TEST TEAM NOTES
Ozone provide a certain and unique ‘feel’ in the way their kites talk to you as a rider, so the new V1 Enduro had us intrigued! The Catalyst was launched a few seasons ago to fulfill the needs of beginners, but the last two seasons have seen the most recent incarnations of the Catalyst progress to become more of an all-terrain freeride kite. Ozone wanted to take the Catalyst back to its roots and purely cater for the first time buyer again, and in doing so created a gap for an exciting high performance all-rounder for which the designers had no restraint.
Out of the bag the Enduro is distinctively Ozone with impressive build quality and clean features throughout. As we’ve often said, from the material selection and its careful use, to the canopy design and then right down to the control system; everything appears very well measured, clean and simple, lacking superfluous excess. Semi-wide inflation via the common mid-size nozzle that’s also used by several other brands works well. Graphics are typically low-key but stylish. The compact bridle is straight forward and doesn’t feature pulleys – to aid light bar pressure responsiveness – but you will find a few potential rigging options to change the feel at the bar. The Teijn Technoforce D2 canopy is high quality and Dacron reinforcements have been added in key areas of the kite’s frame. Quality in look and feel, the Enduro instils confidence that it has been built with strength, but not at the expense of performance.
It’s quickly apparent that the Enduro sits at the athletic end of the freeride kite spectrum. Riding away from the beach there’s less ‘park and ride’ power and less obvious low-end grunt than other kites in this issue’s reviews. Work the kite through its first few sweeps across the window though and you’ll quickly unlock the power potential in the kite. Delivered nice and directly to you at the bar, the power has a lovely, progressive build up. As long as you’re not expecting to simply dive the kite and sheet in, getting power out of the Enduro is easy for any rider thanks to the light and nimble nature of the kite. Once up and going the Enduro punches forward in the window with assured stability, providing superb upwind performance.
Testing a nine metre in Cape Town is all about the regular assessment of any kite’s jumping performance, because the power is always there. There is plenty of sheeting available at the bar, so you already know there’s potential for going high but, unlike some ‘point and shoot’ kites, you need to steer it correctly. Simply drifting it towards 12 o’clock and sheeting in won’t provide the same instant and easy gratification that you can expect from more openly shaped freeride kites, such as the Catalyst. Once you’ve adjusted to that (and if you already have some jumping skills, you’ll really enjoy this kite from your first run) the Enduro is an absolute joy to jump with. The airframe is very solid mid-flight and it was only after a few sessions that we started to notice the ‘flutter’ on occasions at the top of the wind window through turns. It was only very slight and we noticed it because we were looking hard to find something that we’d improve in the kite. Kites with this much range often have evidence of flutter as we ask so much of their canopies in the extremes. The impressive initial lift and hang-time isn’t quite as straight forward as a Catalyst or Switchblade (which you’ll find in this issue) but landings can be intricately controlled, providing you’re on the ball with re-sending the kite forward as you touch down. Another beautiful quality for riders who are in the earlier stages of jumping and are starting to push their transitions, is that even at its lower end, although it isn’t heavy at the bar, the Enduro has deceptive amounts of lift at 12 o’clock when you send it accurately, giving you plenty of time to think about your landing or adjusting your position when changing direction mid-air. Equally, when coming out of a transition, that lift continues round the window, so as you come out of the trick, as with a C kite, there’s nice, consistent forward pull to help you ride quickly and stylishly out of your manoeuvres. The kite’s eagerness to keep moving forward delivers steady drive, allowing you to focus on your tweaks as the power delivery is automatically taken care of. Keep the kite moving overhead during your transitions and you can perform some really fun grabs and steezy changes of direction. That aspect is immediately rewarding.
Bully way up, mid-loop on the Enduro. Watch our test team video overviews here on The Kite Show!
