Description
Presentation of the F-One Bandit-S2 kite
There are two separate BANDITs however their development share the same DNA. This year the focus has been on the profile skin tension and the trailing edge design and construction.
The new vertical panel layout complete with its warp line orientation at the rear of the profile and the new trailing edge design complete with our 135gr Dacron has greatly improved the control of the profile as well as the kite’s static weight.
This new profile offers impressive stability and responsiveness – both essential kite qualities for wave riding. The traction and the control of the S2 is the constant in any wind condition and everywhere in the window. The Bandit S2 allows you to ride on impulse which makes your motion so much more fluid.
On top of this work F-One have worked on the profile and stability, they have also modified the outline of the Bandit S2. The centre strut is now shorter and the wing tips wider – the result is the handling is now more reactive and the S2 will match the carves of your board.
Every aspect of the design has been improved and the profile has been rethought. The leading edge has an extra segment at the centre to give an even cleaner ‘C’ shape curve. They’ve also cut a segment from the tips to make them sleeker.
The bar feeling has been tweaked and is now lighter and more precise – it’ll react instantly to your input.
When you are wavering and riding strapless you are constantly using the bar to adjust the power and the direction of your kite. That connection with your kite is essential and we always use the term: “bar feeling” but it is a lot more than this. While working on the design of the new BANDIT S2 F-One made major improvements on the steering, especially when sheeted out. Most of the time when de-powered, you lose the back-line tension and therefore steering control. This is really noticeable in on-shore conditions where your kite needs to change direction before each turn.
With the BANDIT S2 you will keep control and have very precise steering over the whole range of the bar throw with very little pull through your arms. You will find that your surfing skills, your transitions and jumps with naturally improve thanks to this enhanced control.
Power delivery feels exceptionally linear and progressive, with smooth de-power that is highly intuitive allowing you to have perfect balance and focus on your surfing or tricks. It never surges in power if you send it back quickly through the window.
The control and stability in overpowered conditions along with its impressive vertical lift also makes S2 a fantastic kite for strapless freestyle!
Most of testing was done on the BANDIT 7 m, and F-One were amazed by how much wind it could handle! It was hard to believe we could surf with so much control, freedom and stability in that much wind. On other days it could effortlessly play in light wind with less technique than usual, pull the bar and let the kite handle the lulls and gusts!
The BANDIT S2 is reactive, light and drivey making it the ideal kite for foiling. The stability of the S during the drift is a great help on a foil especially when your lines are slack during turns or carves.
Program
Sizes
| SIZE (m²) | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIND RANGE (knts) | 30+ | 25+ | 23+ | 20+ | 16>28 | 14>25 | 12>22 |
Technology
| DELTA C-SHAPE DELTA C-SHAPE technology design offers unmatched stability and steering response when fully de-powered, with the possibility of connecting the front lines higher on the leading edge of the kite. This shape was the result of a design research towards maximum optimization of the aerodynamic performances of the kite and of its depower. It gives the possibility to fit more canopy area in the middle sections to create more projected area while the C Shape makes sure the kite remains responsive and fluid. |  DELTA C-SHAPE is a patented design used by F-ONE on all kites for the past 15 years. |
| REACTOR VALVE Our fast inflation & deflation valve. |   |
| AUTO RELAUNCH Once the kite is sitting with the leading edge flat on the water, its C-Shape associated with the Delta Pivot allows the kite to automatically roll over onto one wing tip. |  |
| The kite will then glide towards the edge of the window, ready for quick and easy water re-launch. |  |
| STAGGERED SEAMS This brand-new F-ONE’s design innovation offers an amazingly sleeked profile for more efficiency and sharper performances. Original staggered seams have been implemented on critical parts of the kites. The seam’s tension line is broken offering a perfectly leveled canopy profile when the kite is fully powered.  | The fabric is orientated towards tension. The perfectly even canopy profile brings a sensational stability without feeling disturbances in the bar.  |
| TECHNOFORCE TEIJIN’s TECHNOFORCE™ is the most reliable high density polyester fabric. Its tear-stopping structure using thin and high tension yarn makes the fabric ultra-durable. It has a great proven track record of lightness and durability. |  |
Details
| BACK LINE TUNING How to adjust the settings? | SHEETED IN The back line is released and the forces go through the front connector. The bar pressure increases and the maneuvrability is less direct. It offers a very progressive bar with a feeling of a sheeted out back connector while we sheet in, therefore the pressure increases progressively. | SHEETED OUT The kite tilts and the back line stiffens. The tensions move to the trailing edge which has several effects: - less flapping - better start - maneuverability with less pressure. |
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| HIGH TENSION TUNING When the kite is sheeted out with the upper knot tuning (1): -kite’s maneuvrability increases -bar pressure reduces | LOW TENSION TUNING When the kite is sheeted out with the lower knot tuning (2): - kite’s maneuvrability reduces - bar pressure increases |
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| FLAT SEWING Stronger assembly of the panels: they are now glued and sewn together to make the canopy more rip resistant. |  | |
| STREAMLINED LEADING EDGE END TIPS The leading edge tips benefit from a reduced diameter, they are streamlined to lower the drag and equipped with a strap to avoid bridle tangling |  | |
| VERTICAL STRUT CUT The kite's struts are designed with a vertical cut in order to optimize the strength / diameter ratio. |  | |
| F-ONE PULLEY Pulley structure is extremely resistant. |  | Bridle is integrated in the lower part of the pulley, working in its axis and not sideways. Pulleys can be removed independently from the bridle, you can change the bridle and keep the pulley or vice versa. |
| KEVLAR® REINFORCEMENT ON LEADING EDGE Most seams on the leading edge are protected with an abrasion-resistant Kevlar® fabric to prevent the seams from deteriorating when the kite's profile is subjected to aggressive ground friction |  | |
| ONE PUMP COLLAR VALVE Easier to remove and put back.Convenient for bladder replacement. |  | |
| TEIJIN 130G DACRON RIPSTOP F-One have built their kites for 20 years in the most state-of-the-art cloth from Teijin’s factory in Japan. They have developed the best technologies and quality material for the kites over the years. Teijin has worked on a few major developments with the double Ripstop on the canopy cloth and durability treatments. | The kite industry was lacking choice of cloth density. Kites could be build with a 52 gr per square meter for the canopy and about 160 gr for the leading edge, strut and reinforcements. Having only two choices was not easy because on some parts the 52 gr was too light and the 160 gr too heavy. After developments and tests with Teijin F-One can now use a new Dacron 130 gr double Ripstop on the 2020 kites. | By using that new 130 gr cloth, F-One have saved weight while keeping an excellent strength. The new BANDIT 2021 is more reactive and of course feels lighter, which is particularly important for the bigger sizes, in the light wind or for the turning speed during kite-loops. |
