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The NEW ArgoX 2017 Kite - Ready to Order
ArgoX Design.
The 2017 ArgoX design comes from 13 years of original kite designs, countless bridle variations, thousands of testing hours with riders of all skill levels and riding styles to design the ultimate all round do everything kite suitable for pro riders, intermediate and beginners. Incorporating into the bridle design a unique 5 point super supportive Heavy Rider Friendy bride and an original high-performance bridle mod addon makes the AX kite the only kite designed for all riding styles and levels.
ArgoX = Argo and TRX
The Argo has been our most popular kite with excellent online reviews saying it is a kite that can do everything for everyone. The stability easy launch, free ride, kite looping and features made the kite popular with many rider styles of different skills. The TRX has been a popular advanced kite with its fast agile turning, excellent drift, light agile feel and top end wind ability. I found that beginners to intermediate could not handle the fast responsiveness of the TRX, and Advanced riders wanted a faster turning Argo kite with more de power on waves.
The ArgoX or AX takes the best features from both kites, The AX has more light wind power, more float, higher jumps, even better upwind ability, more de power than the Argo. The AX wave rides, has more de power, faster turning and is as light and fast with the advanced mod added than the TRX. The AX is the most versatile adaptive kite designed thanks to the new bridle hot swap advanced mod.
Kite Shape
The shape of the kite includes a curved leading edge for the easiest relaunch in light wind, the curve of the leading edge allows the kite to easily roll onto its side for the ideal launching position, the wing tip shape allows for a stable side launch from the water. Easy relaunch is a must for all beginners getting into the sport, wave riders who need to get the kite up quick before it gets hit by a wave.
Kite Bridle Support
10 years of testing with all riding styles, skill levels and weights have gone into making this ultimate all round do everything, massive wind range rock solid bridle design. With countless bridle experiments using 0 to 8 pulleys, long bridles, short bridles, Using 4 to 10 Leading edge attachment points and an endless variation in each bridle line length we have refined the AX bridle into something truly amazing.
The 10 points where the bridle attaches to the leading edge gives unmatched support to the kite in strong gusty conditions as well as for heavy riders. The bridle design allows for maximum de power and power in the kite, fast and slower turning speed while supporting the kite shape in light or strong winds, gusty conditions or with heavy riders pushing the ability to the limits. As a designer I could see from other kites with less attachment points deform in overpowering, gusty conditions or with heavy riders pulling powered moves. Working with light and heavy riders we have designed a bridle that is super strong and supportive.
All Rider Skill Levels
The AX bridle is a one of a kind bridle with some never seen before original design features. After designing race kites, high performance super agile fast kites, learner friendly beginner kites, wave kites and free ride kites I found that one kite style does not fit all skill levels, unless something new was done.
Beginners to intermediate want a predictable medium turning fun kite that is super stable, very easy to relaunch, wave rides and jumps high with plenty of float for soft landings and will allow progression into kite loops. Smooth power to de power and light to medium bar pressure.
Pro riders. After 10 years of riding, I like a very agile, very responsive fast turning kite, with quick full de power, light bar pressure and instant turning so I can fully de power the kite and ride waves without having any pull against the kite, instant pivot turn the kite around with full power or no power, do quick kite loops or double kite loops and maximum low wind range for the light wind days.
As an IKO trained kite instructor, it was clear that giving beginners and intermediate riders a high performance, fast turning, very responsive agile kite just did not suit the rider. Often the learner would overly turn the kite too fast leading to a crash and or when not concentrating push the bar out to the full maximum de power position and stop because they were riding the kite at 99% de power
From 10 years of original kite and bridle designs, i learned that the bridle can make up 80% of the kites performance, with the one kite shape/design, and only the bridle, and adjusting bridle lengths, angles, and positioning, you can make the kite a fast agile high-performance kite, or an all round beginner to intermediate friendly kite, more wave orientated or more free ride freestyle orientated kite, or a mix of all. From countless prototypes I found that just moving an attachment point a few cm up or down the leading edge does not make a lot of difference in kite performance. It makes a little difference, but not a lot. What makes a massive difference in the feel of a kite, is changing entire parts of the bridle.
One kite for super high performance or all round do every thing beginner intermediate or pro.
The AX original design kite comes with a short pulley-less bridle suitable for wave riding, free ride, freestyle and all riding skill levels. A short bridle reduces line tangles and catching bridles on the kite, and no pulleys no wear points on the bridle lines, less repairs, less chance of bridles breaking and longer lasting lines. The out of the bag setup will suite 95% of riders who are just getting into the sport for the first time or have been kiting for many years. Once a rider has reached the 95% mark and want to step up to a super high performance, fast turning, agile kite with quick full power to full de power, there are 4 lines in the bag, which will change the bridle into a super high-performance agile kite.
