.
High-end
Good depower and more steering pressure in high-end.
Glide phase
good glide phase with a lot of control, even with limited rider skills.
Low-end
Wave
Turning circle
Reaction to steering action
Steering with low line tension
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
Slightly retarded, but more direct than expected from a kite with three pulleys on each side.
There are 1 reviews on this product:
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.
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