Sizes Available: 17m
Sizes Tested: 17m
Ozone Says:
With an incredible wind range the Zephyr gives you the possibility to continue riding when the wind increases ”” this unique attribute sets it apart from competitors.
The sixth version of the Zephyr brings modifications to the profiles, increasing the canopy stability for a smoother feeling in the air. The revised sail tension calculation and a refined bridle set up improve bar feeling and operating range.
Having the power of a 17m kite on demand with the feedback of a 13m translates to more fun in light winds. The incredibly nimble handling with a tight radius turn, ease of use and the ability to have fun in low winds characterizes the Zephyr.
It is perfect for cruising, jumping, air style, honing strapless airs or learning handlepasses. The boost is impressive and floaty, with instant power delivery and superior upwind performance. Relaunch is surprisingly quick and easy considering its size; simply by turning the bar or using the Relaunch Balls on the leader lines the kite smoothly lifts off the water ready for more action.
The Zephyr V6 is the perfect accomplice for when the wind is looking light or unstable; it will get you out enjoying the conditions for any length of time whatever the style you choose to ride. Or if you mainly ride in light wind spots and are looking for an all-round one-kite quiver, this is the kite for you.
Visit for more info: https://ozonekites.com/products/water-kites/zephyr-v6/
TKB Says:
Version 6 of the Zephyr returns with its single-size 17m model that combines light wind low-end grunt with all-around user-friendly freeride handling that keeps the twin tip party alive in the lightest of conditions. The 5-strut canopy features a smaller-sized leading edge and struts to reduce the airframe’s weight and does an excellent job of balancing durability against a light and active feel in the air. The Zephyr comes with Ozone’s large diameter Boston valve which requires a standard hose attachment that is included with most pumps and makes inflation fairly quick for its size. The Zephyr sports a single setting fixed front bridle and three wingtip attachment points to adjust turning speed and bar pressure, with the factory setting in the middle. The front bridle attachment pigtails end in loops and the wingtip attachment pigtails end in knots.
The Zephyr shines bright for its low-end grunty pulling power and its nice linear power delivery. The bar has nice medium bar pressure that does an excellent job of balancing kite feedback while going easy on your arms. The bar and power delivery feels intuitively progressive with a sheet and go feel that requires less aggressive flying to get going. The steering feels relatively crisp with solid turn initiation and the turning speed is sufficiently fast to keep the Zephyr slotted into the meat of the power window. The real standout feature of this kite is its tighter pivot style steering arc that gives riders the maneuverability to put the kite anywhere they want it. The 5-strut airframe with its smaller diameter inflatable spars feels efficient through the window and provides sufficient structure to keep the canopy stability feeling solid with good crisp response that carries into the higher-end of the kite’s wind range. In terms of lift, the Zephyr offers middle of the road lift in light wind while its hangtime feels like it lasts for days. Compared to the Ozone Edge, the Zephyr with its lower aspect 17m canopy requires a bit more precision in load, send and release timing to harness bigger jumps, although fun jumps are quite possible in next to nothing conditions. The Zephyr is a great alternative for those that aren’t ready to embrace foil kites and are looking for a user-friendly freeride steady puller that will not only save sessions but inspire light wind progression.
The Contact V4 control bar is back this year, and once again features one of the slickest quick-release mechanisms on the market with its seat belt ‘Click-In Loop’ system. The Contact is a fixed-length bar (available in 38, 45, 50 and 55cm sizes) that can be purchased with a vast array of line lengths options (10, 15, 20, 23, 25, 27m). The Contact features a single centerline safety system that runs alongside the power/throw line, down through the bar and into the quick release. The power/throw line is coated with plastic for longevity and features a low V split on the center lines. The center lines end in grey color-coded pigtails with loops for rigging purposes and the outside lines end in knots color-coded with red and blue pigtails. The Contact features above the bar tuning with a cleat and a small carbon toggle that uses a bungee built into the tuning line to keep things clean in depowered situations. The Contact V4 features Ozone’s new ‘seat belt’ technology which solves many of the challenges of reconnecting your quick release after it has been triggered. There are a number of these systems on the market, but Ozone’s seems to be one of the cleanest mechanisms to reassemble. The Click-In design doesn’t require you to hold the release open to reconnect the loop into its locked position ”” it just slides into the connection point and clicks. The quick release has a standard push away handle, a hand swivel above the release that also doubles as a travel guard and a molded locking finger to prevent accidental unhooking as well as a safety attachment point with the suicide option. You can choose between three different size connection loops (small, medium and large), depending on your type of riding and frequency of unhooking. The padded bar ends are tunable (three knots, stock is on the center) and feature integrated floats and retractable bar bungees. The bar ends are soft in the event of accidental face contact. The color-coding on the bar runs contrary to what we typically see on the market, where the more vibrant color runs on the left side of the bar: the Contact puts a black float/grip on the left and blue grip/float on the right. The leader lines coming out of the floats are color-coded for red and blue and the grip indents have very subtle red highlights for those that are looking closely, but these are pretty sly indicators of bar polarity for those unfamiliar with Ozone products. The Contact offers a little bit wider grip with a raised pattern under your knuckles and sufficient texture to give you both a confident and comfortable grip. The Contact scored high points for its seat belt Click-In Loop mechanism and clean design in a nice light to medium weight package.
Visit for more info on the bar: www.ozonekites.com/products/control-systems/contact-water-v4-control-system
