Duotone Juice 2020 Kite Review

The Juice from Duotone has been the ultimate light wind machine for a while now, and the new 2020 model doesn't disappoint. 

We've used it extensively in our kite school for lighter conditions and beginners and had a lot of success with it, as well as just having the opportunity to get out on those light days and have fun where you wouldn't otherwise.  

On the ground: 

Major changes for the 2020 model include a new lighter weight construction pushing the light wind performance further than ever.  When it comes to light wind weight is everything, and we're looking at a decent reduction here.  New light weight bladder material, an alternative panel layout removing unnecessary heavy dacron, and even thinner and lighter bridles and leader lines.  

Along with the weight reduction we see a tweaked outline for 2020. A deeper delta design with more depth in the centre of the canopy provides additional lift and grunt, and this outline runs back to the increased sweeping on the wingtips to assist with relaunch and tighter turning speed. 

Finally, the new Juice has lost it's pulleys!  Much like other Duotone kites in the range this year it benefits greatly from a more direct turning feel thanks to this change. 

In the air: 

What does this all translate to when you actually fly it?  The weight reduction is immediately noticeable in light wind, where the older Juice would have stalled out a little this one floats effortlessly and continues to generate power, especially noticeable when you're trying to get power out of a big upstroke through the window.  The difference in lift is quite significant and would extend the wind range of the kite a good couple of knots on the bottom end compared to it's predecessor. 

The combination of that deeper delta shape and lighter construction really shines on the very bottom of the range, which on a light wind kite like the Juice is exactly where it really matters!

Unsurprisingly, the removal of the pulleys does create a much more direct steering feel, something pretty well appreciated by all.  The removal of the pulleys doesn't seem to have impacted light wind performance or relaunch at all, so definitely a good design change in our opinion.

Overall, a significant improvement from the 2019 version, the new 2020 Juice continues to impress and I'm sure we'll be using it regularly over the next year both in our kite school and just for getting a few extra days on the water.

Check out our video review below, and if you have any questions or want to organise a demo locally feel free to get in touch!