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The Carve is a powerful, reactive and controllable kite, ideal for carving up a wave face, tucking into a barrel or boosting strapless tricks. Engineered with a stable, lower aspect ratio design for fast pivot turns and excellent drift, the Carve has an extremely direct feel in both bar pressure and steering initiation. Intuitive control - especially when the kite's not visible on a big bottom turn, cut back, or in a barrel - means you can focus 100% on the surf. The Carve has a longer, progressive travel, so feels smooth and responsive throughout the full depower range and when you sheet out, is reactive to the very end. For 2024, the Carve feels lighter, faster turning and more agile. We've redesigned the whole kite from top to bottom for better drift and more responsive fingertip-light steering. It has a lowered aspect ratio, new panel layout, refined leading edge and profile for more responsive steering and lighter bar pressure, more stable efficient drifting and less pull on the wave face. Improved overall balance with more sweep in the tips enhances drift, so when you're surfing, it glides down the line, waiting for your bar input. The wingtips are lighter, and we've introduced a smoother curve and more shape draft back, so the balance is more in the center of the profile. A smaller LE diameter reduces the pulling power, while added sweep enables effortless roll to relaunch. The Carve is now much more smooth, stable and manageable in gusty conditions. The Carve flies fast upwind and experienced riders will benefit from the kite's impressive power and efficiency. Intermediate riders will find it offers a smoother, more user-friendly ride. Freeride and Strapless Freestylers will love the light reactive steering, longer bar stroke, improved hangtime and catch for rotations and softer landings.
Materials
- N-HTRS High Performance high tenacity ripstop canopy
- DuraLite seam protection
- Lighter weight bladders in all sizes
Features
- Faster responsive turning
- Lighter handling with earlier initiation
- Progressive travel through full depower range
- Smooth, intuitive power delivery
- Excellent hang time and catch
- Lighter weight surf-tough construction
Tech features
Longer Travel for improved drift and smoother response
The Carve is a statically balanced, stable kite that resists nose diving. Its bridling ensures you're able to maintain complete drift while sheeted in or out, riding a down-the-line or onshore wave.
It features longer, more progressive depower travel. The pressure gets higher as you bring the bar closer to your body. This helps the kite feel smoother and perform more responsively throughout the full depower range. Using the full length of travel helps improve the drift and ensures when you sheet out, it will still react. The Carve provides an extremely direct feel in both bar pressure and steering initiation, with intuitive feedback from the bar in both directions, so you'll always know where your kite is.
New lighter weight durable reinforcement
For 2024 we've removed some unnecessary excess weight to help the kite drift better, without compromising the kite's structural integrity.
We've updated the reinforcement material at the trailing edge to a 2-ply canopy and maintained the dacron reinforcement on the wingtips. The two layers of canopy material are softer, allowing the kite to twist better and be more responsive. This re-engineered construction allows the kite to be more responsive in the steering and depower, improves the Carve's static balance and light wind performance, without affecting the strength and durability. The lighter weight helps with the drift and behavior of the kite and reduces any tendency to front stall in light wind conditions.
Improved wind range with more low-end efficiency
The Carve's low aspect ratio design creates more apparent wind, providing excellent stability and wind.
For 2024, we've maintained the high-end and hangtime, improving the linear power delivery and low end. The kite is rock solid when it needs to be, yet still has the control and manageability you need for jumps and tricks. Strapless freestyle riders will love the hangtime and catch, which lets you stay in the air for longer, kiteloop with ease and land softly.
Lightweight bladders in ALL sizes
The lighter the kite, the faster the steering and the more lift it creates. The Carve has lighter weight bladders in all sizes in the range.
This helps the Carve to fly more efficiently, so the kite feels even lighter and more responsive in all conditions – and particularly in light wind. It also improves the overall static balance of the wing by reducing weight in the front of the kite. Bladders make up a bigger weight percentage than any other material used in a kite. The new bladder material is 17% lighter than in previous bladders.
Smoother power delivery
For 2024 we've redesigned the whole kite from top to bottom, reduced the leading-edge diameter and smoothed out the profiles to provide a smoother power delivery.
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New segmented curve arc with direct pivot steering
For 2024 we've introduced a new segmented curve arc with smoother profiles and thinner wingtips. The wingtips are lighter, and we've introduced a smoother curve and more shape draft back, so the balance is more in the center of the profile.
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Highest quality low-drag, no-pulley bridle lines
All North bridle lines are pre-loaded and measured before cutting to improve accuracy and consistency.
This results in reduced shrinkage, reduced elongation and improved longevity. Removing ALL pulleys from the bridle improves safety and gives the kite direct and precise handling. The end result is lower drag, more accuracy and a more direct feeling.
Refined aerodynamic profile transition panels
The profile transition panels ensure that as the leading edge expands, tension from the elongation does not migrate into the canopy and a precise lateral profile shape is maintained as close to the leading edge as possible.
This creates a smooth transition from the segmented leading edge to the curved canopy, so the profiles are more uniform throughout the entire wing. The panels reduce inconsistencies in the profile, resulting in a smoother, more efficient kite, with more aerodynamic airflow, drive and stability.
Fast-launching swept leading edge design
Allows more area in the center of the kite for efficiency and makes the kite easy to roll off the water during critical relaunch in the surf.
The Carve is not swept in the trailing edge like a bow kite, but it has a lot of curvature when viewed from the side, and the wingtips are not particularly wide.
DuraLite seam protection
Lightweight reinforcement to protect from chafing and abrasion along the struts to the leading edge.
Thin foam padding is inserted underneath to form a lightweight durable buffer which lifts the kite slightly off rough surfaces and protects the stitching along the struts and leading-edge seams.
2x personalized performance tuning options
Bar pressure and steering impulse can be adjusted on the wing tip, allowing you to fine tune the kite's characteristics to your personal preference.
There are two options on the Carve. Use the attachment point closest to the wingtip for a lighter, more forgiving feel. If you prefer a more direct steering and shorter depower travel, you're able to move the lines forward on the wingtip for more bar pressure.
Kevlar reinforced strut system with bridle deflectors
For the most accurate and durable connection between the strut and the leading edge. Bridle deflectors on the leading edge prevent the control lines catching on the struts.
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HyperFlow rapid single-point inflation
Ergonomic high volume single point inflation system with large diameter hose for rapid inflation and deflation.
The cap and valve base have been engineered for comfortable opening and closing in colder conditions (when your fingers are freezing). The bayonet style main inflation valve is compatible with most pumps. No adapter needed.
N-HTRS High Performance high tenacity ripstop canopy
All our kites are manufactured using high tenacity polyester yarn canopy material for lightness, high tear strength, zero porosity and longevity.
Recycled materials are also used to make our own custom webbing. Generously sized to fit your packed-down kite easily, with corrosion-free zippers, stash pockets and air-vents in the bottom and sides of the bag. The kite bags also have an external Control System pocket, Kite Pump attachment and ergonomic shoulder and chest straps.
Durable highest-quality Dacron inflated structures
For uncompromising strength and durability, all of the inflated structures and the wingtips in the Carve are constructed from the highest quality industry-proven Dacron with the best strength to weight ratio in a heavy-duty application.
We've used a layer of markcloth to reinforce the trailing edge. This adds strength and elongation control, protecting the lighter inner main canopy body.
