FireForEffect

I thought I'd write a review on the Samurai 2 as I have been using it now for well over a year and even though it's not a recent model from Ozone - in my opinion it will always be an excellent kite, far from out dated and always in my collection. Build quality? Lets just say flawless. This was the first Ozone kite I had bought and I was immediately impressed with Ozone design and build quality, checking everything from the Rucksack to the kite and lines ( a whole lot jazzier than the grey flexifoil lines I was used to with the Sting - the pink and orange lines match perfectly with the Samurai 2 in orange and blue - kind of strange, but it works). The workmanship on the kite itself - everything from stitching alignment to the bridling was sheer precision. The quality control that Ozone have did not let me down in any way, absolute class. When I first saw the Samurai 2 online I was immediately attracted to the graphics / panels which I found so visually impressive with this kite. Again, full marks for design - simple yet bold (the fact that there is always a cyber samurai warrior emblazoned on the central diamond panel looking down at you is always a plus). The first attempt at flight with the Samurai 2 was when after only having flown a Flexifoil Sting 2.4m for 4 weeks previously as the grand sum of my power kiting experience. It was interesting, to say the least. I can catagorically state that I was definitely a total novice when I bought the Samurai 2. In retrospect, I did a lot of things wrong when flying initially - starting with flying overpowered for my very limited ability a the time. The wind must have been approximately 18 to 20 mph and possibly gusting to 22 or 25 mph based on my experience now (I didn't own a wind meter at the time but did pick up a Hemet just a few days before from Ebay). A big mistake, and lessons have been learnt. After the setup and checking of the lines I was ready. The kite was sitting directly in the window but I was confident I could handle it (how very, very wrong), expecting to get a scud out of the initial launch. I released the brakes and gave the handles a pull and the Samurai 2 just launched immediately, filling all the cells within a second and in the time it had lifted a few meters I was already being dragged along with no hope of stopping. Adrenaline turned to fear and instead of placing the kite in the outer window to gain control - I didn't commit either way and I must have been taken some 40 meters before deploying the killers. This reduced the panic but I was still being dragged (by now, along the floor) and unable to recover my footing - it all stopped when my friend realized that I was in trouble and grabbed the kite, closing the cell inlets. Wow! I was completely shocked at the sheer raw power the Samurai had. It was massive and after that first and incompetent attempt I seriously doubted that I would keep the 4m version and was thinking about down grading immediately. Needless to say, I called it a day and was just happy that myself and nobody else got injured in any way. This first experience with the Samurai 2 did have a positive effect in removing any arrogance I had about any form of power kiting ability I thought I had acquired. It instilled respect for the wind and flying safety that is always paramount when ever I fly now. So, let move on by 10 to 12 months and I was glad I didn't downgrade in size. I now have confidence in flying the Samurai 2 in a way that I had with my beginner kite - the Sting. I find that the Samurai 2 flies in such a stable manner and responds immediately to control input that I can fly pretty confidently in 15 to 20 mph and really enjoy the excitement of it - pulling off pendulum jumps in high winds with 5 to 6 feet height and with smooth, fairly floaty landings - it does take work to achieve it though as the Samurai 2 is designed for traction and reduced lift. (any abrupt returns to earth and the the only injury I've had from flying the Samurai 2 are due to my inadequacy at re-directing the kite properly). The way it handles gusts is superb - as the two largest central cells are sealed it retains total shape and stability when they hit, maybe slightly over flying to accommodate the extra speed and settling back to stationary once the gust has been 'processed'. Even when taking it to the outer edges of the wind window I experience no luffing unless putting at ridiculous angles to the wind and have never experienced a bow-tie in flight. The acceleration when putting the kite in the power zone is smooth rather than popping and gives me confidence to really fly the kite dynamically. It has to be the easiest launching kite I have flown - with a smooth flight straight to zenith then obediently waiting - even in lumpy winds - for the next control input. Once again the central cell closures perform brilliantly providing stable flight and maintaining inflation ( I also think this looks fantastic - giving the Samurai 2 a rather aggressive style). To conclude, I have found this kite to be perfect. It performs to such a high level that it has my total respect in both performance and design. Even with the release of the new Cult from Ozone, I think that the Samurai 2 design is contemporary and deserves to sit right along side it as a current model rather than be super seeded by it. By : FireForEffect

