Has anyone bought a switch kite method, how does it go in the waves????????????????????????????KISS
Kiting is supposed to be about fun....and we live in a democracy, so each person can decide how they spend their money in the most fun way. Some people are only concerned with price when it comes to things, and that is cool, but for me kiting is a bonus fun thing to do. I used to buy and have heaps of kites, but quite honestly... today I only use one kite. Most new kites are the same today, prices are dropping and competition is fierce......but that is the business side of it, we can not forget that it is a fun sport and a bonus to kite.....I like shops and the people who run them and therefore buy local....and only go online when things get stupid....and maybe, just maybe things are getting so stupid.......so am I stupid to buy local.........all depends on your perception.
All kites are definately not created equal ,if they were yes youd pick the cheapest one and youd be happy as a pig in s**t.
I wont compromise my enjoyment of the sport by buying cheap kites ,i buy what i like to ride,otherwise whats the point,basically IMO everyone wants to advance and get better on the water so try as much as you can and choose whatever it is you like and ride it ,dont compromise, a few hundred bucks at the end of the day is a drop in the ocean,i've tried a nitro and hated it,if you gave me one for free i wouldn't ride it,but the guy down the road may love it,so the point im making is demo demo demo,just cos someones got one of any brand and swears by it dosent make it the kite for you,so it seems pointless to ask,try it for yourself. 
P.S with this post i aint baggin switch im just trying to make a point,you aint buying a mail order TV, and when you get it if you dont like it its gonna cost to get rid and get something you do like so try before you buy,any kite ,even the established brands have had their lemons over the years.
Rad:
Understandable you might not like Switch so thanks for not 'baggin.'
Cheers!
Radman4 Profile: Kiteboarding instructor,NZ distributor for Griffin Kiteboarding,stockist of Gopro,Dakine,Mystic,Peter Lynn,Naish,Prolimit,Keho,Stonker,Aboard etc etc....
Wow "distributors" and "retailers" are all over this thread like a bad smell.
Radman got caught with his pants down :-)
Rad:
Nothing missed. Seems you got my point too. BTW, thanks for the review!
Wow "distributors" and "retailers" are all over this thread like a bad smell.
Radman got caught with his pants down :-)
Ho Hum!!! another dealer. Not a person that has purchased a Switch Method and can give an unbiased review!!!!!!!!!!
This thread was all for a review on the Switch Method in the Surf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!KISS stands for Keep It Simple Stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A review of the Method Kite by someone who has bought one (that means paid money for the kite) from the Switch Australian Wharehouse) Method Kite Reviews from genuine buyers please.
Anyone else please consider your comment on another thread thanks! Some thread titles you could use are: how to condemm competitors, bag anything that as a retailer you dont stock, ColD getting pissed cause he doesn't see why dealers can't use their own threads to bag and condem rivals. I can think of heaps like why wise dealers are not commenting on this thread (may be that they may be smarter to remain quiet)
The question remains Has anyone purchased a Switch Method kite and can give an un biased review PLEASE?
Col I got tired of waiting for a review and bought one. Will let you know how it goes in the surf (:
I've briefly flown a Switch Method kite in crap conditions (overpowered and gusty with no waves) so can't say a lot. I can say the Methods definitely truck upwind, and this and the moderate to light bar pressure meant going upwind was very comfortable – not hard work at all. The kite also felt quite light and floaty and seemed like it would be well behaved going downwind on a wave, but like I said no waves that day. The turning wasn't as fast as the Kima's that I currently fly, but I had heaps of depower – should have been on a smaller kite - so this is not a strong comment.
The Switch kites are well built, certainly a more refined presentation than the Eclipse kites I currently fly, and to my eye look to be of a fairly high standard, not top end like a Core but nothing shabby either. The photos on the Switch site show this fairly well.
I have previously purchased Eclipse kites from Switch's Australian distributor as well as buying other kites from a WA shop. My previous experience of the service from Switch's Australian distributor was very good. The weaknesses of buying off the internet are pretty obvious and have mostly been pointed out in previous posts. This is something that's important and I certainly would weigh this up before making a purchase – are you willing to face the downside?
One point that hasn't been made here is the downside of buying a cheaper brand of kite that is not well known. Yes they are cheaper to purchase, but the resale value is also reduced in part becasue there is a smaller market for these brands. So if you turn over kites each year or so, then you may not actually save much by going to an obscure internet brand.
