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Best Waroo 9m...safe?

 
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treitz

Since 07 Jun 2016
78 Posts
Hood River
 



PostTue Jun 28, 16 7:56 am    Best Waroo 9m...safe? Reply with quote

So I have this 9m Best Waroo kite. Not sure the exact vintage, but it's at least 5 years old (maybe up to 9 years old Shocked ?).

Anybody on here flown one in the past, or fly one currently? Just wondering if it's safe/worth flying at all, or if it's scrap material.

Note - I am a super beginner, so depower and relaunch ability are going to be important. I've received mixed reviews from friends so I figured I'd see if anyone has hands on experience to shed some more direct advice.

Thanks in advance.

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Matt V

Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
Explosive Diarrhea



PostTue Jun 28, 16 8:17 am     Reply with quote

Find a serial number or do some more research as to actual year of the kite. That is somewhat important and all advice will depend on that.

Most Waroo's were great for that time period in kiteboarding development.

Old two line kites were great for their time in kiteboarding development - not everyone who flew one died.

Brand new 2017 kites are great for their time in kiteboarding development - not everyone who flies one lives.


I buy used because I do not crash my gear all the time at my developed skill level. I bought new when I was new to kiteboarding because I was crashing my gear all the time when I had no skill. New fabric can take much more of a beating than worn out fabric. If your kite explodes on every light tomahawk, you may not continue in kiteboarding. New gear can help you keep kiteboarding on days old gear is getting repaired. A repair on old gear can cost more than the kite is worth. Thus, you can find yourself in the situation where you get one flight out of the kite and one crash before it is parts.

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Last edited by Matt V on Tue Jun 28, 16 8:21 am; edited 2 times in total

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treitz

Since 07 Jun 2016
78 Posts
Hood River
 



PostTue Jun 28, 16 8:19 am     Reply with quote

Cool, thanks for the input. I'll do some research into the kite itself.

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ldhr

Since 21 Jul 2009
1470 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster



PostTue Jun 28, 16 8:55 am     Reply with quote

I learned on a BEST Waroo from 2007.
It can be done but I wouldn't do it again for the following reasons.

The safety system was funky - you have to attach the safety leash to the loop on one of the outside lines. If you attach the safety to the attachment point in the center near the chicken loop it won't depower when you deploy the safety release.

It does not have good depower - you can push the bar all the way out and still be powered up.

It's a pain to inflate - you have to pump up each strut separately. As a result you'll get frustrated and I guarantee you'll under inflate the kite resulting in poor flying performance.

Relaunch is ok - neither good nor bad.

This kite is not unsafe if you understand how the safety system was designed to work - if you don't understand the safety system it would be unsafe.

If you can't afford better kites - it's an ok option as long as you understand the safety release system.

Last edited by ldhr on Tue Jun 28, 16 12:40 pm; edited 1 time in total

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treitz

Since 07 Jun 2016
78 Posts
Hood River
 



PostTue Jun 28, 16 9:57 am     Reply with quote

So it sounds like the bar and lines might be worse than the kite itself?

Worth noting...I'm getting an 8m 2015 RPM as well. That will be my primary learner.

I just have this Waroo sitting around and I'm wondering if it's even worth keeping.

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kitebot

Since 20 Feb 2007
251 Posts

Obsessed



PostTue Jun 28, 16 10:23 am     Reply with quote

I'm still riding my 2007 Waroo that I've owned since 2008, it's perfectly fine, and doesn't fly noticeably differently from any more modern kites. The '07s were built really strong after the '06s were somewhat underbuilt. It is a pain not having a one-pump system, but it makes bladder repairs or replacements quick and easy. If anything, I would consider going with a more modern bar as the older bars don't have the best safety mechanisms and the bar ends are known to crack in half.

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Moto

Since 03 Sep 2006
2698 Posts
Still a gojo pimp!
Moto Mouth



PostTue Jun 28, 16 12:11 pm     Reply with quote

kitebot wrote:
I'm still riding my 2007 Waroo that I've owned since 2008, it's perfectly fine, and doesn't fly noticeably differently from any more modern kites. The '07s were built really strong after the '06s were somewhat underbuilt. It is a pain not having a one-pump system, but it makes bladder repairs or replacements quick and easy. If anything, I would consider going with a more modern bar as the older bars don't have the best safety mechanisms and the bar ends are known to crack in half.


I echo Kitebot's opinion.

