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February 2 2004 - April 17 2024
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April 17 2023 - April 17 2024
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Popular Content
Showing content with the highest reputation since 02/02/2004 in Reviews
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Flexifoil Modified Jump Buggy
West Cork Flyer and one other reacted to perilous for a review
I have been jumping "badly" in my buggy for about a year and its starting to show as you can see in the pic the front wheel is skewed and the rear axle is bent slightly. I have decided to modify a second buggy in these areas in an attempt to stop the buggy getting damaged from bad/heavy landings. After doing some research into the different ways other people modified there buggies it became apparent that most people do there own thing. If you look at other buggies on the beach or in the forums this becomes obvious quite quickly. So it really is a bit of an open book as far as what is the right way to do this. This is the way I have chosen. Time will tell me if it's a good way or not. Before I continue a word of caution. One school of thought says you should never modify the buggy at all. The logic behind this is that if your buggy is being damaged due to impact it is absorbing forces that could potentially damage "you". Also by strengthening the buggy in various areas you might just cause the next weakest part to fail. Taking this into consideration I decided to continue any way as I am heavier than the average buggy jumper. I decided that I wanted a brace over the rear axle and to put strengtheners across the side rails. Rear Axle. I wanted to have a single brace over the total width of the axle. I made it using 38mm OD stainless 316 tubing. I wanted the contact points to be almost to the end of the original axle so that it gave me the strongest fixing and was therefore welded onto both threaded bosses. Some axles are supported further in from the ends on the tube wall. This can still allow the original axle to bend at the weld points. The tubes were purchased at a local steel merchant. I also bought a 90degree bend. Which I then cut onto two 45 degree sections to provide me with the equal bends either end. Before the tubes can be welded I needed to prep the tube ends so that there was a minimal gap for the welder to fill. This is quite straight forward around the bends where straight butts are all that are required. Not quite so easy around the area where the brace sits on the original axle. You have to allow for the removal of the material when you cut it to length. If you mess this up then the brace could end up to short. I used a hack saw, various round and half round files and a protractor to prep the joints. This is quite time consuming but the results are worth the work. I wanted to have the axle brace welded in a position where it would give the optimum support, but not be right behind my back when I landed. I decided to weld the brace with a 60 degree angle between the brace and the side rail connections. This would leave the brace leaning slightly back in the finished buggy. Side rail strengtheners. I took the basic idea from a document that Stupid Dave (Flexi Pro Rider) had of his trick buggy mods. Highly recommended if you can get hold of this as he also shows other potential mods. The strengthener consists of a bar and two posts that effectively tie the two side rails together. This should provide extra rigidity that will help to stop the front end twisting. The materials I used were from an old damaged Radsails buggy. I basically cut up the rear axle to provide me with parts that I needed. Again the forming of the tube ends is quite tricky here as you have to ensure that all the butts are good for welding. I found that using some electricians tape here was very helpful to keep things together. Once the joints were prepped I was ready for the welding. As I did not have any access to suitable welding gear (MIG or TIG) I needed to find someone who could help me out. A friend of a friend came to my rescue and I managed to get the job done for a few quid. I was lucky, but there are many small workshops that could have done the job for me. Price is usually quite high for welding though. Again here is where the prepping of the welds can save a lot of money as the welder can work quickly. Once back from the welders, the frame was stripped and welds polished off to give a nice clean finish. The weld form was left visible and not polished out as I want it for strength. A basic drill, polishing discs and polishing soap were used to achieve the required finish. Warning; do not press to hard when using the drill as it can burn the motor out. (I found out the hard way) I had a little help in this area from one of the buggy polishing maestros. Guess who? One of the problems with welding the side rails is the welding causes the frame to buckle as the weld is forming. This means that some force is required to get the side rails and rear axle back together. It also meant that the down tube is now very tight into the front clamp. The buggy is now effectively one piece as far as transporting to and from the beach it is concerned. Seat mods. The Flexifoil seat is designed to fit over the side rails before the buggy is assembled normally. This gives you a problem when the side rails have been welded. The seat will not fit because the front two loops are to narrow. In order to get the two parts to fit modification of the front loops is needed. I machine and then hand overstitched two lengths of webbing onto the loops this allowed me to fit a plastic buckle to each side of the seat. Now the seat can be fitted to the side rails. Do this before fitting the down tube. With the frame of the buggy assembled the seat buckles can be tightened. I wasn't sure about the plastic buckles at first but they do seem to holding up during use. If they prove to be a weak point they can be upgraded to steel or the strap could be stitched together. I have also made a single lap strap for my bug as I prefer this over the three belt system. With the addition of the barrows and a belly pan the buggy is ready to fly. Note: jumping buggies and using lap belts will hurt. Maybe sooner, maybe later. But it will happen. You have been warned.2 points -
Peter Lynn Hornet
RedSky and one other reacted to xXRisingSunXx for a review
I ve only just got this kite its a couple of weeks old so ive only had a few flying experinces with it but ill be a fair as i can be. The kite comes in a very nice bag very wide and over all very comfotable its got a smaller front pocket for the kite killers and stake i the main bag has enough room for cans of coke and enough room left over for a stacker Anyway enough about the bag the kite its very stronge and the instuctions could nt be any easyier to understand even i could set it up you just connect 4 to 4 red to red ect. The handles are very soft but to be honest they will not break so thats all good, once again the handles very easy to connect to the lines just connect 1 to 1 red to red. the kite killers have been my best friend when you think this is out of control the kites heading for the tree's just let go and watch the bungy cord do all the work ( just make sure you've larks head knoted to the break lines other wise you may find yourself in a spot of bother. The stake well i think mine is for sand cos it will never stay in the ground and you can t push any further down ( if you are gonna buy something i recomend a new one) The flying the first time i took my hornet out its was incredibly windy and the kite was mocking the wind it never lost stablity it never did anything i did'nt want it to do it never missed a beat. The kite is still truely outstanding it really is its everything i wanted its easy to control its nice and easy to pack up and it really good for jumping , it very powerful and its great value for money ( if you have a look around) over all i think that the kite is excellent and if you thinking about buying one dont think just do it you will never look back and wish you never got one.2 points -
Flexifoil Bullet 2.5M
Miss BB and one other reacted to terra1600949557 for a review
Flexifoil Bullet 2.5m Being impressed with the handling of the baby Bullet (1.5m) for buggy use, I decided to acquire the next size up for buggy use on those days when my Arcs are just too much. First Impressions Usual Flexi build quality and attention to detail, substantial material and stitching should hopefully give many hours of happy flying. First Flight New kite curse struck again and the maiden launch was in winds that couldn’t do the Bullet justice, so after a quick handling test, it was back in the bag to await another day. It did handle well despite the mediocre wind and even managed a little (downwind) pull of the buggy. I spent the rest of the afternoon flying my 13m Bomba which gives some indication of the wind speed. In Use An excellent buggy engine and probably my most used kite this winter, sits at the zenith quite happily until it’s needed then gives a nice predictable pull when called upon. Manoeuvrability is first class, inspiring confidence in the bug, much more so than my 3m Ozone Fury which is brutal by comparison. It does suffer from the Bullet tendency to suddenly deflate if the lines loose tension in a lull, then just as quickly re-inflate as it falls through the power zone, which can be a little unnerving at first. And don’t believe the folklore about Bullets not having any lift – they can and will lift you if provoked enough, I’ve had a few OBE’s redirecting this kite a little carelessly while cornering. A good all-rounder which will prove useful all winter and probably quite few days in the spring and autumn too. Author : terra2 points -
I decided to go for the 5m kite when I wanted more power than my little 2.7m HQ Symphony would provide. I chose the Beamer over other kites because the nice people at Air Jam in Newquay recommended it for idiot tourist like me! The kite comes in a rucksack, which despite other peoples comments is holding together just fine. A ground stake is included, which is very useful, but no kite killers. Its got a single winder for both sets of lines which works but two seperate ones would be more convenient. First attempt at a flight took me a while to get going as I managed to get the lines and bridle twisted. I'm still managing to get the things twisted but am getting better so it's probably more me than the kite. First flight out there was very little wind but managed to get it up. This is my first quad line kite so had problems getting to grips with the brakes. The manual recommends that you attach the brake line on the third know. A bit of experimentation and I can control it more easily with the brake lines on the first or second knot, so they have a bit more slack in them. Second flight was far too windy and lasted about 10 seconds. I was pleased the brake lines worked as I was dragged down the beach towards the sea. Now I've flown it a few more times. There's plenty of power to drag me along even in grippy boots and dry grass. Its had me in the air (on my face, on my back etc) a few times, though not all of them on purpose. On the other hand, I haven't felt out of control since my sprint to the beach. Turning the kite is easy though you do need to use a bit of brake to get it around if you are at the edge of the window. It doesn't like staying still, especially when the wind is a bit gusty as it has a tendency to collapse (though that could be down to my incompetance). It also lufts (if that's the correct word) a bit, though lengthening the brake lines seemed to help that yesterday. On the plus side, having crashed it quite heavily a few times, its got to be fairly robust. I don't think I'll grow out it just yet and might even try a board with it next yet. If you've never flown a stearable kite before, you might need a few attempts to get the hang of it but with the steering and power being easy to control and progressive it feels like a good kite to learn with. Well I'm off to learn to jump next. By : matthelliwell2 points
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Ever heard of advance kites? No, thought not. Neither had I till earlier this year when I first saw footage of Pascal Jouberts minute long jumps snowkiting. Something like that makes you sit up and take notice. And so the search began to find out more about advance. This proved easier said than done, owners are scarce here and product info pretty much the same. Most owners are paraglider users as well and word of mouth was quality is very high, a step above other manufacturers. There's also the matter of multiple wins in snowkiting including a couple of winter tours and things looked good. At this time, a new model was announced, the Diablo, for snow, water and land use. I needed a lightwind landboard kite which could also be used on the water well powered so an order was placed... Construction/details Opening the nice big box from the postman the kite comes in a drawstring like rucksack which folds into a waistbag; a nice practical touch. Looking at the kite, one can see it is a 4 line bridled depowerable foil, similar in concept to kites such as the boom vector,ozone frenzy and such. Where this kite differs is in the execution. Looking at the foil itself, one can see the fabric (high spec Porsche marine cloth) is thinner and lighter than your regular kite. The stitching is internal, helping to stop snags and keeping the drag down. The seams themselves are glued and taped, so water launchability should be good. The ribs have a mylar reinforcement helping to keep the profile as does the T.E. moving along to the tips, there are drainage channels as well as Velcro panels covering pop off type valves. At the bridles there are carbon battens attached to the A, B, & C lines with pulleys below to control the AoA. The product blurb promises better bar feedback and lighter pressure with this system, we shall see. The bar itself is the same as on the depower version of their previous kite, the Rhea, a straight carbon affair nicely finished in neoprene but a little big (cm) for my taste, I'm used to the frenzy's. However, one problem: no instructions to speak of. The supplier, Airborn of Sweden was kind enough to send the kite with lines pre- connected but at this price level its not too much to ask for a decent manual which covers what you need to know on those trial flights. There is a manual for the rhea online, but this is for the non depower version which doesn't exactly cover everything...however the overall impression of the product leaves you feeling its money well spent, the execution on the foil itself is excellent. Lets see how she flies... Land use The first round of flying involved some time static flying and on my mountainboard in winds ranging from sub 10 to 18mph. for the first flight I held up the kite for about 30 seconds to pre-inflate approx 1/3, this later proved unnecessary. Pushing forward on the bar sent the bird towards the top of the window quite slowly, the tips needing about another 10 seconds to inflate fully. Turning on the kite felt crisp and it was manageable in the fresh (circa 15mph) wind that morning. I tried a few gentle pulls on the bar and the kite picked me up without too much fuss, so all signs were looking good for trying the kite with the board. That afternoon and several outings later I was able to try the diablo out landboarding. Whatever the wind, the overriding impression is of grunt. Effortless grunt. Working the kite below 10 mph unhooked boarding and small jumps are possible, the kite responding accurately to control inputs, turning tightly on its tips with the bar cranked over. The kite seems to specialise in maximising apparent wind. At around 10mph, depower can be used, and the character of the kite changes somewhat. The problem lies in that above this windspeed, the amount of lift the kite generates makes it difficult to hold an edge on your landboard. This wouldn't be a problem if the kite had better low speed ability, but unfortunately the Diablo doesn't handle as well near the bottom of its windrange. With the frenzy for example, there is a comfortable 'grey area' in the wind range where the kite performs well and can be flown in either 2 or 4 line mode (depower/unhooked), the Diablo doesn't have this. It feels sweet 2 line up to around 10 mph, but at this point its physically difficult to hold down so a switch to depower seems a good idea. Around this speed the kite is very sensitive in pitch on the bar, and can nose over and luff easily, not the greatest thing on an 11.5m kite on land I can tell you. The stalling point seems very close to what you can manage power wise on land, so the window of usability on land depower wise is very narrow. Also discovered at this point is that if slowed at zenith the tips fold and the battens can tangle, leading to a reopening in the centre of the window. This was genuinely unsettling and could be a more regular occurrence in dirtier air, the Diablo did not seem to like lumpy winds at all, and was easily unsettled into a nose down situation. The kite needs to be kept moving all the time, as during a drop in line tension it cannot support the weight of its battens. This can cause problems during gybes (particularly jumping/spinning ones) and if not redirected enough on a jump. Then you have to get out. Fast. Water use Initial kitesurfing was done down at Hayle, Cornwall in an ideal 15mph cross onshore breeze. Launching has to be done hooked in due to the arrangement of the safety on the bar. There is no 'chicken loop', but a webbing strap which has to be larks headed over your harness hook. To this the bar attaches, but its near impossible to reconnect on the move. Once up and out, its apparent that this is the kites forte. Power is there all the time, the kite flying far forward in the window, edging upwind easily. Available depower is very good, the kite manageable up to its maximum range. Its interesting to note though that when turned really hard its possible to stall the kite, there seemingly being too much of the turn done on the mainlines. The kite can still overfly very easily if not checked regularly, and if you suffer a crash it takes a certain knack (blame the lack of instructions) to relaunch well, releasing the bar on the safety and grabbing one side of the Y line. Its not as effective as the system from flysurfer et al as it needs more imput, but its okay. The kite floats for a long time, as I found out after relaunching after 3 hours on the water (the joys of being an beginner kitesurfer) and drains the water in about 5 mins or so once airborne. But the exiciting bit, jumping.. takeoff is very smooth, there is no sudden jerk or pop but lots of instant height and long float times. Power delivery really is very linear, and the added resistance of the water lets you boost some very large airs. The overriding impression is of smoothness encompassing a very fast and direct package. On the water its faster than the average foil but everything just feels speeded up, a little sharper and more sensitive than most other kites. Personally I found the bar pressure a little too light, as it was difficult to feel the kites responses in pitch at times. But the jumping... wonderful, with lots of height and floatiness. Takeoff is not the usual sudden jerk, but very smooth and controlled. This does not however mean that is slow, far from it. The general feeling is that of flying 10% faster than you usually do. Conclusion Advance ownership has proved to be a bit of a mixed bag. The kite has not proved to be the all surface weapon it was originally marketed. I have to say I have reservations about snowkiting with it in turbulent mountain air. There was also an issue with premature wear on the bridle lines, both near the batten attachment points and further up with fraying and splitting on the bridles. This was after less than half a dozen flights. While all credit must go to my suppier, Airborn for looking into the matter Advance were not exactly helpful with their flagship kite and were slow to respond, meaning I was stuck with a broken kite for quite some time. And no instructions means no troubleshooting advice, setting up/trimming info and so on, leaving unanswered questions. This isn't to say I don't like the kite. When it works, it works very well but isn't a practical everyday landboarding kite (it needs clean air to work well) and requires you to keep an eye on it all the time. For my personal flying style, I like to be able to take my eyes off the kite to do other things, like board-offs, but on land you don't have the confidence to do this. For those that like technical flying kites this kite would be ideal but I cant help feeling that for 90% of us, a small drop in absolute performance would be well worth it for an increase in low speed stability and lighter weight. Then the kite could tap into the potential of its design. By : bushflyer2 points
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The first time i saw people flying power kites was at Newgale in Wales. They were flying down the massive beach at unbelievable speeds! I was then hooked on the idea of buying a kite. I wanted a reliable kite and some knowledge about kites. So i had a lesson and was told that a good kite that would get me through to the intermediate level would be an ozone cult. The first time I launched it, there was a little breeze, the tree's branches were swaying and leaves were fluttering and I thought it was just going to pull a little. But before I knew it I was being pulled along the grass! It launched smoothly and exactly how you would want it to launch, It isn't as nippy around in the air as a 3 or 2m but it sure packs a bigger punch!! I definitely enjoy flying this kite a lot and I'm off down a field with my mate quite often. I needed to adjust the brake lines a little for better braking but after that it flies with a forgiving nature and has helped me gain a lot of experience of flying. The kite is made for preferably kite land-boarding and recreational kiting, it is really good for jumping! Overall, this kite is great value for money as i bought mine for about £200 and is well worth it for the amount of fun you get out of it! It really is a great buy and i would definitely recommend this kite to anyone who is looking for a kite that will carry them through from a beginner to intermediate level! By : Winger1 point
