First impressions of Boardriding Maui's C5 cloud kites

hshim · Since 20 Apr 2016 11 Posts UAE

Great conversation guys. Just to address some of the comments above:

Greg is a small business owner compared to the big name kite company's. His company is all about personal service. He designs, tests, redesigns, retests, sells, answers personal emails....you get the idea. For this generation of C5 kites I fully believe after receiving the kites that his pricing is fair if you take all things into consideration. These are really well made kites that have evolved a ton from C1 to this generation of kites. I've searched long and hard to find a really good kite quiver that I can use everyday and ALSO travel easily with. As we all know the airlines and their baggage allowances are going crazy. If you took all 4 of the kites, the ccs bar and your harness with the hook cut off it all packs up super small and light. You could rent a surfboard or a twin tip wherever you travel too and for get the hassles. Renting any board for several days usually is the same amount that the airlines often charge to get your board there and back! Been there done that.... Having said that the weight you save with these kites you could now comfortably take a board and still have a FULL quiver no problem.

I'm not sure if Greg is working on a new version of the 17m. But to reiterate above the range on all the C5 kites is MUCH, MUCH better than the C1's which again results in significantly better bar pressure. The 13.5 pulls close to that of some 15m kites and in my early testing, was really easy to handle even when the winds picked up. If you're the type that likes big boards and big kites these kites may not suit your style but if a 15 m equivalent kite size is all you've ridden and need, do your self a favour and try at least the 13.5.

Initially I was a little apprehensive about the connection of the bar too but as Greg points out, because you hook and unhook the full release every session, you FIRST of all become intimately aware that PUSHING AWAY is your first safety (like most all bars) and PULLING the full release towards you is the complete safety and Second, you test the integrity of the release every session; and I would bet big bucks that hardly anyone tests their safety every session! I've been riding the CCS for two full years and I've never had an accidental release.

The CCS, like the clouds, are pared down to the absolute essentials of what you need in a bar and kite. Thats why I love them. There is a ton of complexity in simple design. The only people who won't dig the bar are those that like to ride unhooked or do a lot of unhooked tricks. I would wager that this population is the minority. The CCS fully compliments the clouds but having said this, as was mentioned above, you can use any four line bar with all lines trimmed equally. The other thing about the CCS is there is no swivel for the centre lines so if you loop your kite and spin your bar your centre lines will remained crossed until you loop it back the other way. Not a big deal but I'm working on a simple swivel at the harness and I'll share a picture if it turns out to work out ok over time.

Finally there was mention that this is not a kite for beginners or intermediates. I would tend to disagree. It only may feel that way if you've had lots of time on strutted kites. Any beginner who starts on a cloud (with proper instruction) I believe would have a safer experience especially with the long depower of the ccs bar (not that you need that much throw any more with the new kites). The relaunch is superior to any kite I've tried (and I've tried LOTS). Relaunching as a beginner is often one of the most frustrating experiences if the wind is marginal. The clouds will relaunch in winds lighter than you can even ride in so learning kite handling with them is great.

Sorry to ramble on but I thought I'd address some of the comments above for those who have some preconceived ideas or haven't had the pleasure of actually trying this gear. Cheers H

eabmoto · Since 10 May 2012 107 Posts seattle Stoked

I agree, the push/ pull release system is easy to keep track of but when you're rolling your board over and the rail triggers the release and everything is gone, it sucks! I kite in a place where that can't happen.

hshim · Since 20 Apr 2016 11 Posts UAE

Slappysan · Since 13 Jun 2012 308 Posts Obsessed

I recently picked up a C2 17m for both relaxed foiling and planing hull use. First Greg is great and super helpful, it's amazing to have that kind of access.

On the foil the kite is really great, 6-12 knots, no water relaunch under 9 knots though.

I haven't tried it with a TT but I've ridden it with my Shinnster (Paipo copy) and with my finless skim. I can hold ground in 8-9 knots but it's boring as hell unless I'm on the finless skim.

