Aaron Hadlow’s track record has consistently proven that he’s not only the world’s best at hardcore freestyle and wakestyle, but also a king of the air! Duotone doesn’t take second best when it comes to testing their products and Aaron pushes their designers and innovations to the limits. To find the unique recipe that blends ultimate performance and exceptional design, you have to team up the industry’s best at both in order to create the products that everybody dreams of. Ralf Grosel and Aaron Hadlow are that recipe for the Vegas.
Hi Aaron! What’s your take on the 2019 Duotone Vegas?
Every year the Vegas gets refined. The kite has become more balanced and designed to accommodate the new Small Click bar which is recommended for this kite.
Designer, Ralf, say’s one of his missions this year was to perfectly balance the kite. How did you test for this?
Small tweaks can make a big difference to the feel of the kite and the way it performs. The Vegas is designed to work for our top riders in Wakestyle, Big Air and park riding. We have to find a set up for each, that’s also where the different settings come into play. Small changes to the profile, trailing edge construction and perimeters can be made to set it up perfectly for the new bar.
What are the Vegas’ standout performance features?
The Vegas is so versatile. Changing the settings on the kite and bar can change the feel totally. I am often changing the depower settings to accommodate my session. For example, low depower for Wakestyle, mid depower for Big Air and high depower for park riding to allow the kite to drift better when riding a feature. The Vegas’ boost and pop is one of the biggest on the market and this is what makes it so good.
Talk us through the different settings and setups available and when to use them?
Low depower is great for Wakestyle as the kite will sit and stall deeper in the window for maximum pop. For Big Air, it is important to keep an edge so a little bit more depower helps for take off and handling gusts. In the park the kite needs to drift downwind on rails so the high depower sits the kite in the window for max drive. The turning speed is usually down to rider preference. I like the hard turning for better feedback and feeling, but there are those who like the lighter feel.
With the Click Bar, you can also adjust the height of the V. I use a low V and love the more progressive turn this produces.
What are your thoughts on our Trinity TX material?
The Trinity TX has been beneficial not only for the strength and durability of the kite, but also the performance. The kite has become more rigid, which in turn has made the kite more lively and reactive.
Any final words?
If you’re into a solid, stable kite and into Wakestyle, Kite Loops and Big Air, then the Vegas is the perfect kite for medium, to high level riders wanting to push their level.
This article first appeared on Duotone’s website here: https://www.duotonesports.com/es/kiteboarding/more/about-us/news/detailed/rider-review-vegas-2019/