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After about a year of recreational stunt kite use i was getting really tired with the fiberglass rods snapping. I must of totaled about five of them so i thought the best idea would be to get into foil kites. Initially i only wanted to spend about 30 quid max so i opted for a 2m evo kit. The shop had a 'try and see' policy so after one go i felt sightly inadequate in the size department with all the other guys down Dunstable Downs having huge kites compared to mine! I went back and found the Beamer III 4.0M. My initial thoughts were how strange the zip was on the bag but it has definitely grown on me since then. The quality of the material and the seams of the kite was to a high standard and the kit is very comprehensive. I must admit i was a bit disappointed with the DVD it came with as it was just a cheap promo vid. My girlfriend wanted to go out and fly it but i kept telling her the wind wasnt strong enough. There was hardly a ruffle on the leaves outside but i thought what the hell, it was that or watch Eastenders! Found a stretch of field unwound it and took to the controls. I had little confidence in it taking flight due to the wind but i pulled back anyway to at least see it inflate in all its glory. WOW i couldn't believe the power as it nearly ripped my arms out of their sockets! As i twisted and turned in a figure of eight i had a huge smile on my face as i was skudding for the first time. The power was sweet and manageable, bearing in mind there was no wind whatsoever. To think i thought i might need a bigger one! I cant wait for a day when the wind has a bit more clout. One think you cant underestimate is the workout you get on your upper body, especially the arms and upper back muscles. If you wanna get toned up and loose some weight this is an ideal bit of exercise equipment. Im already on the look out for a decent mountain board as this one will give me more than enough power needed yet forgiving for maximum control. Although I'm by no means an expert in power kites i would have no problems recommending this bad boy! Im sure i'll have loads more fun with it! Adrian By : hertsguy1 point
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Flexifoil Rage
Alvin reacted to smegg1600949554 for a review
I had flown through a few kites before I first tried a Flexifoil Rage and at this time I was landboarding a lot, mainly using a 5.5m Helium. The 4.7m was powerless, gutless and was not all that stable in comparison to the grunty Helium. Some of this could be due to a bad setup on a bar, but I was less than impressed. I first bought a 1.8m as a bit of an impulse off a seller on RK. My aim was to try and find a kite I could static fly in all winds (10-35mph – less static, more scudding in the upper regions!) and would be compact enough to take anywhere when kiting is not the aim of the day. I had struggled to find a small 2m kite that would fly well unless it was blowing 20mph, but to my surprise the Rage was actually quite a nice kite to fly in any wind. It's fast, light on the brakes (yet still very effective with the slightest of pull), stable when flying without much brake input & easy to hold a stall throughout the window, which makes pure static great fun. images/reviews/Rage2.jpg I never really got on with buggying till a day of good wind came along and I hopped in the bug with the 1.8m. The manoeuvrability of this little kite means power can be built up through working it, and with the combination of the light brake pressure, this is easy and fun. The great thing that I hated for boarding was the little grunt. This is what makes a great kite for a timid buggier like me as its quite docile and won't rip you over when you are not expecting it. I soon learnt that with such a small kite, anything substantially below 25mph, I was never going to get back upwind to my starting point. Enter the 3.5m Rage, again off a RK seller. Primarily bought for going away as a compact kite to static fly, and again it has the same characteristics as the 1.8m so great fun for static alone, but matched with a borrowed buggy (thanks Fibre!), I love it. In anything above 15mph I can get trundling along, and you can make so many mistakes that most kites would luff and bowtie or spank you, the Rage tends to float and wait till the line pressure is back again before slowly pulling you back on to a line. The stability is great, not sure why the 4.7m I flew a couple of years back was that poor but then I don't think these kites should be on a bar to get the most out of them. images/reviews/Rage3.jpg I have had a couple of hours on the board with both sizes. The 1.8m is a waste of time on a board. I can never see the wind being high enough to properly support you. It will never have the grunt you need. The best kites I have flown in these very small sizes are the HQ Crossfires. They are slow enough and gunty enough to get you going. The 3.5m is ok but needs a solid 25mph to really make the boarding the easy and fun. The pull starts to appear throughout the window making park and ride a possibility just lean back. They become a handful in these higher winds relating to landing, so perhaps a more grunty kite in lower winds would suit a beginner boarder. U-Turn Helium or Ozone Samurai would be my choice for low lift boarding kites. Pros: - Flexifoil quality – Light material yet strong, well built & finished. - Great package – Handles, lines & kite killers top notch and bag is alright too (they could reduce the cost with just a stuff sac though). - Long length brake pigtails – Adjusting brakes to suit is easy and neat at the kite end. - Light handling – Very controllable kite without wrist breaking brake pressure. - Docile pull – Normal wind range this kite won't surprise you. - Colour Scheme – Midnight looks great, shame they have stopped it, but Samba is a good replacement! Cons: - Expensive – A little too pricey for many to consider as a first kite. Maybe not edgy enough for most people's second kite. - Handles on 1.8m – Too large, much better on small Ozone handles - Lines on 1.8m – 20m, not had a problem myself but some people may like 25m for inland use. - Ground control – Can sometimes be a bit of a handful landing and keeping on the ground in higher winds. Who would welcome this kite? Any beginner as they seem to take a lot of beatings, they are good to fly way below their wind ranges and the lift is pretty absent unless flown in quite high winds. If you were considering landboarding, personally I would look elsewhere, but for buggy cruising they are just the ticket for me. One of the biggest negatives is the price new, but if you see them secondhand grab one, even if it's just for your non kiting buddies to have a go on!1 point -
U-TURN OXIGEN 2M 3.2M 4M 5M 6.2M 7.8M
Alvin reacted to krazykarl1600949563 for a review
Well ive been flying powerkites some 18months now , and decided to improve my quiver & over the last couple of months my kites have improved to 2m oxi.3.2 oxi pro,4moxi,5moxi pro,6.2 oxi pro & 7.8 oxi pro. Boy just after a days flyin ive really fell in love with these kites they are so smooth , deliver so much power and the build quality second to none. The 2m & 3.2m are fitted with power rings which im not a great deal appreciated of them so i disconnected them, they are very fast kites and dont like gusts in land as they tend to shoot out of the window with enormous speed but on a beach with constant wind they love it ive just returned from the beach having flown my 2m in 37mph and it pulled like a steam train was hitting very fast speed runs with just the kite parked 10ft off the ground facing the way im traveling with out having to Louvre's the kite. The 3.2m is a little bit more forgiving and easier to control but likes a little tweak on the breaks now & then so has to keep it where required in the window for that maximum power. cThe 4m i only tried for about 30mins and i was over powered picking up speed very quickly and having to find it hard to hold my 85kilos buggy in a straight line as it was pulling the back end around slightly - conclusion cant wait to fly this in a 20mph wind. The 5m & 7.8 oxi pro are made from a much lighter material & waterproof to a certain extent but ownly flown these myself inland so have not had the feeling of them on a beach in constant wind but inland they are also great kites for freestyle as well they have a certain amount of lift in the right wind with a very smooth take off & landing . on comparison my 5m is nearly as good as my 7 mtr buster 1 . As for the 7.8 well i can buggy in very low winds from the start of 5mph wind while i could not even get to move in my 7 mtr buster. My 6.2 mtr can not comment on yet cuz i'm just awaiting delivery of it now but cant wait try it out, i will let u know soon as. Ive been very lucky to compare these kites and fly them at the same time with my quiver of different make of kites of same or similar size b4 i sold them. They are great kites to upgrade to, or if you simply want to improve your skills and have learnt the basics. By : krazykarl1 point -
HQ Beamer 2.5M
Alvin reacted to amanda1600949551 for a review
Adrenaline rush needed on a small budget for higher wind days in my books this equalled the Beamer 2.5. I picked this kite up for 95 pounds from www.kitesworld.co.uk not bad if you ask me. Would have preferred to wait for the 2005 version but due to family holiday plans and the fact that they would be bringing it out to me in South Africa I was unable to wait. So finally the wait was over and the kite arrived with the family following in a close second place. (Hopefully none of the read this ). Now having read the reviews about the kite. I was anticipating having to replace the bag even before leaving for the flying field but this was not the case at all in fact that bag looks strong and well made, and I like the big zipper gives it a unmistakable Visual identifier. So what was in the bag , First I opened the front pouch to find the lines, Handles and a thick paper back novel which turned out to be the manual (Contains all the info one needs to get started including some basic on buggying - well done HQ) more on these items latter, I then moved onto the back pouch with much anticipation (What was the kite like) extracted it from the bag and opened it up on the living room floor for a closer look. Red very very red top side with a white underside and some internal bracings, Over all Build quality looked good. Stitching looks strong with no lose thread floating about (as good as my bullet 4.5). Bridle attachment point are reinforced. Leading and trailing edges have been hemmed with extra Ripstop / Dacron. Bridle lines look ok ,however felt a bit heavy in comparison to my Bullet this may be due to them being knotted and not stitched. Material looks ok ,a bit crispier than the bullet but not bad at all. All back into the bag and we wait for mother nature to give us some wind. Kites first time out side. (Wind was around 2 – 3 Beaufort) Unwind the line and check the length spot on all the same. Out with the kite and handles attach all lines puffed up the foil to make one impressive looking flying machine waiting for lift off. On with the kite killers. (A must have), Picked up the handles seamed a bit thin but comfy then I do have small hands. One small tug and we have lift off straight up to zenith with a sold pull very impressive however it did not stay there with out continues input. Landed and recheck all connection points and line lengths only to find the right handles front leader line was about a Inch longer then left No problem retied the knot and re-launched this time the kite when up to the zenith and stayed. Played around for about an hour testing the kite (+ some unplanned crashes) and the size of the window all very impressive. Produces a good solid and predictable pull. Very little power in the lift department but then it’s not designed for this but I suspect that in stronger winds this may change. I battled to reverse launch the kite in lighter winds this looked as if it was due to the weight of the connection point on the brake bridle lines I say this because when the wind picked up the kite popped up backwards with no problem. I also notice that when the wind dropped off a bit the kite tended to luff at the edge and didn’t stay at the zenith but tended to fall back down into the power zone. Then just to divert a bit to the flexi kite killers I was using not sure if it is just due to the size of the kite but when I tested them the kite seamed to bounce down to the ground on the bungee cord so I will try again with some strong bridle line or some thing with less stretch. (P.S Will also test them on the 4.5 bullet to see if they do the same). Post flight inspection. The foi still looked new no signs of fatigue even after the unplanned nosedives into the ground. Lines were all still the same length. Handles and lead lines all ok. In Closing The kite / package is very impressive and good value for money which would make the 2005 version excellent value for money with the extras that have been added as standard. This kite is surly going to bring me hours of kiting fun and by the looks of the build quality should last many years. So if you are looking to get into the sport , need a smaller kite for those high wind days or just want something to fly around the sky then this is the kite.1 point -
I'm kinda new to the Boras but i have to say that they are the smoothest ,most manuverable kites I have flown. If you compare them to Razors...The power comes on a little slower but it comes on just the same and the top end seems to be close to the same.The Upwind capabilities is awsome. They seem to go straight up wind with speed. Downwind they just rock...pure adrinaline. If you want ,you can go a size up and just blaze without worrying about getting yanked out. Tuning these things seem to be different for everyone that flies them...I like to lay mine back for lift and they haul ass.The lift is awsome too. A friend of mine flies his flat and moves along just fine too. If you want to freestyle ,the things are always right there waiting on you for a little guidance,not hung up in limbo like other high performance race kites. High speed, great performance and fantastic handling.I cant see it getting much better than this. By : Rick McGaffer1 point
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Flexifoil Sting 1.2M
Alvin reacted to Ben_M1600949569 for a review
OK, I'll have another go. I submitted a review on this already, but it seems to have got lost in the ether and I can't stand the miserable face that greets me every time I log onto the site. So, as a bit of background, this Sting 1.2m is my first power kite and this is my first review, so apologies in advance for the standard. As I mentioned this is my first power kite, given to me by my wife with the intention of getting into some more 'grunty' kites in the future. My birthday was on Wednesday and the famous quality of the Felxifoil kit was instantly apparent on opening things up. Saturday, being my first chance to fly the kite, was a long time coming. So, as soon as practicable I headed up to Lansdown above Bath, where I live and opened up the bag. I rather like the dinky little mini-rucksack it comes in. It is compact and convenient; my only complaint is that the strap is a bit small to fit round a slightly chunky 34 year old man. So I unraveled everything and the colour coding and little card tags made set up a breeze (excuse the pun). I had everything ready in a few minutes... and what a treat! A gentle pull on the handles and the kite just whizzed up into the air. I realised my dad could have saved himself a lot of arm ache trying to launch kites when I was a boy if he had invested in one of these for me. Launching could not be easier; a reverse launch proved a bit trickier, but I picked up the knack (sharp tug on the brake lines to get it off the ground then a quick turn to head up into the air) very quickly. The kite, being very small for a power kite was very fast and quick and easy to turn. The wind was pretty strong (171 point -
Eolo Radsail 1.45M
Alvin reacted to custheyder for a review
Kite : Radsail 1.45 (2005) Size : 145 x 59 cm. Fabric : 136 gr. ripstop 42 gr. Lines : 2 x 35m. dacron 75 kg. Packaging Neat little plastic wallet with the kite folded flat, web handles and lines separate. There's even a sticker in there, which came off and stuck itself in a crumpled mess to the brochure for Radsail's other kites and boards. Setting Up Simply put, a doddle, no problem at all. The instructions weren't especially clear, but then I only looked at them after I'd setup the kite. I didn't have any trouble with the thick Dacron lines being of different length. Mine were spot on. First Flights Had to wait a while to get it in the air, but wanted to try it out before the kids got hold of it. Took it to Castletown beach in my Friday lunch hour in light 4 - 7mph wind. It did fly, just. Well, it went up and in the occasional stronger gusts it responded to the lines which looked distinctly heavy as they looped upto the kite. Luffing was a distinct problem in these light airs, but I guess that's only to be expected. Second outing was much more successful. 17mph winds and the little Rad put some weight into the lines and went zipping across the wind window. Figure 8's, power dives, low passes and combinations were all easily performed with the Rad responsive to the handles. The thin web handles were not the most comfortable to use, but they are better than the plastic grip things the kids are used to using. So how did the kids get on.? Ages 8 and 10 they put the little Rad through hell and back. Slamming it into the beach repeatedly, dragging it along the sand trying to get it in the air like they did with their single string 'Fimbles' kite. Yanking on the lines for all they were worth, totally over compensating for turns and slamming it into the beach again! Did I mention the dives from the zenith, straight through the power window and into the deck with my son shaking his head saying ... 'That killed the pilot' ? Well you get the idea, but they loved it and in the end they did actually have some control. How did the Rad stand upto it? ... not a mark, nothing. Top marks for that. Onto the next level... 25mph with sharp gusts upto 35mph. It really does have some pull once the wind gets up a bit. The kids were skipping all over the field in the gusts laughing as their arms are yanked straight. The kite was zipping around totally demented, responding to the slightest pulls on the lines. Marvelous fun, even I had to smile. The gusts did cause problems at the edge of the window where a bag of washing was a regular occurrence. Keep it in a narrower window than the lighter winds and all is just grand. Conclusion Cheap kite, great fun when the winds get up, but even better to teach the kids a few basics when there is some weight in the lines. Built strong enough to take the abuse. Would I get another? I might just because this is a stacking kite and the kids want to feel more pull. Also they would have one each when not stacked. Expect another report of this kite stacked if it happens. By : Custheyder1 point -
Eolo Radsail 1.8M
Alvin reacted to muddy_b1600949568 for a review
As with most people on this site I have caught the powerkiting bug ! Ive been only flying two lines (to date) of the Radsail range 1.45 and 1.8. Onto the 1.8m. In winds of 18mph + what a buzz! The thing flys well with all existing lines as they come. The quality of the kite is as expected at this price point. Good beginners but not for the slightly faint hearted (or for the kids in my experience). I so wish I had videoed my 13 yr old son face planting into a muddy puddle the other Sunday. The kite looks ot be very stable and loves the higher winds rather than below 12-15mph. It being two line means that there is no real way to relaunch except by either patience or the use of a willing and seemingly bored family member. I cannot imagine this is of any real use except with feet (sliding) on the ground. Power isn't bad in high winds. I have sat on my bottom a few times trying to balance out the kite when pushing it through the power window to then be pulled back off my behind at the next pass. I'm 5'10" and pretty damn heavy - love this being pulled around stuff so far. Value for money I think is high - you can go and get some chinese stuff cheaper - but as long as you can stand the stigma of not owning a Flexi or Ozone you cannot do a great deal better. The only modification I have made is slight. The use of a flying two line bar with one sided kite killer is a welcome addition - now my son can watch the darn thing go without me panicking too much. ! Also I have tried stacking the 1.8 behind a Rad145 using the smaller kites connections. It was fun and worked quite well. Increased pull was not significant but they did look cool flying together. Would I recommend a 1.8m Radsail - for a beginner its a resounding yes. I keep mine in the boot of the car and find myself looking at the weather forecast all the time. Next item will be either a 3m Pro 3 or BeamerIII or Buster. Still not sure !! So many things to get and so little time off work! By : muddy_b1 point -
Flexifoil Bullet
Alvin reacted to classair1600949554 for a review
