2011 Liquid Force Havoc

REAL Rating (5 Star Maximum)

Durability - 5 stars
Low End - 3 stars
High End - 4 stars
Stability - 4 stars
Versatility - 4 star
Jumping - 4 stars
Relaunch - 4 stars
Ease of Rigging - 5 stars
Value - 4 stars

Pros: Max Flow; rock solid feel; CPR Bar is clean, simple and works; Jumps easy up and easy down; Really fun for onshore and offshore waves; More stable than 2010; Sick bag.

Cons: Center line swivel does not work that well; Turning speed a little slower than 2010.

Liquid Force has been dialing the Havoc for 5 years and V5 is the best version yet. The Havoc was the original kite that took bar pressure out of bridled kites and killed the bow kite in 2006. For 2011 the Havoc has been upgraded with quality upgrades that make the 2011 LF Havoc the highest quality and most versatile kite on the market.

2011 Liquid Force Havoc Tech
The 2011 LF Havoc was built HAVOC Tough. This kite is indestructible, and the craftsmanship is the nicest on the market. From the quality of the sleek bag, to the simple but effective CPR bar, to the stitching on this kite, after you inspect the Havoc you will think everything else on the market looks like my 2 year old daughter made it.

A few tech features that jump out on this hybrid kite are the 4 strut design with no center strut, full Dacron diamond wingtip and the Max Flow inflation system. They have kept with the same bridle system that has the pulley on the wing tip to keep it out of the sand. This bridle is strong, reliable and it does not tangle if the kite rolls in on itself.

The CPR is back for 2011. This is the same reliable bar that we saw in 2010. They have changed the grip, and they have added a center line swivel. Like most center line swivels, it does not work that great, but it is there if you need it.

How does the 2011 Havoc ride?
When they took the center strut out of the Havoc, the kite became a totally new beast. The main difference is that the kite felt lighter, faster turning, and most notable rode faster. Your board speed on this kite is fast. The down sides to not having a center strut is stability and softening up the kite. For 2010 the Havoc was not as stable as the previous years, but everything else was so improved I overlooked the stability and occasional jelly fishing the kite did. For 2011 the stability is back to par for what Havoc riders expect and the kite has a ROCK Solid feel. The full Dacron diamond wing tip adds to this super solid feel. If you ride in gusty shitty conditions, you will really enjoy the smooth power output of the Havoc.

The Havoc has been a jack of all trades kites for people that want a direct feeling kite the is 100% reliable. In the past 5 years I have not had one session where I was blaming the Havoc for ending my session or doing something funny. It is normally the opposite where the gear is to blame.

The downside to the Havoc compared to other kites in this category is that it is a little slower and feels a bit heavier. Most riders like the Havoc on first ride because it is so user friendly. It really takes a couple months of riding the Havoc to fall in love with it. Every session is a winner. There are some kites that jump a little better, turn faster, feel lighter, but you will be hard pressed to find a kite that is as well rounded as the Havoc.

I had the chance to test the Havoc 2011 vs the Envy 2011, RPM 2010, Naish Park, and Switchblade 2010. Of all the kites, the Havoc felt closest to the 2010 RPM(which is a good thing since the RPM rocks). The main difference was that it had better turning speed and better boosting. The Naish Park and the Havoc have little in common. The Havoc had a lot more direct bar feel, better jumping and a much smoother ride. The Park was lighter feeling and quicker turning, but you felt the gusts a lot more. Compared to the Switchblade the Havoc was a lot faster turning but lacked some of the low end grunt of the Switchblade. VS the Envy, it was faster riding kite, a more direct bar feel, and it boosted a lot better.

How does the 2011 Havoc stack up compared to the 2010 Havoc?

Full Dacron wing tips, Max Flow, sick graphics, new Union Inflation, and new bag are a few of the changes. LF has brought the rock solid feel and stability into the new 4 strut design to make the best Havoc that has come out to date. Package that with the new tech features and you have a winner.

Who is the 2011 Liquid Force Havoc for?
The 2011 Havoc is best suited for someone that is at the Evolution level or better. The relaunch is excellent for a kite that performs this well and the jumping has an easy up and easy down feel. If you want a high quality high performance kite that almost anyone can use in any conditions then look no further than the LF 2011 Havoc.