The way the Enduro loops is very unique and worthy of a strong mention here. Bully had really enthused about it after his first two sessions and the rest of the team immediately got his point (when he finally let us have a go). Going beyond 12 o’clock, the Enduro drops into the loop fairly slowly, following a steady arc for the first third of its turn, before then accelerating beautifully and swiftly around the rest of the loop, especially around the critical point at the bottom of the window. Catching you nicely each time, it puts a massive grin across your face. Hold your breath as it drops into the loop, the loop looks very extreme to your mates, but actually feels very smooth and manageable for the rider, allowing you to exhale with joy as you come into land. The utter reliability means you soon find yourself pushing it more and more. Unlock its powers and the Enduro really inspires the confidence to push yourself.
That’s not to say that there are no consequences to rash handling errors. Experienced riders will enjoy the medium bar pressure and comfortable handling characteristics, but pushing the Enduro at its upper end will unleash some serious performance, which could catch intermediates out. In regular conditions the Enduro is an accessible kite for any rider, but the more experienced hand will reap huge benefits from it in the wider conditions they venture out in.
Cross-over potential is also high. The range of setting options give you a lot of differing ride feel to choose from. Controllable unhooked, the Enduro’s open-C design maintains feel at the bar when you’re lining up for tricks and passing the bar. Importantly the Enduro also doesn’t try to pull your arms off as it doesn’t take a big step back in the window when you unhook.
In waves the kite is easily responsive enough. Though it doesn’t have the lightning quick reactions of the Reo, there is ample maneuverability to gain a good cross-over score in this review. Mixing power through the turn for powered bottom and top turns, thanks to all the power control at the bar, you can ensure that the kite doesn’t drag you through its turns, which strapless riders will appreciate. However, give the bar the same treatment as you would on a Reo and you’ll get more than you bargained for. High marks in waves come from the ability to effectively kill off the power should you need to.
The swept wing-tips help make for a quick and dependable relaunch, further adding confidence to push your limits in waves and in freestyle.
Ozone’s obvious commitment to efficient and frill-free design at their own kite factory continues to be evident in their bar system. The quick-release works very well and is easy to reassemble. The loop is very amply sized for most riders’ needs and the below-the-bar swivel is very user-friendly. The overall feeling at the bar is that it’s minimal, but will do absolutely everything you need it to… and do it well.
SUMMARY
The Enduro really made a great impression on us this season. The first version of any kite can sometimes be a bit hit and miss in different areas, but the Enduro has proven itself well at both its upper and lower ends and across every discipline we tested it in. It was highly praised across all the test team because the freeride and freestyle performance is easily accessible, while the potential for aggressive wave riding is also high. The Enduro can jump well with a little honing of intermediate technique; but put it in the hands of an experienced rider and the limits to its potential really leap forward.
Unless you’re at the specialist elite end of wave or freestyle disciplines, the Enduro will please progressive riders, encourage confidence and quickly aid smooth riding styles.
KW LIKED
Accessible performance, outstanding cross-over potential, comfortable bar pressure with responsive handling finished off with highly functional design features.
KW WOULD CHANGE
It’s not something we’d change necessarily, but we’d caution very early intermediates not to ignore the Catalyst and move directly to the Enduro. The Catalyst has been redesigned for a reason – to help inexperienced riders progress very swiftly and therefore enjoy the sport as much and as often as possible. Do a couple of seasons on that and then light up your brain on the Enduro when you’re ready.
ENDURO BALANCE POINTS
Build quality: 9
Full package: 9
Low end: 8
Top end: 9
Steering speed: 6
Turning circle: 5
Power through the turn: 4
Bar pressure: 4
Water relaunch: 8.5
Drift: 8
Boost: 9
Hang-time: 8
Unhooked: 7.5
Cross-over: 9
Ease-of-use: 8.5
SIZES: 14 /12 / 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 & 4m
Here’s the official Enduro product video from Ozone
Ozone Enduro V1 – You Define The Limit from Ozone Kites on Vimeo.
