The Nomad from Cabrinha is a totally new kitesurfing kite for 2010; it fills that gap that was previously empty for a high performance freestyle kite for pro riders.
Cabrinha spent the best part of a year listening to their pro riders and creating a kite that fulfilled their wants and needs. It is about as close to a C Kite as Cabrinha dared to take it, yet it retains all the great features of a hybrid, it benefits from easy relaunch and a simple bridle set up to. As standard the kite comes with the IDS safety system.
The bar this year from Cabrinha is an improvement on last years excellent design. It is simple, functional and has everything just about where you would want it. Arguably the neatest system on the market every aspect of the design has been well thought out. New for this year the IDS system is fitted inside the depower protective tube; this tidies up the set up even more. The trim straps are neatly placed above the bar and are easy to reach and the quick release is simple and functional.
In the Air
Ever since Cabrinha launched the Crossbow in 2005 they have been missing a kite like this from their range. The Switchblade was used by the likes of Andre Phillip for his wakestyle riding and the Crossbow was a freeride machine that in recent years has had a hint of race applied to it. The Nomad bridges that gap and it is a stunning kite.
The turning speed is rapid and when powered up the Nomad will put a smile on your face like no other. The kite launches you into the air with some impressive force and leaves you hanging there. Whip it into a loop and it turns in a wide arc around its wingtip generating heaps of power. The bar feedback is excellent and the rider knows where the kite is all the time. There is no “heavy” bar pressure often found on some of the other kites in the range. The Nomad is light and extremely responsive. The responsive behaviour also lends the kite really well to wave riding, you can flick it around the window whilst you are tearing waves to shreds and it behaves immaculately. Upwind the kite performs well, flying far enough forward in the window to get you there quickly, but retaining a good amount of pull at the same time.Pros
A true high performance kite surfing kite from Cabrinha, if you like hardcore freestyle then think of it as a return to form from the brand. And if you enjoy shredding waves you won’t be disappointed.
Cons
It depends on your riding style as to whether you will enjoy the Cabrinha Nomad or not. If you enjoy the way the Switchblade flies in a solid, locked in and predictable manner, be prepared for a different beast altogether. We loved it!
Overall
Fast, responsive handling with pinpoint precision, the kite flies fairly far forward in the window, which allows it to fly upwind. The kiteloops are excellent and it really fills a gap that had previously been empty in the Cabrinha range.
Original review from our friends at IKSurfmag