dugman wrote:By the way I am sponsored by no one and think the drifter is the best kite I have riden so far in the waves.... IMO
Sorry about the disclaimer, but when I started LTS I wanted to make sure it was a non-pimping, no BS site, and everyone here has been doing a great job with that motto. It wouldn't be good if I did not follow my own guidelines.
Honestly, though, do not feel bad about the Switchblades. I was not crazy about the larger size in the Drifter so I picked a quiver of a 11 SB, 9 Drifter, and 7 Drifter. You are lucky enough to live on Maui so you get a lot of real wave days, with perfect conditions and steady wind. However, when it is on-shore, gusty, and the surf is a bit sloppy the Switchblade is a hard kite to beat (read between the lines, typical crap Miami conditions).
Even if you do end up deciding that you want to change from SB to Drifters they are about the easiest kite in the world to sell. Generally people ask me for mine before I am even through with using them for the season!
You are 100% right about forgetting about the kite while surfing with the Drifter. I was amazed how easy to was to park the kite above my head and just enjoy the wave. It is super easy to steer with one hand. The power band is so smooth, which was very surprising to me considering how quick the kite is. When you downloop the kite the power is so even and controllable - it does not pull you downwind too fast and lets you get right back into the zone. There are definitely some drawbacks with the Drifter, such as much weak upwind ability, very poor low end power, and the range is not equal when compared to a Switchblade. Overall, the drawbacks are not a consideration when compared to the benefits. It is without a doubt the best kite Cabrinha has produced for the strapless rider.