Overview
“But it was undoubtedly the best decision we ever made. And that was down to Dave Pilkington.”
Ozone is a global brand that manufactures paragliders, speed wings, paramotors, and kites for kiteboarding. Uniquely in an industry dominated by outsourced manufacturing, Ozone owns its fully dedicated factory in Vietnam, establishing an integrated production system from material sourcing and sewing to final testing.
History and Philosophy
Ozone was founded by riders and designers who were dissatisfied with the profit-driven motives and declining quality due to outsourcing in the paragliding industry. Guided by the belief that “if people like it, they will fly it,” the brand prioritizes safety and product quality over massive marketing campaigns. Its most distinctive feature is the “Made to Order” system. Instead of holding large inventories, Ozone manufactures each kite individually at its own factory upon order, shipping within 20 to 27 days. This allows customers to receive custom-colored kites in a remarkably short time.
Flagship Models
- Reo: A legendary wave-specific kite, known as the signature model of Reo Stevens. It features exceptional drift capabilities and quick response in the waves.
- Enduro: The core all-around model that handles freeride, big air, and waves with ease.
- Edge: A high-aspect kite boasting overwhelming hangtime and lift, specialized for big air and high-speed riding.
- Amp: A progressive C-kite tunable for unhooked freestyle riding.
- Torque & Code (Boards): Ozone is also highly regarded for its twin-tip boards. The “Torque” is designed for aggressive freestyle, while the “Code” is a famous freeride model that is easy to ride in various conditions.
Technical Innovations
Aerodynamic knowledge gained from paraglider design is generously applied to their kites. The predictability and recovery (re-inflation) performance when a kite falls from the sky in extreme conditions are unrivaled. Furthermore, the wholly-owned parafoil factory employs highly skilled craftsmen in a model working environment. High retention rates ensure that the millimeter-perfect stitching precision remains consistent for over a decade.
Team Riders
“They all so passionate about the sport and about especially the product. The own factory is it is investor.”
- Reo Stevens: A wave riding specialist and the very identity behind his signature model, the “Reo”.
- Paulino Pereira: A top rider who captivates the world with his powerful strapless freestyle and wave riding.
- Axel Mazella: A top racer competing in Olympic foil racing, heavily involved in the development of the R1 series.
- Ruben Lenten (Former Team Rider): The pioneer of the megaloop. During his time as a key rider for Ozone, he rode models like the “Amp” and injected massive passion into their product development and marketing. He has since moved on to another brand.
- Jamie Overbeek (Former Team Rider): A big air specialist from the Netherlands known for his incredible jump heights. During his era with Ozone, he stunned the world with overwhelming performances in major competitions using their foil kites and the “Edge” before ultimately moving on to a new chapter with another brand.
Search Aliases: Ozone, Ozone Kites, OzoneKites