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I bought this kite as a 'take anywhere' kite, so I could always be ready to catch the breeze wherever I go. Also, having never flown a foil kite before, I thought this would be a great introduction to a larger kite. The kite comes in a plastic/fabric pouch, which although it displays their graphics nicely, is not the most practical case. I promptly found myself a drawstring bag, which makes for a far more compact package. All is not lost though- the pouch will hold an A4 sheet comfortably and is now my rainproof map case! Anyway, the kite. There is a little wobbly stitching here and there, but you really can't complain given the price of the kite. The control lines (which by the way, are the same length- gold star for that!) seem up to the job, though the bridle lines look a tad on the heavy side (are the same bridle lines used on all the radsails?). The colours/design look good in my opinion, I'm a fan of the fluorescent green! Eagerness to try the kite meant that the first flight was in far too light a breeze (probably around 5mph). However, the kite did get off the ground, and did so in a far lighter wind than my previous delta kite. That said, the canopy was only semi-inflated and it often folded up in turns. I left the field with a tinge of disappointment, but a feeling that the kite had potential. I just needed more wind... Two days later sees the wind blowing about 10mph, so I head to the field again. On launching, the kite fills fully and heads straight to the zenith. Pulling the strings has the kite manoeuvring nicely- figure of eights, pirouettes... all faultless. As the wind got up to ~15mph, the size of the window increased, though pushing it to the edge resulted in a collapse or a simple descent (which was easy to relaunch from). Next to no pull, so this is a kite bound to recreational static flying. By the way, I gave the handles to interested bystanders a couple of times, promply taking them back when they began thrashing the ground with my foil! Despite these altercations with terra firma, the kite still looks as new. So, a nice nimble kite, which I am eager to fly again. Well made, especially so for £20, and fulfils the role of 'travel foil' perfectly. Unfortunately, it has me hooked and looking for a larger foil... I knew I shouldn't have bought it! By : Gaffspan
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Its probably common knowledge about the initial issue I had with the radsail when it first arrived, but this has not put me off writing a review. What you get Kite: Apart from the small issue with the bridal fixing overall the quality of the Kite is pretty high good and high quality materials have been used my only criticism is that the sail material is very heavy and seems to soak up water like a sponge. Bag: Usual budget kite bag quality, zip broke after 2 weeks. Handles: Pretty rubbish and very uncomfortable to use, swapped for flexi handles and kite killers Lines: So far seem ok, no stretching and quality seems reasonably good overall Manuals and extra's: Manual is short but useful, there is a cool DVD included and a sticker. The winders that come with the lines are pretty good. Flying. The first time I took the kite out I found I hated the supplied handles and swapped them for an old HQ Beamer set. Once the kite was set up it flew like a dream, it was a sunny winter day nice constant 13 mph wind, the kite flew really well and generated a lot of power. It was a little slow on the turn but that's to be expected. There was the odd luff but nothing major. Unfortunately when the kite luffs if you don't catch it very quickly the weight of the sail means it gets tangled in the bridal lines which results in you having to land the kite and do the walk of shame. Next time I flew it everything went wrong and bridal connector snapped. Once I got the kite back I stuck a pair of flexi handles on, this totally changed how the kite flew it was hard to break it would luff on every turn a little bit of tweaking and I found the problem. The radsail needs a lot of breaking to fly so a couple of quick adjustments and everything is ok. The kite seems to have a number of small issues: wind range / type in low winds and gusty conditions the kite will luff and fold in on its self because it is such a heavy kite some of the luffing issue where cured by tweaking the breaks but its still a issue. Damp grass: the kite soaks up water like a sponge and becomes very heavy which makes it a pig to fly But if you do get the kite flying in a good wind it pulls like a train and generates plenty of lift. It still manages to bring a smile to my face and everybody wlse who fly's it. I do find its very slow on the turn and have flown bigger kites that turn better such as the blade III. Conclusion There is a lot of hype about the radsail being as good as the blade III as it was designed by the legendary Andy Preston unfortunately the 6 m does not stand up to the blade in lift or flying characteristics, but it does come fairly close on power stakes. It can be a pig to fly in the wrong winds and I find it a little slow on the turn. Overall the build quality has held up very well and it seems bullet proof unfortunately they could have used some lighter sail material. Overall the radsail has the odd issue but if you are looking for a lot of power and a big smile on a budget £200 for 6 sq m of fun makes the radsail a good choice. By : bigbear