3 Strut Light Weight Design
Back in 2007, 8 strut kites where very common, they were heavy and slow, the extra weight made the kites unstable in light winds, Today there are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 strut kites. After using strut less, 3 strut, 2 strut and 4 strut kites I found I prefer 3 strut kites. A 3 strut kite is a good combination for keeping the canopy and kite solid during relaunch and in strong gusty winds while keeping the kite light weight. 5 struts start to get to heavy, 0 to 2 struts don't give enough support to the kite shape and canopy.
Reflex TE Profile design
Our Kites are designed with a reflex profile. Reflex profiles are naturally resistant to luffing making our kites one of the most stable on the market, which is ideal for learning, lessons, wave riding and beginners to pro riders. The profile is super efficient after 10 years of fine tuning and is different for every size of kite, the larger kites are designed to get more power, the smaller kites are designed to handle strong winds with excellent light wind ability.
Variable LE Profile
The profile of the AX is variable, more profile in the center of the kite to generate more lift, less profile around the wing tips for faster turning and less drag with a smooth rounding off from no profile to lots of profile in the center. ( profile is the curve of the wing, and is what generates lift, a good profile will give excellent upwind ability.
Easy large air flow single inflate valve
New for 2017 is a single large max air flow inflation valve. The valve is one way to stop loss of air when removing the pump and deflates the kite quickly when removed.
Single point inflation
Struts and Leading edge are connected for a fast and easy inflation of the kite from a single point.
Bright Colors
We are avoiding all black kites for the simple reason of being easy to see if your out in the water or may need to be rescued, black and white kites have poor visibility at night or in choppy water or in the snow. They look like a rock, or white caps, or the dark ocean at dusk or night. White kites also get dirty quickly and look old fast. All the AX colors are designed to bee seen from a good distance if your in the snow or sea during the day or night. Bright colors make for safer kites.
Huge Wind Range
The medium aspect design gives incredible light wind ability with more canopy in the center of the kite where lift is most needed to get more wind/power on a smaller kite, the power is smooth on to off with a great springy feel. The 10 point bridle gives much more Kite and Leading edge support in strong winds than a 6 point bridle ( 5 Bridle attachments on each side of the kite ). The AX bridle is designed to de power in strong winds similar to a 5th line kite but without the extra line, the amount of de power you get from the kite is massive. This makes wave riding excellent as you can turn off the kite power and enjoy the wave without having to fight/pull against the kite. The max de power is also excellent for learning as you can de power the kite quickly if needed. The kite holds its shape in strong overpowering winds while being easy to control and turn.
3 Turning Speeds
The AX has 3 turning speeds on the wing tip, Fast Medium and Slow, learners and intermediate will prefer the Fast or Medium, advanced riders will prefer the Fast turning settings
Yearly Bridle Upgrades
Kite and bridle design never stops, a few cm difference in 20 meters of bridle line can make a huge difference in how the kite feels, a bridle is 80% of how a kite flies and performs. At the end of the season, if a updated bridle is designed AX riders will be able to upgrade there kites with a new bridle. For around $80 you can get a crispy new bridle with better performance for your 1 year old kite. This is something no other brand does for there riders.
Australian designed, tested globally
Kites are designed and tweaked in Australia, with some of the worlds best waves and beaches. We have an International team of riders from many different skills and styles who test and give feedback on the kites. As a designer I know what I like in a kite, and also listen to what riders of all skills and styles are asking for. the AX is designed for riders of all skill levels and riding styles, with exceptional wave riding and freestyle ability, and a advanced mod that turns the kite into a very fast agile high performance machine.
Wave riding excellence
I love riding in the waves strapped and strapless, I also love riding flat water with big airs and kite loops. The AX is excellent in the waves with amazing drift, responsive pivotal turning, stability, a direct feel with no pulley attachment to the kite and is a lot of fun in the waves. The AX also jumps huge with lots of height and float for softer landings and is great for kite loops.
Freestyle free ride fun
The solidness feel and direct connect of the AX makes for a great freestyle and free ride kite, high jumps and fast kite loops. with floaty jumps and soft landings. The combination of responsive turning and performance of the kite makes for a very fun all round do everything kite.
Square wing tips for less drag, more performance
The wing tips of the AX have been squared off, this gives a better feel and more responsive turning, less drag on the wing tip during turns and a better upwind performance.
