REO THE ULTIMATE WAVE KITE

The REO is designed purely for waves and surf board riders, this is a dedicated wave riders kite.

What is the criteria for a wave kite I hear you say…. Well, we and our riders think it needs to have fast handling, float down the line, good relaunch, megga de power and plenty of power to get you back up to the lineup. The REO is the result of more than a year’s development.

We wanted to create a kite that was versatile in all aspects of wave riding…so if you wanna park & surf or loop it down the line, hooked or unhooked, the REO is designed to deliver in all these circumstances.

REO – THE STORY

The Reo has been a blast to develop. It has involved all of here us here in the Ozone HQ, Hugh, Torrin, Matt and myself but also our close friends, Pagie, Armie and Dave Edwards.
Together we have chased waves all round the North Island of New Zealand, all in the name of “testing”. It was a labour of love. Love of the ocean, love of being out there and of course a love of the waves.

Between us we have a range of different styles and experience and this has helped define the Reo. Torrin is a force to be reckoned with in the waves, flat out pro rider that has no fear and pushes the limits strapped or unstrapped. Dave Edwards is a strapless monster no matter how big and gnarly the conditions, very impressive to watch. Pagie is a ripping surfer turned kiter and rides accordingly! Armie has been on the wave charge since the beginning, he is a fearless strong rider no matter what is thrown at him. Matt, Hugh and myself are what I would describe as “Having it” but with less experience than the others however we are still pushing ourselves hard.

The Reo is not my baby, it is a piece of all of us and I think that is why we all love it. We have come off the water so many times just buzzing and raving about the kite and our sessions. It has fuelled our passion for wave riding and helped us push our abilities to new levels.

So what is so good… Well, I would describe it as an extension of your body, this kite can be flown so many ways but it delivers outstanding performance no matter what your style. Hooked in it can float down the line effortlessly, it’s quick precise handling means you can put in the right spot and just ride the wave as hard as you can. If you slack line it, it still floats rather than falling out of the sky, it just drifts back and you have time to compensate and get the lines tight again.

If you like to move the kite a lot then it responds just perfectly, fast and direct. Unhooked it leaves you with nothing to do, the drift is perfect so all you got to do is concentrate on the next lip or section you are going to bosh.

I could go on but it’s better you read the reviews otherwise it is going to sound like a sales pitch and I would hate to sound like that. As with all Ozone products we like you to decide for yourself rather than believing us.

Rob Whittall – Ozone Kites Designer

REO DESIGN & PERFORMANCE FEATURES >>

• 4-line pulley-less system (no pulleys, no problems)
• Super fast and direct handling
• Mega de-power range with insane float and drift characteristics
• Easy on the bar back line re-launch
• Comparable feeling throughout the size range
• One-Pump system for quick and easy setup
• Multiple trimming options for customized handling and bar pressure
• Color coded and numbered fool proof line connectors

REO CONSTRUCTION FEATURES >>

• High volume inflate/deflate valve for quicker setup and pack down
• Improved strut construction for better canopy stability
• Internal reinforcements for improved durability
• Exceptional hand checked Ozone factory construction using the highest quality materials
• Teijin Techno Force sail material
• Dimension Polyant Dacron for the LE & Struts
• Double stitched bonded seams
• Dacron reinforced tip area for load distribution
• Reinforced leading edge and struts in high stress areas
• Reinforced trailing edge
• Light weight & low profile aerodynamic leading edge scuff pads
• Unique bladder construction with double layer section in wear areas
• Ozone warranty and back-up service guaranteed

TRIMMING THE REO TO SUIT YOU…

The Reo is a kite that can be trimmed to suit your personal riding style.

If you like to ride unhooked a lot in the waves then I would suggest lengthening the back lines by sliding the foam floats up and moving the knot to extend the back lines. Like this you will not need to trim the kite with the de-power cleat so much.