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I was given a free power kite lesson by my local shop, and was instantly hooked, so I decided to buy a kite. My free lesson was on a 2.5m kite so it was this size that I decided to go for first. I bought the Radsail for no other reason than price, I managed to get it very cheap from Ebay. It arrived in it's rucksack with lines, handles and a promo DVD (which shows different models in use). At first glance the kite is well built and looks the part. The bridles and lines are sturdy and the handles are of alluminium tube construction. The rucksack has a mesh bottom, which I can only presume is to let sand escape and let the kite breath if it gets wet/damp. It was easy to set up and the instructions that came with the kite tell you all you need to know (as a complete beginner!) I picked a not too windy day for my first flight, deciding to err on the side of caution. I staked the handles and ran out the lines and it seemed to sit very well on the floor. I managed to get it into the air with complete ease and played around for a while, finding it to be easy to use and great fun, it didn't need much adjustment as the lines seemed to be very well matched for length. I was surprised at how easy it was to fly (expecting my first 'large' kite to be a bit of a handfull) and thoroughly enjoyed my first flight. I handed it over to my 11 year old son to try and he also found that it handled well for him, it pulled him around quite a lot but he was having a great time. A very nice kite, with a good build quality and nice accessories, is the only way that I can describe it. It is stable, responsive, great fun, and value for money. I have flown it in quite high winds and even though it is 'small' it still manages to pull me around. I have not tried it with my board, but i'm pretty sure that it would just about give me a decent ride (fat bloke). All in all I am really inpressed with the 2.4 and would not hesitate to reccommend one to anyone looking for an entry level kite. By : Stixjimbo
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I know what you are all thinking, Radsails are cheap and nasty. well you are half way there, they are cheap and cheerful. I started off flying stunt kites but when i moved to the coast I really wanted to fly the big kites i saw everyone using. I found a 1.45m all twisted up in the rocks full of sand so i took it home and repaired/cleaned it up. I then excitingly proceeded to the beach with the lines from my stunt kite (not a good idea). The kite was great fun whilst it lasted, very fast and responsive and for me felt quite powerful. As you probably expected though, my fun didnt last as my lines were much too weak and snapped. That was it i was hooked. i didnt have much cash so i started surfing Ebay to see what i could get. To my surprise i found a 3m radsail for £89 that also come with a 1.45 for free (still on available Ebay New!). I was chuffed as this meant i could link my 2 1.45's and also try a bigger kite. I eagly went to the beach were a bloke was flying a 10m Peter Lyn on a bar and kindly offered me a go but since i had barely flew 2 line kites i declined and continued to set my Rad up to try. The Rad come in a half decent rucksack with handles and lines. It seemed to set up really quickly and i have never adjusted it since so my thoughts are its well set up from new. I was amazed at the control it had compared to 2 line kites and my first day was great fun. Since then i have used it about twice a week and in strong winds it is very powerful like most kites and has dragged my 16stone father in law across the beach. I also use it with a ATB and it pulls well, you just need a constant wind. I find that the ends fold occasionally but it doesnt seem to over shoot. I recently had a go on a 3.5bullett which had similar power but much more lift than the Rad. For a first kite and a kite that you will keep for those very windy days because of its price you cant go wrong. The only thing i have repaired is the bag but that is because i load it up with other stuff as well. I am now going to buy a Blade (god help me) but will never get rid of my Rad as it is a great all rounder and will always offer me a loads of fun. By : Ramsey
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Have had the Radsail 3 square metre kite for about a month now. Have tried it in both moderate and light wind and have been most impressed with it. Main reason for buying a medium sized kite was so that my 13 year old son could handle it. He does, even if it has dragged him along the ground a few times!! (We have kite killers on it but he wont let go!!) We have found it easy to set up straight from the bag. All four lines were the correct length and we had it flying within 15 mins of starting. In the air it is very controllable and certainly pulls very well in the power zone. It is quite easy to land by backing it down to the ground using the brake lines, and ready to take off again. If you do get it wrong and crash it, you can usually turn it over and relaunch without assistance. Quite easy to fly this kite without any help at all, especially with the use of a couple of tent pegs to help set it up. Many thanks to the guy on this site who sugested packing the kite up by packing the lines back inside the kite once it is in the bag with the lines still attatched to the kite. It works a treat and makes it easy to get flying again in less than 5 mins. I would recomend this kite as a value for money beginners kite. It seems to have a very good wind range and I have flown it in a wind far lighter than I would have thought possible. Great fun and only about £100. Yet to fly in strong wind but I know it will be fun!! By : Baldeagle
