Eolo Radsail Savage 8.5M

Up until now I'd flown a 3.5 bullet and a 5.5 buster so felt I needed a bigger kite. As you do!

Ordered my Radsail savage 8.5 on e bay for £270. I'd shopped around and read some write ups and reviews. generally everywhere else was selling t for £360 - £400 so bargain.

Delivered about 5 days later from Marseille. Nice.

I've been Power kiting static for about 6 years and started buggying about 3 months ago. Got onto a board... errr yesterday! That's also when I got my new Savage out.

Laid it out and its a nice looking kite. build quality only time will tell. Handles maybe a bit small and come with end caps to wrap lines round when packing up (more about that later) Rest of t pretty standard.

Connected the lines which are labelled in a square card so easy to larkshead and then remove the card. Handles were staked on the brake lines. Wind was light (about 6 gusting to maybe 10) but the Savage immediately sat up beautifully. Obediently obeying the brakes and spread out waiting to go.

Up to the handles and that moment when you pull and wonder what's gonna happen.

Whoosh the Savage went straight up lke a rocket. Loads of pull and as t reached the park, lift. Then it sat there looking (if I may say) magnificent.

Shape wise it looks like a backwards bullet. Meaning the leading edge is flat and the trailing edge is curved.

Time to rag it about the sky a bit. It turned well, if a bit cumbersome in the low wind so I tried applying a bit of brake and what a difference. It spun on its own edge lovely and came straight back on itself. It did however need a lot of brake.

So I landed it (no probs balancing it on the brakes as it came down.

There is no adjustment in the lines so I tied a knot at the hadnle end to increase the braking then off again. Big difference. Same ease of use in the air but less effort to achieve turn on the brakes.

Had a bit of a play and as I say got on the board. Being new to the board I was a bit nervous but the Savage induced confidence as I could put it where I wanted and I actually achieved some forward motion as I quickly had no issues with where the kite was and what it was doing.

Two of the other guys had 10.5 Blades which in comparison in these conditions seemed heavy and cumbersome and didn't want to leave the ground. (no I'm not saying the Savage is better than a Blade. I'm not stupid. What I am saying is in the conditions the Savage seemed happier).

The Savage was also steady at the edge of the window at all points and quite happily overflew the park position then came back on the brakes. I did have an issue when I went too far. It huffed a bit but still came back but the egdes had a habit of coming in and getting snagged on the bridle. I was able to shake them free most times and I think with a bit more wind this wouldn't be an issue.

Overall I'm over the moon and can't wait to get it out again.

Plusses- flies really well, very controllable, pulls like a train, lots of lift and looks great.

Negatives- handles are a bit small and brake turns make your wrists hurt, edges snagged on bridle occasionally when it huffed at the edge of the window.

For the future I think it would respond really well to a crossover bar. I'm thinking Ozone Turbo........ Where's my credit card....
 

By : dpbeds