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.
We’ve received our stock of 7m, 9m, and 11m’s, and the kites are selling out fast! We will be spending the next several days on the beach, testing each size to gather more info and add to the hype of the new Arrow design.
If you have any questions about the Ovando, please send us an email at info@alloutkiteboarding.com.
We will also be taking pre-orders for all sizes (including the 13m) on our next shipment of Ovandos in the next two weeks. Call us (912-234-8260) or email if you would like to place an order.
The Ovando by Eric Hertsens has been getting noticed lately. Instead of just talking about this kite, Eric has decided to show all of his testing on his website. Here are two new kiteboarding videos from EH that show this kite in action. There are more EH videos about this kite on youtube and also on the EH Website
This first video shows the awesome wind range that the EH Ovando has. Here is 5m Ovando riding a long side an 11m Ovando. Check it Out!
This video is super short but shows the 5m Ovando performing a double kiteloop. Check it Out!
We are very excited and anxious to get our hands on this kite and start posting some reviews!
This review is going to be based around a recent session I had on the 2009 10m EH Rippehr. The wind was about 19-25 coming from the NE on Tybee Island, GA. I was perfectly powered on the 10m Rippehr and 134×39 EH Board.
Along with the entire family of “Rippehr’s,” I would describe this kite as being an advanced kite for riders who are looking to progress in a wide variety of riding styles. Personally, I will use this kite for un-hooked riding but I would not overlook its ability to rip the waves apart as well.
When I loaded up for my un-hooked tricks the kite sat right in the sweet spot of the power zone. This allowed me to load up really hard and get a powerful pop off the water. The kite remained extremely stable while performing un-hooked boosts. In comparison to the 9m Rippehr, I felt like this kite was more “loafty” on the way down from my boosts.
One of my favorite things about this kite is the bar pressure. It is “awesomely” light! And although it is light I could still feel the kite and knew exactly where it was through all of my tricks.
Another impressive thing about the Rippehr is its turning speed and responsive handling. The Ultra-Flat and super high aspect design makes this kite turn ridiculously fast. Not only does it turn fast but it carries a massive amount of power through its turns. The combination of speed and power makes it an excellent kite for looping.
The 10m EH Rippehr is currently my favorite kite in the EH lineup. I would highly recommend it for riders who are looking for a kite to progress with. For wind between 18-25 this kite works great for me. I’m 5′9” and weigh 160 lbs. I could not have had a better session.