Brooza 2m The first thing I can say about the PKD Brooza is that it looks striking! I absolutely love the black eagle / axe emblem which is perfectly stiched into the kite. The build quality is superb through out. I bought the 2m Brooza second hand on Ebay and found that even with heavy prior use from it's previous sponsored flyer (the white part was looking beige from all the beach activity) a little gentle cleaning resulted in an almost brand new look and the material felt totally crispy, as if it was ready for it's maiden flight; I was expecting some slight wear and tear but there was'nt any so 10/10 to PKD for durability. The bridle lines are nicely multicoloured to assist in any tangles and the four cell air intake vent has a re-inforced border. The Brooza was supplied with ozone lines which are coloured green and yellow and perfectly match the 2 metre version of this kite. It also came with ozone handles which were kindly supplied by the previous owner (the 'standard' retail version of the Brooza comes as kite and bag only with user supplied lines and handles - but I think an offcial PKD set is available if desired). The drawstring bag is made from the same material as the coloured section of the kite so matches perfectly and is practical with shoulder straps and additional room for any accessories if required. Flight Experience I got to fly the kite the very next day after delivery. The wind was registering around 16 to 18 mph with the occasional gusts so I thought it would be ideal conditions for me to get used to the Brooza's control. Unpacking was simple and the kite was setup in a matter of minutes. The kite sat up high in the wind but did not fully enflate due to the four cell vent at the centre of lthe leading edge and this is a major plus for me - it was steady as a rock on the ground with no bounce or flutter from the trailing edge which I rarely but sometimes get with my other kites. so on the ground it was extremely well behaved and as I went to check the bridle lines with the sun shining driectly in front of my as I stood behind the kite, I got the first taste of how impressive the kite looked - the sun's rays passing through the golden yellow of the kite made the 'pheonix' emblem even more impressive - I thought my Samurai 2 looked good, but this is something else. So everthing was set and I was feeling ready - as I had spent alot of time with my 2.4m Sting, I thought this was going to feel similar. I tugged the lines and the kite lifted a few feet, reversed, then turned into a giant propeller - I knew that something was wrong on setup so after almost vomiting from piroetting to detangle the lines (whirling dervishes had nothing on me) and remembering which knot was used by the previous flyer (I had way too much break on), it was time to try again. So the first proper flight? what can I say? My first experience of flight with the 2m Brooza can only be described as brilliant and resulted in me being pleasantly shocked. As I launched the kite it lifted steadily to around 4 to 5 metre's at which point I could see the cells fully inflating and anticipated a little pull but what I did'nt expect was a 6 metre ass-scud as I was dragged along. Don't get me wrong, this was no snatching, jolt reation to a gust; as the vents had filled the power was introduced progressively and I just did'nt anticipate the amount of it so my trainers slipped on the grass as my bracing stance was incorrect and off I went. As I pulled the kite to the side of the window and landed it with excellent reactions from the brakes, resulting in a quality stall with the kite holding excellent shape as it deflated and landed; I sat there, with an absolutely massive grin on my face and chuckling to myself like a madman! Their is no way I was expecting this much power from a 2m kite - it must have around twice the pull of my Sting 2.4m; the Brooza really felt like I had a kite almost twice it's size on the end of my lines. I'd flown the Sting prior to setting up the Brooza and it was a massive difference. The Sting behaved almost like a Delta - with extreme reactions and a little pull, but the Brooza felt more like my Samurai 2 (4m) in power delivery - progressive but still speedy due to it's 2 metre size. I had the super quick turns and spins of the Sting but with alot more power and excitement. The Brooza ate the gusts that hit it without faultering; no luffing or overflying, just super smooth performance with excellent stabilty and smooth acceleration through the gusts instead of the slightly gasping, choking tugs I get from the Sting in similar situations. It remained fairly stationary at zenith but was way to much fun passing it through the powerband