Well to start off I live in Florida for those of you that do not know were Florida is, it is in USA. I just got into bugging a few months ago; most of the time was with a Beamer 3.9and a Flexifoil buggy. With light winds it got me moving just enough to enjoy my new sport... so I figured I would dump some money into my new found past time. I took a trip to a kite store an hour or so away and seen the Bullet kites WOW made lots better than my Beamer so out comes the credit card the next thing out of my mouth was "I will take one of each size". I just figure I will just work a little harder to get my maxed out card back into the green. And to think they would not even give me a decal for free... they did give me some good info which I am about to pass on to you my fellow buggiers, being new to the sport but still I was able to fly the kite and stay in the buggy as I turned...(I had every thing under control I thought). Start with the small one first he kept saying! I just smiled and nodded my head. I got home from the trip back from the store, I had a few hours before it was time to go to sleep HEY I can put the lines on a kite or so, I need to make sure there the same length so find the closest door knob... hooked the lines and started to unwind the pretty red and blue lines. About an hour latter with pretty red and blue lines strung all over hell and a half acre. I grabbed the first kite wow it was awesome florescent green and gray, That's right boys and girls it was the 7.0 hooked the lines to the controls and the lines to the brakes and the handles HA! Good to go. It took longer than I expected tired, I folded the kite up and hit the sack. NEXT MORNING: woke to the sound of wind whistling, had the flag standing straight out! I thought KITE!!!!! I grabbed the kite and buggy chucked it into my pickup and drove to my field I buggy in. It is a big packed sand closely mowed field fenced around with split rails. The end is open to the parking lot no bumpers just painted lines. The parking lot is opened to the main road and on the other side of the road is a boat ramp. By now do you see were I am going? Went to the far end of the field checking the wind grabbed a hunk of grass and flipped it into the air SWISH IT WAS GONE! I figured it was blowing about 5 or 6 MPH... little did I know, thinking I still had the bugging by the balls, I put a few small shot bags on to the kite and started to undo the lines. Staked the lines for safety! Rolled the flexi out of the back of the truck and positioned it at the handles looking down the field I see I have a police officer as a spectator. Waved and got a return wave (I have his attention I thought) WELL HERE GOES: Put on the kite killers, sat down, yanked the kit handles, kite flew to the power zone then ALL BROKE LOOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! O to 60 in 3.5 seconds On two wheels for a good 50 foot then back to two headed for the end of the park faster than God could fly thinking 'MY GOD MY ARMS ARE GOING TO RIP OFF MY BODY' my next thought was OH $hit no more room and I can't turn going this fast shot off of the grass field went from 60 MPH to 80 MPH when I hit the asphalt the police officer seeing all this had stopped the traffic, I flew across the intersection. Thinking while I am screaming what do I do now, head to the boat dock!!! Aimed the flexi toward the opening hit the water the flexi sunk I then was ejected from the seat the kite still in the power zone drug me across the water and toward the side of a very large boat that was docked on the other side of the 50 foot cannel (I let go before impact) the kite landed in the rigging of the large boat (the kite killers worked) I unhooked from the KK's swam to get back to the boat dock dove for my Flexi and found it The police office helped me up the slippery ramp. Then said He would cart my a$$ off to jail if it would not had been as funny as it was I did get my kite back and dried it out. (REMEMBER START WITH THE SMALLEST ONE FIRST)! By : classair1 point -
This is my first power kite! The Prism Snapshot 1.4 is by far the best deal around for a quality dual line power kite. No assembly required and is ready to fly. It's responsive and easy to learn. Good quality and superior design. I looked high and low, searched amazon.com, google.com, and youtube.com among many others for information and prices. I bought from http://www.windpowersports.com/kites/prism/snapshot.html for $69+shipping. Vegas to Los Angeles delivery was 2 days! 1st flight: Excited, but with no wind I was airborne running backwards to keep it in flight . 2nd flight: A nice breeze was too tempting even after eating Easter dinner. I was in a narrow street with trees and power lines, but no matter I was determined to fly! After 10 minutes of untangling the lines just from being packed in the pouch, I had a friend help me launch it. Up it went! Wow it was so much fun to see the kite up in the air. I even entertained the family with a few "S" type stunts. I haven't learned how to get the kite down safely so I crashed into a neighbors house and lost a strap to some shingles. But I'm hooked. I will get some traditional plastic handles from the same supplier and use them to rollup the lines separately from now on to avoid tangles. I didn't expect all these tangles, I will enjoy having 2 spools/handles to keep the lines apart while in storage. This is a quality entry level power kite. I am very pleased. Regards, Mike By : scipione1 point
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HQ Beamer MKIII 3M
Alvin reacted to Jerry1600949551 for a review
I first flew one of these in prototype form, at the Skypark last year. The winds were snapping lines and flagpoles and the wind generators on the horizon were going for it! Late in the session a proto Beamer III 3m was handed to me, and one thing instantly took my attention, shock cord on the killer lines! It's interesting that since kite killers were introduced by Flexifoil some years ago they've become synonymous with necessity for beginner to intermediate flyers. At last it looked like the HQ versions were going to take a significant step towards the quality of the Flexifoil ones with the addition of this simple piece of elastic, more on that later. Flying this proto Beamer III had me with my objective head on. The Beamers remain the most successful kite in their class, and any major deviation from the design formula they used for this success was going to be dwelled on by me if I was not careful. Using a Flexifoil standard freestyle buggy I headed off across the park, already planning my route with the scope of existing Beamers in mind. But what's this? This thing is sharp, responsive, has a bit of bite and goes upwind as well as a Crossfire! The whole park was accessible easily, and this warranted a quick chat with the HQ guys there to see just how much of that was going to be in the production version. 'We want to make it more stable at the edge, which may reduce its upwind ability a little' they said. Hmm, that put me on hold for a long time as the kite I'd just flown was exceptional and the thought of the edges being knocked off that had me frowning a little. I fully understood the flight reasons for the suggested change, but I'm now walking away thinking they should keep this one and release it as a new kite altogether, this was a bridge between the Beamers I knew so well and the rather more bombastic Crossfire's. I'd have to wait and see. Drawing direct comparisons in my mind was not easy, as this kite size didn't exist in the current range. Formerly the Beamer II had taken exactly the same foil as the original and added some key improvements to consolidate the design. This complete re-vamp therefore had to be considered without the direct comparisons to the former kite, it was best to consider adherence to the likely original design brief of the series and see how well the new one achieved those same aims. It took some time for the production versions to get to me, but I've now put some mileage on a 4m and a 5. I was pleased to have the 5, my Beamer mk1 version allowed me to take big strides in the buggy when I was first getting into it. The MkII gave the same benefits but with a more taught feel, the new one however demonstrates the most significant change of all to the feel of the Beamer III's in flight. Being a kite specifically designed for beginners the earlier ones did generate the impression that they had their wings clipped sometimes, at least from the eyes of someone who's been flying for a while. Drawing the kite away from the edge of the window, by design, to keep the kite predictable meant that pushing limits on upwind and low wind flying required much input from the flyer. Only in winds where the kites where fully powered up would they really let loose, up to that point they did generate a slightly cumbersome feel, mostly as a result of the robust construction used, and some fine steering control needed to be developed alongside my learning about keeping a powerkite in shape. So if part of the assumed design brief was to maintain the feeling of surety of the kite in the air, HQ seem to have responded well to feedback from flyers. Every Beamer owner will tell how the cells towards the tip of the kite would develop a fold if pressure was lost at the edge. This characteristic caused few problems as such, but it did compromise turning up at the edge sometimes, needing a touch of induced power up to keep the cells fully inflated. The new one shares the stiff 'shell' feel of the Crossfire's. Both these kites can now significantly lose the pressure of air entering the cells yet stay in reasonable shape, ready for when the air gets back in there. What this means is that the kite 'floats' more should it be close to stalling at the edge in lighter winds, drifting back into a safer area rather than tip folding it's way back to the more powerful areas of the window. All this means that the new Beamer is far more forgiving in light conditions. Given light winds then it can be said that our potential early flyer will be able to fly with reduced risk should they get something wrong, yet retaining it's excitement by being workable to generate more power, as this smoother version with its bigger window and increased scope for control just 'breathes' better under way. Static flying can be precise, and speed control has also opened up somewhat as line tension is wound up and down as required by the flyer. This kite can be described as being 'broader'. I had a few light wind sessions but was keen to get one really powered up to see where the limits lay, and to establish just how much of that upwind ability had been knocked out of the kite. This took a while, but came eventually in the form of gusts of long duration on a few occasions at my local site. Inland flying is a test for any kite, and these demonstrated an empathy with all fourliners on handles if not watched, but with some sensible input the kites could be worked up in the lulls. During the sustained gusts though something came to the fore, I think these are more powerful than their predecessors. Lift is a requirement of any kite, without it they would not fly, but it's about degrees. It's fair to say that the Beamer III has more lift than before. Still firmly in the low lift category, it now has a smoothly developing tug at you in the right conditions. As this balances the kites improved ability in lower winds, and all of this stuff seems to point to the main feature of the new marque which has come to the fore. I think people will keep the Beamer III's longer than before. This wider scope of output power, wind range, and increased controllability and speed has opened up the potential uses for the kite, and I feel it will be less of a kite to move on from. At the end of the day a low lift machine is not purely in the domain of the beginner, many flyers want to retain that feature in buggies and on boards, but kites other than the Beamers had to be bought to gain and expand those advantages, they now appear to be within the name of Beamer. I'm a control freak, full on, when it comes to kites at least. I like the sensation of interacting with a kite to make it an extension of what I'm doing on the ground. This requires good responses from the kite, and it has to have the ability to send signals back via the lines to let you know what it's doing. The steering on these comes across as being of a slightly bigger radius than before, at least when push-pull steering alone. This is a trade off between sensitivity and 'tracking' ability ('tracking' being the kites ability to maintain a straight line, a sensation of being on rails). Whilst the Beamer I's and II's may have been more sensitive than this new version, the latter sits on the other side of the steering/tracking range. Half a dozen of one, six of the other. However brake steering fills the gap to an agile kite when needed. Brakes are not as sharp as a Crossfire for instance, but they feel firm and positive and have a wide operating range, response is much better. Reversing the kite needs a sensible amount of force on the handles, with a wide ranging first element followed up with a more sensitive top end, near to where the trailing edge would fold when too much brake is being applied. They can be flown inverted at will and have not gone out of controllability in all winds flown so far. Higher wind landings are fine, but side sliding the kite to a precise landing spot seems to be tricky. What I mean here is that you should be able, in sensible conditions, to land a kite within a metre or so of a given spot on the ground. This can mean bringing the kite down to a few feet to clear nearby kites, and sliding the kite sideways to the landing spot as needed. I found it easier with these to turn the kite through ninety degrees and either drive forward or reverse to the target before rotating to a landing. Hardly the end of the world, but indicative of the kite erring on the side of tracking as a preference, it doesn't like slipping sideways! At the edge of the window this one is much improved. It'll hold edge positions much better, with good response to fine controls, and upward turns are less prone to having the upwind tip forced in. Down wind turns need bigger control inputs to clear the ground, and you have to be aware of this in advance, as it's speed drops the kite quickly when faced down, and you run out of room very soon. At two span height it's full on brake steer with push pull added to whip them around in time to clear the ground. This makes down turns in a buggy great fun, as with the added element of more robust pull at the edges buggy turns can be more evenly powered up than before. The kite does come down quickly through the turn and a boost, lying in quality somewhere between a former Beamer and a Crossfire, gives a firm but progressive launch out of the turn. I'm glad to report that the upwind ability remains very good. Evidence is better than chat, and you can see some on this in the accompanying video. I drive the buggy upwind to the launching area, if you look in the background you can suss the wind direction from the way the kites on the ground are staked out. In the gusty conditions we've had of late I've had some occasions where the kite has suffered. Some collapses occurred when winds turned off then back on in a flash, and some overflying. The collapses were placed firmly in the 'as all fixed bridle kites would in those conditions' bracket, but the over-flying had the kite drifting still in shape back into a stable position without any dramas. I've yet to fly one of these in on-shore winds on a beach, so all of these statements are based on flying inland at the end of a UK Winter. Recovery from folding and emergency release seems OK, difficult to say as it didn't happen a lot, but any tendency to bow tie seems reduced, though if you do get a tip caught in the bridle it takes a bit more jiggling than before to open the kite back up. There's a deeper arc to this version and tip bridles are more reticent to pull out a tip if it's inside the bridle. However the kite remained controllable through these instances and a simple solution was to arc the tucked tip over the zenith to take the tension off the bridle on that side. The kite just fluffs itself up again. Kite recovery is important, when we do have to let go of the handles and let the killers do their work the kite remains as a potential hazard lying on the site, so the easier to get it airborne again the better. On the subject of emergency releases we get back to the killers. HQ have stumbled a few times with these in the past. The wrist straps got all of the attention up till now as they morphed into the ones that came good later in the Beamer II's life. But the single most significant improvement on these things is through the use of shock cord, or 'Bungee', as the killer lines. The fact is that the nature of this elastic is such that they tighten progressively, in other words the more you tension them the more they resist. One make of killer line has an elastic operation, but the tension remains fairly constant until the shock is taken up sharp and a jolt occurs. Better than none at all, but never as good as a free length of shock cord. Letting these handles go now has the sensation it always should have. The kite is long de-powered before any serious pull is detected on the wrist straps. In fact a few flyers have over braced themselves when letting go in anticipation of a tug that doesn't come as big as they thought. Made with function taking precedence over form, the presence of these shock cords is a relief to be sure. They are about the right length too, allowing full freedom of brake movement whilst minimising surplus. Yet to be tested in anything ballistic, but the signs are very good. Beamer handles have always been met with a resigning 'you get what you pay for' acceptance. Early versions of the Beamer II handles had issues which even when overcome still left the flyer with the sensation that the money had gone into the kite. The new ones may turn out to be a 'Marmite' thing for the experienced, but they are undeniably far far better than those before. Completely coated in a foam material with an exotic sounding name, which escapes me at the moment, they are still a little too firm for me. But the new surface is better on the fatigue front, they are well finished, and they inspire a lot more confidence than their predecessors. Loops rather than pigtails for strop connections mean more effective use of the strop length, as the connections can be shorter. Flying lines are now sewn looped and are colour coded. Beamer lines were always sound, but these are a step up too. Line stretch on earlier sets has been noted for some time but never witnessed by this reviewer, but with adjustment now less accessible on the lines themselves, only time will tell if the apparent improvement in quality removes this particular problem area for good. The kites I have had been flown before me, but by what degree I don't know, the lines seem to be fine up till now though. The superb kite stake is still there along with the comedy zip, now reduced to closing a slit of a compartment big enough for the stake to go into, alone. The bag is a sort of bag shaped thing, which looks like a bag. Seriously though the Beamer II saw the introduction of a decent backpack and this construction quality has crossed over to the new one. They require the kite to be folded up a bit slimmer and longer than before, but no problems. Normally I'd accompany a review with some pictures, but on this occasion there is an accompanying video to allow you to see one in flight, that's available here: http://www.waveform.eclipse.co.uk/VIDEOS/BEAMER%20III%20REVIEW_SM.wmv If you're in the market for a kite to get you going in the sport, or now wanting to upgrade to a traction engine from your starter kite the Beamer III is worth a serious look. It has the capacity to take its buyer further than before, and could be the main source of power for some, for some time to come. By : Jerry1 point -
HQ Beamer III 4M
Alvin reacted to Pete B1600949569 for a review
This was my first foray into big power kites, I had mucked about with some big-ish deltas when I was younger which were big enough to give me a pull around aged 12 or so. I joined my university kiting club and went along to fly a couple of kites. I tried blade 4.9 and firebee 5.5 but decided they were both a bit nuts for someone of my experience! In the end I opted for an HQ Beamer III 4.0m. I bought the kite from Kites and Things in Whitstable who I highly reccomend, very attentive to what I wanted and gave me a pretty good price too (albeit not as cheap as online but hey , we should all support local shops right?). I took the kite out for the first time, all the materials seem to be of durable and of high quality and the handles are pretty comfy (although i invested in some half finger cycling gloves to make it a bit easier on the hands). The kite is easy to get up and running following the instructions supplied, although substituting the crappy dvd they give you with the kite with a dvd of how to set it up might be a good idea. On the first flight the winds were 12-15 mph which was plenty enough for the kite to have some real pull in it and left me ploughing the field with my face a couple of times when the power caught me off guard. Managed a few quite impressive speedy slides and a few jumps and with the use of the braking lines the kite can be made to turn pretty quickly too. An hour later muddy, grass stained, sweaty and grinning like a loon I was too knackered to carry on. I woke up the next day a bit stiff but couldn't wait to go out again. I honestly think that this kite provides lots of punch for not much money and seems to be durable and well made. By : Pete B1 point -
This my first review so here goes The peter lynn pepper 2 2m This is the first kite that i bought middle of last year, decided to go for a beginner kite to lurn the basics and this was recomended to me Firstly the kite was very good value only cost £89.00 and included the following the kite, four line kite handles, lines 25m long, kite killers, ground stake and bag to put it all in. The kite it self has a good design in black and blue good colours together and a simple design it is made of rip stop material so is very strong (was needed as has been crashed a few times now learning to fly kite). Although has been bashed alot you would not think so as is still in mint contdition so proves the quaility of the kite. I was very suprised just how much pull this kite had as only 2m2 but when there is a bit of wind it will happly pull me up the beach and has even pulled me along on landboard when wind is strong 25mph+. The kite is very stable in flight even at the windows edge the being small make it very manouvrable you can do so cool tricks with it unlike bigger kite so has a double use there. All in all this kite is very good quailty from kite to handles(very compy to use) lines are strong and kite killers work as they should. The rucksack it all comes in is by far the best of the four i have they have put some effot into it's design unlike felxifoils ones. My overall view of this kite is very good beginer kite or a high wind kite for the more experanced of you all comes with all the gear you need to get started and although i now have bigger kites this one still get as much use as they do. I have had many a great afternoon sliding up the beach on feet or other parts not so grasefull. 09frosty By : 09frosty1 point
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Ozone Haka
Alvin reacted to davekermito1600949558 for a review
