The New Ozone Vortex Kite Review

[@IainHannay]

Great review Chris, I am still waiting for mine! 11m and 8m combo, stoked to get them asap.

[@mathesotto2987]

Perfect combo for sure. Super jealous

[@matthiasmonecke]

Great addition to the Ozone range!

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

🙌 Sure is

[@georgedimakopoulos]

Fantastic review!! Thanks

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Thanks for watching!

[@alexstewart-r4h]

Great review, very comprehensive

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

thanks for watching

[@giga_bull]

Top tier review and background!

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Thanks for watching 🤙🤙

[@GaetanoCrisci]

Thank You Chris for this in depth insight! can I ask, from the performance freeride point of view how compares with the Edge? I'm not into loop but I like how the Edge takes upwind, and all the apparent wind that can build and use thanks to the very high aspect ratio, the Vortex is maybe a little less high aspect, for this reason I'm asking...

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Hey, the vortex is much more lively than the edge, it is lots faster, goes up wind way easier and creates more apparent wind once you are riding fast. It is super stiff and every movement translates into energy. The edge probably has a better bottom end grunt, feels more comfortable in gusts. It creates more power through its turn and easier to get good hang time in jumps. They both feel very different, the edge makes jumping and floating in the air easy. The Vortex is a real buzz For performance free riding - blasting full speed, carving hard and straight jumping.

[@GaetanoCrisci]

Thank You!🙏🏻​@@poseidonwatersportsuk

[@Alexandr_Kud]

Thanks! What was the wind speed?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Clips were from various sessions. Most I’ve tried the 9m in was gusts of around 25 knots, maybe slightly more, felt it was just entering the real fun range there and would have handled around 10 knots easily. Lightest I managed to hold ground on a twin tip with the 9m was around 14 knots average.

[@ArmandoCapriles-m2o]

Hello great review. I will use it for foiling and we normally like to go fast for long distance normally go out and do between 60 kms or 100 kms. it goes as fast as the Edge on free riding Foil. And also how is the bar pressure compare with the Evo Dlab or other kites with soft bar pressures. Thanks Criss

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

It’s surprised me how good this kite is for foiling. The edge is fun for straight line blasting, but In comparison - the vortex slides upwind much easier and faster, downwind it drifts much more balanced and is less effected by slack line moments. Its turn is much more consistent too and the power doesn’t spike. It’s honestly a joy to foil with. Faster and more friendly. The evo has an incredibly light bar pressure, not many kites come close to being that soft on the arms and it’s very comfortable, but in my opinion this comes at a compromise of rider feedback and direct response time, particularly when sheeted out. The vortex bar pressure is probably the lightest of any ozone kite, but it retains a very direct and lag free connection throughout its range. You can feel everything

[@ArmandoCapriles-m2o]

Thanks. Criss

[@dominichochwarter2869]

hey, nice that you already uploaded a review :) how does it compare sizewise to an edge? if i usually ride 8+11m edge, do i go on the same size here or can i go 1m lower? cheers, domi

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

The edge is super powerful, grunty and really easy to find power in its bottom end, whereas the vortex is tuned to be used in its top end. people who’ve ridden it maxed might say the vortex is super powerful, but that’s because it’s super stiff, aggressive and creates lots of power from speed, but I’ve found it isn’t as grunty as the edge and so needs to be ridden confident and likes being lit for it to really shine. I wouldn’t recommend down sizing. Stick with the 8/11 quiver. and expect to loose a couple of knots bottom end, but gain 10 in the top.

[@dominichochwarter2869]

@@poseidonwatersportsuk oh that was quick, thank you very much. can't wait to test one :)

[@Baptiste_L]

Great great review. Do you have the weight for some sizes because it's not on the Ozone website. Keep going with your great work !

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Good question. It’s very light. I havnt got round to weighing it to give an exact answer. I’ll come back to you 🤙

[@GaetanoCrisci]

now weights are on the official ozone website page, 2,5Kg 10m

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Nice. It’s light hey!

[@utrabbit007]

Appreciate the reviews Mr Poseidon. What do you think about wave riding on a surf board? Do you think it has sufficient drift to be comfortable in the waves? With the price tag I am trying to avoid multiple kites in the same sizes for different purposes. Muchas gracias

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

I havnt specifically tested it on a surf board in waves, but I did test the drift with a foilboard. It’s definitely no Reo, and it is a forward flying performance kite so you can’t just park and ride down the line, instead it does need constant pre-turns before you carve downwind, but it is very well balanced, the turn doesn’t spike unpredictably and when slack lined it doesn’t fall forwards out of the sky, so you do get plenty of time correct mistakes and put it where you want it. To advise - if wave riding is a small % of what you do, it could work if you used it underpowered with the back lines tightened in a little. But if you really want versatility the enduro v4 is hard to beat as a desert island kite 🤙

[@jeroenblonk]

I've only heard the positives, does it have any negatives?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

For sure, there’s always a compromise. I try to avoid being negative, but here’s a few things to consider: - The very rigid design makes for an uncomfortable ride in gusty winds (think of driving a track car down a rally track). - The top end performance compromises bottom end torque, it needs to be ridden lit to shine. - moving so quickly through the air means you need to ride it fast, otherwise it creeps to the edge of the window, there’s no Sunday stroll on the vortex. - it’s fast air speed makes it want to go to the edge of the window if flying it tentatively - so you need to be particularly aggressive, especially landing jumps and jump transition (this might make learning these moves on it harder) - it’s horizontal pull and efficiency when low in the window makes it very hard unhooking and near impossible to slacken the lines. (- it’s expensive!) So in summary - these negatives won’t be a consideration for aggressive speed and performance driven rider it’s aimed at. But an intermediate level rider or someone who likes to be gentle, soft or slow might not enjoy time on this kite. It’s for charging and sending!

[@ceeskerkmeijer1251]

Where is this spot?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Various spots in the SW of the U.K. most riding clips from Bantham or Daymer Bay

[@ceeskerkmeijer1251]

@@poseidonwatersportsuk Thanks, was planning on visiting Cornwall in the near future, beautiful spots!

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

@@ceeskerkmeijer1251 nice. Give a shout when you’re making plans and can happily give advise, probably see you on the water 🤙

[@LiamProctor]

Those loops look silly fast

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

So fast that Freddie should have put it through a spin for the camera. So far I’ve tried it on 25 and 23m lines, because of its turn speed I much prefer it on 23’s to get more power in the loop

[@zacksrc11]

£2600 kite only!! Can get a paraglider for that!

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Both great sports. £2600 can but you all sorts, I think ozone designed this with performance over budget in mind. The price is a reason it’s not for everyone, but for those that can afford / justify it’s a class above the rest.