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Yangoura, VIC, 3858
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Forums > Kitesurfing Gear Reviews

2012 Cab Drifter 11m.....any good for heavy weight

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Created by skebstebamal > 9 months ago, 6 Dec 2012
skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
6 Dec 2012 7:41AM
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Rider: 95kg, advanced
Style: mostly unstrapped surf, the odd bit of old school deadmen!!
Board: TSJ Shotgun shortboard.... my day to day surfboard.
Weather: for this kite 15-25knt

Hi all.

Im looking to get a dedicated wave kite to run alongside a 12m switchy as my freeride kite. Im 100kg before my morning stop :) and was wondering how other larger lads had found the drifter.

The gap between a 12m switchy and 11m drifter? is it large enough? or should I be looking at a 9m drifter.... but I still want to be surfing in 15.

thanks

pattiecannon
QLD, 593 posts
6 Dec 2012 10:12AM
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My 2 mates Matt and Adam.
Matt 100kg - 12m 2013 switchie 150 mako
Adam 85kg - 11m 2013 Drifter 132 TT 2009
Wind 12 - 15 kts & in waves.
Adam never sank once and was doing back rolls
Matt was going but sank more than once.

Me 75kg - I was on a 14m 2009 Griffin and 144 Chopstick and was the most powered

And since you ask about the 9 bro, for what it's worth (from my weight),
at 18kts last sunday I had the 9m fully depowered and was staying upwind and smacking lips on a 136custom (high rocker) TT. My other m8 was 85kg, one knot more on the back lines and also tons of power for waves.

But 15kts and 100kg - my guess is in WA you'd be right but you'll struggle over here on the East Coast with the 9 at 15.
Hope this helps. Go The 11 I reckon.
Cheers

skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
6 Dec 2012 10:38AM
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Thats the info i was adter. cheers!!

how does he like the drifter?

zippadeedood
14 posts
6 Dec 2012 10:50AM
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Hi,

Thought I'd wade in with a bit of help.

I've got the 2013 11m and 7m Drifter and I'm loving them. I'm 85 kg on Wainman Gambler.

Previously on RRD religions (also great) but fancied a change.

Bottom end is excellent. It's a really well behaved kite that still has plenty of performance. Drifts well and turns well.

For me, it's the best wave kite I've used yet.

skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
6 Dec 2012 4:28PM
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hey zippa what wind you need to get going on ur 11 and surfboard?

what can u hold the 11 to?

T.O.D
WA, 57 posts
6 Dec 2012 3:52PM
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hey mate,
Have the 2012 9m drifter, i'm 6'3 and about 105kg. Ridden that many kites in the last 10years or so, and this 1 has to be about the best i've tried in the waves. (riding the 2011 rebels as well). The 9m rebel deff has more low end and pull, but the drifter handles the gust better and let u surf the waves easier. Wind range for me i'd say would be 20 to 30kts. I just ride a surfboard though and no TT. Couple of guys i gave a go, loved it in the waves. They have a few second hand ones on this site that look good and cheap enough. Deff won't get going in 15kts on the 9 though at your weight (just my opinion) and i haven't tried the 11, but keen to get 1 when i'm cashed up. Hope this help u
cheers tez

skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
6 Dec 2012 8:07PM
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thanks Tez. ive just put down on an 11m 2012. thanks all. ill put up a report once flown!

pattiecannon
QLD, 593 posts
7 Dec 2012 9:18PM
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cool skebs,
other 85kg m8 thinks his 9 is the holy grail of kites and to be honest, there wasn't much it wasn't good at. Like one of the guys said it didn't feel overly strong, but I like a wave kite like that, I don't wanna feel it much at all, but it was always ready to go when ya needed it, turned on a dime, an it floated good too. Hard to fault really.

Haven't caught up with Adam since that light wind day but he was catching every wave in site for 15-20min followed by a 200m walk up the beach for a couple of hours.

That day my Griffin Tank was the only one staying upwind but of course it's apples and oranges there - nowhere near the fun factor of the drifter.

Maybe at your pieweight the 11 will be for u like the 9 is for me? ... which was a super bangin' spot on fun machine.

Let's hope we get some wind 2moz an ya can let us know wadyareckon

skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
8 Dec 2012 11:12AM
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cant wait. should get my 11 mid next week, if its as rockn as everyone says ill be lookin for a 9 too! cheers all

Buzz
NSW, 319 posts
15 Dec 2012 10:12PM
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I have both - 2012 Drfiter 11mtr & Switchy 12mtr (90kg's)... SwitchBlade has much better bottom end, but the Drifter has better top end imo ... when it's blowing really good/or gusty the Drifter is so well behaved !

Having said that, waves around here just not good enough, so due to light on 'chops' this year, might be selling my 2nd hand 11mtr Drifter as I need the cash ... looking forward to reading yr review when you get yours ...

skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
30 Dec 2012 8:24AM
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Ok I got the 11m.Only hickup was it has the 2011 bar??? still trying to sort that one out.