For a change, I'm doing a review after many flights and the subsequent selling of a kite! As a current owner of three Ozone kites (Samurai, Access and Frenzy), I'm choosing to review the flight characteristics of the Haka, against it's peers, rather than the obvious good quality build. The Haka arrived with the usual overblown Ozone press releases and quickly comparisons were made with an other famous high aspect lifting maching, the Flexifoil Blade. I've owned older Blades in the past so was very much looking forward to flying the new competitor. As well as Blade-beater, the Haka was supposed to be an improvement of the outgoing Riot, which was a decent enough kite but slow on the turn and abysmal in the gusts. At £100 less than a Blade IV, I parted with my cash safe in the knowledge that I was buying a fantastic kite. So first few flights... As a 'performance' kite, I first took it out in clean coastal winds around the 8-12mph to be safe. Now I'd love to comment about the performance, but the kite required so much effort to get it airborne, it was quickly packed away! When it did stay in the air and flown across the window, the power delivery was fairly comparable to a Blade but it was slow on the turn and would not go to the zenith. I have read reviews about how the kite should be flown to get the most out of it, but IMO that's not what this kite should be about. To put it into perspective, when the Haka was put away after the frustration of it's poor performance, a Blade IV 4.9 was brought out, which of course behaved impeccably. Next flights... OK, so it's not a sub 12mph kite then. So let's try (gusty) 18mph winds. The Haka still had a flaw in it's inflation but still managed to approach the zenith after aggressively flying it (which was quite nerve-racking in inland conditions). The performance and lift were good, not quite Blade standards, but still acceptable. However, the fact that it stalls when not being actively flown and it's relatively slow on the turn (regardless of what Ozone say), meant I found this kite to be a big mistake. Again for the purpose of the review, similar kites were flown and no problems can be reported apart from the usual gusty inland flying issues. I attempted numerous tweaks to improve the flying but they only made marginal improvements. Overall, I would rate the Haka as the worst kiting purchase I've ever made. And as a hardened Ozone fan (nay, pimp) this is hard for me to say! If you are thinking about getting one, definitely try one out first, preferably along side another lifty kite (the Blade bing the obvious choice). By : davekermito1 point -
Although initially appearing maybe expensive for a small foil, I have to say in my experience of the kite world, you def get what you pay for except in rare circumstances, like the one we bought for 20 euros in a french supermarket, but the expense of generally finding such kites is unreasonable if you want one now! The buzz was aimed by flexi as a kite that any serious flyer could keep in their kit bag and on days when they didnt want to set up and had 20 mins to have a quick fly before going out etc its fine. Also family and friends can have ago with the buzz whilst you fly down the beach and wonder if your watchers will be there when you ge back. Its very easy to fly and responses are exactly like those of all its bigger brothers from the stable. Its predictable copes with gusts, and will fly the window very well, the feedback is good and very little input needed to get it 'buzzing' around, it can be flown by lazy and quick hands alike and will respond, even if you crash it, its quite easy to launch on your own from the handles, just flick it sideways with one line, let the wind move it and roll it over, as soon as an open cell points skyward and flick on the opposite handle and up it goes. An easy size to handle and you can shake sand etc out very easy. You get 2 18M flexi lines which i think are 100kg and a winder, a very cool stuff bag which it all goes into within about 5 mins or less, you can get it out and flying in about 3 mins. I would def recommend the Buzz to anyone interested in flying kites as a starter, there is no maintenance with this kite, as long as you can tie a larks head knot within 5 mins from new you can be flying it. It does what it says on the tin so the only variable is the flyer, hence fun is guaranteed as long as there is at least 5mph of wind. There is no upper limit to the Buzz wind range, i did read that someone went buggying with one in 40mph+ winds and no reason why you couldnt. So to sum up, yes £50+ is a lot to pay for a small foil, but its worth it and will last forever and your friends, kids and family can have a go and not get carried away or rip your £300 kite. I guess the est benefit is the kids starting out on a kite like this. By : Styve1001 point
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Ok so this is my first kite review having only taken up kiting in the last 6 months, but thought id better add a little feedback as it was mainly the information on this kite on this site that convinced me that the Buster was the way to go for my first traction kite. Here goes then. Build quality Pretty fantastic from what I can tell and I was very happy with what arrived. The sail material was very crispy and felt good when pulled at (i know you shouldn't really do that but im a bit of a perfectionist and I like to know what things are capable of) as the stitching all appeared to be neat and tidy and strongly linked the panels of the sails together. The bridles seemed extremely tough and somewhat firm to touch and the bridle points appear to be well sewn into the sail lining. The lines themselves seemed a tad woolly for my liking though and initially did not instill much confidence that they would be able to haul my 14 stone frame from the ground despite their quoted line stress rating. Also being all white meant that tangles were more of a pain to sort out than they should have been. However these were just minor things and after a few flights it was not a problem anymore as you just get used to it. The handles seemed perfectly adequate although after a few cold flying days they could have made them slightly more padded. This has got better and more comfortable as the weather has improved however. Al in all though I was very please with my purchase and I was glad that I did not plump for a flexi Rage or Beamer as I felt that I had value for money in abundance. Flying First day flying was in 10mph or so winds and had a great time, took to it all really well, setup was a doddle once the lines were sorted and had a fantastic half an hour. Straight away I knew this kite was going to give me all the power and learning curve that I was looking for. A few luffs but ill put that down to me not the wind although initially the kite did overfly somewhat, however a few adjustments on the step less brake lines meant that this stopped pretty quickly. Nice long scuds, minor air (didn't really want to much on the first day anyway) and I was one happy muddy person. Turning was quick when the break lines were spot on and positioning the kite in the window was no problem. Since then I have been pushing this kite to its limits with great results. 10ft or so of air can easily be achieved using the right method and adjusting the tunable bridle to the top knot so that the kite flys slightly slower but provides more lift. the best technique for jumping with this kite seems to be a 10 o'clock position, with a quick brake turn to get the kite right in the power spot in front of you and then another quick brake turn taking the kite straight up. This always gets me off the ground no problems. Nice soft landings as well. This kite can really exhilarate you, the scudding can be immense and I have already mentioned the jumps (even though this is technically not a jumping kite). I plan to use this on a board shortly as soon as I have figured out which board wil be best for me. Superb value for money also because of the kit you get with it. Sandbags, kite killers and stakes etc. The kite killers have let me down a few times though as the velcro does not seem to have enough bit to hold the kite to me. All in all this kite is great, it will spank you badly if you dont use it properly as with all other powerkites and I have one broken bone to testify to this, but I have never been put off flying it and I can see that it is going to be a kite that stays in my quivver for sometime. Great job PKD, I will be buying from you guys again. G By : grantimus1 point
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Pansh Ace 3.5M
Alvin reacted to dragratchet for a review
Like many people here, when i started looking at traction kites i did my best to ignore the volumes of sound advice urging me to go for a small manageable kite to start off with and focussed my attention like a laser beam on the dribbling inner idiot who'd been pouring over pictures of Blades and u-tubes of 20000 foot pendulum jumps for the past couple of months. The struggle was soon over and many a cold afternoon was spent chasing, tripping, slipping, untangling, cursing and nursing wounds at the hands of FF's demon child. Dont get me wrong, i had a ball, i was just terrified throughout. As the winter weather here in Dublin is pretty unforgiving i decided to take a leap of faith on a Pansh ace 3.5 in the hope of getting more flying done without further risking my skeleton. Like many people i was both put off and attracted by the ridiculously low prices and free delivery Pansh were offering. So based on other R.C members reviews i thought it'd be a fairly good leap of faith for the money and promptly harrassed my girlfriend to get me one for xmas. i got her a Flexi sting so fair swap. As Andya has already written such a comprehensive account on the build quality, all i can do is agree wholeheartedly. Surprisingly excellent in every way, from material and stitching to bridles. The line sleevings I believe have changed quite recently in that the powers are now green and the brakes red which is great and works well with intuition, especially for any newbies that might have needed the aid of a good manual which sadly isn't included. Like the lines, the handles appear to have been recently upgraded and whilst looking pretty basic, aren't actually too bad and suit my smallish hands alot better than the larger flexi handles which tend to tire me out after about 10 minutes in strong winds. My only build criticism is purely superficial in that id like to see the size printed on the canopy to avoid any confusion with any future ace purchases as the stuff sacks are all the same as far as i know. In fact, whilst im aware of cost, I'd personally favour Pansh putting up the prices a little bit and upgrading their bags to an extent. Whilst i'm not suggesting a Flexifoil type work of art, i think many kiters would welcome something a little more practical in terms of size and perhaps a pocket or two.. It's pretty tough going trying to stuff a wet kite / accessories into those bags in the middle of 25+mph wind. So using the kite a few times has me firmly in the pro-Pansh camp. In high winds it has a stunning amount of power and is definitely not for the inexperienced flyer. In 30 mph+ winds it lofted me 5 feet without warning from directly overhead and proved to be livid anywhere near the power zone. Without a board or a buggy anyone using this better be prepared to run/slide or be dragged after this puppy. Leaning back/ bracing yourself isnt going to cut it unfortunately. Bearing in mind im about 6'2 and 14 stone, lighter users would want to be very careful taking this out in winds of 15+. Whilst i'm only really getting used to doing small jumps at this stage, the ace has a lot of pop and provides more float than i expected from something of this size and what others had said Insane Power aside, it handles wells and retains it shape in the window and at the zenith with its tips folding only as it creeps/overflies the corners of the window. Both take off and reversing are childs-play and a lot more manageable than my Blade3 4.9. In v. low winds i encountered real problems getting the kite off the ground (requiring power leader adjustment) and once airborne found it needing some pretty aggressive flyer input to keep it moving and stable. Conversely high winds allowed me to hold the ace quite easily near the corner of the wind which obviously would make it reasonably suitable for high-wind buggy/board users. So for a relatively inexperienced static flyer such as myself wanting something both exciting and controllable in the higher winter winds, the 3.5 ticks all the boxes. Whilst its fun and user friendly in low winds, it behaves like its downed half a bottle of whiskey when the wind picks up. Only minutes using this proves that its not intended for a complete novice but its instantly more forgiving than my flexi which is exactly what i was looking for: Something smaller than a 4.9/5 that would give me the same thrills in conditions too hairy to take out the blade. At the prices Pansh are currently letting them go for, even the most hardened skeptic should give this a shot. Its well worth knocking drinking on the head for a couple weekends. By : dragratchet1 point -
Peter Lynn Pepper 4.5M
Alvin reacted to Pedro1600949555 for a review
About a week ago I invested in my first power kite the PEPPER 4.5! I am totally a newbie and wanted something that would drag me along, let me get some air, playing around and not to expensive but o.k. quality! All the other Pepper reviews was enough to make me go out and buy the Pepper and now I want to use my review to confince all those want to be power kite flyers that the Pepper is properbly the one first kite they should have! The Pepper is nothing fancy while it is in his bag. Its easy to assemble and easy to fly. It even flies in 5mile winds.(not always nice, better in bigger winds) But let me tell you once you have flown in 12mile wind or a bit more, you will want nothing else. Because this easy, gently and understanding kite becomes a beast and everything you wanted from a power kite with very good handling and very fast. Example: While I was busy handling my kite in a gusty 14mile wind, it started handling me, before I knew, I was 10m further and on my back and full of grass! I am 80Kg/11stone. My friend who has not flown power kite for 5 years was even surprised, he is 90kg/12stone and even he was getting a bit of air and scuds of 10m. This kite is definitely worth its money, I believe its good quality and I know it has allote of power. As a beginner this kite has more power that you can handle, but will be easy to get used to, having loads of fun for a long period of time without you out growing it. I dont know how it would be for buggy or board kite, but will still try. Conclusion: I was afraid I might buy something to small and no fun, but as a newbie I can say that this kite is everything that I wanted AND good quality AND very good value for money. It is not only a first kite for myself but also I believe a kite I will be glad and proud to have in a collection. By : Pedro1 point -
I have just purchased a Peter Lynn Pepper 4.5 and as there are very few reviews on this kite at the moment, I thought I'd help other prospective buyers. I have a 3m Firebee (marmite kite, you either love or hate them) and have been very impressed with it over the past year or so but I felt that I needed to expand the collection to cover a wider wind spectrum. Weighing just 11stone (with boots on), I did not want to go too large too soon so I decided the next logical step up from a 3m would be 4 or 5m. After several days of Ebay eyes, I decided on a Peter Lynn Pepper 4.5m. Ready to fly from www.powerkiteshop.com for just £127.21 including next working day delivery. The 5.5 is only a tenner more. Doh. On arrival, I have to admit the stuff sack looks like a white bin liner and not the usual rucksack provided with other kites. On reflection though, this does make it easier to para pack the kite. The Pepper is made from proven materials (Chikara) but the build quality does look suspect with just single stitching. Looks can be deceptive though as the kite is very well produced and has a handy loop to hold the bridle lines together preventing tangles. I believe there are several colours available but please don't quote me on that. My 4.5 has a white underside with a red upper with black detail and looks like a close up of a ladybird according to my daughter. Damn kids, so fashion conscious. Setting up was easy with colour coded lines (25m not the 30m lines as per the web site) and nice quality handles with neoprene on two thirds of the handle which are quite comfortable making it easier to fly for longer peroids. This is the first kite ever that I have flown succesfully staight from the bag without having to tweek the lines. I was very impressed with how stable and easy it was to fly and also how quickly it turns. It sits at the zenith very nicely and can be flown close to the edge of the wind window without folding or luffing. It takes more effort to land than to take off? which I still can't quite get my head round? The nearest comparison for me is my mates 4.9 Blade 1, which feels quite cumbersome and slow compared to the Pepper but still generates more lifting power for jumps. The Pepper would make a very good board or buggy engine alongside scudding and jumping (depending on weight/size). My conclusion is that for under £130 this is very, very good value for money. I'd looked at and researched other kites like PKD Buster 4m and Eolo Radsail Pro 4m and even a Gold Rush AR4m and they are all around the same money and all do the same thing (sort of). For me, I've been walking around site with a cheesy grin for a couple of days now and can't wait for the wind to pick up a bit more and the sun to shine. By : Rocky1 point
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Eolo Radsail Pro II 4M
Alvin reacted to shoegooguru for a review
Okay...first off...AM I THE ONLY GUY IN THE WORLD WITH AN RS 4.0????? A search of racekites and beyond has yieded no results for this size and I gotta wonder why the conspicuous exclusion???? I am new to power kiting. Got one (cobrakites...EXCELLENT service;courtesy and elivery time)late december '07 and only have about 30 mins real airtime on. I sure would be interested in any info neg or pos regarding and following is what I think: I will also say that withy respect to warnings given about starting power kiting with a two line instead of 4( I read this admonishment all over the web), I do not see the sense of it. How can having BRAKES from the beginning be bad or a confusing thing to master? the normal hand position on the handles while flying cannot accidentally actuate brakes. You gotta want brakes to get 'em. In fact you gotta want them a bit too much as the RS linmes come stock(I had to shorten mine a bit). I flew this kite first time by myself at a big baseball diamond with minimal obstructions or windshadow to deal with. wind was 10 mph gusting between 12 to 15. I got an early taste of such gust and pull and it showed me you do not get distracted EVER when you get a kite of any size off the ground. I found myself listening to the trees up wind so I could hear gusts before they got to me(seconds later). My first time out was very dynamic and exciting for sure! I found the kite to be easy to control as long as I stayed relaxed and did not let the kite control me. Even when I was sliding on my butt across the grass(a few times)I put the kite where I wanted it for the most part. I have some hang gliding experience, so I am not afraid of flying things where my feet are still going to be on the ground! In fact..after this first power kiting experience I thought that it would be MOST WISE for anyone who teaches paragliding or hang gliding to FIRST have their students learn the composure ; attention and commitment to clear minded control of an airfoil that can be very and suddenly challenging, than to be confused or experience 'air-shock' for the first time when your WHOLE BODY has been commited to whatever errors in judgment you make. Power kiting wakes you up to what the air really is...a living and dynamic force that you have to cooperate with, or pay the consequences. I have already zoomed my PK into the ground and it makes a pretty good THUD, for being a couple sheets of fabric!!!. Relaunch and get better....WAY better than a hospital trip. since I launch alone...i went to the scuba dive store and bought 4 of those nylon bagged dive weights(2 pounds each). I found these to be a GREAT way to weight down the trailing edge while you get to the handles and ready to fly. Once you raise the LE of the kite just enough to puff(but not launch)the weights still hold fine. Take sta step back and pull on the control lines and the nylon outer shell of the bag allows the trailing edge to slide out as the kite takes off. I also use these to hold the kite in various states of fold when I am packing up. I also made a couple of velcro bridle 'keepers' that help eliminate any bridle line tangle or confusion. I made my own kite killers with some nylon strapping and two plastic gated clips. Work great. Thye bottom line is flying...besied the helpful gizmos and so I will share my so far experience with flying the RS 4.0. have no idea if it conmpares to other sizes of RS kites? I CAN say I was comfortable and in control of this kite very soon and so the beginner issue is not so much an issue as it might be with somebody more timid or whatever else might get in the way...? I don't know if it is a fast turning kite as i have nothing*but YTube vids!)to compare to. Seemed pretty fast but I can imagine faster as well. I was making som dramatic pulls and even coordinating brakes to speed the kite turning. Not boring! Overall speed? I don't know what 4.0's of other brands do? I am on 82 foot lines and I suppose some of the kites on horter lines will for real or appear to fly faster(or just cover the window left to right faster due to shorter lines)? I don't really concerm myself with all that kind of variable...at this point anyway. Just like I don't think about Ferarri performance as I drive my '89 dodge truck! Which is fun to me. Back to the kite... Pardon the negative first but I notice that at least half the time I have the kite less than 12 feet off the ground in any decent wind, it spins like a mofo. Thye lines are fine...groudn flat and it is centered in wind when this occurs. Above '12' feet all eles being the same...never happens without me making it . When it happens on the ground, I have tried opposite brake with and without opposite direction input and it only sometimes works. I am not experiencing weird flight control anomalies(time for a Star Trek term to be inserted) when the kite is higher. When I take it to the extreme edge of the window the tip on that side will luff and fold a little. I would expect that. It definitely DOES overfly at zenith. If I take it up there fast it is going to overfly...and even at not top speed I find myself hitting the brakes a tad just before it gets to the top. That is the WORST...having the kite tumbling and tumbling and getting all screwed up from the highest place in the window! I am VERY seriously considering addins some small fabric loops on at the bottom of the airfoil leading edge and running a very thin carbon (or?)rod across the span. The kite will still have the flex it needs but it will not then be able to have tips blow under bridle lines or get too twisted up. I'm thinking this little bit of extra support may be a good thing. Ri8gging it would be easy. any input on this from anybody who KNOWS for real; firsthand what the results are? are appreciated. I know that hang gliders have a distinct advantage due to the rigid supports they have. A little such support seems like it would be an advantage to power kiting? Even an inflatable bowkite is more rigid due to airpressure in it's frame. Those keep their basic shape even in a crash. the other challenges to flying this have been some pretty big and quick directional changes in wind...so that in one moment I am perfectly in the window and the next(in a coupld of instances)I am very far outside of it and the kite goes from power to sour in about 1 second; leaving me nothing I can do. It is very cool when the kite dies and before it hits the ground after looking very hopeless...the right line input and SNAP!!...it all comes to life again and shoots skyward! I know I will get better on this thing and I look forward to more consistent spring and summer winds/cycles. But even though the winds are manic right now I could not wait to get any time on this thing that I can. Anybody who flies anything(without a motor)KNOWS that you are at the mercy of the wind and you may be setting up to go home with NO flights at times. So any fight time is great. I also went to true value(ace or???)and got a couple 6; fiberglass garden stakes. I sharpened one end of each like a pencil(ground is frozen here currently!)and taped approx 2" by 30" strips cut from a garbage bag(very light plastic)to the other ends. Makes cheap but sturdy wind flags. I spread them apart at either side of the overall window. I like them because they show me when the wind is better on one side over the other or even quite different. Also: I don't know about lift comparisons among PK's ...I realise that a RS is not going to be a huge lift generator. I had this thing at or near zenith(the only way it could lift one STRAIGHTish up)in some big wind and it lifted me about 2 fee off the ground(I'm 185 at 6'). but when you race it back and forth at about 1 to 3 o:clock it really pulls well. I did some pretty good slides. Of course the big lift kites are big bucks and designed more for. Saving for one even now. Hope to hear from anybody about RS 4.0 (or???). Appreciate the forum for all the good vibes and info. I hope to eventually get on something...be it a board or a buggy. Isn't it weird the order things happen sometimes!? Hang gliding explodes in the 70's and 80's...THEN paragliding kicks in big time(in europe long before US)and THEN Power kiting technology takes off. Seems kind of backwards to me. Sure is cool though!!!! I remember the first day I flew a kite as a kid, and the first day I got a decent airtime flight in a hang glider. It was the SAME kind of feeling (given the age I was during each experience). My 'help me get a gyrocopter' fund at work only got a nickel in three months of the can being nailed to the wall(nobody can say they did not see it!), so having a power kite and the thrill of that has helped me not be so depressed. I guess the only real thing I have not enjoyed about this kite is the out of nowhere spinning (even with neutral input)that not infrequently occurs near the ground. Most times I can back it down with brakes and it responds very surely to brake input to keep it balanced all the way to relaunch readiness. So it kind of miffs me when at other times it starts 'break dancing' right before I get it down!!!! I like this thing. I have read that PK's are addicting and they are! My last two flight days were 25 degrees(not including windchill)and 10 to 15 mph winds. I am NOT a cold weather person. But I wanted to fly this thing! By : shoegooguru1 point -
