Check out the new 2010 line of Slingshot Wakeboards that we will soon be carrying!

The wind was averaging somewhere around 10 or 11 mph during this shot.  We were really impressed with the stability and turning speed that this kite had in such light wind.

If you are planing on coming to Tybee Island than you need to try Kitesurfing at some point during your trip. This sport is quickly growing to be one of the most popular water sports in the world. All Out Kiteboarding specializes in beginner-advanced lessons year round on Tybee Island. If you’re interested in more information about Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding than you’ve come to the right spot. Click on our lesson tab for more information about Kitesurfing on Tybee Island.

Here is a review we received from a customer that purchased the 2010 7m EH Ovando.

“Sorry for the length of this one. Just wanted to tell the story of my new kite.

Here is my history. Kiting since 2001, purchase all my own gear, and my main focus these days is strapless wave riding but I still like big air when the wind is up. The current kites I own are 08 9M Waroo, 08 13M Waroo, 09 7.5M Kahoona, 08 5.5M Generator, 7M Ovando.

I have never owned an EH kite and only saw one once in person before buying the Ovando. After seeing the videos on the EH website and talking with Mike at All Out Kiteboarding (He was really pumped up about this kite) I decided to give the 7M Ovando a try. I like riding the smallest kite possible so this looked like a kite I would really like. I planned on using the Ovando in flat water to replace the 9M Waroo when our winds are offshore on the ocean side.

Summer for me is all about side shore wind and surfboards. For most of the year our winds are offshore so we are stuck in the bays.

Enough about me. The kite is well built like most these days. LE fabric feels very heavy duty. The valves are really soft and seal perfect every time. I’m not a fan of one pump so I’m happy this kite doesn’t have it. I’m not thrilled with the bridle lines. It has standard kite line that is sleeved only on the ends. It might cut down on drag put I would prefer it to be fully sleeved to add a little more durability. Maybe not a real issue but time will tell.

One thing that strikes me is how this kite hovers when you pick it up by the LE. It kind of just floats there unlike my other kites. Interesting.

Now for the flying. I have not flown the kite back to back with the 9M Waroo but my gut tells me the low end is very similar. I think the Ovando will get you upwind in the same amount of wind but the Waroo might jump a little earlier. You can really work the Ovando to get upwind where the Waroo is more of a park and ride.

I’m 165lbs (75 kg) and the 7M Ovando is getting me upwind on my 6’2” surfboard as long as there are whitecaps (I am light and fairly efficient). I normally only ride the 9M Waroo if there are white caps so the lowend must be pretty similar. Turning is much faster. The Ovando turns like a very good 7M. The nice thing about this kite is that the power is very smooth and it seems to hold the power throughout the turn regardless of where the kite is. The power is not spiky and it doesn’t generate too much pull when it swings overhead. Although I didn’t buy the kite for waves it turns out to be a really good wave kite for the chasing the kite down the line style. It does fly forward in the window so it has to be one step ahead of you in waves but it is quick enough to put the kite anywhere you need it.

The bar pressure is light enough to ride all day but the feedback is very solid. Really dialed in. In comparison the Waroo feedback is a bit soft and loose.

I have dropped it twice. The first time was during a failed off the lip when I got munched. The kite landed LE down, popped onto its wingtip by itself, and I relaunched it before the next wave. The second time there were no whitecaps and the wind was so light I could not get it on a wingtip. Most LEI’s probably would have been done but I reverse launched the Ovando very easily. Great feature!

Overall it is a super fun kite and has me stoked on kiting once again. It is honestly the only kite I want to use these days and it is the only kite I have used since I got it. We are having an off summer and I can’t remember the last time the wind was above 20 mph so I have no clue how the kite jumps on a twin tip but for surf it is a really fun kite. Call me a pimp if you want but I’m really stoked on this kite right now.

-Tom”

Special thanks to Tom for allowing us to post his review.

In case you didn’t see our newest ad in The Kiteboarder Magazine, here it is!