shane1599968690

The kite comes with dyneema lines, quad handles, kite killers and a rucksack. The standard lines are suitable for recreational flying only, and not board use - though I've done both on my set and had no problems at all. Out of the bag the kite looks excellent, with the usual high build quality you come to expect from Flexifoil. There's Velcro clips on the trailing edge to hold the lines and when new, there's a cardboard instruction sheet attached there also. Setup is the same as with any quad-lined kite and handles. What they don't tell you, though, is where to put your stake when staking out the kite. The answer is through the loops at the back of the handles. Maybe obvious to some, but as this was my first kite, I didn't know any better. In flight. It's a twitchy bugger in stronger winds I can tell you! While I had the kite stationary at zenith (It was in my early flying days though, and I have no idea what the wind speed was). Because of its speed through the air and incredible turning speed, you can get it to develop quite a good deal of power in quite low winds. It's not the best fun, but you can work it like a mule and get going on a land board in anything from 12mph! Quite an achievement for such a small kite! Jumps are possible with it also, by taking it through a sharp 180 turn just after it reaches zenith from either the rhs or lhs of the window, you can really make it tug! Once the wind does pick up you can really get going with it and upwind progress is no problem at all. Landing is extremely easy in good/light winds. It can be reversed in flight by applying the brakes. A similar technique is fairly easy to employ if re-launching after a nose dive. BUT when the wind picks up it can be a struggle to maintain the right amount of break on each side and spins can be involuntarily entered into. She's a feisty little one!!!! I'd say that this is a completely different beast to the Bullet 3.5 which seems a lot slower to turn and as a result, if worked, seems to pull about the same as the 2.5. I didn't find the 3.5 quite so much fun. Overall this is a great little kite and a useful piece of kit for when the wind starts to pick up. (can't comment on buggying, it's supposed target audience, as I've never been in a buggy). By : Shane

I purchased the beamer 3.6 about twelve months ago from Marionville models for £129.99. It arrived in a black rucksack with a very large zip on the front which I have recently had to replace due to the shoulder straps comeing away from the main body. I unpacked the kite which was bright yellow with red. I was impressed by the way the bridles were attached and reinforced. I was surprised at the precision that was obviously taken in the design and construction of this kite. I then attached the lines then packed it up and headed of to Lytham St Annes as I personally find the beach the best place to fly. The first time I flew the beamer was in a wind speed of 10-12 mph. After a few adjustments of the brake lines I was able to skudd along the beach at a good speed. The only problem was after about 15 mins I had to bring the kite down to give my arms a rest. The next time out I had purchased some new handles which are slightly longer than the original ones also with the new ones I am able to adjust the the brake line while flying which I have found to be very useful in different wind speeds. At present the highest wind speed I have flown in is about 22mph and it was great I even found that I could be lifted of the ground for a few seconds at a time and enjoyed this. I have just recently attached 30m lines to the beamer and found that it flies a lot better and produces more power and looking forward to the end of May when I should have a buggy. I have also flown this beamer using a harness which enables me to fly for a lot longer than 15 mins even in higher winds and for skudding it is exellent. I would certainly recommend this kite to anyone looking to but their first foil kite but also advise them that until they learn how to fly it they should stick to light winds as in a high wind as with other kites it will hurt you or somebody else if you do not know how to control it. By : Shane