Direct connect turning and feel without pulleys.
Pulleys on a kite can make a kite feel spongy and defiantly is a weak point with pulleys rubbing against line creating wear leading to snapped bridle lines or regular replacement of bridle lines. Pulleys also cause a kite to hunt the water, this is where the kite feels like it wants to dive towards the water, a little pressure on the bar turning the kite up is needed to prevent this. No pulleys is a more direct connect feet to the kite, there is less water hunting with the kite not wanting to turn to wards the water and no parts of the bridle line under constant wear from sandy pulleys rubbing against bridle line. A pulley-less bridle is 100 times harder to get right than a pulley bridle, once optimized a pulley-less bridle can turn faster, have more power, more de power and a better feel than a pulley bridle.
Super stability
The combination of a medium aspect kite with a reflex profile and a 10 point pulley-less bridle design makes for an incredibly stable kite in light winds, gusty winds and varied conditions.
Zipper wing tip Ends
The leading edge tips of the kite are designed with zippers, not Velcro. An issue with Velcro is the folds in the wing tip bladder to get around the Velcro can cause LE bladders to pop. With a zipper in the wing tips, there is no folding of the bladder, and the LE bladder is much easier to access with less chance of twists and bubbles forming. Also zips are much stronger than Velcro wing tips.
Wind Range
Wind range varies depending on riders weight and board size. A 50kg rider will get going in light winds where as a 120kg rider will not. A rider on a surf board will do a lot better than a rider on a 128 twin tip in light winds. The below is a guide from riders of different weights on different boards.
IMPORTANT beginners should not go out in strong winds they are not use to. An advanced rider can handle 30 knots, a beginner learning should learn in light winds. The below is a wind range for skilled riders who know how to ride and have excellent experience in strong winds.
16 -37-40 knots 80gk rider 135 or surfboard
12-13 to 27 knots 70kg rider
15 to 30 knots 80kg rider 135 or surfboard
11-12 to 22 knots 70kg rider
14-15 to 28 knots 80kg rider 135 or surfboard
9-10 to 21 knots 70kg rider
12-13 to 28 knots 80kg rider 135 or surfboard
8-9-10 to 17 knots70kg rider
10-11-12 to 25 knots 80kg rider 135 or surfboard
8-9-10 to 17 knots 70kg rider
Range of use
Beginner: 10/10
Intermediate 10/10
Advanced: 10/10 with the advanced bridle mod
Free ride: 10/10
Freestyle: 8/10
Wave: 10/10
Race: 7/10
Jumps/Height: 9/10
Relaunch: 10/10
Wind Range: 10/10
Default Bridle for all skill levels on the left - The Pro Bridle which is very fast on the right, light, agile, responsive, quick power to depower, for advanced riders only. The change is made by replacing 2 lines in the bridle. The pro bridle is not suitable for most riders who do not have the reflexes and experience to handle a fast kite with fast full depower.
Made with the best materials available, Teijin canopy from Japan, Cousin lines from France, Ronstan Parts from Australia and tested and refined globally.


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By Jodi Beuder
Jodi Beuder, Customer Experience Advocate at Impact Learning Systems, believes customer service exists not just outside the company, but inside, too... "Having excellent customer service skills and knowledge are paramount to creating strong working relationships, whether you are in an office or out in the field." With over 17 years in Marketing Executive roles, Jodi has dedicated her career to assisting companies grow their brand presence and sales, and most importantly, their customer retention and satisfaction.
There is a lot of bad press associated with Gen Y employees in the workforce. This generation has been called lazy, narcissistic, flaky, entitled and arrogant. If your organization has tried to avoid hiring from this cohort, yours is not alone. Perhaps you have had some negative experiences with Gen Y employees, or you've heard others divulge their own horror stories. The reality for many organizations is there is no getting around hiring Gen Y employees, especially as more baby-boomers exit the workforce. To calm any jitters you may have about hiring Gen Y employees, let's take a deeper look into the group psyche of this cohort and evaluate organizations that have successfully on-boarded Gen Y employees. First, it never hurts to reiterate the fact that many labels that have been affixed to Gen Y are generalizations and there are loads of examples that defy the stereotypes. As with any potential new hire, each person should be evaluated based on his or her strengths and past experiences and not dismissed because of generational labels. Of course, labels come about for a reason, but part of the conflict within the workforce has more to do with organizations failing to understand and accommodate the values of Gen Y employees than it does Gen Y employees being lazy or entitled. When organizations adapt to the values and attitudes of this cohort, the workplace is invigorated.