Having started my buggy career with a 2.1 and 4.5 Little Devil I eventually found them a tad slow, it took a while and I learnt alot flying them but I started to look for something a bit faster. Not just faster but more agile. I eventually bought a 5m and 7.8m Oxigen standard and had great fun flying them but soon realised that their design didn't work so well in the heavier fabric and bridle offered in the standard model. What made me realise this? Buying the 4m Pro. The difference between the two models lies solely in the materials used. The Pro has a lighter, waterproof Porsche Marine fabric and a kevlar as opposed to dyneema bridle (both sleeved). They are identical in dimensions otherwise. The Oxigen is an 'intermediate' kite, by this I guess we mean its not a race kite like the Razor, Raptor, Century or Nitro - providing major upwind performance but with an uncanny ability to overfly in gusty conditions. It's also not in the same mould as the LD, Samurai, Chimera or Yoz - all kites that are really stable but slower in their performance ( the Yoz turns fast but doesn't penetrate upwind as well - My opinion Yoz owners may differ buit I have flown one or two, well two actually). So how does the OxiPro perform? First impression on launching is of a very stiff kite due to the extensive internal bracing. Once in the air there's no wobbling a la Bullet. It sits nicely and turns really fast on the brakes. This is attributed to the two outer brake bridle points which are attached via a metal ring to the single bridle line. Applying tension causes the wing tip to fold inwards (same as the Mac Bego) in the turn. The agility of the 3.2 and 4m kites is astounding. They turn on their wingtips. On the up-turn it is essential to hold the kite back or you may overfly, down-turning solves this problem and powered up turns with the Oxigen are major fun!! The kite requires tension to remain inflated and needs to be kept moving downwind. It responds well to gusts where it just tends to speed up not overfly, however rapid changes in wind velocity can induce luffs but it rarely bowties. This is where its 'intermediate' label rises from. Otherwise it would be perfect but not quite a race winner. This is where the Pro v Standard argument is won, the lighter kite (particularly in the larger sizes) just flys better at the bottom end of its wind range. For me the kite provides a challenge to get the best out of it but it will also allow you to have a steady day with few surprises in stable winds. Just depends on how you work it and the conditions. As an aside these kites are well-lifty when at the top end of their wind range, some of my best (arrrgh) jumps have been with the 5m. Overpowered in the buggy has been interesting in the turn but the kites agility has (mainly) prevented OBE's. I really would recommend these kites to someone not into racing but wanting to get the best speed they can without the 'instability' of a race kite. By : Chris B1 point
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U-Turn Oxygen 4M Standard. This is my second kite, the first is a Libre Speedy 2 – 2.6. After reading a few reviews and some threads on this site, I asked my local kite shop for some advice on the next step (always a good move). They were very helpful and suggested that, rather than the 5M Kite I was thinking about, 4M would be less of a jump (pardon the expression). Their suggestion was either the HQ Crossfire or the U-Turn Oxygen, both intermediate kites and both with very good reviews. I opted for the Oxygen and have now had time to play a little. First impressions The kite came in a draw string sack as ‘kite only’ but the price quoted by the shop was set up, ready to fly with a choice of handles. The only problem here is that the 4M is such a tight fit into the bag that it is practically impossible to get the handles in as well. I am not at all fussed about not having a rucksack, I would rather have the money spent on the kite, but it would be nice not to damage the sail material with the handles when you’re packing away! Build quality, very good with reinforcement where you want it and power rings pre-fitted. Very good Velcro detail for removing sand, grass and small dogs from the wing tips. Also, simple but useful, a strip to hold the harness in place when you pack away. Colours, great, yellow & red, best looking kite in the sky. First flight Unfortunately, the first day was not perfect, I started with my trusty Speedy but the wind was very gusty. Lots of juddering and sudden de-power with the kite falling out of the sky and powering up half way down! I had to use my new kite as I had owned it for a whole day and it had not been in the sky yet. The launch is a little quirky. As you pull back on the lines the kite will rise to a couple of meters off the ground and stay there with not much pull. You have to put in a couple of small turns to get the kite moving well. A surprise, but very useful in high winds, not to get dragged halfway down the beach before you have control. Once powered up it sits very nicely above you and is very stable. It handled much better than I expected, turning was tight and was close to my smaller kite, lots more power than the speedy, but none of the unexpected yanks from the uneven air. I have now taken the kite out at Uphill (WSM), very steady wind and lots of space to play with. Tremendous fun and plenty of power (for the time being). After 2 hrs of scudding my arms were aching and my face hurting from smiling so much. I think I’m going to enjoy this kite. Ill tell you how much more fun it is when I get the hang of the harness.1 point
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HQ Beamer III
Alvin reacted to The Bibbler for a review
The Beamer III is the ideal kite to get into buggying with. It comes in a sturdy bag with handles- and the infamous big zip. When I attached the lines everything was already perfectly set up- no need to tinker, unlike other kites I've had. The material is stiched strongly and the cells are edged to give it extra support and strength. The lines are 20m which make them a little short but are made nice and thick to carry (or pull) the heaviest of pilots. When you get a Beamer III everything you need is already in the bag: Kite, lines, handles, kite killers and ground stake. Theres even a "how to" guide. I think HQ excelled themselves when putting this package together and I think they actually listened to what beginners required when first starting out. The kite flys like a dream- straightto the top of the window and sits motionlessly. You can bring it into the powerzone and place and keep it exactly where you want it without having to fight it over flying like some(Bullet comes to mind!). I have flown this kite in the buggy with winds between 25-35 mph and felt confident that all it will do is pull with no nasties hidden up its sleave! Tacking and buggying up wind is a little dificult with this kite at first, but when you get used to how it flies on the edge of the window you can soon master flying nearly into the wind!! This is my favourite kite to play out with- its like putting on a comfy jumper when the wind is right. Its by no means an Ozone or Flexi when it comes to speed but the impressive build, quality and package give them more than a run for their money for 100 notes! Bibbler Rating: 8/10 (would have been a 9 but I feel the lines are too short) By : The Bibbler1 point -
After flying two line stunt kites and a couple of quad line Revolutions for 16 years, I started looking around for another diversion to spend some cash on. After reading reviews for many styles and makes, I decided to purchase the Sting 1.2 and a Rage 2.5. The following is my impression of the Sting 1.2. The fit and finish of the kite and bag is impressive, the higher cost of flexifoil is rewarded in the details. The instruction manual and set-up "tags" attached to the kite make assembly a breeze. Flying the Sting is great. The turns are snappy and moves through the sky with ease. It holds its shape at the edge of the window as long as you keep in mind this is a non rigid kite. Anyone new to kite flying, or like myself just looking for a different experience will be pleased with the Sting. The size will give the novice the ability to "catch" the feel of flying a four liner without the possibility of being overpowered. For myself, it provides another avenue to enjoy kiting By : awnjr1 point
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This is the second kite I bought brand new it comes with lines, handles and obviously the kite. A bit disappointing was the lack of kite killers (which I think should be standard issue) and ground stake. It did come with handy hats for the handles to wind the lines on to if you don't parapack. The only downside was the bag, the main zip lasted two outings before it broke, so I replaced the bag with one off the market. Setting up was nice and easy as the lines were attached to the handles already and at the other end they were clearly marked with a bit of card. The bridle unravelled easily and again there was a bit of card explaining which was which bridle. This I can see as being very helpful if it's your first kite as it took me a while to work it all out the first time. My first flight was in about 5mph wind and I wasn't expecting it to fly but you still have to have a go when it first arrives. It did fly, not much pull and no lift but what do you expect in 5mph winds. A couple of weeks later the wind picked up to around 15mph and it was in it's zone. There was good predictable pull and it came on gently instead of ripping your arms off, it's very stable and easy to fly. There is a good amount of lift and it doesn't dump you on the ground after. I've managed 6 foot jumps flying it static on a harness easily. When on the board it delivered good speed nice pull and moved my boarding on lots, still haven't managed to jump with it on my board. I would certainly recommend this kite to anyone, it's build quality design and pure fun factor is fantastic. 10/10 By : Gaddy1 point
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Flexifoil Big Buzz 2.05M
Alvin reacted to MonkeyRage for a review
My first review so here goes, the Flexifoil Big Buzz, 205cms - (6ft 4ins), i purchased two of these kites for me & my girlfriend in rasta & punk, punk being hers ! anyway we were looking for kites that basically had good build quality, stunning colours & most of all wasnt to powerful to start on so flexifoil seemed to be the right choice for a number of reasons being build quality, great colours, excellent range of kites to suit all levels from beginner to novice but was told they were abit more pricey than other manufacturers but hey i didnt mind & you get what you pay for! this definately applied to these kites, the build quality is of solid & good construction & can handle quite alot of abuse i guess but as we only had a few crashes with no rips, tears or damage its built to last + the added bonus of a free repair card would help if needed anyway. As said before the main reason i went for the big buzz was after looking on Flexifoil website it suited my needs of a small, not very powerful starter kite & it looked fun, also it is recommended for 8yrs + so must be easy to handle, so i purchased two of them, now i live on the coast with good clean winds rangeing from light to very strong but our 1st flight was in light winds, so opened up the kite laided it out & setup which only took 2-3 mins as its only a 2 line kite, got ready & launched, straight up to the zenith with a tiny pull on the way, did a few turns then after 10 mins worked way down through the power zone again giving a hint of pull, which suited my girlfriend so mission acomplished + it was pink ! , but not mine, i got abit bored after a while wanting more power, so next time we would go out in abit stronger winds, & we did, i launched mine at same time as hers & both said woow! the pull was there but not smooth or controllable power this was sudden out of control yank/jerks & this wasnt even in the power zone ! & i weigh 15stone ! this wasnt good for my girlfriend as she couldnt use her punk which was abit disappointing so away it went, i thought it was for 8yrs + umm, anyway i played about more & wasnt impressed with the action or controllability + the wind was getting stronger so i packed up, on 3rd & 4th try we both came to the same conclusion & said fair well to the kites, ebay here we come! Conclusion is that these kites just didnt suit us & conditions especially living on a blustery coast, good in light winds but just not alot of control/the action being the main issue here & it being a 2 line kite. We have now moved on to 4 line flexifoil kites for more controllability & stableness staying with the build quality of Flexifoil as in the 1.7m sting in petrol for me & 1.2m sting for her, in nothing else than pink ! i can say we have found what we were looking for now & am impressed but thats another review! i was gonna give a big buzz to my nephew as he is 8 yrs old but he would of struggled, i think kids would be more suited to the smaller buzz so it could be used in light or abit stronger winds & keep the big buzz for all you strong wind nutters who love the irractic out of control action of this kite. By : MonkeyRage!!!1 point -
Eolo Radsail 3M
Alvin reacted to wibbley1600949556 for a review
First kite! I did a bit of practice on a Radsail 3m with some handy scudding experience but found after a couple of hours I was getting a bit bored. So I looked at some options for a cheap entry into kiting, having realised I wanted to be moving along. My only other experience being witha 5m with no brakes (removed to increase performance!!!!!!!) No idea what it was but it was too big. Skymonster were doing a deal with the Creek Canyon orangy board thing so I was committed! Firstly, lets get the bag out of the way as that seems to be the current hobby. ITS A BAG! Ok, back to the kite, I had read that the handles were a bit cheap and nasty. Personally I have found them Ok. Still working and I found that when I pull one the kite turns so I decided not to be too snobbish about it. I do occasionally get sore fingers where they are around the top strings but I have to be out for three to four hours first. Setting up was easy, strings were all the right length so I put them on, checked again because it seemed too good to be true and then I was off. It scared the pants off me. My mate davehippy was flying his 3m radsail again, scudding about and I was quite dubious about getting full on into the wind so I kept it to the edge of the window to start with. Its very easy to do this with the kite because it is so manouverable. In fact I was on my board after half an hour. I parapacked first time after reading about it on this site! so easy! Up and at 'em in about two minutes. The board is OK, I found it better to start with then a flexi I tried simply because it doesn't turn so easily and I was more interested in getting moving and keeping moving. Combined with the kite they are a good match in winds over 10mph. I found it easy to get going, using the kite over to one side of the window and then building my courage and moving it further into the middle of the wind. It does take a lot of moving around to keep the power on other than in very strong winds, so much so that I have it doing figure eights in the air to keep the power on. At first I could not go across the wind and only moved downwind but now I can tack sometimes, although I always lose ground eventually. This seems to be because it has a narrower window to work in in than say a beamer 3.6 I flew on the same day, or it may be that it needs 30m lines instead of 25m. So I have to have the kite lower and nearer the middle than a better quality kite. I also have the luffing problem I have read about from other members. As recommended a quick application of the brakes soon bring it around and tweaking one brake as it turns means it will turn very tightly. There is no pull at the top of the window, in fact it will collapse if it is too high. and has a habit of tucking one end or the other into the middle and then needing an untangle before flight but as I get more used to it I find it easier to catch it. I dont see other kites doing it and I dont do it with other kites so I assume it is a 'feature' of the radsail. When it does collapse it does usually easily catch the wind and reinflate, very often just before it hits the ground. Its very easy to take off upside down and then flip around when it does nosedive When its staked out it looks like a pile of rags, I found that if is allowed to partially inflate it starts hopping around with a life of its own. I notice more expensive kites will happily sit on the ground with the front edge up and not try to take off like this does. I have found the radsail to be an OK kite, looking at it from a quality point of view I have no complaints although it does look a bit cheap next to a beamer. After about 20 hours of flying I have found it to be a good starter kite. The strings have stretched a bit so they needed adjustment the other day. Although I am looking for another now and thinking depowerable because I use the board I would not sell the Radsail. I have noticed other people with the same view. It's so predictable and easy to control that I have found that when boarding I just keep it further to the edge of the window if it's blowing a bit. Also when on the beach it was totally predictable. Overall, am I glad I bought it? Yes. and although it does make me want a bigger one I have not considered Radsail for my next kite. I will buy a smaller one soon for the very windy days though as the 3m is just so much fun and so cheap. Of course having read all this you may think I haven't got a clue. You're probably right! But I am addicted and skip work at any opportunity (not many at the moment but I keep trying!!) just so I can go flying. Now while I was writing this I noticed the Ozone Access is on sale......... hmmmmm! By : wibbley1 point -
Initial thoughts: WOOT- suitable for boarding, snowkiting, static and buggying??? This is a pricy kite. I bought it as new second hand ( Rasta colours ) after I consulted the forums and it was recomended by lee-barro (one of the members) after I explained my weight, experience and what I wanted from a kite, including buggying & Lift. - I like the bag, although I dont get the flaps on the front. - Same sturdy flexifoil quality and crunchy goodness materials. - It has velcro bits on both sides of the kite to open up and get ridd of snow, sand or dried blood - Quality lines & handles - colour coded, soft and padded for comfort & to avoid blisters. - Would've liked a stake ( can buy them online for under £3 ) - Have the option of a bar or handles. Seting up & flying: I'm not ashamed to admit that I do not know much when it comes to kiting. But if you read up on quadline kites( usually done wresteling a brown bear on the throne), you'd be able to set it up in no time. The main thing is to make sure the break lines are stacked to the ground and that they are not crossed over before launching. I set it up in 20 minutes just on the edge of the window. Launching on your own is much easier than you'd think. It inflates beautifully and waits for you to release the breakes. I strongly suggest you read the HOW TO section when attempting quads. It is a stable and powerfull kite. Turning on the breaklines are responsive & give you a lightning fast turns, if you counter steer it instinctively it will generate so much power that you get hauled over 1m of earth before you realise what just happend. I took it out in 9mph winds and was dragged around a muddy field for half an hour before I decided to try some pendulim jumps (something I saw on the forums). Once you get comfortable with it, you'll be able to park it right in a powerzone and enjoy it's brunt and fury. I absolutely love it. I know in stronger winds I'd prolly end up broken, The rage is not something I will under estimate. If your looking to get into 4line flying, can justify buying one for that price without having to sell your PSP, go for it. If you try fleabay, you will see very few advertised, I know experienced kiters hold onto their babies. Packing up: I don't like winding the lines around the handles with flexi lines. They get kinks and it takes longer to set up with all the tangles once unwound. I tried parrapacking it the second time around and when I took it out yesterday, I was flying in 10 minutes. I will try getting those loop winders & see if makes life easier. I developed a habit of cleaning all my kites after a day out, & the Rasta colours clean very fast with warm water & a soft cloth. Thanx for reading. By : roirizla1 point
