BANDIT 18
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Program
up wind
drift
Sheet and Go
Turning Radius
Depowered Handling
Hangtime / Vertical Lift
3D View
Technical Specifications
Description
Everywhere, anytime, in every condition
The new BANDIT puts the joy of riding at your fingertips. This BANDIT 18 delivers the same unmistakable sensations and versatility that have made it legendary, only now optimized and fine-tuned to put performance within every rider’s reach.
Our ambition was simple: to make every move easier and more natural for all riders in all conditions. By refining power management and depower capacity, we slightly reduced the riding speed to deliver more control and comfort.
Based on the design and success of our last BANDIT, this new edition inherits all its key strengths: Staggered Seams for a perfectly smooth profile and outstanding stability in the air, optimized fabric distribution for the ideal balance between performance and comfort, and its trustworthy Delta C-Shape. It also incorporates a new 160 g Dacron on the leading edge, which is stronger and more durable, to support its performance and ensure increased longevity.
As a result, this new BANDIT delivers consistent, controlled speed, direct and intuitive handling, and the most comfortable ride yet, even when conditions get demanding.
On the water, everything feels easier: choppy waters are smoother to navigate, edging becomes more natural, and jumps are more accessible. Power control in the high end is outstanding, allowing for longer sessions without feeling fatigued. The planing start is instantaneous, bar feel is precise without being tiring, and maneuverability is excellent, whether riding a twintip, surfing strapless, or trying your first kite loops.
From your first sessions to your most ambitious maneuvers, the BANDIT instantly gives you confidence and supports you as you progress.
Key points
- Controlled speed for greater comfort and control in all conditions
- Smoother riding in choppy water and easier edging for jumping
- Optimized power management for a comfortable, fatigue-free high end
- Stability in all conditions
- Total versatility from freeriding to strapless, all the way to your first kiteloops
SAIL ENGINEERING
We have been designing kites since 1998 and wings since 2019. Over the years, we have learned that design and fabric choice are only part of what it takes to build a disturbance-free kite or wing. The key is to analyze and understand load tensions to better control our design and its behavior while flying. That is done through Sail Engineering, and it is an ongoing part of the development of our kites. Sail Engineering is the science of controlling our design and its behavior while flying.
Our R&D team focuses on key elements such as load paths, panel layout, and fabric weight management in each area of the sail. These elements work together to maintain a smooth and consistent profile, contributing to efficiency, stability and sharp performance.
Warp tension line
Woven fabrics feature a longitudinal 0° yarn (Warp), and a transversal 90° yarn (Weft). Therefore, a fabric has great strength capacities if you apply tension at 0° or 90° along the yarns. But it will deform and stretch when tension is applied at, let’s say, 45°.
Staggered seams
Most of the kite’s back lines tension is distributed through the trailing-edge panels and seams. As seams are significantly stiffer than the fabric they join, they tend to strain under loads and therefore deform the profile.
On select kite designs, the staggered seams break that line of tension by balancing the stiffness between seams and cloth, which helps distribute the load over a wider area and maintain the original shape even under high loads.
Load control paneling / Radial cut
When engineering the load control paneling, we make sure that fabrics panels are warp/weft oriented, meaning that the load path runs through the yarns. Fabric and seams are then in the best position to receive tensions and maintain the original kite shape.
Fabric weight management
We use different fabric weights and constructions depending on the requirements of each area of the sail. Sail Engineering allows us to control our shape and manage load tensions without relying on unnecessarily heavy fabrics. By optimizing where and how much material is used, we can reduce overall fabric weight while maintaining the necessary strength and durability.
DELTA C-SHAPE
Delta C-Shape is a patented design used by F-ONE for nearly two decades. It is the result of research aimed at maximizing the sail’s aerodynamic performance and depower. It gives the possibility to fit more canopy area in the middle sections to create more projected area, while the C-Shape ensures the sail remains responsive and smooth.
The Delta C-Shape design offers unmatched stability and steering response when fully depowered, with the possibility of connecting the front lines higher on the leading edge.
AUTO RELAUNCH
F-ONE’s auto-relaunch system is quick and easy, providing just the right amount of traction to release the sail from the water and get moving again.
Once the sail is sitting with the leading edge flat on the water, its C-Shape associated with the Delta Pivot allows it to automatically roll over onto one wing tip.
The sail then glides towards the edge of the window, positioning itself for a quick and effortless water relaunch.
3 STRUTS
Three struts offer an excellent balance between stability and responsiveness, making this construction highly versatile. The central strut provides stability, while the two outer struts support the canopy for precise steering. Three-strut designs make the kite nimble and relatively light, with a great wind range, good low-end performance, fast turning abilities, and smooth, forgiving loops.
MEDIUM ASPECT RATIO
The aspect ratio of a kite is the proportion between its surface area and its span. Medium aspect ratio kites offer a balanced mix of stability, responsiveness and manoeuvrability, making them versatile all-rounders. These kites are very stable and steady while offering direct handling and sharp turning.
They are also easy and quick to relaunch, making them particularly accessible to a wide range of riders In return, they offer less outright speed and upwind efficiency than high aspect ratio kites, but provide a more forgiving and versatile performance across a wide range of conditions.
F-ONE PULLEYS
F-one pulleys are exclusive. They are molded in a single piece, which gives them unmatched resistance to aging and abrasion. They are also secured in the event of a break thanks to the connector that wraps around the pulley.
REACTOR VALVE
The reactor inflation valve offers a high flow connection that twist locks the pump hose to the kite for an easy and super-fast inflation and deflation at the push of a button.
It provides a high air flow rate between the struts and leading edge.
| SIZE (m2) | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 |
|
Weight in kg (kite only) |
2,28 | 2,48 | 2,68 | 2,89 | 3,05 | 3,26 | 3,62 |
| WIND RANGE (knts) | 25+ | 20 > 35 | 15 > 30 | 12 > 26 | 11 > 24 | 10 > 22 | 08 > 18 |
| Bar size (cm) | 45/38 | 45/38 | 45/38 | 45/38 | 52/45 | 52/45 | 52/45 |
