Designer’s Corner: Best Waroo 2010
Originally Published in the October 2009 Issue of The Kiteboarder Magazine
Designer Profile:
Name: Peter Stiewe
Age: Timeless
Location: Traveling, Europe currently
Job Title: Kite designer
Designing: Coming on 10 years
Kiteboarding: Since the beginning
Product name: Waroo 2010
Product category: SLE (Delta wingtips)
Sizes available: 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15 & 17m
Release date: August 09
Is this a new design or a next generation on an existing design?
It’s a next generation with some major changes.
If this is next generation design, what were the main goals in developing it?
The Waroo is a known commodity ”” riders know what to expect from it. To keep moving the kite forward we had to make significant changes to its shape. We wanted the Waroo to provide better performance in the air like the HP and to be much easier to relaunch, like the Kahoona. We couldn’t make those changes by just modifying the standard Waroo design.
What was your biggest challenge during the prototype phase?
Trying to keep the new kite ”˜Waroo’ enough so we did not upset any loyal riders, while pushing it forward to broaden its rider appeal to everyone else was a tough balancing act.
If you could choose one standout performance or new construction feature to highlight, what would it be?
That has to be the new LE construction. We added Twister Tech to the Waroo this year. To make that work I had to redesign the LE to better handle steering input load with the dacron and cuben fiber materials. To accomplish this, I completely redesigned the LE seams. The barrel seams use a new flat-pack pattern where the segment of the LE are joined to each other at the edge, rather than lapped together. This seam gives a much better load transference across each segment of the LE and because of that I was able to integrate the Twister Tech. There a few tweaks to the load-flex seam as well that helps further stiffen the LE, especially in the swept part of the wingtips where the Waroo turns delta.
What is the biggest advantage of your control bar?
It’s safe, simple and offers a variety of depower and leashing options. Flexibility is important ”” it’s nice to be able to offer a safety set-up that is going to appeal to almost everyone.
How does self launch and self landing work on this kite?
With a completely new wingtip shape and canopy sweep, because of the extra curve in the wingtips when you leash the kite it has a much reduced tendency to spiral on the way down. Nine times out of ten it will come down sideways and land on its wingtip waiting for you to relaunch.. For self-landing you can sand the kite on a wingtip or lay the lines out at 90 O to the wind and launch by flipping it up and into the wind by dragging a wingtip.
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What are some of the other key product features and performance characteristics?
We put a little bit of the aero-package from the HP into the Waroo this year. With the Nemesis changes, the Waroo is now the kite with the most hang time and has also become the best race kite in the line up. If your riding covers a bit of everything, then go to the Waroo.
What style/level of rider will most enjoy this product and in what conditions?
I know this is a cliché, but it’s also the truth anyone can ride the Waroo, and most riders will love it. It’s a true freeride kite.
What is your warranty policy on this product?
We offer the same warranty on all our kites and boards and don’t set a minimum warranty duration or charge you for offering extended service above and beyond 12 months. We judge each request on its merits. If it is fair and reasonable that we should replace your gear, then that’s what we do.
What differentiates your product from your competitors?
Our customers ”” they let us know how different what we make is to what else out there in the market. You know what they say, “Once you go Best, you can’t go back to the rest.”
TESTED: Daryl Drown, Ocean Extreme Sports
The 2010 Waroo is not a carry over but a complete redesign. It has little in common with your old Waroo, but it’s a real evolution in terms of built quality, performance, handling and graphics. It still has all the great features of the 2009 kite, but for 2010 it has even better lift, and hang time. With the new shape, I noticed it also had better upwind ability and relaunched every quickver. You can only say so much. If you get a chance to try one, do it I think you will be blown away!
Originally Published in the October 2009 Issue of The Kiteboarder Magazine