If you like to ride hooked in and like the kite to feel stally and back fly then I suggest you shorten the back lines by sliding the foam floats up and moving the knot to reduce the length of the back lines. Then by using the the de-power cleat you can fine tune it to the perfect amount for you.

If you want lighter or heavier bar pressure then use the rear tabs on the tips where the back lines attach.

If you are not sure what you like leave it as standard because that is what we think is perfect!…

Enjoy the ride.

Rob Whittall
Ozone Kites Designer

REVIEWS

NATHAN DUCKER & DARREN MARSHALL

The Reo’s are awesome. We think experienced wave kiters will agree that the design team have got this one just right. From our perspective they clearly outperform every reputable wave kite on the market. For us, the Reo ticked all the boxes and then a few more that we didn’t think were possible to tick.

The kites:

• Can be ridden comfortably hooked or unhooked without needing to adjust de-power settings (for personal riding styles the trim settings can be adjusted, see Trimming the Reo)
• Can be efficiently cranked to power through turns or parked to surf the power from the wave
• Drift down the line handling fast sections, staying high in the air
• Have light bar pressure with options to increase or decrease
• Have direct steering that is smooth and precise with enough pressure to prevent accidental input on a wave or if getting worked
• Have low end grunt and an excellent wind range
• Can instantly dump all power for snappy top turns even in cross/offshore conditions
• When sheeting in, provide a smooth, progressive and direct increase in power (combined with instant de-power makes them ideal for riding unstrapped)
• Smooth out the gusts and hold solid in the air
• Relaunch easily and quickly
• Have one pump, high flow valves and sturdy construction
• Have a clean four-line setup without pulleys
• Are of the highest quality materials and workmanship
• Look great

We had perfect conditions for testing yet struggled to come up with constructive feedback to improve these kites. The Reo will work well for all styles of wave riding. They were designed based on suggestions from team riders and other experienced wave riders (including comments made via online discussion threads to get a broader perspective). Between the few in our test team we had most wave riding styles covered and all of us are extremely ‘particular’ in our kite selection. It was very interesting to see everyone in our test team come in with equally big smiles having ridden the Reo.

On a wave, they easily outperform every other kite ever tested by our team – which includes most reputable wave kites available in Australia. Basically the Reo seems so suited to riding waves that it feels like it’s part of you. On a wave, it is so balanced, smooth and responsive that you find yourself concentrating more on riding the wave than ever before, significantly improving the experience. This kite will likely develop its own reputation as a wave specific kite suitable for all conditions and styles of wave riding. Apparently everyone who tries them wants to own them and we’re sure most dedicated wave kiters who get a chance to demo the new Reo will agree.

MIKE WALKER

“It’s an exceptional kite. All the characteristics that are important for me in the waves are there in abundance. Most importantly it has full depower on a very short bar throw. Also of high importance, it goes up wind very well. How Rob has achieved this on a low aspect kite is a stroke of genius. Of course it has fast turning and easy reliable fast relaunch from the water. Where this kite is particularly exceptional is the drift back. Ride at your kite with the just the faintest bar pressure on, and you’ll experience fantastic drift back under stability. Only three struts makes the REO light so it wont fall fast under slack lines, and somehow Rob has managed to combine the float / drift with excellent upwind performance and total depower. This is a rare combination that is perfect for wave riding. I found I could loop or downturn for a change of direction, extend my arm while maintaining normal body position but at no stage was pulled off the wave. Total depower on a short throw!”

TOM MCGREGOR

“I would have to say the Ozone Reo wave kite performs perfectly in all conditions.  Being able to quickly get the kite into position on beach breaks is vital and having a kite that you can turn off and just sit in the window while you surf the wave is also the key to making your wave riding so much better. The Reo can do all of this, so you can focus on surfing the wave.

The Reo’s revolutionary design enables you to quickly position yourself on the wave and rip it to pieces then quickly power back up and get out for more waves and fun. I believe that the only way you can improve your wave riding is to not have to worry about the kite and just completely focus on your turns and the position on the wave.”