Hi Peeps,
As a retailer, I take a very keen interest in kites and reviews of kites. Of course I ride and review all of the kites I sell but also take a close look at competitors kites and demo them where I can so I have an informed opinion. I listen closely and quiz people of their thoughts after they have demo'd other kites to try and develope a picture of what the average punter wants from kites and what they like and don't like.
It is of great interest and concern that you only really see raving reviews in the Reviews Section. This of course could be partially explained by the industry producing better and better kites each year so there is not as much rubbish out there.
Even more curiously however, I have seen and heard of several people who bag the kites they have purchased or demo'd on the beach after having less than average sessions, and yet offer glowing reviews on the forum to others. Yep, not a negetive word or even a hint of realism about their experience. Why is this?
Makes me wonder if people are on the payroll, biased through shop links, or are trying to justify their poor purchase choice to others to make them feel better about their kites. Are people in fear of the red thumbs from people who think they are attacking their fave brand, or being accused of a pimp?
Where is the realism in some reviews? Have you bought a kite on hype and been really disappointed?
DM
Couple of reasons:
1. If you're coming from a previous year's model, its always going to be better, or at least 90% of the time unless you buy a SS Link
2. The review is done a couple of weeks after riding and before you've had any problems like chickenloop wear, snapped lines, burst leading edges etc.
3. If you review a 2009 kite now that you gave 9/10, its likely it would only score a 7 now, but you can't exactly wait for new models to come out before posting your review of old ones.
4. People often buy kites after demoing them which means they are likely to be happy with it because they liked it from the demo.
5. Cabrinha kiters are used to their kites flying into trees and don't see it as a product shortfall because everyone else does it.
6. Admitting your made a mistake and should have bought something else is not something people like doing. How many people defend their cars exactly the same way?
7. They may have had the SS Link previously and anything scores 10/10 compared to that.
People who dislike the kite they've bought then give it a good review are as you said, just making themselves feel better about their poor decision.
As for when i'm demoing and reviewing... i'm only one person trying the kite in one or maybe two sessions (if lucky), with a strong predisposition towards some types of kites, a particular riding style, a preference to a specific turning speed and style, a predisposition to a particular bar setup and safety system. If you change any one of those preference variables the kite that i hate may be the kite that the next person loves.
Personally, when i borrow a kite from a shop or friend to demo and i don't like it i don't jump on the intawebz and publicly criticise it unless i can distinguish between my own personal preferences/predispositions and any faults/flaws of the actual kite. These days there aren't really any glaring faults/flaws making it through the R&D stage so there really isn't much to factually report on.
If it's name and shame time then the kite i was most disappointed in recently was the Naish Park, but i'm putting it down to conditions rather than a bad kite.
Hi guys,
No, not a name and shame, lets not go there. No one wants a brand bashing thread .... or do they .....? [}:)]
Classic comments Saffer. Some insightful comments guys. I'd still like some other peeps feedback. I know some dudes are just brand pimps and loyal as, regardles of their brands offerings.
I also know that some people who have only ridden one kite previously will most likely love anything that is newer or better and therefore will fall in love quickly and totally.
Interesting!
Dm
Most reviewers compare the reviewed kite to the kite they currently ride so all reviews are therefore subjective.
The only way to get a true picture is to read reviews from many sources and then consume a lot of salt. Then test a few kites, write a biased review and buy the one with the best graphics!!
I think people who buy on reviews only do so if they cant demo.
As you said, no one is going to bag a kite in a mag. Even if it is a dog, you can still find good points to print. Like it is super stable and grunty or powerful for its size.
Even when you demo a kite you can only get a rough idea of whats its like. It is the best way though, at least you can tell if it has the feel you like or not.
If you have bought nearly any kite after using it for a few weeks you will get used to it and probably start to like it. If you dont, you try and sell it. Who is going to sell a kite and say, "its a piece of crap, you should buy it off me so I dont need to ride it anymore."
Yeh, that bothers me aswell. I am of the opinion that if someone gets any sort of benefit by writing the review it should be disclosed in the review. I haven't read the reviews on this site but there is a guy on another oz kiting site that writes glowing reviews (that at times sound like advertisements) of a particular brand of open cell foil kites and then upgrades those 'perfect' kites at the first opportunity. If the kite is so good why does he want to get rid of it so soon? Dude writes "definately the most exiting kite I've flown" and "you will never out grow it" in the review and then sold the same kite less then 6 months later saying he had used it 5 times only!