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This review is in remembrance of my stolen Eolo Radsail Pro 5.0, may it take the thief off the ground and throw them into oblivion. I bought this kite about three months ago from Ebay after having a little play with my mates PKD Buster. The build quality for a budget kite was very good, with very strong dyneema bridles and stitching, with stitched grills covering the air intakes of the cells. It's also a very attractive kite, I had the White, Black/Grey and Blue design which really looked a picture in the sky. The bag was also very practicle with the bottom of the bag meshed so that the kite material can breathe and so that sand doesn't get stuck in there. I think that the best use for this kite would be an entry level to buggying, due to the massive pull and low lift. However, it is also very good for boarding beginners like me. For a first kite it was amazing, the pull was immence even in low winds, which forced me to purchase a Scuuda 39 ATB. With a board, this kite is really in a league of it's own. Now, I'm no expert, but the ease at which it could turn was incredible especially with handles. I strongly recommend this kite to anybody with a little experience. The only real problem with this kite was that if you are being pulled at speed and then the wind suddenly drops, then the kite will fold. Pull 3/5 Lift 2/5 manouverability 5/5 stability 4/5 overall 4/5 By : Burger
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Having started flying kites again this year with a rather nice pressie off my wife of a 2.5m Beamer(it was one of the first in the country!) I decided to go large. I test flew a number of kites ranging from Rebbles, Samurais and 5m Beamers - and ended up with a Radsail Pro 6m. How so? Well it was ex demo/secondhand = bargain. It was also deamed to be the odd one out in the Pro line up ie slower and not as fast as the 4m Pro. I've resisted the tempation to write a review until now. I've read bits and pieces by other folk a lot of which has been a little damning of the 6m until I read a snippet on Forces of Nature by Shem of KSW that he thought it a good kite compared to say the 5m Beamer. I've flown this beast in little or no air to 23knots as provided by the local coastal observatory. My findings are that it really needs 3 to 4knots to get going and less than that it is like trying to fly a duvet! low air speeds you do need to work it. I've tried it over 4 occassions on solid 11 - 13 knots and you can park the kite anywhere in the wind window and scudding is easy! 15 - 16 knots the acceleration is there and you know it. To prove a point with two guys who were struggling in 23 knots with a 3.5 bullet (they had plenty of face plants) I put up the 6m Pro. The power was rock solid and the kite very stable indeed I weigh in at 90kg and was quite happily swinginging underneath it! I have to say I did switch down soon after to the Beamer 2.5 to give my arms a rest!! I have to say that Andy at Prokites went over this kite to check the build quality as I believe their have been some quality control issues. I'm pleased to say my kite has no apparent flaws. The Line set is good, very beefy main lines! The handles are in a word pathetic - carpal tunnel syndrome here we come. I resigned them early on to the garden shed and replaced them with a set of Flexifoil grips. This has improved handling markedly - I would say by virtue of the extra length in the handles to put the brakes on you have to reduce the brake line length at the handle (the handle comes with two knots, my advice is put a third in). Conclusion Of the kites available at the time this one won because of budget constraints. Yep you could spend twice as much as I did - but what's the point! I've gained a great deal of experience from the two kites in my quiver, I'm fortunate to live 5 minutes from the beach and I've still got brass in my pocket toward that 9m+ kite I'd quite like!!!! Like it or hate it - who cares I'm having a blast!!!! By : offshore
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The kite was bought for my 13year old son for his 1st kiteit was bought from marionville models and came well packaged and on time though the kite is a lower priced model it is well made and presented in its own ruck sack that has plently of room for other accessories the only minor disappointment are the handle they could be a lot better but that aside the kite is exellent value for money. After the usual first flight teething troubles had been solved he flew the kite like he'd been flying it for ever and enjoying every minute of it. The wind at the time was runniung at about 12-15 miles per hour and he was scudding along the beach and even trying to scud across the wind and having some success though this was limited. After his arms fell off with fatigue I parked my buster and gave it a try and was pleasantly suprised to find it had a lot more power than I thought it would have it turns quickly has quite a good range but it does tend to luft out as it turns at the edge of the window the power also goes out and it can be difficult to turn back into the wind but if it is kept away from the edge of the window it flies very well and responds well to the control inputs put fast moves in and it turns with an agility that is far more remenicent of say a flexifoil blade to which it bares more than a passing resemblance it is also a very good looking kite. If there is any problem with the kite it is packing it away trying to wind the strings in any kind of breeze without help is a complete nightmare as the kite floats up and begins to rap its self and the lines into one big tangled mass the only way to pack the kite is with the help of somebody else. To conclude this reveiw this kite is going to cost me a fortune as he now wants to get an ATB board and to learn how to buggy and go and try kitesurfing (though that is definatly going to have to wait) with the exception of the problems I've already mentioned above the kite is very good and a very useful first kite for anybody especially the younger flyer and I would have no problem recomending it to any body wanting to try power kiting for the 1st time. By : blue max
