Flexifoil Bullet

The Bullet is very well made, perfect really. See other reviews on this count...

i have buggied the 2.5 in 15mph onshore winds and owned a 3.5 bullet which got buggied a few times before being sold. These are popular kites. They are easy to fly. They make your buggy go along fast. But some people really dont like them...

i have a blade 4.9 and a Flexifoil buggy, so i like Flexifoil products. But as much as i tried to like the bullet that i shelled out 240 quid for, i couldnt. i asked around, equalized the stretchy lines, adjusted the brakes but......yuk.

i realize that i am not the only one and some experienced buggiests agree. So whats wrong with it ? Primarily it is dull to buggy with. Why is this ? Well the power is very on off, because it moves through the air slowly. Sure it turns really quickly, but doesnt generate much power in the process. You feel isolated from the kite. So it doesnt do much and than suddenly you are whizzing along.

It doesnt collapse easily in gusty winds, but it doesnt really like them much either. They just exaggerate the on-off behaviour. if you turn away from the kite to scrub off speed, the kite follows you, without "gripping" the air so it feels really vague and unsatisfying. i love the sideways pull from the Blade. If you turn away from the kite, it stays where it is and you go sideways.

Really controllable back end slides to scrub off speed when you want and really good fun, esp with a harness in high winds. For me the thrill of buggying is not just going along quickly, but sliding around and having fun flying the kite too. i used a Blade III 3.0 the same windy, gusty day as the 3.5. Ahhh. What a great higher wind buggy kite. Much more predictable, stable and fun than the 3.5. Moves through the air properly. The brakes are not that great on the Bullet.

In higher winds it really needs to be landed at the edge of the window. if you tighten the brake lines, it doesnt fly right. Personally i think that the shape of the Bullet is all wrong. its like some bulbous oversized stunt kite. Bought an Elliot Ekko 2.8 for higher winds. Ahhh a proper kite.......

So is it easy to fly a Bullet ? Yes. Is it easy to buggy with the Bullet ? Yes in a vague sloppy kind of way. Is it dull ? Yes. The 2.5 is better than the 3.5, and in higher winds is an option, but there are much more fun and controllable kites out there. The Ekko is amazingly controllable and SO much more enjoyable than the Bullet. The small Blade is better too, and more controllable.

If a beginner was looking to buggy i would say buy a great kite and learn to fly it. Not a mediochre one like the Bullet.

By : simon moore