I'm 160 lbs.

I don't notice the shorter bar through to be honest, sheeting the kite comes naturally. I find it's easier to sheet correctly than my 12m Solo.

I use a Blade Uni-bar and it works fine. I considered getting a CSS but didn't for a few reasons:
- single realease, too risky if it pops
- modifying his system to use a traditional leash would require another steel ring and he doesn't sell them or stock them. Sure you could use a similar one but best to have the exact ring when dealing with a QR.
- lack of bar ends, his fancy system for wrapping lines might work on land but you can't do a proper wrapped rescue with this bar. Greg feels strongly that you should rescue with your lines dangling and that might work for wide sandy beaches but that's not going to cut it for where I kite.
- no swivel ... what is this 2012?

I find the kite behaves like a hybrid between a LEI and foil when it's not flying. Self launching is harder, you have to be almost directly upwind to get the canopy to fill. Water relaunch can be hard in light winds, if the canopy gets water on it you have to swim towards the kite to allow the sides of the canopy to fill with air then push the water off towards you, if you try to push the water off with tension to fling it leeward it will not work at all.

I trust his pricing page, if it lists 17m C2 there then he still has some. He just recently ran out of 14.5m C2s.

Matt V · Thu May 05, 16 5:49 am

I loop or back roll on both sides so much that I never utilize the swivel. So I could handle a bar with no swivel. Sometimes, I need to do an unnecessary loop or roll to untwist going out, but I like the practice and it keeps me symmetrical on both sides.

For a while, I did this only when underpowered. But now, I am doing it even when in overpowered conditions by simply running at the kite with the loop to negate some of the power.

For me, untwisting is part of the fun of kiting.

And on top of that, I have seen too many swivels (above the bar) fail. I am thinking of trying to ditch the above the bar swivel on my new Switch bar.

wylieflyote · Thu May 05, 16 6:00 am

Swivels are a joke. I privately also heard this same sentiment from a Naish rep (all my kites and bars are Naish, love'em). Mine freeze up within weeks of first use and I don't bother clearing them... but I'm also a lowbrow slob.

I am very interested in a purchase of maybe two Maui kites, but the potential deal breaker is the difficulty with water re-launch.

I'd like to hear from the Maui kite riders here in this thread: How many times have you resorted to swimming home because of inability to water re-launch? I've done this task even with my Trips on occasion.

For half of each of my retirement years I am on a remote Mexican beach solo kiting (foil) and often get crazy with way off-shore "whale watching". Need a light weight kite that will stay in the sky with no wind.

hshim · Since 20 Apr 2016 11 Posts UAE

I agree looping the kite both ways is ultimately the best way to keep the centre lines untwisted.

As for relaunching as I said the clouds are the best relaunching kites I've tried. The only time I had problems was when I pushed the 17 C1 to the very lower limited of its range and to be fair if you're riding your kite at the VERY lowest end of it's range, if you dump it all kites will have problems relaunching. Having said this I have to say that the clouds still relaunch at their lower end much better than any other kite. When fully powered they pop out of the water instantaneously. Hope that helps.

eabmoto · Since 10 May 2012 107 Posts seattle Stoked

I've been asked by Greg (rightfully so) to clarify my situation. When I lost my kite do to the release being triggered by my board, I was not using a production BRM bar. I was however using the same exact hardware in the same exact configuration. Greg's products are great but I told my story because I believe that is a very real possibility and I didn't see there could have been any different out come on a production BRM bar had I been using one but who knows.

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 536 Posts Oregon Addicted

Kip,

Relaunch is not a problem. I think that concern was put to bed long ago with these kites. The only time I had to swim in due to relaunch was at the coast and that has only been one time. I have had to swim in many times with traditional kites so that is no different in my mind.

