News
New ALUULA composite material in Ocean Rodeo kites
Apr
ALUULA
As Ocean Rodeo stated is the cutting-edge and award winning composite material, founded by ALUULA Composites, highly experienced chemists and engineers based in British Columbia, Canada. Material was made to be much lighter and stronger at the same time.
ALUULA Gold has a future potential to be one of the strongest and lightest materials to build the kite for kitesurfing purposes. Composite material has won first place in ISPO – Internationale Fachmesse für Sportartikel und Sportmode – Best Product in Soft Equipment Fall winter 2021/2022.
The new material weights only 82gsm (grams per square meter), comparing to traditional Dacron, which weights around 160gsm, is 78gsm lighter. It’s breaking strength is 1,489 N in length and 1,235.6 N in width (Dacron is 964 N in length and 1,005.6 N in width).
Is also more puncture resistant and absorbing less water than Dacron. It is more flexible and durable, do not show any delamination or tearing at highest level of measurements, is impossible for machine to tear. All of those tests were based on third party results and were provided by CTT Group (technology transfer center specialized in the research, development and testing of technical textiles).
Ocean Rodeo
Company founded in 2001 by Richard Myerscough former windsurfing world champion and Pan Am Games medalist. He was also racing for Canada in Sailing at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. At the beginning Ocean Rodeo was focused on surface watersport drysuits. In 2002 Richard Myerscough along with Ross Harrington introduced kites, boards and kite bars.
They have continued to work and develop highly refined, performance oriented equipment. Ocean Rodeo is a silent pioneer in the sport of kitesurfing. According to company history they have made world’s first flexible kiteboards, first ever Dacron reinforced kites and constant curve leading edge kites. They have introduce Go-Joe leashes board recovery and back line trim control.
Collaboration
Over the years Ocean Rodeo was examine every single aspect of their kites construction, for ways to reduce weight and remain, or enhance, their strength and integrity. Ocean Rodeo partners with ALUULA Composites to increase their new designed kites performance, make them more durable and lightweight. Also, they have developed the Ridge Seam which increases seam strength by 40% over traditional sewing methods.
The quick flex properties with low stretch of the ALUULA air frame resist distortion even more than Dacron air frames. It gives much more control of the kite at the top end of the wind range.
Ocean Rodeo introduced two of their brand new kites design with ALUULA composite material technology. FLITE – the ALUULA A-Series freeride 3-strut kite for light wind and ROAM – A-Series freeride 3 -strut kite with ALUULA air frame, excellent for foil board and kiters who like to play on the waves.
More about ALUULA A-Series kites on Ocean Rodeo website.
„This incredible new material is opening the door to a new and exciting future in kite design”
– Ocean Rodeo