2024 Ocean Rodeo Crave HL-Series Kitesurfing Kite

The all-new Crave is designed with the needs of the kitesurfer who wants to get the very most out of their equipment. Its nimble, three-strut design provides insanely quick handling and enables you to place the kite exactly where you need it to be. In fact, it was designed to meet the demands of GKA Pro Wave Tour riders.

Prototypes of the Crave have been rigorously tested and proven at all the 2018/19 Tour stops to date, with top results in both strapless freestyle and pure wave events. The Crave’s signature down-the-line drift is enhanced with refined LE tube diameters and strut shaping. The arc and foil shape has been fine-tuned to deliver the perfect balance of drift and upwind performance, providing a fast turnaround and getting you back to the take-off zone in double time.

The Crave is fitted with Forward Swept Tips (FST) delivering crisp, nimble, and controlled kite loops, ensuring world class performance for strapless freestyle riding. Ocean Rodeo have also integrated a broad wingtip design to allow for lightning-quick water relaunches and maximum flying control, even when the kite is at the extreme edges of the window.

The Crave HL-Series is built as light as possible while retaining the ability to take a beating in the surf. At 20% lighter than most industry-standard Dacron framed wings, the HL Series kites use the first hybrid air-frame construction. Aluula high-pressure struts are ultra-light and the rugged Dacron leading edge is reinforced with Aluula allowing for a significantly slimmer diameter that can be pumped to a much higher pressure than Dacron alone!

20% Lighter than the 2020 Dacron-Series kites, the new HL-Series kites are the second lightest inflatable kites in the world, second only to Ocean Rodeo’s A-Series kite range!

This combination of Aluula and Dacron allows for precise sheeting control, snappy turns and on-demand kite positioning in light winds. And should the wind pick up, the stiffness of the airframe means that the kite’s stability and precision control is retained.  This credible new construction delivers instant feedback not only from your bar input, but also from the wind, with gusts and lulls instantly transmitted to your control system, giving you the ability to maximize your kite’s power, depower and turning potential, revolutionizing your kitesurfing experience. 

Not only has the Crave received improvements from the integration of the Aluula material, but it also benefits from improvements to all the seams and bladders, to further minimise weight and ensure durability! 

Built as light as possible, while retaining the ability to take a beating in the surf and the strength to hold its shape through even the most demanding Big Air manoeuvres.

Whether you are wave-riding and want a kite that will turn on a dime and keep you in the pocket, or for committed sending, predictable performance and power on tap, the Crave HL-Series is the kite for you.

“The Crave is definitely my favourite kite. The Hybrid Light construction along with the refined wing tips on this year’s model has just taken the kite to the next level. It feels more reactive and the power delivery and turning is noticeably smoother.” – Reece Myerscough, Ocean Rodeo Team Rider

Materials:

• Aluula: A graphene-enhanced composite that weighs just 82gsm (grams per square meter). To compare, traditional Dacron that weighs around 150gsm. UV stable and virtually unrippable, the Aluula BLACK composite can also withstand higher inflation pressures. Alongside this, the Aluula bladder technology brings additional weight savings and performance gains: Aluula film weighs in at only 42gsm, compared to PU films that are traditionally in the 100gsm range. Inflated to a standard pressure of 8psi, the Aluula air frame is 50% stiffer than current Dacron/PU bladder air frames, with 20x more resilience to tearing against standard Dacron, and yet half the weight. The resulting stiffness combined with the extreme light weight delivered by Aluula transforms inflatable kites into precision control wings, unlike anything we have experienced during our 20 years of kite design.
• Dimension Polyant K-PE Dacron: Dimension Polyant’s K-PE dacron utilizes PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) fibres in the warp direction. PEN has a higher modulus than polyester and these fabrics exhibit approximately 30 to 40% lower stretch than their polyester equivalents. This makes K-PE the ideal choice for kite dacron where low stretch is a top priority. 
• Teijin Techno Force D2 Ripstop: Designed specifically for the kiteboarding market, Teijin’s Technoforce D2 Ripstop has high tear resistance, low stretch, and is incredibly lightweight. Each Strand of yarn is individually coated before being woven together. A second surface coating is then applied to the material, providing long term endurance. Teijin D2 is the benchmark in quality with proven superiority in durability and dynamics.

Structure:

- Shape: Specifically designed to be a wave / strapless freestyle hybrid, the Crave has a moderate sweep and an open C arch, providing maximum flying control even when the kite is at the extreme edges of the window.
- Ratio: Delivers a perfect balance of drift and upwind performance with lightning quick relaunches.
- 3 Strut Frame: The Crave features an ultra light dacron blend airframe. Combined with precision curved and tapered struts, this kite offers superior stability, sharper tuning, and the ability to take a beating in the surf.
- Bridles: A fixed short line bridle with a floating V design and a two pulley system creates direct and snappy response while also keeping bar pressure low. New to this generation are larks head loops on front bridles, and knots on the back lines making for an innovative system that stabilizes the leading edge. This allows the Crave to lift out of a loop and avoiding a stall for maximum climb

Technologies:

- Aluula Reinforced Dacron Leading Edge: Built with rugged 160gsm dacron that is enhanced with a Aluula shock strip that runs wing-tip to wing-tip, for improved stiffness and response

- Aluula Reinforcements: The Aluula anti flutter strips & abrasion panels support the canopy ripstop to stop flutter and increase abrasion resistance at critical wear points.

-Precision Curve Struts: Hold the designed foil shape delivering the desired performance through the wind range
- Armortex Abrasion Guard: Ultra-light, non fraying, and abrasion resistant, these Kevlar/ nylon blend scuff protection pads deliver a streamlined no snag profile throughout the kite
- Ultralite Construction: We use a blend of state of the art fabrics and components in order to bring to you the lightest and toughest kites we’ve ever made. Using custom blended UV film in our strut and leading edge bladders allows us to double down on light weight with outstanding durability
- Speed Inflation System: Get on the water faster with the speed inflation system. Strut to leading edge connector tubes feature easy to use quick clamps for added security while riding. Featuring all new EVA Clamp covers. See if your clip is open or shut. Light and easy to operate
- Forward Swept Wingtips (FST): By increasing the leverage between your front and back lines, FST design gives you the additional leverage needed to snap your kite around through a turn. FST also reduces drag off the wingtip, while delivering more sheeting range with less bar input, which is ideal for unhooked moves
- High Capacity Valve: Direct hose to valve connection for simple operation. Wide threaded cap is easy to tighten and even easier to unscrew eliminating the jammed valve cap syndrome. Cap is leashed to the kite, and the valve cover has been re-shaped for smooth no snag fit
- Trim Equalizer: Keeps line lengths equal when fine-tuning kite turning speed
- Buck Stitching: This three-stage zig-zag stitch distributes seam load creating a tear-resistant, long-lasting seam.
- Abrasion Guard: Ultra-light and abrasion-resistant. The Kevlar scuff protection is also low profile, delivering a streamlined no snag profile throughout the kite.
- Variable Line Length: Tailor your kite’s performance to match your riding style and launch conditions.
- Load Distribution: Using strategic seam placement and pathways to enhance a kite’s performance and durability
- Easy Access Bladder Port: Zip entry access to bladders is neatly finished delivering a super clean entry into the leading edge compartment
- Secure Connect: Molded beads on the back line leaders deliver a secure larks head connection every time
- Secure Pump Leash Loop: Easy to locate and perfectly balanced to hold your kite in place while you pump