The Cabrinha Switchblade is a super fun and lively 5-strut SLE kite that remains user-friendly and predictable in the blistering high winds of Waddell Creek. As a medium aspect canopy with swept back wingtips the Switchblade features a single setting front bridle with one pulley and two wingtip settings that adjust between direct/lighter steering impulse and longer/shorter depower travel.

The pigtails are color-coded; the three settings on the wingtip pigtails are labeled and the front bridle pigtails end in loops and the wingtip pigtails have knots. With a large diameter Boston valve that requires the larger nozzle of the standard pump attachments, the Switchblade in these sizes are a refreshingly quick pump up. The power delivery and sheeting have a very progressive feel while in the smaller sizes the Switchblade has a good deal of range and is not sensitive to oversheeting in the least.

Our testing session on the 7m started overpowered and proceeded past sunset with fading wind, yet the Switchblade’s quick and nimble turning worked in the lulls to keep the kite powered up through the holes. The kite has medium plus bar pressure which is a little more than average, but arguably just the right amount to deliver kite awareness. The smaller sizes of the Switchblade didn’t have that twitch-ball speed across the window you can get with smaller kites, but when it comes to moving your kite through down the line rotations in on-shore surf the Switchblade is certainly no slouch.

With a semi-pivot style steering arc the Switchblade features a really crisp steering response with a turning speed that accelerates through the turn the longer you pull on the bar. The relaunch on the Switchblade was user-friendly and easy, the kite rolled up off its nose and the wingtips cleared water fairly well for a quick turnaround (we dropped it in the waves after some botched freestyle).

The Switchblade has a stable feel; flying fairly forward in the window it feels both efficient upwind and delivers an intense pull for big boosting airs, while its not too shabby in the hangtime department for a smaller kite either. The team found the Switchblade worked extremely well across the surf, freestyle and all around freeride disciplines in the high wind category.

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