The cloud does take a little different approach but once you understand the slight changes needed compared to a traditional kite, its a piece of cake and comes of the water in the lightest of winds.

now, to be fare my largest kite and largest cloud is a 8m. I weight 145 and ride a SB and with the power/grunt of the cloud I can get away with this.

hope this helps, ryan

bwd · Since 04 Aug 2007 385 Posts Obsessed

Confused whether the accidental release was with ccs or a diy version...
Or was it ccs parts on a normal bar?
Have been meaning to rig up a diy version for my clouds but haven't yet.
I drift launch often so don't want to give up my bar ends...

hshim · Since 20 Apr 2016 11 Posts UAE

So I finally got to try the C5 cloud 5.5 today with my foil board. The area I ride in is really a low wind kind of area so I've never ridden on a kite LESS than 7 m here and extremely rarely on a 7m. The winds were about 14-15 kts (16-17mph) which I would have normally kited on a 9m wave kite. I easily could have ridden on the 8.5 cloud but I decided to give the 5.5 a run; being at the low end of its range. I was thinking this was pretty crazy as a lot of guys on TT were out on 14 and 15's and I saw a couple of other foilers out there on 10s and 11s. I thought what the hell.

I can tell you that I was really blown away at the smooth pull of this kite. It isn't a jerk your arms off kind of pull when you loop the kite either. The kite loops with the clouds that I've done so far seem really smooth compared to other kites I've looped to get going in light conditions. The kite is so light to work up and down which makes it that much more fun to ride. I dumped it a couple times trying 360's and even as the winds started to back off it still popped up no problem. I doubt I'll be flying the 3.5 ever where I live but I'm looking forward to taking it with me to some high wind areas when I travel.

tree · Since 29 May 2007 147 Posts Bend, OR Stoked

It seems like most of the info I've been able to find on the Clouds is geared toward riding a foil. How are they for boosting with straps on? I still love to put straps on my surfboard and dangle every few sessions. Thanks guys.

bwd · Since 04 Aug 2007 385 Posts Obsessed

Speaking for the c1 and c2, ok but not super I would say. Better on the small sizes. The challenge with the 17m is you need some wind to boost, but you need the bar in to send the kite back really hard, so you will be dealing with a lot of bar pressure. It can be done well but feels different from most kites. The height you get and the speed of ascent are not as great as rpm, fuel, most freestyle kites, more like a wave kite, because clouds are mainly wave kites, now evolving into foil kites.
The glide is ok, easy to land soft - though you have to be on point redirecting the smaller sizes they go across the window so fast. Now the 9 in 25kts or the 7 in 30+, you will not be complaining about the height not being enough I think. But it's not the jerk upward of a freestyle kite. If you just want to slowly send the kite to 12 and sheet in as you go to get an elevator ride, it will be a slow elevator. Send the kite back to 1 or so and its better....

skideeppow · Since 26 Aug 2011 518 Posts Addicted

I dont know anything about these kites, but i am pretty sure i saw a video oh the owner foiling at kanaha, holy shit, you talk about just ripping. Video was inspiring.

hshim · Since 20 Apr 2016 11 Posts UAE

Ok so although I live in a light wind area (typically 12-14kt thermal winds in the afternoon) we were blessed with 17+kts of wind a couple times in the last 3 weeks. Hence I excitedly got to try the 3.5 C5. Fricken awesome!

I was a little giddy getting the kite up in the air. The person who launched me probably thought I was just working with a trainer kite! It took a few reaches to get used to how fast this sucker moves. But as with the other clouds with every stroke or loop of the kite this baby generates a lot of power. Haven't had this much fun kiting since I started years ago!

Slappysan · Since 13 Jun 2012 308 Posts Obsessed

hshim · Since 20 Apr 2016 11 Posts UAE

Wish I could comment but personally I don't ride with straps and don't look for Ait time any more. So I don't know how they do that in this realm. I think they excel at foil and wave riding so if you look at this type of kite I general they don't boost you too insane levels. And neither do these kites.