Duotone NOW Magazine No.03 2022

99 D R I V I N G F U T U R E I N N O V A T I O N S 98 D R I V I N G F U T U R E I N N O V A T I O N S WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE? ANTONIO DESTINO: I believe that we are only at the beginning and have opened the Pandora’s box in a positive way. We have shown what is possible with the use of Penta TX and Aluula. We also took a certain risk, because we didn’t know how this would be received on the market and whether the customer would be willing to pay more for these products. Of course, other manufacturers have now become aware of this, which to me means that everyone will try to use new materials. This can now be compared to the development in motor sports, where everyone is on a mission to find new materials. However, it is not enough just to find the materials. You have to drive the development with them and provide the resources for it. Our internal know-how, which we have built up over the past few years, plays a significant role in development. By expanding our own test laboratory, we can now carry out all material tests ourselves and thus find out and understand the properties. In the meantime, we have built up a small database which helps us to compare properties and parameters and to make the right decisions. This, in combination with the field test results, helps us to better understand which parameters we need to tweak. We discuss these results with our cloth manufacturers and can thus initiate development in a certain direction in order to develop newmaterials. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST BENEFIT TO THE CUSTOMERWHENNEW MATERIALS ARE INCORPORATED INTO KITE DESIGN? RALF GRÖSEL: The biggest benefit for the customer is that it significantly changes the wind range of a kite. In both directions: On the one hand, a light kite generates power in much less wind. You can go kiting today at 5 knots, given you have the skills and the right gear. But with the same kite I also move my top end up. The usable range of the product is extremely extended. Means that not only can I go on the water earlier, but I also need fewer kite models to cover a wind range. I can cover a huge range of wind with two kites. Anyone who once stood on the beach in Mallorca in the summer, thinking to themselves, it’s a nice sea breeze, but it’s not enough for kiting – that’s a thing of the past. In such land-sea-wind systems, I can go kiting every day today. That’s a very big step forward. IS THERE A MESSAGE IN THE TOPIC THAT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU? KENWINNER: If you can afford the newest kites with the best materials, you’ll enjoy the hell out of them. But even the most affordable Duotone kites these days are awesome, so grab one and get on the water. ANTONIO DESTINO: I agree with this: everyone should see the differences for themselves and try out and experience the different categories and models for themselves. RALF GRÖSEL: Yes, D/LAB kites should definitely be tried. It is absolutely clear: These products are very, very expensive, no question. But if you have the chance to fly a Juice D/LAB 13 or 15 at a school, a store, at a test festival, you have an absolutely new experience – especially in combination with a hydrofoil. You have to recalibrate. 4 knots is so little that you feel like it’s actually no wind at all. And you are still able to use that breeze for yourself and have fun doing it. My experience is that it can really expand your kiting horizons. Photo  Lukas K. Stiller Photo  Craig Kolesky Photo  Graig Kolesky S C I E N C E O F F A B R I C S