The Good News
When looked at through a different lens, some of the negative Gen Y stereotypes are actually valuable organizational assets. Let's look at a few of the strengths of this generation :
Team Players—this is a generation that has mostly developed classroom settings where group learning was common. While Gen X employees are known for being fiercely independent, Gen Y is more comfortable collaborating with others and will often defer making a decision until they've consulted their peers, social media, and other networks.
Multi-Tasking—perhaps growing up in a gaming culture has influenced this cohort's ability to multi-task so well. Coming of age surrounded by computers , cell-phones, and gaming consoles, and sometimes interacting with all these devices simultaneously, has made it so this generation has developed excellent skills in managing data input from various sources. It wasn't too long ago that HR departments had to screen potential employees to test their ability to juggle multiple demands, nowadays it is mostly a given. Contact centers will especially appreciate this generation's ability to easily manage multiple open screens while simultaneously juggling a number of customers.
Technological Natives--technology will continue to shape how customer service is delivered. Having grown up with technology from an early age, this generation doesn't know a time when technology didn't dominate their lives. As for integrating new hardware or software into your organization, this generation won't blink an eye at learning something new, and would probably think something was wrong if you weren't constantly evolving.
And the Bad News (but not too bad)
It's not all roses and unicorns. The bad news for Gen Y is they've been shortchanged by companies that haven't yet adapted to the new values and attitudes of this generation. Essentially, companies have been trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole regarding interviewing, hiring and training. No wonder then why this generation garners negative attention. The good news is this is an easily remedied situation. Organizations that plan, re-tool, and think in new ways, will be able to harness the energy and strengths of Gen Y into the workplace.
In case you missed the memo made public by Jack Ma of Alibaba where he places his trust in Gen Y employees by turning over all key management positions to "those born in the 1970s", there is no more public way to declare faith in this generation than what he's done. He isn't being willy-nilly about turning over these positions to "the future", he has been very intentional in how he has recruited, hired, trained and groomed this generation of employees. Rather than re-invent the wheel, organizations would be wise to learn from Alibaba's attitude and strategic planning when considering Gen Y. Let's look at some ways your organization can inject some "fresh" thinking about recruitment, interviewing and training.
Recruitment—if your organization's recruitment efforts rely upon industry based ads, job fairs, and HR consultants to recruit prospective employees, it's time to "think fresh". When it comes to recruiting Gen Y, social media is a better tool. Using facebook and other social media sites is a successful platform for advertising open positions and receiving resumes.
Interviewing—when interviewing Gen Y candidates, you'll want to forgo the formality of the interview process. By asking more "situational" questions, interviewers can get a better sense of the candidate.
Training—re-tooling how training is delivered will prepare new employees for their role and keep them inspired and engaged for the long run. Some successful training strategies include: truncating the training program to accommodate shorter attention spans; having trainers act as facilitators of peer-to-peer collaboration; shorter, but more frequent evaluations and assessments; adding "pop culture" into training techniques to make it more fun and relevant, which also enhances learning.
Other successful strategies for engaging this generation include continuous feedback and coaching loops. This generation is accustomed to constant feedback and expects it in their work environment. Additionally, this generation also values ongoing training. When they feel invested in with continuous skill development opportunities, they feel more loyalty to their employer.
If your organization has avoided hiring from this generation of potential employees, there is nothing to fear! With the fresh thinking and updated methods of recruiting, interviewing, and training your company can also benefit from this fearless, talented, and inspired generation.

subset: commoncrawl


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King Snarf wrote:I always HATED some of the made up stuff, as that really destroys the connection that this is just like our world. Gamestation and *ugh* SODER Cola. The worst though is that people don't watch Letterman or Leno, they watch Whitty Banter (get it? His first name's probably Whitman, but as a nickname it sounds like "witty"! ... Kill me.) When I first saw it, I thought it was a typo. There was a scene where Kyle Rayner was flirting/ working with a model, and he says, "How about some Whitty Banter?" and she in her somewhat revealing attire says "Oh, I LOVE Whitty Banter!" and I'm thinking, "It's good that they find conversation a good romantic stimulator, but MAN is that some odd pillow talk."
Yeah it was annoyingly cutsie.
I choose to focus on the good stuff like the Tv show "I'm Jack Ryder & you're wrong" or Radu's (since you've already cited Kyle Rayner). Strangely i have never felt the need to name a coffee fanchise in my setting: Maybe its the fact that Western Australia (where i reside), unlike the East Coast doesn't really indulge in the coffee culture thing to that level, so its never been something any of my players think about.