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Pansh Ace 3.5M
Alvin reacted to andya1600949554 for a review
SUMMARY Released on 3rd July 2007, I'm lucky to have perhaps the first Ace 3.5m in the country The Pansh Ace 3.5m is a well built kite intermediate kite. There are more suitable beginner kites out there, as the Ace 3.5m needs some pilot input to get the best from it. But it is very rewarding when it is flown actively. The kite has strong pull and some lift, but not much float. Whereas the Ace5 has been compared to the Blade, IMHO the Ace3.5 is most similar to the U-Turn Oxygen. DELIVERY AND PACKING Delivery was an efficient 4 (!) days from China, with the kite arriving in a simple DHL bag rather than a box. The kite comes packed in a simple stuff sac, made of the same white material as the kite. It is a bit on the big side. The 3.5 comes with the improved Pansh handles and lines, I'll do a separate review of these, but the lines are still not right IMHO. The Ace's do not come with a kite killers or ground stake (or Rucksack), hence you need to add at least £15+ onto the price to cover these. CONSTRUCTION Having had the first Ace 5m, I was expecting the 3.5m to be similar, but perhaps have some slight differences. Not so. As far as I can tell the Ace 3.5 in identical to the 5m - just shrunk in the wash ... * Ace 3.5m - Wingspan Size = 418cm - Aspect Ratio = 4.53(open) - Cells: 24 * Ace 5.0m - Wingspan Size = 487cm - Aspect Ratio = 4.53(open) - Cells: 24 The kite is well made, I've been over every seam and can't find a fault. The material is a nice Ripstop with a noticeable checker pattern. It feels kind of "silky" to the touch, just like a higher price kite. It has all same features as the Ace 5m so forgive me if you have read this before ... * All edges are reinforced with grey soft nylon tape. Its not Mylar that Ozone use, but it looks serviceable. * White diagonal internal braces just inside the Leading edge (LE) act as supports for the A bridle. * The Air intakes are set back slightly from the LE, and are quite narrow. Means the front profile of the kite is aerodynamically rounded * The orange strips at 30% chord are also diagonal bracing from mid rib to front surface. And act as reinforcement points for the B bridle. * The tip dirt outs are very small - 4cm long Velcro, but its good to see them. * The bridle is FULLY STICHED,. The bridles are a little thick with coloured flecks and "rough", but look serviceable. * No line retaining loops or Velcro in the middle of the kite * Bridle attachment points are taken into the kite and stitched back onto the rib in a diagonal v shape. Very nice and strong detailing * The ribs have the same large back to back D cutouts as the 5m Ace. However Pansh appear to have listened to the criticism of the 5m Ace, which used right angle corner cuts. On the 3.5m the D corners are rounder, however there is still evidence of overcutting, and the remaining "I" rib is VERY narrow. This is still a weak area. One final nice feature is that the "warnings" printed into the kite are not in Pigeon English any more, and actually make some sense. Its a shame these are the ONLY instructions that come with the kite SETUP This time I decided to be brave and use the improved Pansh lines and handles from day one. Unwinding the lines resulted in the usual complete tangle. I've tried unwinding round and round the winder, and rotating the winder round and round now. Neither worked! Perhaps the Pansh-line-winder-upper is a "southpaw"? lol. The Kite bridle leader came larks headed to the tip bridle. I undid these and started to carefully inspect the resulting spaghetti. I've never seen a new bridle arrive so badly messed up before. I spent 15mins just carefully looking and trying a few unloopings, before I gave in and undid the bridle. WHY ON EARTH SHOULD A BRIDLE COME SO TANGLED? Poor Pansh, VERY poor. Took me a frustrating half an hour to sort the lines and bridle. I hate to think what a newbie would make of it. To avoid frustration, its best to reserve so "quiet" time to sort this before heading for the flying field. Anyway, lines out, handles staked, the kite sits up nicely ready for flight. FLYING I've spent a few hours flying this kite now, over several days in 5-18mph winds and can report the following. * The kite is slow to inflate off the ground, slower than the Ace5. It rises very slowly initially and may need several steps back in light wind. If it doesn't inflate it may sink back to the ground. * One inflated the kite is fast and has good solid strong pull across the window. * It does have some lift, I've got a few good pendulums on it. But unlike the 5m it doesn't have "raw" loft when parked at the zenith. * The kite will easily overfly or luff at the edge of the window, it need flyer input to avoid this * Once airborne the kite has limited float, despite redirection, your coming down fairly fast. This is common of kites this size. * Unlike the Ace5 i couldn't fly in no wind, it needs a few MPH to keep it inflated and flying. * The kite flies best with slack brakes, even slight braking can cause the kite to de inflate and lose pull. Due to this, it turns on a wingtip on the brakes. * The brakes are very sensitive, it needs little input to stall the kite. It is quite stable when stalled in a hover. * Its best to keep the kite moving, if its moving slowly it can lose a bit of inflation * If you use to much brake I've noticed the very wingtip can fold in, and easily become tangled in the bridle. I think a tweak may be needed here, the outer 3 brake lines need to be slightly longer. * It REALLY rewards aggressive input, pulling and turning hard, its at its best then, flying fast and really pulling COMPARISON When you compare the price of the whole Ace 3.5m package needed to fly the kite (approx £85), it is not that much cheaper that other often recommended beginners kites: * Beamer II 3.6m * Buster 3m * Ozone Imp Quatro 3.5m However having flown all these I can safely say the Ace is a far more rewarding and dynamic kite to fly, than the above, its great fun. HOWEVER any of the three above would make a better buy than the Ace as a first kite, as without the active pilot input, the Ace would quickly before tiresome. Its not the stable kite people new to this sport need, and it has too many flaws (lines, bridle, no instructions) to enable it to be recommended as a safe first kite. IMHO the Ace 3.5 most resembles is the U-Turn Oxygen - it has the same, slow to inflate, fast when inflated characteristics of a intermediate kite. Like the Oxy the Ace 3.5 makes a SUPERB static kite, a good buggy kite and I think it would make a OK boarding kite. Ever since selling my original 3m FireBee, I've been kinda hankering after a fast grunty 3m kite to fly static. I think I've just found my replacement "Bee" VALUE FOR MONEY? Its an interesting one this as today (10/7/07) the Pansh Ace pricing is absolutely crazy ... * Ace 3.5m = £67.73 * Ace 5.0m = £104.48 (discounted down to £72.98 if you've previously bought a LOT of Pansh) * Ace 6.0m = £67.73 * Ace 7.0m = £67.73 (no handles) * Ace 8.0m = £78.23 (no handles) If Pansh reduced the price of the 3.5, or improved the quality of the lines, or included killers, I would strongly recommend it as Excellent value. As it stands, the price of the whole Ace 3.5 package (inc killers/stake) is only approx £25 cheaper than the HQ/PKD kites, and as such the ace 3.5m only represents GOOD value for money. CONCLUSION Pansh's first Ace kite, the 5m, proved a runaway success with hundreds sold in a few weeks. Fueled by a cheap £52 price tag. The 6m+ Aces still look fantastic value, but the lowly 3.5m is looking expensive in comparison. Overall its a great intermediate kite, let down by poor packing and lines, and not suited as a first kite. However for intermediate or experienced kiters, it represent a great cheap way to expand the quiver, or a great kite to loan/teach on. PS - Flight/dad photos taken by my daughter ... I think she did very well! I did think of handing her the kite, but gave her the camera instead! By : andya1 point -
Pansh Blaze
Alvin reacted to LadyJayne1600949568 for a review
Please excuse any incorrect terms, I am a complete Newbie, this is my 1st proper kite, having only flown a baby Buzz and a couple of stunt deltas... After reading a number of reviews on here about a couple of kites I was lookin at, I decided on this one, as much for the looks as the flight. I did buy Flexi handles and new lines as everyone had commented on the naffness of the ones supplied... and they were not wrong... the handles felt awful (and that was not connected to anything!). I did not unravel the lines, so I am unsure if they are any good or not, but it means I do have a spare set! I ordered the kite direct from the Pansh website, and it arrived 4 days after ordering - great! But I had to wait till today to fly... work When opened it out, I had a moment of confusion as the bridle lines were tied back on themselves, to stop tangling in transport, apparently... Luckily, I had offers of help in setting up (thanks to all at Purley Way! Especially Dan), which was much needed as I ended up loosing approx 8"(more or less) on the brake lines, as the kite was desperate to get in the air from the word go, until the lines were shortened enough for it to sit stable until I was ready to launch. Had I not had help, I would not have had the slightest idea what was wrong or what to do, as there is no manual, although Pansh did send me a basic diagram of what lines attach where. Finally, I was ready to go... wind speeds were quite high today, 26mph clocked at one point... and she (do you call kites 'she'?) went straight up with hardly any persuasion... I did a lovely scud on my bum and back immediately - I was not expecting the power never having flown a kite like this before! I also managed a nice face plant too! Ended the day VERY muddy! The second time I launched, I was much more ready for the power, and had fun getting the feel of her, and how she flies through the window. I can't really comment on the 'liftiness', but the pull was excellent, and I can see this one working well with a board, when I get one. Once I had got the hang of it, I found her quite responsive. Landing was fairly smooth, and reverse launching was not too much hassle. It is a well made kite (also commented on my a couple of the more experienced kiters), so I have NO complaints on that score. I think this is a brilliant kite for the price, despite the naff handles, and I am itching to get out and clock up many more hours of fun on her! And she looks the nuts! I think this is a great starting kite... By : LadyJayne1 point -
When I got obsessed with the idea of flying one of those big water kites, I shopped for my first kite... and ended up settling on the 1.8 meter Symphony from HQ. At US $75, it was a good price to see if i really liked flying kites like these. My first time out, there was no wind. My second time out, however was quite gusty. 14-20 mph winds. I had no idea how much fun kite flying could be until that moment (I immediately started seeking more, and bigger, kites). This thing cuts through the air with wicked speed and a decent little pull (enough to put my girlfriend on her butt, I weigh 180lbs and it was making me work for control). This kite is loads of fun, and I still carry it around, as it is a great break from the work of flying my bigger kites. The build quality is just fine... not super high end, but being my first kite, I was highly impressed with what obviously requires a lot of craftsmanship to build. The lines are sleek and fast... about 25m lines. It came with some nylon straps, and they fit the cause perfectly. Being my first kite, it has taken quite a beating, from me and a couple of friends. This is a great kite to learn with, and it still challenges my reflexes at times. I was impressed with the HQ brand from the start, and currently both my other kites are HQ also. On a side note, there is a little strop in the rear training edge that seems like you could fit it with a 3rd line, though a long colorful tail would add some flair to flying it. By : dylanj4231 point
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After a few runs to the beach watching others and giving a try to somebody else's kite, decided it was my turn to get one and jump in the fray. The choice fell on the Radsail pro II 2m for mainly two reasons the first being the budget since I've found it for 99 euros at the decathlon shop, the second because I wanted something whose energy wouldn't have scud me around in light winds while training and would remain in use for high winds when starting to use the buggy. The package came in a backpack on which I agree with most of other reviews on the same kites, while the promo material and manual were just good for the recicle bin having already grasped the basics with the excellent how-to section of this site. The handles and bridles of the last version from Radsail are rather good on my opinion even though I've used the moulded caps for wrapping the lines only few times before start using parapacking (see further on this), but still think they are good to pack the whole thing for long trips. Since the very first time the kite looked fine and manufactured with sufficient accuracy. The only bad surprise was that the left brake line of the kite had the terminal of the same colour of the right one (green) but this is a minor mistake that I have forgiven within the first ten minutes. All the lines where the right length and the kite, once deployed on the ground with the brake line sides of the handles secured to the stake, sits half inflated without making a move until you wake it up flying. What can I say of a kite that came out of the bag since the first time and flew steady overhead without trying to overfly and never crashed unintentionally? I might have been lucky, but the training for me was very fast probably 'cause I had a sailing experience of more than thirty years and understanding of how a wing works and getting the feeling of it was a treat. After few days of static flying on the beach in Italy just few meters from my home place, I went to the middle of the Libyan Sahara (my actual workplace) with the kite and a buggy where I completed my familiarisation with both pieces of equipment. Here I found that in gusty wind, the kites as a slight tendency to be a bit "nervous" and I still need to keep an eye on it while making other manoeuvres like sitting on the buggy. This is the first time I've been using a buggy so that I can't yet make any comparison with other kites in terms of traction, but sure even with winds of 15-18 knots it gives me some hits of adrenaline on the rocky bottom we've got in this part of the desert. I've planned to purchase as the next kite a 3.5 m Cult from Ozone so that at that time I'll be able to make also some more significant conclusions by comparison. A nice addition I've made to the radsail set up, is an additional bag where I store the kite parapacking and that's why I'm no longer using the moulded caps unless I want to rationalise the stuff for a long trip. This allows me to be ready to take off in few minutes. The only suggestion I can give to those embarking into the adventure of parapacking, is that, when going downwind from the stake, if a portion of bridles come out from the bag appearing a bit tangled (i.e. loops of one line containing loops of another), just let it go for few feet and then grab the lines together with one hand and pull allowing them to slide a bit over each other, magic .... the loops are gone! and you can carry over with the rest of the job repeating the operation whenever required. I'll just add myself to the chorus of those saying that such kite is quite a bonus at such budget. Last but not least ... hope to come back again later on the same subject when I'll have gained some more experience and that somebody else can share these few impressions taking the decision to jump over the fence and go kiting. Cheers, Gianluigi (BenAli) By : BenAli1 point
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Flexifoil Sting 1.2M
Alvin reacted to skypirate1 for a review
I was down at the local beach today having a fly when noticed a couple of newbies setting up and you could tell they were newbies by the way they were setting up. They had just bought a Sting 1.2 from the local kite store that day and with a beautiful on shore breeze were keen to try it out. It had been set up for they so it was ready to go, after a little tution they were soon getting some fun out of it. After having a look at it, the kite is of flexi's usual build quality and was four lines with flexi's small handles which felt a little small for my liking, but the neoprene covered tops are a nice touch and comfortable. The kite also came with kite killers very good idea for the newbies though flexi's kite killers aren't as nice as the peter lynn ones in my opinion. The kite flys very well and very quick through the wind window, It is easy to launch and turns real quick in the power zone though it is very slow to respond at the edge of the wind window and tends to fall on the up turn back across the wind window before it flys off again. In the 4 line set up this kite reponds well to 4-line inputs and small yawing inputs, but will collaspe to large arm movements. It is also hard to launch and spin round from the vents down position. It can also take a pounding as when i left the newbies to it thay smacked the ground time and time again with a big thwack you could hear 50m away This kite and size is ideal for beginners though in a 20-30kph wind it has very little pull on it so is limited to a fun/ training kite and would doubt it would have much more pull in higher winds either. As for Value for money here in NZ all the flexi stuff is expensive and you can get a bigger kite for the same money from other kite manufacturers that are just as good as the sting. If you are looking for a fun quick kite to learn on this is a good one have, though i would go for a larger size if you are an adult as it will be easier to get the hang of as it will turn a little slower. At this size i wouldn't think about using it as a traction kite and think its not meant to be either, though is fun to fly and would be a good kite for kids 8+ to learn on. By : skypirate1 point -
Pansh Ace 2.5M
Alvin reacted to CrashMatt1600949567 for a review
I fear that ,up until today, I fell into a group of men that suffer from an obsession, an obsession that can lead you to make ill informed, badly judged decisions and one that may just have cost me dearly if I hadn't 'seen the light'. You see up until today I have been obsessed with size......always feeling that I needed bigger and to that end my last Kite purchase, before this, was an Ace 6m which introduced me to a kite that was of a good quality and took my flying skills up a level, involving more input from me to get the most out of it, I was pleased, but................. To be honest I am a little scared of it, ( after a few close calls) and as a result it only comes out of the bag in light winds and then its not that rewarding, it luffs quite alot and .......well.....its just not what I thought I was going to get, for me at least its a case of bigger is perhaps not that much better, but I like the kite so what to do?? Well Pansh, just last week, released a 2.5m version of the Ace and I figured this would fit just nicely between my 2m and 4m beamers and at £50 delivered, whats to lose? The Kite arrived in the famously short amount of time that I expected from Pansh, ordered Friday night, here Tuesday morning and everything was in order. Notably , when I unfurled the sail, unlike the 6m , the bridles were not secured with a larks head at each wing tip this time but there were no tangles either so no problem. Many reviews have discussed the qualities of the kites manufacture so I won't go into any great detail, needless to say the 2.5 comes up to the same high standard as previous models just smaller. The supplied handles are still the same 'servicable' design and the lines are in the same category but all the same length it must be said. This time I chose to give the Lines and handles supplied with the kite a chance and can report that they are...erm...not bad at all really, the handles could do with softer padding and the lines are a little rough but other than that every thing works fine. When it comes to flying the kite I had thought that comparisons were going to be drawn between this and the 2m Beamer III but to be honest these are completely different animals. Where the Beamer is quick enough to require a good level of concentration in a stiff breeze, If you take your eye of the Ace for a second it WILL spank you. The Beamer can pull me (13st) around quite a bit but the Ace had me off my feet and Scuds of over 20ft!! The Beamer has little to no lift, the Ace had my arms stretched out above my head most of the time and I am sure may have even lofted me a couple of inches too! It turns on a sixpence, its lightning manouevrabilty is capable of making me look really cool in front of the small groups that stop to watch where I fly and it simply plasters a huge smile across my face when I'm flying it. Who knew that something so 'small' could provide me with so much fun???? Don't get me wrong the Beamer is great for afternoons out with the kids and when the trousers you are wearing need to be worn again in the future but if you fancy a real challenge and something that can wreck a pair of Levi's in couple of hours then the Ace is the one coming out of the bag. In conclusion .....I love this kite, it has 'cured' my obsession with size, destroyed my clothing, given me the best 2 hours at the end of some pre stretched dyneema that I have had so far and all at a fantastic price. I guess with Pansh it's a marmite thing so I'll finish by saying one thing....... ......we are fortunate to live in an age where many companies make some fantastic kites that meet many different needs whether performance or budget related. More importantly we live in an age where we are free to make a choice and there should be no reason why, when we make a decision to buy a certain brand or product, we should brace our selves for any kind retribution for saying just how happy with our new purchase we are. So please feel free to rate this review and add any comments but please make them about the review and not just because you don't like Pansh......thank you. By : CrashMatt1 point -