to the edges of the window to have it sitting there for any more than a few seconds. Summary Overall, this kite is simply brilliant. It has the same excellent build quality of the Samurai 2, very similair power delivery methods and looks beautiful; it's also challenging, exciting and very rewarding to fly. It's classed as an intermmediate kite but I'm a beginner and after the initial brake issues (totally my fault due to incorrect setup) I found this excellent to fly with brilliant speed and immediate reactions to inputs and not at all difficult to control. This is a great kite. It performs with refinement and also provides very good power for a kite it's size. Highly reccommended! I find it impossible to believe that they are'nt more popular with flyers. They deserve to be in everybody's collection - my Brooza'a definitely staying in mine! By : FireForEffect

I've had the Sting '06 now for around 3 months - this is the kite I've learned the basics of kiting on and I've also used it for high wind flying. The Sting '06 comes in a canvas shoulder bag with a drawstring and padded shoulder area. The bag feels extremely durable but has no real water proofing so it's probably a good idea to move the instructions booklet from the front pouch to the inside of the bag as my booklet and free stickers turned into mush from a sudden downpour (the front 'panel' pouch is pretty well hidden with velcro sealing - I actually thought they forgot to put the instructions and sticker pack with mine!). So, the bag is no nonsense, durable, fairly comfortable and absolutely practical. As well as the instructons, stickers and a handy limited repair voucher, the bag contents are the handles with kitekillers attached, lines on a winder and the actual kite. I find the handles to be great and very managable due to thier slightly compact size - excellent in reducing hand fatigue compared to other brands I've used. With colour coded neoprene grips for comfort; I've really enjoyed using them. The attached kite killers are also highly comfortable and fit snugly with velcro fastenings. The main lines are colour coded to assist identification and also help with tangles but I can honestly say that this has never been an issue in the 18 or so times I've flown the Sting '06 - the lines are so well coated and light that I've had no problems with twists, knots or tangled lines, the brake lines are of the same quality so 10 /10 for the handles, kite killers and lines. Now the kite itself. Build quality is excellent. The material is still totally crisp after the many flights I've had and the seams are stitched perfectly with reinforcement, ensuring durability. I went for the Petrol colour scheme and I find it a great contrast with a bright blue sky but can look a little drab in less favourable cloudy days due to it being mainly grey. However, thier is a good range of colour schemes which have been applied to most if not all of Flexifoil's new kites so I'm sure their will be something suitable for all tastes. Actual flight with the sting '06 has been such a great experience it has ensured that kiting is now one of my main persuits and has provided the hook into this great sport / pastime. How has it done this? Simple - every flight has been successful. For a beginner this is great news and ensures progression. I have found the Sting to be so stable in low/moderate wind flight that I learnt the control/brake mechanics easily. I can now control exactly where I want it to go. The kite holds it's shape so well with no luffing making it totally suited for a beginner ( I've flown the Sting in wind as low as 3-4 mph and it still performs well for the wind speed; although totally underpowered in low wind circumstances - it still flies - I think alot of kites this size would be unusable). That's not to say this kite should be dismissed by flyers with more experience - as a high wind kite ( my high wind flights were topping out at 25 to 27mph approx) this has been a total blast to use with blisteringly fast responses and such speed that it would have felt like I had a large Delta on the end of my lines if it was'nt for the pull; It has a decent amount of power, enough to get some quality scudding on, more than ample for it's size (I only fly static - but I'm sure the Sting would cater well for the boarder in high winds). Another important aspect of the Sting is that I felt totally in control of it(never had to use the kite killers), even with generous pull in high winds and super fast speed. This made the experience even more exciting as I was flinging it around in all sorts of ways with a lot of confidence expecting it to luff; taking it right to the edge of the wind window but it was just coming right back at me - handling every erratic instructions I gave it with lightning fast responses So, my conclusion is that this is a superb kite. Excellent for beginners to learn on and for the advanced flyer, an absolute blast of a high wind kite with rock solid performance. Absolutely reccommended. By : FireForEffect