Tech Focus: Ozone Edge V11

The Edge is THE free ride and big air kite from Ozone, and it just got an update. We chatted to designer Rob Whittall about how the Edge V11 achieves its impressive performance. Read more in this Tech Focus feature!

The Edge, the longest-running kite in the Ozone lineup, is now available in a V11! Why has the Edge received the most versions of all kites in the Ozone range? 

The simple answer is that it has been around a long time! It was not the first inflatable kite we made; that was the Instinct Sport. The Instinct Edge was our second kite to hit the market, and back in the day, it was a great success for us. At that point, it had 5 lines, and the 5th line was what we called an Active 5th line as it was connected to the trimmer, so it did more than just support the leading edge as most 5th lines do.

What year did the first Edge come out? What segment of the kitesurfing market was it designed for?

The first Edge debuted back in 2007. Back in the day, it was a fast kite for boosting and was aimed primarily at experienced riders that wanted to send it and go big! It was always our top-end kite from the start, hence the name.

Slingshot | View in Mag

North Kiteboarding | View in Mag

Has the intended function of this kite changed over the past ten versions?

The goal of every iteration of the Edge has been to deliver speed and airtime. It's very successful as a race kite and has won countless championships in the race scene, and is the kite for the Youth Olympic Games. But, in addition to race performance, it has always had a tone of boost because speed can be turned into altitude.

What are the key flight characteristics of the new Edge V11?

She is powerful, solid and handles really well for a high aspect ratio kite. The amazing thing is that it is fun to ride for anyone with intermediate experience or above. If you are looking to get some airtime, the Edge V11 will help you go bigger and stay up longer. It's easy to jump as it has so much float and generally gets you higher than you would normally go. Due to the power it delivers, it is also a good kite on light wind days because it gets you going when you would be struggling on anything else. You can loop it too, but that is quite engaging as it has a lot of pull, so you need some skills to commit to that. 

For those familiar with the V10, what were the main improvements over the previous version?

It's all down to details now. We are refining the design rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Sail tension and leading edge pre-load is where we are focused. We have made many prototypes trying to improve the parameters of the design, but where you gain in some aspects, you lose in others. It is widely agreed that the Edge has amazing characteristics across a wide operating range, so now we work on improving that further.

Recent versions of the Edge have been oriented toward advanced free riders and those that like to go big. If Ruben Lenten and Jamie Overbeek riding this kite are anything to go by, this must also be true of the V11? 

100%, the Edge will always stay true to its name and the performance that it is renowned for. We would like it to continue to be known for speed and airtime, and we are confident that the V11 will continue the legacy.

What is it about the shape or design of this kite that also makes it a power performer in racing and in the snow?

It's a combination of airfoil, planform and leading edge thickness. Lift and forward drive from the airfoil, high aspect ratio planform to maximise the performance potential, and a thick leading edge to make it all stable and powerful… Add a little Ozone special sauce to that, and you have the Edge!

Gin Kiteboarding | View in Mag

Duotone | View in Mag

What are YOU most excited about in the new Edge V11?

It will be interesting to see what the guys can do in terms of altitude! I am amazed at how high they are getting these days; it's incredible to think that 40m on the right day might be possible! Imagine 40m high! That would be ultimately very impressive, and I think it will happen sooner or later.