Having got into 4 liners with a Rev stunt kite, I and a friend were both keen to find something that "pulled". The inevitable happened, and my mate bought a couple of Busters before I could raise the funds. Off he went and learned to fly them, then bought a buggy to use the power with. Muggins here eventually turns up on a day when the wind sat at about 20-25mph with his pride and joy new toy, a 4m Buster. My buddies first words when we arrived at the flying field were "Don't get your 4 out, it's too windy. Have a go with my 2m instead". What? No way! I've got a new toy, and I'm going to play! So I left him and his girlfriend setting up their kites and got the 4m out. Oops! No sooner was the kite off the ground than I was on it. That was the day I learned some new tricks. Bum-scudding, chest-scudding, chin-scudding, and even at one stage on-the back-of my-neck-scudding! *LOL* Hell, I learned to do just about everthing except stand upright and fly the damned kite. Lesson no.1.. These kites pull like a train. The Busters are not designed to give lift, they are traction kites, but at one stage during a good gust (Probably about 30 to 35mph) I found that the 4m gave enough lift to pull my 14 stone self well clear of the ground before lowering me gently back down exactly where I had taken off from. A quick learning curve saw me being persuaded into my mates buggy that day, and flying his 2m Buster I took off across the turf like a scalded cat. I even managed to almost make it back to my start point after a while. The seed was set, and grew like Jacks beanstalk. Now, between my girlfriend and I we have Busters in 1.4m, 2m, 3m, 4m, and 7m, a Flexdeck board and a Peter Lynn Competion XR buggy. The little 1.4m is too fast to sensibly use for traction in my opinion. It whizzes through the air so quickly that you cannot afford to take your eyes off for a second (i.e to see where you are going) It pulls well enough to teach you where the power zone is when there's a fair breeze blowing though and is great fun to fly. In winds over 20mph the 2m sees you whipping down the field on the buggy, although it will pull you along at a fair speed in wind a slight as 10mph. The 4m is my most "universal" kite for buggying with. It seems to handle winds from 7 or 8 mph right through to 25mph plus (If you're as daft as us and are willing to launch it in those winds) Initially the 7m seemed too sluggish to use for buggying. This was my big mistake... I was trying to use it when there was not enough wind for the 4m. I thought that the bigger kite would catch more wind and therefore provide power from a light breeze. It does, but only if you try and stand there holding the thing back (or for scudding). Try buggying with it in too light a wind and you soon outrun the kite, only to see it fall behind you and/or luff out and collapse onto the ground. More experience (and not an incosiderable increase in bottle / stupidity) now sees us getting the 7's out in winds of up to 25mph, strapping the harnesses on and going like the clappers! For light wind scudding the 7m is a great buy. On the Saturday of the Weymouth Kite Festival earlier this year my buddy and I were scudding down the beach with our very new 7's when other power kite flyers could not get any cloth in the air due to the light wind. One thing that we have done to all our Busters is to change the lines and handles on them. The lines fitted when you buy the kite are 25m long (I think) and are quite thick, soft dyneema(?) They seem to drag in the air and visibly hold the kite back. On the smaller kites they also seem too short, the kites whip through the wind window too quickly on their short leash. All our kites are now flown on 30m lines. (The yellow and red ones sold seperately at kite shops) These are not only longer, but much thinner and they seem to be just about perfect as far as we can tell, allowing more time in the power zone due to the greater arc, without being too cumbersome. Handles are nice big Flexifoil jobs with neoprene tops for comfort. All in all, I'd recommend the Busters to anyone starting out on power kites. They fly well in even light winds and pull for all their worth. I can't compare them to other kites as they are the only power kites I have, but I think that alone says enough. They are all I've felt the need for so far, (Thats a lie.. I'm thinking I might treat myself to a PKD Century soon *S*) but the Busters are great fun, easy to use and are far from expensive when compared to other kites. By : Ian A-R1 point
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This Ace is one of the first batches of Aces out. So can't comment on the improved handles and lines, so will only comment on the kite itself. There has been much comparison with the Blade, I have a Blade iv 4.9 so will give some comparison where I can. The Ace is made from quite light weight material, I have measured the thickness of it with a micrometer and it is the same thickness as my Blade!! The stitching looks to be quite good but obviously not as good as the Blade. The bridal attachment points are sown into the kite and whilst not as robust looking as my Blade they look to be good. The bridal looks to be made of quite thin line, so should be good to cut down on drag, the bridal is sown but is quite rough looking, now the bridal on my Blade is superb and here you can't really compare. There are dirt outs, I don't know if the size of them is a problem, as people have commented they are quite small and as I haven't needed to use them yet don't know how effective they are. The stuff sack is just the job for me, I always para-pack, so all my kites are in stuff sacks and any rucksacks are left in the garage gathering dust. So how does it fly? I have flown this kite now only four times, one silly wind and three whisps of wind so not the best flight test. Our first flight we knew there wasn't really enough wind to fly this thing but a new kite, you have got to have a go. Well it flew really rather well, it seem to be such a light weight kite and as long as you keep it moving and away from the edges of the window it is ever so good. Turns quickly responds to brake turns well, reverse launches, yep really good. Next outing, about 18mph wind, I knew this is too much for me but again had to have ago. Got it up know problem, scared the life out of me and put it away again quickly. Well that day I injured myself, had an OBE flying my 3.2 Crossfire, again really knew I was pushing it but my next kite down was my 2m Legend and whilst a good kite statically not very good it a buggy, quite slow and a devil to try to get up wind. So used the wrong kite in the wrong wind and paid the price for it. So they were my initial flights with a standard Ace. About this time Andya was playing around with his EPAT, I had plenty of spare time with my injured knee and thought to make a variation on his EPAT. Mine, I have pivoted around the B row and put 50mm extensions on the tips to keep it all inline. There is some detail in Andya's EPAT review on this. This allows me to increase the AOA or decrease the AOA without too much fuss. So the next flight with EPAT. Neutral AOA (so as standard) seems to behave the same as my first flight findings, haven't muck anything up, good start. So increase the AOA by 2 degrees. The kite was reluctant to fly, quite a lot slower through the air, but once air born and kept moving seemed to behave itself well. I didn't really ever want more grunt out of the kite and the slowness of the kite didn't do anything for me, so moved on to decreasing the AOA by 2 degrees. Well I didn't really notice much different from the neutral position, decreased to now 4 degrees. Well the kite was much faster, have to keep your eye on it a bit more, will fly out of the edge of the window, wing tips seem to be good. Yep I like this kite I thought and played around with for an hour or so. The wind speed had now dropped to nothing, so my mate who is the part owner of the kite (I'm really cheap skate I am, as if £50 wasn't cheap enough) thought he would have a go of taking the kite around a 360. By taking the kite right round the edge of the window and running in the right direction it was possible to fly this kite completely round a 360 around yourself. Quite satisfying. Next outing again not much wind around 4-5 mph. I was flying my blade in the least lifty AOA (how I normally fly this kite) and my mate was flying the ACE in it's least lifty mode. Well my mate found it to be a lovely kite, smooth control around the wind window, reverse take off's with ease. He tried flying it straight down in front of him (AKA Jerry) and practice brake control to stop, reverse etc. Well this kite is nice, smooth, easy to control, wonderful, faster than the neutral position Ace, but not as fast as my Blade, my blade was so quick through the window and in every way was a better kite. There wasn't enough wind for either kite to buggy in, you would think there was static flying, the Ace had more grunt than the blade, put it down to being slower but neither kite on the day could you get properly going in the buggy. So in conclusion, this is a very nice kite, well worth £50 quid, well worth the new price tag of £100, with the better lines and improved handles. It's not a Blade iv, the Blade iv's are lovely kites but the Ace is very very good and performance wise probably more like my old blade ii but poorer quality (but still pretty good quality for the money). It would make an excellent choice of budget intermediate kite, can't really comment on it for traction yet but will let you know in due course. By : Clarkee1 point
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Pansh Ace 2.5M & 4M
Alvin reacted to midlandsdaz1600949565 for a review
Well after already having a 5.5 legend and a 3m blaze, and knowing now these kites are ok infact for the money they are great. I decided to get a 4m and 2.5 m ace. first thing I did when I got the kites was look at the lines, the lines are much better than the older lines they used.. so thought I'd try to untangle them in the house, which didn't take long at all, the older lines took ages on a field. so after splitting into 4 lines I then wrapped the lines around the handles, ready to fly.. after waiting 3 weeks I think, Ive just had the kite out. went to a field, near me, and the wind was at least 15+ gusting at 20+ easy. got the kite out the sack , and unraveled the lines and they was no tangles, so took 2 mins, staked the lines and had a quick check of the length, both brake and power lines seems equal, so attached the kite killers, and got the kite up to the zenith, easy, this kite has loads more pull and lift than the blaze, I found after a few seconds, the kite was very fast through the air, then decided to take it through the edge of the power zone, and the pull was great... a few little jumps were to be had, then thought I'd go into the power and and try a jump.... the kite shot up to the zenith and I shot up as well!!! must had got at least 10foot up maybe 15, my biggest jump by far, and I went maybe 20+foot across the floor(in the air;)). I only realised how high I was when I looked down ha ha. some dog walker came over and said I must be mad, . I was gonna risk the 4m but thought better of it as I was alone kiting. so after the 1st fly, I'm more than happy with the ace, its fast through the air, has plenty of lift and power, as I'm into buggying this could be fun in the buggy, will report on that when I have the chance to try both the ace and the buggy. so for the £50 I paid for this substandard, waste of money, cheapskate kite(not my words but other peoples;)) I'm very happy with it, but I wouldn't use it as a 1st kite, as a newbie unless with others that can help you, or the wind is under maybe 10mph. out of 10 I would give it 8 at least.... but what do I know?? I just buy crap named kites lol By : midlandsdaz1 point -
Heres my review of Flexies blade IV 6.5m, any comments welcome. I brought this kite to start me off in the world of jumping and buggy freestyle, I have been playing around with straping my bullet 4.5m to the buggy and blitzin' up and down the coast ( something i dont recomend to beginers ! ) This was great but seeing people jumping and spinning with such ease just made green with envy, so after a chat with you people hear and the fella in the shop i decided on the blade. At the moment I've stuck it on normal 200kg/100kg lines with standard handles and kite killers just to fly it static and have some fun with before upgradeing lines and handles when i decide to try out freestyle buggying. I shall start at the top, the bag, a very strong and user friendly rucksack, the main compartment is of ample size and makes parapacking the kite easy, on the sides are 2 flaps each of which have 2 straps again ideal for the handles if you parapack and a zip up pocket that isnt really that usefull except for keys ect, Down the front is a seiries of diffrent size loops which although may be for show are great for hanging gloves on or wedging a groung steak through. All in all a very strong and robuse bag with many more features than my bullet bag. I will skip over the lines and handles as they dont come with the kite but will say all the lines are the same lenth coloured coded havn't stretched and the handles are comfy and again colour coded for ease of use. Now to the bad boy itself, I get it in midnight 1 because my wife has a petrol rage and 2 I have never seen a midnight flying in my local area and hey its nice to be diffrent. The moment I first pulled it out of the bag and layed it out my first impression was wow my second was ohh bridals they look a bit complex lets pray they aren't tangeled. I needent have worried in the center of the kite are 2 velcro croc clips which keep all the business end of the lines handy. so after atatching lines to the handles it was a simple case of red to red and blue to blue. I gave a little tug on the handles just to inflate it and with a race kite review in mind went to inspect my latest toy. First of all the quality of the stitching is great not one uneven line and all the ends finished really well, each cell is great and linked by a a seiries of holes between them to fully inflate and maintain canopy presure all look perfect and solid, The bridals are linked to the kite by a seires of loops and i did spend a bit of time to check these for equal distance, strenth and finish again all of which are really good. None of the bridals where tangled or twisted and sat there perfectly ready for inspection, I had all ready read up on the bridal ang wing adjustments which I will explain in a bit. The bridals again are good with the o-rings and adjusters of a really good quality so there is very little friction when the kite is in flight. The only down side and it is a petty one is over the knots and joints of the bridals they have put a yellow/brown glue over them i asume to stop fraying, but when your 20 meters away hanging on for dear life will you be thinking err that glue looks a bit odd............... I doubt it. Anyway enough of looking I grabed the handles put on the kite killers and pulled on the lines. Now to say there wasn't much wind was a bit of a understatement and wasn't holding out much hope of it inflating yet alown flying... But OMG with a couple of shakes on the lines and working it back and forth through the window it didnt just inflate but had me scudding and doing little hops OH HAPPY DAYS after about 10 mins i decided to land the kite and see what the diffrent settings give you. Basicly you can adjust the angle at which the kite sits. basicly on the max setting the kite is angled upwards creating a really punchy fun kite and on the lower setting it flatens the angle of attack which I would imagin will be handy when its blowing hard. the other adjustment is only found on the 6.5 and 8.5 to my understanding and this changes the turning rate again such a handy add on when like me i will be flying it solo and on a buggy and board. After a few more scuds and jumps i decided to pack up and wait for wind. I have had the kite for one week now and still no real wind although tuesday night wasn't bad had some real good hang time, and scuds out of the thing and in my opinion it is a wonderfuly predictable and forgiving kite without being tame. I would 10000% recomend this kite its super smooth and although not the cheapest on the market today it is great. I was nervouse of it at first now i JUST WANT MORE AND MORE WIND .Hmmmmmmmmmmm maybe a 8.5 next shhh dont tell the wife By : sassy6661 point
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PKD 2m/3m/4m Brooza. For those that need to know, conditions were. * NW 17 mph gusting to 22. * stoke on trent. * 60% cloud cover with thermals. * dry short grass * and three grinning people. On seeing the kites we, Zotty,stig and myself (scud) were well impressed with the build quality of the kites, the stuff sacks are spacious and colour coded to the kites. The bridles are neatly packed and lanyard knotted for easy separation. The bridles are sleeved dyneema and are of very good quality,(dont know the material but its not the cheapest stuff in the box). On lining up,we used the 3 mtr first, we found that using a spare set of lines we had laying around fitted ferfectly and the kite sat on the short grass and couldnt be more well behaved. We took up the power on the mains and the 3 mtr sat up in anticipation awaiting the tug to launch.It then took off smoothly and went straight to the zenith showing off its progressive power,.We then went daft and being hooked in dropped it straight into the power window.... we were well suprised by the power it produced and how smoothly it excellerated into the wind, there was no hint of a luff or tuck during the sweep through the window and when we parked the kite at the edge it still sat there patiently and was able to maintain a modicum of control( they are new crispy kites and not at their aero efficient best). We had jumps off the 3 mtr all beit very snappy ones but the kite didnt show signs off luiffing at the zenith after the power was gone. They DO require a touchy feely amount of brakes. But not enough to make a difference to the canopy,just enough to make all 4 lines do the Work. We were using Zotty's buggy as a platform to get some traction,. I'll let him type the buggying bits.... first off i was surprised with how smooth and steady the kite supplied me with power as i dropped it into the window to get underway in the bug.before i know it i was doing maybe 20mph with the kite just parked there, not wanting to push things to far (scuds new babys n all) i made an normal up turn turn and headed back up the hill and again was surprised with the steady amount of power delivered, cutting up wind was also impressive for this type of sail (huge huge improvment over the busters) on my run down the hill again and feeling a tad more confident i sent the kite behind me to see how it lifted and up i went. prob gained about 20 inchs or so (again remeber these are scuds new babys lol) the landing wasnt a sudden slam. on the whole i'm impressed. it did what i asked and did it without question!. The Stig arrived,Phil Quinn, and being the youngest of all of us and the only one to enjoy throwing Raptor "'s around like they are chicken feed,promptly jumped into Zotty's buggy and being without a harness used his pie eating weight to keep himself into zotty's buggy,.He knows the hill and how the wind works and was ,within seconds,asking for the 4mtr to be lined up and given airtime. The 4 in all its blue glory was out of the bag and lined up.It proved to be the best of the bunch so far, ( the 2 mtr came out but was underpowered), both zotty and Stig commented on how the 4 produced copious amounts of grunt all through the window and was willing to be thrown around like a rag doll and still maintain its shape. The use of 4 cell entries makes a massive amount of difference, compaired to the likes of the busters that have cell entries over 80% of the leading edge. Sadly the wind was too strong to allow the 5.5 to get an airing,we were twitching with the idea but decided against it. All in all ,, first impressions are .. Good kite,, great build quality, excellent handling. Predictable but it does have a possibility of biting.They are lifty, i (scud) couldnt hold down the 4 mtr after the stig gave it to me)and couldnt physically get into zotty's buggy. They do feel more like race kites but without the instability and "im gonna kill ya" notion the higher aspect kites produce. They are NOT a beginners kite and they are not a race kite,, they are,, the best of both worlds. The kite than can be used inland for blattin around with ya mates , and can be used as a kite to get into racing.They have only been tested so far on a turbulent hill,, .Next airing will be at Hoylake... They will be put through their paces draggin my buggy around and i will not be as lenient as zotty is. I will get as much out of them as i can and hope to get footage of it too.. We have pictures of todays few hours and will put them up later,. Oh btw,, its the most stunning design.. Day Two. The wind was low enough to get the 5.5 out and after a quick pre-flight inspection it was lined up and ready to go,(please note,,, lines and handles do not come suppied with this kite)The kite was lined up on 30 odd mtr lines and set to fly. As with its smaller sizes the 5.5 sat on the ground and didnt jump around whilst staked. The cells didnt fill up and make the kite jumpy/bouncy on the ground like other kites with more cell entires,( the 4 cell entries on the brooza really do make a difference in more ways than one) Once the handles were looped into the harness and a progressive tug was applied the kite launched to about 10ft above the ground and by looking at the cells you could tell it wanted to be turned and flown,like race kites, we threw the kite into the wind and watched as the cells progressively filled. This one aspect makes the brooza very user friendly because the power isnt a snatch face plant on/off switch.The cells filled as the kite gained momentum and the more it sped up the more it filled and the more it pulled,a bit like one of those perpetual engines that dont exsist, it just got better and better. After a few minutes of static testing the buggy was next on the list, .This point in the test flight produced the most stunning result. We parked the kite at the zenith..As in directly above the flier. The kite duly went up to its sitting position, then carried on... and on... and on... Now you'll have to believe me on this.. the kite will fly about 6-10 ft above and beyond the zenith.