I have some 07 waroos in my quiver. Flew one yesterday at Sauvies. They are not the best kites - but they get the job done.

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Matt V

Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
Explosive Diarrhea



PostWed Jun 29, 16 9:10 am     Reply with quote

kitebot wrote:
If anything, I would consider going with a more modern bar as the older bars don't have the best safety mechanisms and the bar ends are known to crack in half.


If you are over 200lbs, 2010-2012 Best CL Releases were dangerous with a mfg defect (non chamfered holes on ss ball) and a design flaw (low cross section plastic in tension where elongation causes critical tolerance issue with release opening without being activated under normal load). I even heard that somewhere Best was sued but I am not sure that this was the subject of the lawsuit. In my opinion, they should have been shut down for not recalling all of these. I do not hate Best gear - actually I am flying their kites with a different Mfg's bar. I just am pissed they knew of a major defect in their product and decided to not recall.

The 2013-2015 releases had problems too. But the 2016 Best Release is now the most bomber release on the market. North has had the perfect design for a while and, uncharacteristically for a brand, has not changed it.

Just because it is newer, does not always mean it is better.

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Mlander

Since 06 Oct 2010
32 Posts
Mosier, Or
 



PostWed Jun 29, 16 2:12 pm     Reply with quote

I agree with kitebot. I learned on Waroos but used a Naish bar with single line flagging. They flag out just fine. So use a modern bar with a safe flagging system.

The only caveat I would add is to inflate them properly since I've seen under inflated Waroos fly really poorly in overpowered gusty conditions.

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treitz

Since 07 Jun 2016
78 Posts
Hood River
 



PostWed Jun 29, 16 2:23 pm     Reply with quote

If I were to use a more modern bar with the kite, does it need to be a BEST brand bar, or would any bar work? Going to hit up the Windance swap meet on Sunday to look for a bar to go with a Slingshot RPM. Might try to grab 2 while I'm there.

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proletariat

Since 22 Feb 2013
102 Posts
Denver, CO
Stoked



PostWed Jun 29, 16 8:15 pm     Reply with quote

My first depower was a 2007 13m Best Waroo and I found it to be a pretty mellow kite with some quirks that could get you into trouble. It was pretty predictable, had a decent amount of depower (not great) and would flag out okay (not great). It's not as stable as some more recent deltas, IMO, but it's totally manageable with some attention and good wind choices.

That being said, it had a tendency to overfly the window and drop back into the power zone and yank super hard when you make noob mistakes. I agree with ldhr also that the safety system was dodgy, but it sounds like you have that sorted by looking for a modern bar.

I snapped the bridle on mine the 2nd day I had it out, so I'd be a little dubious about taking it out in onto the water just due to the age of the materials. I also would stay away from overpowered conditions (what's that, like 30kts at sea level for a 9m Waroo?) because I remember it not depowering nearly as well as some of my more modern kites.

Those caveats aside, I'd definitely recommend a Waroo or Kahoona to one of my buddies just starting out. They were, IMO, a big part of the safety renaissance that took place in the mid-2000's. I'd put a noob friend on a 2007 Waroo before I would a 2016 Fuel or similar.

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Matt V

Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
Explosive Diarrhea



PostThu Jun 30, 16 9:20 am     Reply with quote

Your bar does not have to be the same brand, but it should have a primary safety release that is compatible with what was supplied with that particular year and model of kite.

Some kite bars kill onto 2 front lines (releasing to slack both back lines), some bars kill onto a single front line(releasing to slack the other front line and both back lines).
Older foil kites released the front lines (putting tension on just the back lines). Then there are the fifth line kites and the kites that released onto a single back line. Lots of ways to do it specific to that particular kite.

Find out how your kite was supposed to kill on primary safety and buy a bar that does that.

Also of great importance is how long the front lines are vs the backs. If the front lines are too short, the kite will have no steering. If the front lines are too long, the kite will backstall uncontrollably the kite will not fly. If they are just a bit off, you could be in a position where the kite does not depower. This is a bad situation if you happen to try it out in high winds. Be ready to release the kite onto it's primary safety the first time you try it. Don't ride it out like the instinct "hold on for dear life" will tell you. Get it in your head to throw the release.

And most important of all, fly this in a safe spot in light winds for the first time after you have tons of trainer kite experience. I mean be able to keep a trainer kite directly above you while sending a text message with the other hand. And do all of this in a place where you cannot get any one hurt if you need to release or if you get knocked out and start skipping downwind.

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