The internet is a threat to all retail, not just kite shops. ColD's question demonstrates one of the strong factors that will favour retail; you really have to fly a kite yourself to know if it suits your style of riding.
So my summary is:
Looked like a pretty good kite to me
Good service from distributor
Flew fine but didn't have me desperate to buy one (note crap winds) – you need to fly one yourself to judge.
Retailers – take a deep breath and relax. Internet kite purchases aren't for everyone.
Hey Hey Hey finally some reviews are coming in and more on there way. Yes proof is in the flying " Monte" cant wait till you get to fly yours hopefully in surf conditions.
I have flown many types of kites, some leading brands I have flown less than impressive in crap conditions have raised an eyebrow or two.
So all brands could be labled dudds in those conditions. Those days are for moving lawn not flying kites.
Disclaimer here: I dont mow lawns, I have artificial grass so I can spend more time kiting or on a SUP.
ur makin me blush.
One of my mates took a 6m Method out for a test in a gusty cross-off 25 knots and a massive cyclone swell. He said afterwards that it was very stable and comfortable to ride. It wasn't for very long, way too much white-water and big scary rips so we pulled the pin.
The guys who have been testing Method prototypes for almost a year now sail further down the coast than me. I've seen them out in pretty off-shore winds. They seem to relaunch pretty well, even after a few rolls in the surf.
after 1-2 months, what value does a kite warranty serve ?
Kite explodes in your first week of using it...yeah easy warranty issue. Kite explodes 6 months later sitting on the beach whats the shop going to say ?
The ~$500 I would have saved per kite will go a long way towards repairs, which you would likely have to cover yourself after 6 months on a store brought kite anyway.
For $1k a kite, I wouldn't care about re-sale I would just buy a new one after 12 months. cost me the same to go from 2010-2011 on a brand name kite.
Major risk I see is if your internet brought kite is A) not what you expected becasue you couldn't demo it and B) arrives incorrectly assembled and you have to arrange for shipping back and a replacement (time consuming).
P.S I have brought 10 out of the 10 kites I have ever owned from shops.
I've said it before but just to be clear, I own a 9m Method and have had it a couple of months, I am not related to the company in any way except my purchase.
I have purchased previously a second hand kite from the Australian Switch distributor (he used to be a retailer) at that time he presented photo's showing both the best and worst of the kites condition and I'm satisified with that purchase. I got the kite pre-release via conversation with the australian distributor following the purchase of my other kite and a large degree of pestering 
. Switch have been both responsive and engaging via email both leading up to my purchase and since.
This is my second kite, I'm 6'1" and 100kg my main kite is a 12m Eclipse Kima (I have also flown the other Kima sizes) and my comments should be taken with the understanding that I have one seasons experience and that I have flown the Kite twice.
First up some photo's
Out of the bag the kite looks well made, the material feels good (whatever that means to you) solid but still light, all the high drag points are clean (leading edge connection etc.) the strut connections are strong and clean and form well to the kites intended shape (unlike the Kima which is very rough in this respect)
Has a single and well sized inflate and deflate valve. the one pump system is integrated, well made and again clean and tucked away nicely
Like I said I have flown the kite twice and have hardly enough experience to comment (but does anyone really) my thoughts are roughly aligned with the comments of Hunter S and Tightlines. The kite turns very differently to the Kima, the turn radius is much larger and therefore the turn is slower but also smoother and holds power unlike the Kima. I'm told flying it on 20m lines helps with the speed thing but what do I know, I'll try it one day and see. The Method also requires less input to initiate that turn. The first day I flew the kite was pretty gusty and it seemed smoother through the gusts. The kite drifts well, I've slacklined it twice to the point that the Kima would have turned inside out but the method just drifts back until it picks up some line tension.
