VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Naish Cult or Helix reviews ???

Looking at buying 2009 cults or 2009 helix on a super blowout price. Thinking 10.5m and 13.5m maybe 7.5m. Can you naish riders let me know what the difference is in the two ?? How does the cult pulley bridle feel in the hands ?? for aggressive freeriding should I go cult or helix ?? what are the pros or cons of each ?? Marathon Dave, Nickm ?? what do you guys have to say ? I now have a 10m Rise and 14m eclipse thruster. Feedback would be great.

you can call me if you have lengthy insight
Reuben 250-588-8016

Dave covered it

Sorry AC............

Hey Reuben, unfortunately no kite does everything perfectly well. Both the '09 Cult and Helix are very good all rounders. For dedicated free-style you probably should look at a C kite - Fexifoil, Slingshot (Fuel), Naish (Torch), OR (Diablo) etc. They perform very differently than a SLE kite and will be better for powered up and unhooked tricks. However, in most wave conditions or in gusty winds, the bridled kites would probably be the best choice. Cult or Helix? That depends on what you want.

The '09 Cult is super user friendly with light bar pressure and crazy stability event in terrible conditions (or when flown poorly in waves). It flies forward in the window easily killing gusts and motoring upwind. However, as a result of its flying characteristics you edge less against the kite and will have a harder time with tricks that require load and pop, particularly the more explosive ones. Riding the smaller sizes (<9 m) in overpowered conditions usually creates enough bar pressure to make them an OK choice for freestyle (both hooked in and unhooked). Same for jumping - they need wind, but if you have it you can go big.

The '09 Helix is similar, but flies a little farther back in the window with more bar pressure. Of the two it feels more like a C kite. You edge harder against it, making it better for load and pop but it's also more work to stay upwind, especially in lighter conditions where it needs to be flown aggressively to create apparent wind. It jumps well, with more loft and should be the better kite for freestyle. However, it's not as forgiving as the Cult in gusts, waves or if flown poorly (bad kite positions on landing tricks).

Although most (if not all) of the newer kites are good all round performers, you need to accept that no kite is the best at everything. I saw you were on a skim yesterday and lovin' it. I think you'll find that the kite you want to ride while using a skim is going to have different characteristics than one for un-hooked freestyle.

At the end of the day, your style will be partially dictated by what you chose to ride. I had both the 9 m Cult and Helix last year and found the Helix a little too lofty for some strapless transitions - you need to move it much more slowly overhead to prevent getting lifted off the board. However, for airs it was better - easier to load up and holds you up longer. I basically decided to keep the Cults because overall, their performance was more in line with my present style. I like to fly the smallest fastest kite possible. I found that in lighter winds I had to work too hard on the Helix and by the time it was in it's element, I could drop to a 7.5 m Cult - and for me that's just more fun).

I do have nearly new '09 Cults (10.5 and 12 m) if you're interested (250 381-1975) and of course will be selling my 2010's next summer. By the way they kick ass, but that's a whole new post!

ps I didn't smoke up before writing this!!

Grant loves his Naish 5 & 7.5 m. kites & (like Dave) says the smaller the better !!! I'm T.H.C. free as well.

Hey AC, sorry for the earlier comment just meant in jest. As for all you guys thanks for the info. I was thinking the Cult was likely better for what I am after (wind range depower strapless freeride over freestyle) but was not in love with the pulley-ed steering lines. I have the Rise (direct lines) and a 2008 eclipse (pulley-ed lines) the rise to me feels much nicer (no lag or friction in steering) that is why I was entertaining the helix. Also the 10m Rise turns great but It could be even faster for my liking. the rise also suffers from a real change in steering performance depending on what level of trim you have. On the low end it turns great but can end up with more bar pressure, on the high end It can really lack responsiveness. It does have a sweet spot for sure though.

So to sum it up I want it all.

-Low end of Rise
-great in gusts/depower like rise
-great relaunch like rise
-direct steering of rise

but with:
-lighter bar pressure
-better steering across range
-great price

There are some super deals on line right now for 2009 gear here are the best I have found:

-2 2009 cults (your choice) with one bar and lines - $1499 usd free ship.
-2 2009 cult sports (your choice) with one bar and lines - $1199 usd free
-2 2009 helix (your choice) with one bar and lines - $1599 usd free ship.

Hey Dave I loved the skim the other day, likely do more strapless stuff for a while a lot of fun. The mako is great but was getting a little boring back and forth, back and forth....etc. I would entertain buying your stuff but it would have to be a great price to compete with the new deals out there.

Also need to decide on kite sizes. 10.5 13.5 would be good from 12tks to 30kts but a 9m 12m would be good from 14-35 or 40 kts. I have found the board makes a huge difference my skim gets mo out in 5kts less then the mako and cruises upwind. I can ride the skim with 10m rise in 15kts.

Thanks again,

Reuben

Dude, buy a Rise and hit the gym.

Dave I thought you were a Naish guy ? Hit the gym ?. I don't have a problem handling the rise it's just in a perfect world I would be able to fly one handed side to side with perfect response in all wind ranges. Like you said no kite does it all perfectly. I am thinking I should just stop worrying about and have fun with what I have. The only reason I am looking at newer stuff is the blowout prices on right now. After a year of seeing single kites in the $1200-1500 these deals look pretty attractive.

Thanks again,

Reuben

57palm, have you tried Helix & Cult for yourself??

Great Idea, question is how ?? demos are few and far between around here.

Reuben

You can try the 13.5m Cult if you want. Are you going to IV tomorow? If so and it is not too windy you can try it out if you want.

You still looking for a 10m? If its too windy for the 13.5m you should give the 10m Rebel a try, you'll fall in love with it:) I'll bring it to.

Let me know if you are going tomorow.

57palm wrote:Great Idea, question is how ?? demos are few and far between around here.

Reuben

Hmmm... if only there was someone around here who sold Naish kites...

I have a 9m Helix you could try.

yeah heading to IV tomorrow AM for sure. See you there. I will bring the rocket fish to try also.


Reuben

Yo Reubin there is a review (& video of pumping up kite & observing the bar)) of the 2010 9m cult , torch & helix here: http://www.iksurfmag.com/issue17/

Reuben, you can try my cult next time I see you out there.