Since I ride those same foil kites I take that as a sign I needn't bother upgrading!
IMO the only constant with kite reviews, is after you've read all of the magazines and reviews and think “that kite is for me”, when you actually demo it it's always different to what you thought it would be!
Darren there are four possibilities.
1. The subjective review based on someone having a vested interest in selling the product.
2. They are riding a new kite, with improved technology hence it can only feel better.
3. A punter does will generally always justify their purchase. For instance a friend of mine talked for over an hour about his new great wall can purchase, but it is still a great wall!
4. They genuinely believe the kite, based on sound experience to deliver a great ride. The more specific the description I find, the more targeted the kite's description to a certain type of rider, the more point 4 is true.
Generally it can be mixture of all the above.
As I have said about the Kahoonas i ride, powerful grunt, park and ride surfs well, but not good upwind, not good for fly and follow, the power spike is too great at times, bigger sizes turn a little slow, and they 'twitch' at their top end too much. this being said where I kite, bottom end is paramount because the wind will drop out a lot due to the effects of a large estuary on the seabreeze. Bottom end is paramount and they have amazing bottom end, they are smooth to fly and stable as a kite can be. They are also very inexpensive. There you go - the pros and the cons, I still love the kite!
All kites are good if you send them hard enough.
Huck and chuck baby, huck and chuck!
Reviews are bs anyway. If the truth is told, kites are no better today than the rhino1, x2 vintage. Anyone that thinks they are is a shop owner or pimp!!!
I know you want to keep your morals intact Darren , but every day around the world people are voting in politicians based on the bs that comes out of their mouths. Why would kiting be any different ?
I am stunned at the diferent appreciation of various riders on the same gear.
I recently demoed 2 of the new airush product range and absolutely hated one while the other one brought my kiting sooo much forward in 2 sessions that I feel that although I am back on the old cab, I am kiting better.
I since spoke to at least 4 different riders all with good level and they all swear by the kite I couldn't stand????
Would it be unfair for me to go and bash the product in a review, I think so,it is obviously the right kite for many folks but definately not my cup of tea.
Also if the shop owner gives me the opportunity to try out for free the latest gear,it is common courtesy to not abuse the privilege by flaming down their product.
I still need to demo 2 kites, the catalyst and the rrd religion and it will be time to front the dollars.
If only i didn't break a rib trying to bodysurf that cyclone swell
I don't think I've ever disappointed with a kite, but then I only use reviews to confirm my decision once I've already decided on a kite.
i.e. I use reviews to find out reasons to NOT buy a kite. If a few reviews turn up saying they've had bladder problems or trimming issues, then I might decide not to buy the kite.
I think only the Noobiest of Noobs believes the "Jump to the moon/Easy relaunch/8 knots bottom end/Perfect for everything" kind of reviews.
Kite reviews are done by-
1 Retailers.
2 People who work for the particular brand.
3 Team riders
4 People who got a discount on the kite, under the ultimatum to write reviews
5 Prize and they are pumped
6 Unhappy with customer service and want to see blood
7 Full on gumby that has only been kiting for less than 18 months
Generally people who pay 100% for their kites don't have motives to publicly pimp kites in review sections on forums.
Instead of cutting & pasting the product description given by the manufacturers, I think Australian Kiteboarding Magazines should publish real gear tests in their magazines, tested by riders without any industry influence...that's probably where the issue could be, because Magazines get their money from advertisers, and if the mag says "this kite is ****"; well, maybe they will loose one advertiser... But journalism should in theory not be influenced by the industry... so I really think Australian magazines should develop this.
Although the professionalism of iKsurf Mag appears to be uncertain (recent Andy Yates article in iKsurf mag), they have some of the best gear reviews out there.
Publishing gear reviews could help having more professional and "neutral" opinions of the gear we would like to buy, but trying a kite yourself is always better than listening or reading other people opinion ;0)
seems pimping maybe against the law......
www.news.com.au/finance/allergy-pathway-has-bad-reaction-to-false-reviews-posted-on-website-and-fan-sites/news-story/ffb57e5f8942e9f3cf0af57729ef3b81
(although I already perused it and confirmed this last week at the SB forums team camp)
Most reviews i've read seem like a load of bulls**t ,everything seems to read as a 9/10 or a 10/10 after only one ride in obviously ideal conditions ,i mean what a load of crap,a review should be based on multiple tests in a variety of conditions,not a one off ride in ideal conditions.
