First off let me quantify this review by saying that I am a complete novice.
Over a year ago now a friend of mine introduced me to power kites, up till this point my only experience of kites had been out on Blackheath Common with a small delta wing stunt kite, enviously eyeing up the larger kites.
So after an afternoon of being hauled up and down the beach with his WindWing 330 I was completely hooked, if a little sore.
I set about reading as much as possible about kites and what was good, not good and what was downright awful. After a great deal of research I had plumped for a Radsail Pro 4m but due to financial constraints had to put the purchase on hold for a while. This is when the problems started, as an avid browser of racekites.com I came across a review of a new kite called the Crossfire.
Now I really was in a muddle, I wanted a kite that I could learn on but that wouldn't become redundant in 6mths time. All the reviews of the Crossfire suggested that this was not a beginner’s kite, that it requires a bit of experience to fly & get the most out of it. Now I know that I don’t fit the bill here but that review kept me thinking (thanks Jerry) how difficult could it be? A big selling point (for me at least) of the HQ kites this year is the ‘all you need’ package and with the handles on the Rad Pro reputedly being poor my decision was made; the Crossfire would be the one.
Now for the Kite & associated kit. Upon receipt I just couldn’t wait to see what I had got myself in for. Rucksack looks really nice and, although the straps lack any real padding, is very comfortable – not that it will ever have too much weight in it.
The handles, fairly big with a firm comfy grip, probably the weakest part of the whole package in my opinion, leader lines not entirely equal and the neoprene seems to sit a little high on the aluminium base, could lead to slippage. The break leaders don’t appear to be protected where they exit the handles but all seems well machined so this may not be a problem, time will tell.
Next the Kite Killers, very easy to put on and don’t get in the way, I have read about a few issues with the attachment point of the lines to the cuff but this may just be on the larger kites, I haven’t had any problems as yet.
Lines, well they are white, fairly easy to distinguish between bake & power, not much more to say really. Supplied on a plastic winder in pairs and of equal length.
Also comes complete with ground stake & maybe, if you are lucky, a DVD, mine was absent but I just want to play with the kite, not watch someone else playing.
Now for the kite. This looked really big in my front room, but that’s not saying much, even the cat looks big in there (think the architect was in a Lilliputian phase!) anyway manage to open it up, bridle lines all attached well to the kite and all sewn. All seams appear to be straight and tight and the reinforcing sort of holds open the vents. Material feels like a crisp version of my Gore-tex cycling jacket but don’t have any experience with other kites so can’t compare. I like to colour and design. A couple of good design points are the ‘dirt outs’ in the wing tips and the bridle retainer on the leading edge, it’s the little things like this that show real attention to detail, thoughtful & practical design execution.
Pack it all away and wait for the wind to die down (bet you cant believe that) and then wait for any wind at all (now that you do believe).
Set up on the beach was a breeze. Stake out the lines check lengths, attach to handles open kite, sand trailing edge and attach brake lines (5 attachment knots, chose ones closest to kite) then power lines to kite. Double check everything & lift kite to fill.
As I was out of my small apartment & on the beach I was expecting the kite to look quite diminutive but seeing it filled with air it looked quite impressive/daunting. Maybe I should pack away and wait for a calmer day, I have read the horror stories & know what can happen, but as ever curiosity got the better of me, besides the beach was empty & the wind was only just getting the flags moving so I estimated it to be about 10mph. That should be fine, famous last words, kite killers on & a quick tug of the handles and up she goes.
Wow, was ready for the pull but still managed to slide a couple meters down the beach, kite goes straight up to the top and with arms outstretched I slowly start to move the kite around above my head. Really quite responsive, now I am used to a little delta kite whizzing around at silly speeds, so this was quite slow in comparison but still quicker than I expected. I managed to manoeuvre it around without too many issues, brakes are really responsive and bring the kite down without any unnerving moments. So after 10 mins of flying, land kite, light cigarette & catch my breath and let my heartbeat return to 65 BPM. The wind started to pick up a little so I decided to call it a day, discretion being the better part of valour. This is when my problems started, its all very well looking at the photos & instructions of how to Para pack a kite but try doing it on a windy beach, 45 mins later & finally all packed away, hope this bit gets easier with time.
Since then I have had a good few outings, unfortunately the beaches in Guernsey are highly prized by the inhabitants on a sunny day so I have to go early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the crowds. Kite just keeps getting better and better, fly’s well in most winds & although I have not had any problems unpacking (Para packing really does work), I still haven’t go the hang of putting it away without taking half the beach with me.
Once filled with wind the kite looks really nice, very tight sail & trailing edge & very few wrinkles, take-off is generally quite easy although it does have a tendency to twist through 90 degrees when the wind is a little low (think that this is just the cells filling fully). Flying seems really smooth and control on the breaks is impressive, very easy to fly backwards and hover low to the ground. Generally the kite is very stable, I have had the wingtips fold slightly as I reach the edge of the window but this is never a problem and probably my flying style, or lack of it. Turning is easy & very much accelerated with a little break input. Reverse launching is a doddle too.
The kite also seems to have stood up well to my initial use/abuse of it & despite being banged into the beach a few times (that does make a lot of noise) dragged along the sea wall and rocks & being dumped in a pool of sea water (didn’t like that too much as it was a pain to fly afterwards for 10 mins till it dried out a bit). Not a mark on it all the stitching is still in place and fabric still feels like new & that’s a couple of months down the line.
I have to say that I do treat the kite with kid gloves, I am only too aware that this is a very powerful piece of kit quite capable of doing serious damage. That said, it has been nothing but well behave and reacted to its environments in a controlled and progressive manner, yes it does have lift, yes it is powerful, more so than the Wind Wing, & yes it will luff and re-inflate on me but the latter is down to my inexperience. I haven’t once had to deploy the killers in anger to ground it and I hope that the relatively gentle summer winds will give me enough experience to try this kite out once Autumn arrives the winds pick up & the beaches clear, although I don’t want to wish the summer away just yet...
I bought this as a recreational ‘toy’ I don’t have any interest in Buggying or Boarding (at the moment) and as such serves its purpose fantastically – looks pretty good as a buggy engine in Skyhooked’s video too. It’s keeping me fit, giving me hours of enjoyment; I love that power surge as it comes across the window. Even my Girlfriend is keen to come down to the beach & get involved, a big plus in my opinion.
I haven’t really found any problems so far with the ‘intermediate’ tag applied to this kite. Ok I am not the greatest flyer in the world & probably don’t do the kite any justice, but with patience and practice maybe one day I’ll give it the workout it deserves. All in all a great piece of kit!
I know that there have been a few teething problems with this model, what new product doesn’t, but HQ have a fantastic after care service by all accounts and most, if not all the initial, problems have been rectified. I certainly wouldn’t have any hesitation in buying or recommending another HQ product.
As a final note, a big thank you to Racekites & the community, you have proved to be a superb & friendly source of help and information & will continue to be my reference point. Keep up the good work & happy flying everyone.
Rich.
