RRD Type wave Review

RRD Type Wave 2 Video Review: High Res (47 MB) Low Res (10MB)

The RRD Wave2 is the flagship kite of the RRD line up. Designer Simone Vannucci spends most of his days kiteboarding in the waves, and he made this kite to excel in those conditions. The RRD Wave2 is not for everyone, but if you want a C-style kite that has bomb proof construction, is ridiculously fast, and has 100% depower on command, then the Wave2 will be a serious contender.

This is the kite that after you take one session on it you will want an entire quiver. It really is the most progressive riding kite that I have ridden for 2006. It has by far made me a much better kiter in the waves, and I feel that I have a lot more to learn about this kite.

What makes the RRD Wave2 so unbelievable is first and foremost the turning speed. Every model from the 8m to the 15m has really oversized wing tips that make this kite turn lightning fast. It is a bit of a handful the first time you ride it, but after a few hacks off the top you will have no problem with the turning speed of this kite.

The second feature of the RRD Wave2 kite that makes it unique is the RRD 100% Depower Bar. The tech feature on this bar that is unlike any C kite out there is that the 5th line comes through the bar, wraps through a pulley on the top of the chicken loop, and then goes back through the bar where it is fixed to a spinning ball on top of the bar. This allows the 5th line to tension when you sheet the bar out. From full power to 1/2 depower up the chicken loop line, the Wave2 will depower like a regular 4 or 5 line kite. From 1/2 power on the chicken loop to the top of the chicken line or full depower, the 100% Depower Bar activates the 5th line making the kite dump power. You can set the amount of 5th line depower you want by the adjuster knots on the 5th line. I have found that the stock set up works fine and allows you to turn the power on or off depending upon where you are on the wave. The 100% depower combined with the super-fast turning speed makes this kite a wave-riding machine.

A few other features that make the RRD Wave2 unique are the Span Line and the construction. The Span Line is a line that runs between the two leading edge attachment points. This line does two things for your kite. First, it allows the kite to keep its shape when you active the 5th line by fully sheeting out. Most kites when the 5th line is pulled will really flare out. The RRD Wave2 with the span line keeps its shape whether it is fully powered or depowered. The second thing that the span line does it that if your kite rolls through the surf and the 5th line wraps around the kite, then the span line will keep the 5th line off of the kite and consequently keep your kite from ripping in half.

The final thing that I want to mention about the RRD Wave2 is the construction. This kite is built bomb proof. It has RRD"s signature "Perfect Curve" leading edge, and it is really reinforced by Dacron. The kite has Dacron reinforcements along the leading edge, struts and trailing edge. This is more Dacron reinforcement that any kite that we have seen to date.

Overall, the RRD Wave2 is a really impressive kite. Straight out of the bag it works great and is rigged perfectly. It takes a few times setting it up to get comfortable rigging the kite with the span line and sheeting 5th line, but it is completely worth the extra few minutes of beach time. The application of the RRD Wave2 was specifically designed for the ocean, but on the slow settings the RRD Wave2 is a great all-around kite and is very safe and manageable for any type of kiteboarder.

For those who are serious about kiteboarding in the surf or find themselves riding in the ocean, the Wave2 is a must have for your quiver. The kite seems to be exactly where you want it to be when you want it to be there. When you want power to hit it off the top, you have it. When you want to down loop the kite and dump the power on your bottom turn, you just have to think it and it happens. Like I said before, once I took one session on this kite, I knew that I was going to get a quiver. Every time that I get the opportunity to talk to Simone or Roberto from RRD, I thank them for making such a sick kite that has made my kiteboarding experience that much more fun.