One Year IN

Ocean Rodeo Aluula

#1 Report

The two of us have been flying Ocean Rodeo 10m Aluula Roam’s for almost a year now in the Central Okanagan. K has been using his 10m Roam 95% (80% foiling) of the time because the kite can literally do everything. I was able to branch out and have now flown the 6, 7, 8, 9,10 Aluula Roams, 12m Aluula Flite, and a 10m Crave HL (Hybrid Light).

I won’t repeat what all the other testers have said about how incredible these Aluula kites are, but yes, they are incredible. If you want to instantly become a better kiter this is the way. If you want to shrink your quiver this is the way. If you want to have more fun and go out in more conditions on any board imaginable Aluula is the way.

I had not flown a 12m kite in years, using smaller kites on surfboards and foils just seemed the way to go. Imagine my surprise when I found out my new favorite kite is…the 12m Aluula Flite! This thing is an absolute riot. I use it most often with a strapped surfboard (to jump), and surf of course, but it works perfectly with the foil in lighter winds and has an unbelievable level of range/depower. The wind went wonky one day at Powel Beach in Summerland, 7 or 8kt to 25kt gusts. Everybody left but in the interests of the ultimate kite test I took out the 12m Aluula Flite on my Duke surfboard, it worked. There is nothing this kite cannot do. Absolute fun.

If you foil, or surf, or just kite, the 10m Aluula Roam is a one kite quiver (up or down a size to match local wind and personal preferences of course, here in the Okanagan it is a 10m usually). I’ve seen Kerry foiling in 7-8kt way up to to 25 kt on this thing. The way it floats as you go downwind on a wave must be seen to be believed. With a little practice and form, it jumps well. I used nothing but the 10m Aluula Roam for about 4-5 months and then went back out foiling with a Dacron kite…yikes, it was rough.

The Crave is a great kite, does everything well, and has tremendous gust absorption capacity. And oh yes, it jumps, and floats while on a wave fantastically well too. The hybrid light version is 30% lighter, and a bit stiffer. The Aluula version will be lighter and stiffer yet again, we can’t wait!

It’s time to fly, it’s Aluula time.

Cheers,

Marc

And…. the perfect accompaniment for these kites is the Stick Shift 3.0 control bar.  According to kitesurfing magazine the new Stick Shift 3.0 backline trim control bar:

 “has more features than any other control bar on the planet. "Now that is a compliment.