OCEAN RODEO RAZOR REVIEW

Our head instructor and Kitesurf Manager Glenn shares his thoughts on the Ocean Rodeo Razor and why he owns a full quiver himself.

You have access to every kite from almost every brand, what initially drew you to the Razors?

I just found it incredibly versatile, which really suits my style having kited for 15 years my riding can vary hugely between sessions, whether it’s simply cruising around, going for Big Air, looping or even wave riding when the conditions are right, and not wanting to own several different styles of kite and I’m always looking for something can do it all.

So why Ocean Rodeo over Core, Cabrinha, Northetc.?

I always like to support the underdog and fly brands that other kitesurfers might not be as familiar with.

It creates a conversation and shows that there are more than just 3 brands making great quality kitesurfing kites and personally I’d like to see more Ocean Rodeo on the water in the UK.

So the Razor is described by OR as an advanced Freestyle/Megaloop machine, is this accurate?

Yes and no. I’d definitely describe it as a freestyle kite that is great for looping, but I disagree with Ocean Rodeo and other reviews that describe the Razor strictly as an advanced kite.

*(iKSurf Magazine states; ”The Razor is designed for those more experienced riders who focus almost entirely on high-end freestyle and high-velocity loops.”)

I feel a lot of people confuse friendly-ness in kitesurf kites with delay, many beginner kites are sold as such because they offer a slight delay between the movements of the bar and the movement of the kite.

The Razor is direct with good bar pressure, if you looking to learn freestyle or progress your jumps this is ideal as it allows you to feel where the kite is in relation to yourself, allowing you to look where you’re going and receive constant feedback from the kite whilst riding.

So you would recommend the Razor to someone looking to learn freestyle?

Absolutely! It’s a really predictable kite that lets you feel its position in the sky, perfect when the rider is learning there first inverts. Also for mastering unhooked tricks it is ideal as after releasing the pop the kite will drift nicely producing the right amount of slack giving the kitesurfer the time necessary to hook back in.

Is it still a good choice for the more skilled kitesurfers?

Much like a high performance sports car the Ocean Rodeo Razor is finely tuned and happy to be ridden aggressively, this is a kite that can handle almost anything you throw at it.

The Razor has a very consistent pull that generates smooth progressive forward loops even in the bigger sizes. So if you’re into Megalooping and Wakestyle riding you’re in for a great time.

The Razor sports a Narrow C-Shape Design how do you feel this affects performance?

Obviously, it will have a smaller wind range than freeride specific kites, but there’s a good balance of sizes in the Razor to cover all wind conditions. What this C-Shape kite does well is that it holds the wind, generating a strong pull throughout the whole window no matter the direction of travel, perfect for kite loops.

Also the major issue with most C-Shape kites is that they struggle to re-launch because of their squared-off tips produce a lot of contact with the water, however, Ocean Rodeo have gotten around this issue with their FST (*Forward Swept Wingtips) making relaunching a breeze.

I know you like wave riding as well, how does the Razor perform in waves?

Really well, it accelerates really quickly and responds well to the movements of the bar combine that with its ability to drift when necessary makes it perfect in the surf. I would happily compare this kite to the likes of the Core Nexus or Duotone Dice!

Can you use this kite for Boosting as well?

Yeah, the directness allows you to steer hard to a jump and thanks to the C-Shape generates a lot of power through the whole turn. No it’s not a dedicated Big Air kitesurfing kite but for most real world riders I feel the jumps are lofty and enjoyable.

How does the Razor compare to other kites in the Ocean Rodeo range?

It’s not a dedicated beginners kite like the Prodigy, as it produces pull in all directions rather than just above the rider thanks to the more continuous leading edge shape, but it is certainly more versatile crossing many disciplines ideal for any rider with a little more kiting experience.

It’s not as boosty as the Flite nor does it produce as much slack as the Roam, but if you’re looking for a kite that can do a little of everything it is definitely worth considering!

If you’re interested in the Ocean Rodeo Razor or any of the other kites discussed in this review please get in touch! 01202 738448