I ordered a bar seperately though the aussie wharehouse last friday it arrived yesterday (wednesday) despite the public holiday. Obviously I haven't used it but, initially I had thought the style looked like the north bar but having it my hand it is not, the safety is chunkier than the north being the most obvious difference (the idea still looks the same though, picture with pencil for scale)
The safety feels light and easy to operate, unlike my 2010 Airush smart bar it would also be difficult to release by accident. The bar has the mini fifth with above the bar basic depower cleat, front flagging is via a single line from the bottom of the Y in the front lines (no pulley)
There are a couple of superficial things I would change, at the time I was suspect about black kites and the impact the sun may have on them so I bought white, if I were to do it again I'd do the opposite. The second is the bag, it is well sized and comfortable for a single kite, but it's be good to have the option to upgrade to a larger bag similar in size to the one the Kima came in as this way I could have both kites in the one bag (assuming I were to get rid of my Kima).
Ultimately I'm happy with my purchase but what do I know if you want to find out you need to fly one and as in life there are no free lunches. Switch have simplified the shopping by providing a good price from one place so rather than shopping around for price as you would in retail you'll have to shop around for somewhere to demo (I know from conversation elsewhere on this forum and places like facebook they do have them around so ask if you are interested).
On the reatil thing, there is one thing I would say, the points Woody's makes are fair but I'd ask where will Woody's or any other retailer be (assuming I'd bought from them or any other) when I'm on the other side of the world or up North or down south and how they'd plan to support me in those situations as murphy would have it that that will be when the trouble happens (know your gear, know how to look after it and how to repair as much as you can).
I also believe Woody's when he says retailers don't make much out of a single sale which means the manufacturer and distributor are and in this case. One of the things I do in my day job is spend a good deal of time navel gazing on what the economic power that is china is doing, in doing this we speak to many well connected and exposed investment banks and their analysts. The thing that starts to come up a lot lately is wage price inflation in China when this happens and it costs $50 a day to put someone behind a sewing machine in china not $5 how much will we pay for a kite then?
The BWS's, Switches and any other should be taken as a wake up call to the industry in my view. I wouldn't want to see an industry devoid of retailers but I don't want one without competition (serious competition not just another brand name) either.
Next time go with the black option,black fades the least of any colour in the spectrum,and dries the fastest in the sun,white looks nice when its new but can look like crap even after a few weeks use when using in muddy areas or close to rivermouths i try to not even stock white any more,but they do look good screened up and when you have a black strut on white kite it looks trick,just use your board to weight your kite on the beach i hate it when guys grab my kites and throw a wheelbarrow full of sand on them ,red fades faster than any other colour .
Not worried about the colour, more worried about degradation of the fabric due to UV absorbtion and heat, most likely an irrational fear but none the less one I held at the time, but white does show everything.
And by the way, Switch have heard all this directly and were happy to have the feedback.
Anyone tried that Combat C kite and can compare to some well known C kite?
I ride Hadlows but doubt it's like that? Looks more Torch/Airush Razor from pictures - but probably not a way to conclude.
BTW I tried the Torch 12m 2011 last week, Hope it doesn't fly like that. Biggest disappointment ever, glad I didn't buy that. Well known name is no guarantee for performance
Hi Blueprint Thanks for the pictures and review its good you mentioned you havent flown it much puts a perspective to your review, from the pictures they look well made, more reviews from buyers who purchased one online. keep them coming, It would be good to try the Method!
Just chill guys go kite. From the otherside of aus my 2 BOB worth is there is guys that support local like me, Woodys you will be supported! Price is not always an issue for some. Free will gives us the right to decide and save a buck just be there for them when they need back up, repair or new kite. And new kite designs etc is just growing our awsome sport.......who gives a crap about the rest, we kite at the end of the day don't we!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"And of course, there's also the situation when the poster does not really have a complaint, but is simply a competitor or naive associate of a business who thinks the way to get more business is to degrade the competition." quote from this website
do those prices include a bar?
doesnt list it as included but doesnt have prices for the bar listed separetly...
edit: found it under NZ part, $390 nz. So still works out about $1400 for a 13m. still cheap but!
Maybe puppet...... but for now I'm happy with what I got thanks 
Besides, I've bought from the supplier before and basically consider him a dealer just not local, for the price of his parts I might as well buy a whole set and have em in my pocket when I'm not near my local dealer so can make sure that at worst I only miss an hour if I've got the chance to get out.
Demo's and trade backs well, I've spent a bit of time looking in the second hands and comparing new gear and what I'm seeing is that it pretty much doesn't make a difference the brand you own your return on the gear is basically the same % of the original purchase price assuming you haven't trashed it.
When I'm looking for a demo (and one day I will be) I know where to come