(another perk of 4 cell entries).It just kept on flying and then found its favoured place and just sat there... no luffs... no drop back and run forward,,it just sat there,long enough for me to turn around and fly facing backwards. The kite does produce lift, loads of it when the cells are full inflated and its moved in the right way and asked to give. I have been airborne in my monster bug (50+ kgs) under the 5.5 in a wind speed just under its designated wind area. Day Three. Off to Winsford to hook up with PKD pilot Simon Bailey. Simon had flown the proto Brooza and was eager to get his hands on the production model so as to compare the difference and his first comment was on the cell entries being so small .We laid the 2 mtr Brooza ontop of a 2 mtr Buster and the difference in shape was eye opening. The aspect ratio(something that is as knowlegable to me as brain surgery) suddenly became apparent. The Brooza is the best part of a foot longer and 4 inches thinner in depth. We then laid a 2.5 century ontop of then pair of them and saw how close the Brooza is to the race kite and how far it is from the Buster. Simons local field is totally different to my hill so the winds were different and gave us a chance to test the kite in a more turbulent condition. first out was the 4 mtr simon gladly took the reigns and was pleasantly suprised by its feel and stability. Then the 5.5 was out and Si ,using his increased weight and skill hooked in and got her in the air... first comment was... damn this is fast and it goes upwind as good if not better than a race kite( there's the stability of just having 4 cell entries again) after a good half hour we got together to run a 4 Brooza against Simons 4.5 Century. Simons Century would launch shed load faster than the Brooza,which takes its time to get itself ready and gives the pilot more reaction time to unforseen incidents.But once both were in the air(on same length lines) they were almost uncomparable, both went to the edge and would sit in the same place give or take 3 ft and both had comparable power throught he window. At the zenith the Century would,as is expected from a race kite, sit there just at the edge with brake input, the brooza sort of ran at the zenith like a kid at a sweet shop that had free sweets for sale,,, but still didnt luff.. It did the same,, flew over n amazed the pair of us. then cos of it being more turbulent, dropped backinto the same area as the Century. We then decided to have a kite fight....... Brooza versus Century....... Sorry ,,, the Brooza won almost all the time,, it doesnt suffer from having the wind took out of its lungs as much as foils that have 80% of the leading edge with open cells like the century did. Hoylake. Sadly the weather wasnt on our side so the kites didnt get much of an airing. In between storms the kites performed wonderfully on the clean winds that we all cherish on beaches. They still overfly at the zenith and stay inflated,which proved to be good because the upwind in a buggy was almost as good as the race kites. After a niggling problem of lines,(i had a set sent from pkd that were set for the new Kombat) i got the brakes set ok and went off on a shake down run. The 2 and 3 were the kites i decided to get up, the wind was between 20-35. The 2 was underpowered but got me used to flyin a fast kite.It sat great at any position in the window with no hint of wanting to drop back during the gusty moments. The 3 got lined up and sat still on the blowing sand.On launch it gently filled and produced power from about 15 ft off of the ground. It does launch slower than other kites with more open cells but isnt as snappy,which in high winds is nice but as soon as it was full it rocketed to the edge and i was off sideways. Once settled it only required minimal work to keep it parked . It pulled like a train. It stayed where it was asked and not once did it luff. It was so stable. Turns were no trouble, just nudge the brakes to get rid of the apparent wind and then gently turn the kite whichever way you want and itll lose cell pressure enough so as not to launch you out of the buggy. I cant praise this kite enough,, its far far more than a buster but its not something that will be comparable to a race kite,that is unless its in turbulent wind. In turbulent wind i think this kite,given its stability, will be far better than the race kites. The kite can only be described as an inter to expert kite.Its not a beginner to inter kite because its profile leans more towards the race element than it does the recreational side.That said my first kite was a 6.5 viper,which isnt a beginners kite. Treat this kite with more respect than the Buster,dont be worried about it like would would with a race kite. Just go fly it, enjoy it and relish at the graphics when you manage to plonk it square at the sun and the "pheonix" glows through the lower skin. It is a work of art. Go fly one and you'll be as impressed as me By : scud49841 point
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Dakine Fusion Seat Harness
bakersdozen reacted to cwatson1600949552 for a review
Well, after a very high wind flying session, arms even more knackered than usual and the possibilty of a de-power kite in the near future; I decided that a harness might be a good idea. So after scanning the net (racekites in particular) I decided that dakine were the way to go. With their long history in windsurfing and other watersports in addition to having experienced the quality of there other products (bags etc). I was very keen on either the Fusion or the Pyro so I went down to one of the local kitesurf shops (The Waterboard) to seek further advice. the guys there were very helpful (i'm going back there for kitesurf lessons in a few weeks) and recomended that a seat harness would be better for my first harness. So after trying on the Fusion on their bar rig so I could apply some pressure on the spreader bar. I was suprised at how comfortable it was after hearing the 'ball crushing' reputation of seat harness. admitadly there was a little discomfort in that department but that was to be expected. As far as back support etc, it was perfect. so out of the shop I went proud with my new purchase. In the car i checked out all of the features and straps on the harness, the little hook knife (probably a bit of a gimmick but hey) is a nice touch, it is of the usual dakine quality I just hope I never have to use it. The build quality over all was just superb, well worth the £75. The harness itself is a great looking bit of kit too, mine is in red and black and it matches my two of my kites & my wetsuit, not that it matters lol. So anyway, the wind was still howling outside. It was time for my 1st hooked-in flight. I decided to take out the bullet bearing in mind the wind was around 20mph+ this should be plenty enough power. so i climbed into the harness, it is very simple to do up as the velcro 'powerbelt' means that you can easily tighten up the harness in a few seconds. My only complaint in terms of donning and tightening up this harness, is that it is quite fiddely to attatch one side of the spreader bar to the metal hook using the small screw provided, however this is a one off job. once i was in the harness I launched the kite, took it to the zenith and hooked in. I was suprised at how much more managable the power was. you could definatley feel the 8 point power dispersal system in action as the pull of the kite felt even through out the harness. After a few jumps and scudds the spreader began to ride up a bit, so I unhooked and re-tightened the straps and from then on it was absolutely perfect I have had this harness for four months now and I am still very pleased with it. it survived a 60ft bum scudd at wallop it just a few grass stains which just washed out, being designed for kitesurfing this harness is fine for use in the water so it can easily be washed. my main grumble is that one line of stitching has started to come undone on the base of the harness however this shouldn't be too much of a problem. I now usually wear the harness without the leg straps as they sometimes get in the way, it also makes you walk like John Wayne lol. i think that this harness will last me for a long time. however I may upgrade to the pyro or tabu waist harness when I get better at freestyle. if you're a beginner/intermediate, looking for a great quality harness that will be suitable for all levels and standards of riding/kiting the fusion is the one for you. By : cwatson1 point -
Peter Lynn Venom 13M
bakersdozen reacted to adamski for a review
OK.... some of you might have read my review of LAST years hotshot Arc kite... the Phantom... well.... I got bored, a new model was launched and "Oh please yourself" DOES mean " go and buy those expensive new toys my love!" So there we are.. the kites hit the importers, I turn off my mobile phone and go on a "mercy dash" for my local kite store!! My poor car takes a beating as the Satnav fails miserably to find the God forsaken fenland backwater where my new toys sit forlornly in brightly coloured bags awaiting my inept ministrations. At long last I decide that MUST be the place and dive in.... sure enough the door is answered by the Kite Keeper and I am ushered in to the inner sanctum of UK arc flying!! There they are a huge (ish) pile of bags marked "Venom"!! Our allocation is passed over to me and NO amount of begging will get an extra 19m one thrown onto the pile.... 3 in the country it seems and we get ONE! The 100 miles back home takes an eternity. The car is filled with the smell of new kite... my excitement levels are raised... the clouds grow darker and more worrisome by the mile. Sure enough.... raindrops smear my windscreen as I get within miles of home! The magical bounty is unloaded and the first owners in Nottinghamshire rush away from the shop in a state of extreme anticipation!! On arrival at adamski towers the boy is summoned to inspect our new kites... he grunts in teenage..... a rough translation would seem to be... "nice!" We check all NON flying aspects of the "new toys" (she really should get more involved!) out. The bag...and this pleases us greatly, expands AND has a handy "tube" bag inside for carrying the kite in fixed pole mode. Pockets.. yup plenty! PLUS the Spars fit in a pocket at the back of the pack stopping last years "oh there they are" moments as a carbon fibre splinter shoots up behind a fingernail!! The instructional video is now a DVD and it has a few extra bits on it. We are tight so went for kite only deals... we are running on 03 bars rather than 04s so need to add knottage to the front pigtails. Upon unfurling the kites we were startled by the extreme redness and blueness of the colour schemes.... some seem cursed with an attack of the pink foppishness... happily not ours!! Please be aware that these kites seem to be made VERY well just not with hidden seams and double thickness stuff. not worse than Ozone or Flysurfer just slightly more "agricultural"! Spar removal is better due to the eezee out system... just pull the white ribbon and they slide up the pocket and out of the kite! (please take GREAT care of these spars, they break far too easily!) After much looking, stroking and general kite worship we put them away and my boy decides they will stop in his room until flight day. Saturday comes , the wind sitting at about 13-17mph..... the 13m Venom comes out and is set up! The zip at each tip trick is great, MUCH easier to inflate fully than the zip in the middle one. We set the internal strap to half way and leave it there! It DOES take an hour or so of faffing about to get the pigtails at the correct length.... about 20cm from the end seems best. So.... come on adamski..spill the beans.... what they like? We have been flying them for 4 months or so now and REALLY can't believe what a leap forward these are. OK, setting up and packing them away is a total arseache sometimes!! NO easy out and tug the centrelines with ANY arc kite (yet!) but other than this ..... Launching.... they have more cells than previous Arcs.... this makes them stiffer. NO more of the Phantomesque bow-tie and death spin launches.... get it 75% full and up she goes!! The Venom WILL steer on max depower too, quite an eye opener that one... going back to an earlier Arc can seem VERY fluffy! Flying.... LOVELY! depower and the "oh my GOD where did that lofting come from!!" moments are cut RIGHT back.... two so far and that was down to stupidly gusty and turbulent conditions! The venoms are MUCH faster flying and turning than the Phantoms, our 60 cm bar is almost in retirement.. the 16 flies on 40 or 50 bar! Bar feel is GREATLY improved too, Phantoms and G's could feel a little too remote for some, the venoms are still nice and light but react more quickly and precisely than earlier Peter Lynns. I have a guilty secret.... I am deeply crap on my board! My Son is amazing... I try not ot be too upset by this!! I have been mainly looking after the safety side for my boy and doing some static flying. I got going on the Phantoms and got some static jumps going on but much more was beyond me, I just couldn't get it sorted. The Boy had huge jumps down and was improving. His first run on the Venoms and he gets one of the highest jumps I have seen him do! He comes back in ALL smiles and teen jabber.... again the translation seems to be "nice!" The Venoms are different to the phantoms in that they DON'T need huge speed to get jumping high! PLUS the float is vastly improved... he spends much longer sat in the air doing stuff.....in fact just last week he did a jump, got nice and high..... then sat there! He looked up at the kite, down at the floor, did a quick board off then waited to come down! He is quite good at this kiting lark though. I did mention that I am not too hot on a board? Well..... can I recommend Venoms to anyone wanting to improve. My son got sick of looking at me flailing about then falling over at the end of the run and took pity long enough to give me a quick lesson! I went from upright with straight legs to nice bent knees, taking my weight through the harness and getting decent speed in an hour or so. An hour later and I was sending the kite and doing (very small) jumps! I am now happy tootling about and doing my own Meta freestyle tricks (just like real freestyle only much smaller and kind of unpredictable). ALSO for the learner, providing you have a big enough kite/enough wind you will benefit from the Venom safety system...when you do something too stupid for even an Arc to protect you they float you down! I was trundling along, did a "jump" and landed sort of mankily...highsided my board and waited for the "thump" of adamski whacking the floor..... didn't happen.... i just touched down and lay there with the kite gently bobbing me up and down as it sat at the Zenith waiting for the stupid bloke to try again!! So... who would I recommend gets one or two of these? ANYONE doing a board sport that can live with the set up and pack down routine! ARE they better than earlier models? Yes, they are stiffer, more responsive and even MORE idiot proof. We will be out on the water in the next week or two so an update of the wet side will be forthcoming once I stop drinking sea water and can get splashing about! By : adamski1 point -
HQ Beamer II 3.6M
Alvin reacted to jumping_jim for a review
Intro: I got into powerkiting about a year ago when i got a proteam 8, yes, i was fooled by flexi marketing and thought this kite could do more than i could. It did, however teach me the basics of flying, and i soon decided i needed to get a four liner. I kept changing my mind about what to go for inbetween a Rad pro/Beamer/buster/pepper. I eventually went for the beamer because of all the positive feed back it has. First impressions: When the package arrived i immediately got it out on the living room floor to inspect. The bag seemed to be quite robust, and is still got no rips or loose seams. Got out the handles, the grips are hard, but they are strong and i like them. The kite looked huge with my proteam 8 laying on top, the qualtiy seemed equal to my flexifoil proteam 8. The instructions were quite basic, but gave enough info to get going for someone who didn't know how, i knew as i had been flying friends' quad line kites. The kite killers seemed good and have not let me down so far, i have made the changes to them that are on this site. The ground steak is good and sturdy and with a large orange top. First time out: Got the kite set up, lines attatched with in 5 mins, the wind was low, the flags were just about waving. The kite sat there inflated and behaving while the handles were steaked down. I held the handles and pulled on the main lines. The kite rose nicely to the zenith and stayed there. I dipped the kite into the power zone and i could feel some pull even in these light winds. The handles were comfortable to fly on, although the leader rubs your fingers, but i fly with BMX gloves on now so its not a problem. Other Flights: The day after my first flight i took the beamer out in 20mph on holkam beach. It was amazing, i had scuds about 20ft long and some small pendulum jumps. The kite was certainly powerful, but without being scary. It gained my respect without having to kill me. I flew the kite in the snow we had a few weeks back and the wind was only about 10-15mph and i was getting some large scuds and got dragged along on my stomach. Conclusion: The beamer 3.6 is a lovely kite to fly, its great for beginners and also more experienced flyers. It has the power for the more experienced flyer, while it is forgiving and predictable for the beginner. Im glad i chose this as my first real traction kite as it has given me a great introduction to kiting. Im so happy with HQ's efforts that my money is currently being saved for a 5m crossfire, having that as a lower wind kite and my beamer for high winds. I would deffinately reccommend this kite to a beginner over the age of 13, this kite has power. If i had to go back and buy By : jumping_jim1 point -
Flexifoil Bullet 2.5M
.Joel reacted to chris1600949553 for a review
After first try of sombody else's kite decided that my life had new meaning. Marched directly to the nearest kite shop and started asking advice. Before long had decided to order the blade III 4.9. Since this was going to take for ever to arrive I figured this gave me time to learn how not to kill myself on a smaller kite. Having no origionality I plumped for the most obvious kite available for a beginner the Bullet 2.5. On the first fly I took some friends with no experience whatsoever in winds approximately 12-15mph. Kited all day long scudded fell and grinned ear to ear. Packed up when our arms began to fall off and made our way home. Half way home decided to go back again. This kite is compulsive. After a few try outs in medium winds I was beginning to itch for the Blade to arrive feeling that the bullet was not powerfull enough and didn't give enough air. Then I ventured out in 20mph winds gusting up to 30mph. This was the best thing I could possibly have done. People will say that the bullet does not let you jump but let me assure you in 30mph gusts you will get plenty of air. A trip out in big boy winds reminded me that I knew nothing. On saying this the Bullet was superb, whilst I was dragged (not scudding) all over the place and lifted a fair amount, I always knew that the kite killers were there if I needed them, and after learning to respect the wind a lot more the kite was very controllable and realitively gentle. For those just starting to Kite the bullet is a god send, it is amazing that something capable of such power can be so gentle and forgiving. Everybody wants a blade to start out with but I suspect that the bullet is the forgiving teacher we all need. By : Chris1 point -
The Bullet is very well made, perfect really. See other reviews on this count... i have buggied the 2.5 in 15mph onshore winds and owned a 3.5 bullet which got buggied a few times before being sold. These are popular kites. They are easy to fly. They make your buggy go along fast. But some people really dont like them... i have a blade 4.9 and a Flexifoil buggy, so i like Flexifoil products. But as much as i tried to like the bullet that i shelled out 240 quid for, i couldnt. i asked around, equalized the stretchy lines, adjusted the brakes but......yuk. i realize that i am not the only one and some experienced buggiests agree. So whats wrong with it ? Primarily it is dull to buggy with. Why is this ? Well the power is very on off, because it moves through the air slowly. Sure it turns really quickly, but doesnt generate much power in the process. You feel isolated from the kite. So it doesnt do much and than suddenly you are whizzing along. It doesnt collapse easily in gusty winds, but it doesnt really like them much either. They just exaggerate the on-off behaviour. if you turn away from the kite to scrub off speed, the kite follows you, without "gripping" the air so it feels really vague and unsatisfying. i love the sideways pull from the Blade. If you turn away from the kite, it stays where it is and you go sideways. Really controllable back end slides to scrub off speed when you want and really good fun, esp with a harness in high winds. For me the thrill of buggying is not just going along quickly, but sliding around and having fun flying the kite too. i used a Blade III 3.0 the same windy, gusty day as the 3.5. Ahhh. What a great higher wind buggy kite. Much more predictable, stable and fun than the 3.5. Moves through the air properly. The brakes are not that great on the Bullet. In higher winds it really needs to be landed at the edge of the window. if you tighten the brake lines, it doesnt fly right. Personally i think that the shape of the Bullet is all wrong. its like some bulbous oversized stunt kite. Bought an Elliot Ekko 2.8 for higher winds. Ahhh a proper kite....... So is it easy to fly a Bullet ? Yes. Is it easy to buggy with the Bullet ? Yes in a vague sloppy kind of way. Is it dull ? Yes. The 2.5 is better than the 3.5, and in higher winds is an option, but there are much more fun and controllable kites out there. The Ekko is amazingly controllable and SO much more enjoyable than the Bullet. The small Blade is better too, and more controllable. If a beginner was looking to buggy i would say buy a great kite and learn to fly it. Not a mediochre one like the Bullet. By : simon moore1 point