Anway.First kite on it was in 12-18...... and to be honest I was not too impressed.the wind was really gusty and holey from the north.... cross shore. I couldnt get it to park for surfing, I'd get it positioned and park it and go to turn and it would stall. I wasn't sure if it was not enough wind, my bad kite postitioning.either way I was withholding my judgement.

Next session was 18-25 from NE.MUCH better. the kite needs a good solid 15 to get me going on a surfboard. I still struggled with kite position, it drifts so well it seemed to always end up back over my head so when i was hitting a section and coming back down the kite too high over me...Im sure this is an issue with my kite positioning on the new kite.
i need to work on that side of thing.

the wind filled in to solid 20, so I went out on my TT for some fun.I was surprised how good the drifter was for powered freestyle. kite low powered tricks were really nice, heaps of pop and the kite drifts well to give you a bit of space to land without the kite being lit. very nice. It even did a reasonable job with some old school one footers and big floaty front roll to down loops.

So, overall I think Im attacking the waves the wrong way on it....it nots that great in this area in which it is meant to rock, so i cn only assume Im parking it wrong. For all round free ride its really nice when powered.

oh yeah, the kite responds to being ridden fast when going back out to the line up and tacking up wind <it was very nice for quick tacks> in marginal conditions you need to keep your board speed up there....I think that may be why it didnt surf well on the first day..

For my size I probably should have gone a 12m switchy and a 9m drifter for when im wave riding in 18+winds.

pattiecannon
QLD, 593 posts
7 Jan 2013 11:43PM
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skebstebamal said...
Ok I got the 11m.Only hickup was it has the 2011 bar??? still trying to sort that one out.

Anway.First kite on it was in 12-18...... and to be honest I was not too impressed.the wind was really gusty and holey from the north.... cross shore. I couldnt get it to park for surfing, I'd get it positioned and park it and go to turn and it would stall. I wasn't sure if it was not enough wind, my bad kite postitioning.either way I was withholding my judgement.

Next session was 18-25 from NE.MUCH better. the kite needs a good solid 15 to get me going on a surfboard. I still struggled with kite position, it drifts so well it seemed to always end up back over my head so when i was hitting a section and coming back down the kite too high over me...Im sure this is an issue with my kite positioning on the new kite.
i need to work on that side of thing.

the wind filled in to solid 20, so I went out on my TT for some fun.I was surprised how good the drifter was for powered freestyle. kite low powered tricks were really nice, heaps of pop and the kite drifts well to give you a bit of space to land without the kite being lit. very nice. It even did a reasonable job with some old school one footers and big floaty front roll to down loops.

So, overall I think Im attacking the waves the wrong way on it....it nots that great in this area in which it is meant to rock, so i cn only assume Im parking it wrong. For all round free ride its really nice when powered.

oh yeah, the kite responds to being ridden fast when going back out to the line up and tacking up wind <it was very nice for quick tacks> in marginal conditions you need to keep your board speed up there....I think that may be why it didnt surf well on the first day..

For my size I probably should have gone a 12m switchy and a 9m drifter for when im wave riding in 18+winds.




Hey Skeb, have you got any better reports from the last week on the 11m?
I was hoping it was just you getting used to it that was the prob...I'm hoping this is the case as I was part of the posse backing the 11!

Ol' m8 who has the 9m picked up the 13 drifter as well as he was so stoked on the 9.
I had a go and it's like a different kite altogether. The feel on the bar is about the only thing similar. Nowhere near the fun factor of the 9 but and seemed more slow and steady that zippy. but hey, it goes in 12-15 kts on a TT.

Maybe your shop will swap it for the 9 while they're swapping the bar over? The 9 is cheaper after all!

skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
8 Jan 2013 2:45PM
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here is a bit of footage of the drifter 11m in 20-28 knts on a twin tip.....jumps ok for a wave kite : )

did a DW wave session unstrapped in the arvi in 20-25 and it was really nice, super stable. There was a few sections where we had to negotiate around a bommy and it was really messy. Even is overpowered conditions unstrapped it was easy to negotiate.

My only gripe is probably that it performs best in the higher end of the wind range, which has me looking for a switchy or similar for lighter surfboard conditions...

pattiecannon
QLD, 593 posts
10 Jan 2013 11:42AM
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Sick video Skeb!
Classic stuff jumping your mate, wow, good skills dude.
Like the music too ;)
It's good ur fine for 20-25kts on this one as you might be a bit lacking on the 9.
From what I've heard a 12 or 14 switchie is gonna be too slow for the waves in lighter winds.
My m8 said the 12 BWS is good for those conditions and that would lift you no worries. I'm using the method 12 and it's good for me but the Noise will defo have more power.

skebstebamal
QLD, 579 posts
10 Jan 2013 7:26PM
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I might have to give a noise a try. BW has heaps of crew on em here.... I see packs of em come cracking past me on their downwinders.



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"2012 Cab Drifter 11m.....any good for heavy weight" started by skebstebamal