Cabrinha Switchblade

If memory serves us right, the first Cabrinha Switchblade hit the market around 2006 and the author of these lines was fortunate enough to own one of those original models! Unboxing the all-new 2026 Switchblade certainly brought on a wave of nostalgia.

The Switchblade retains its classic mid-aspect, five-strut design, and as part of the Apex series it benefits from Cabrinha’s latest high-end materials. The leading edge uses Ultra HT fabric, an advanced Dacron that provides enhanced stiffness for a more direct feel and improved durability. The canopy continues with the Teijin D2 ripstop, a material that strikes an excellent balance between weight and strength, while the trailing edge is a soft 75gr fabric. It comes with a pulley-free setup and also offers multiple customization options, including adjustments for steering speed, bar pressure and a 3-point power-trim system.

We had a few weeks to test the kite, which meant we encountered just about every type of condition. Our first sessions took place in offshore, strong and very gusty winds, perfect for testing its high-end performance. Pulling the kite out of the bag, we found exactly what we expected: a tough, well-reinforced build with a very familiar outline. Once on the water, the first thing we noticed was the bar pressure. It sits on the medium-to-high side, but delivers excellent, consistent feedback. We always knew exactly where the kite was in the window. Comfort and stability are standout traits, there’s zero flutter, and the kite never lost its shape, even in the wildest gusts. Through the turns, it had a true “rails-on-rails” feel. It isn’t particularly fast, but definitely not slow either; its speed is exactly what you’d expect for the size. Upwind performance is another highlight. Thanks to the way the kite naturally positions itself in the window and the intuitive bar feel, riding upwind is almost effortless, something beginners will especially appreciate along with its overall predictability.

When it comes to jumping, that is straightforward as well. The Switchblade isn’t as aggressive or focused as a pure Big Air kite, but the height is solid and the hangtime is more than enough to keep things exciting. Timing downloops and landing softly was easy once we dialed in the right bar input. And when we pushed it harder, we found that powered kiteloops were surprisingly manageable – just be ready for a satisfying pull! By the end of that first session, it was clear: we were dealing with a very capable freeride kite with impressive high-end performance.

Our next session presented the complete opposite conditions: nice side-on, softer winds that allowed us to properly test the Switchblade’s low-end performance. The kite proved very easy to power up, with an intuitive “sheet-and-go” feel. It retained that same ease for jumping and delivered floaty hangtime even in lighter conditions. When we had to relaunch it a couple of times, the process was as effortless as it gets.

Across all our sessions with the new Switchblade, the verdict stayed consistent: predictability and user-friendliness. The Switchblade is a high-performance freeride kite built with Cabrinha’s signature premium quality. As a freeride machine, it ticks every box – excellent low and high end, comfortable handling, easy jumping with solid hangtime, and outstanding water relaunch. It’s a kite that will put a smile on riders just finishing their lessons all the way to seasoned freeriders. And as a bonus, if you’re on the heavier side, you can forget about frame deformation or canopy flutter, the Switchblade stays rock-solid no matter what you throw at it.