For a couple of months I did alot of research on my own to decide what traction kite to get as a beginner. Sorry for me I did not discover this web site at the time. Lucky for me my research paid off, I came to the conclusion that Ozone, Flysurfer, and Flexifoil were the best companies to produce excellent quality and great kites! After shopping around I called OceanExtremeSports in North Florida and Darryl the owner helped me out alot. He highly recommended the 3M Samurai, so I happily accepted. After all they make Paragliders!
THE KITE :
It comes in a very nice back pack with side pockets, one side used for the control bar. The kite is folded nicely & secured with strap. Four lines 25m and all labeled and color coded and very good instructions.
Build Quality is excellent! The material is crisp, light, and strong. Stitching is flawless and the lines are of very high quality. The control bar feels good. Setting it up was easy and straight forward. The only thing I would have done is made the foam grip on the bar thicker or possibly a gel coat for more comfort, but this is very minor. I bought some nicely padded cycling gloves and everything is perfect!
Flying the kite. After untangling the lines, laying out the kite, and straping the kite killer known as the brake, I was ready, but not without a knot in my throat and my pulse racing! Don't forget even though it's only 3m, I was knew at this with no help on flying and did not know what to expect. First launch, kite started to go up and after only a few feet, turn to the right and down nose first, or should I say leading edge first. Dummy me I did not steer the kite left as if the kite was suppose to go straight up on it's own. Lesson 1 learned! Second attempt now becomes a reverse launch, lucky me.
Just like the manual says I pulled on the brake lines and the kite started to rise, mid way to the zenith I released the brakes and turned the kite and wow, straight up to the zenith it went. It turns fast and flies great! Very stable. Only had it overfly just a little bit and only happens in stronger winds. Easily corrected by adding some brake or walking backwards. The only sluggish and less responsiveness I felt was not do to the kite but to the wind and size ratio. It was blowing about 8mph and was not steady wind, often dying down to almost nothing. Now I see why launching was difficult! But even so it still flew great!
I bought the kite in January of this year and only use it recreationaly, letting it drag me on the grass. I have flown it in about 16mph and this 3m sam loves the strong winds. It's awesome and has great pull for the size, good for scudding. At the time I did not no about Aspect Ratio, so did not no what to expect for lift, but knew from the dealer that it was a begginer kite and that some lift can occur. Begginer YES!, Lift NO!, I thought it was my inexperience but it has no lift at all, at least from what I can feel! Still awesome kite for the first time out, and now having it for almost a year I can just about fly it with my eyes closed. By the way, never had to use the kite killers, only time I use them is for brakes when I land and for correcting the overflying. I can't imagine how anyone with this size would get in trouble and have to use them in that manner!
Conclusion:
Not cheap, but you get what you pay for! and in this case Ozone delivers. The quality, excellent flight, very stable and so on. I highly recommend this kite to anyone! Don't expect to get any air and you will love this kite! I paid $379. u.s. in January, don't know what they are right now, but well worth it!
Now for my second kite I will be looking at either the Ozone Riot, or the Flysurfer Rookie2.
Thanks for a great site, and lots of info!
By : ahsoaring