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I think I might review this kite in stages. Give my initial thoughts and update later when I feel I know the kite some more! I decided to start power kiting a couple of months ago. I'm an injured rower and I needed to find sport to take the place of rowing. Wind is generally something rowers hate, so spurred on by this idea I thought I'd turn it into something I love! Quote me: 'I'll get a bloody big kite and strap a large scateboard type thing on my feet!' What a good idea! Enter reality and the racekites forum. Some of you might have read my post 'am i mental?'. The answer was, yes, you possibly could be going a little too fast! You were all too polite to say I was off my rocker! I've received some fantastic advice, so thank you. In little under a week I've decided to start kiting and given up on the board idea for a little while whilst I find my feet. Type powerkite into google and you get a whole page of flexifoil stuff. I wonder how much they pay for that???? As a total newby set on the idea of doing matrix style jumps I initially thought Blade! Blade and airtime seem to be sybyotic words in the kite world. Blade and unpredictable also seem to have their part to play aswell however, so after looking at every review going I started to be drawn to the radsail (after hints at what kite to look at). From what I can tell this kite pulls hard, much like beamers, busters, peppers and so on, but you also can get lift. Ask me once for the reason why I bought this kite. The price and the possibility to move in to areas that facinate me later on! I ordered the kite from skymonster.com and I must say I've never known service like it. Ordered at 1.00pm this kite was with me within 24 hours. Also, I bought it at a very reasonable price! £140. The kite comes in a rucksack like many others these days and is surrounded by value. It seemed well made to me and surprisingly very light. one thing I did like was the mesh over the foils tips. Pointless comment, but i liked it! I've flown this beast (to me it is) twice now. The first time in hardly any wind (it sailed straight up) and the second time today (good wind). I was being pulled around in no time at all! I know what scudding is now and realise the value of brakes! One thing I do agree on from other reviews is that the handles aren't ammazingly comfy. But what do you expect for this price? I'm getting some new ones soon i think! At the end of the day I don't know much about kites and I'm still learning to respect the power of wind. A lesson I realise will take some time to learn, but I know good value when I see it and I think this kite is great. I'll let you all know how things are going later on. By : swissswisstone
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to what i can establish the eolo radsail 1.4m foil is the smallest of there selection in power kites. starting with the packaging, this is a small plastic slip with a velcro top and a cardboard insert with radsail graphics. taking the kite from the plastic slip gives the buyer a small suprise. i picked my 1.4m up at £22 inc p&p so the price is very good. taking the kite out and spreading out on the floor the radsail 145 is pleasing to the eye. in its white and light blue colors. the foil comes with a set of dacron lines and two leashes. instructions are very good with a wind table featuring all the foils in there range and what wind speeds should they can be flown in. and also a sticker with this kite but its not anything to write home about. laying out the foil and connecting the main lines to the bridles is very simple as this foil only has two lines (control) and no brake lines. i do worry about the leashes with smal children using this foil in high winds and you may want to swap over and use a control bar (Not Included with the foil). the quality of build is good and this kite can also be stacked using other radsail 145's via a stacking line exiting the top. my first outting with the radsail was a compleate fail. being a newcomer to kites i brought a 2.3 thinking it to be a pussy cat but i was wrong. when i found this small foil at sutch a cheap price i snapped it up (who wouldnt). after relishing in my new buy i was out in the most lightest breeze. i layed out the lines connected the handles to the main lines and trundled of the 20m to the bag with the foil. three mins later i was ready to go. a few pulls on the leashes had the foil filling up with wind and off it soared into the sky, two turns of the kite had the kite folding up without no wind. that was my first kiting mistake trying to fly without wind. the second outing came around four hours later when the wind had picked up to a nice cool 9mph breeze . after unpacking and fighting a flapping foil in the light but brisk surface wind i got to the leashes gave a slight pull and as the foil filled with air it soared skywards again. left to right, right to left the kite scooted across the sky, myself had not noticed the now wowing crowd with me straining with this little beast as it zipped around the sky, and a big oooh as i smashed from zenith to ground at full speed, inspection to damage caused was nothing and a sigh of relief came from me. i then decided to pack up as more yougsters came to see what the fuss is about. i aslo read on racekites.com that taking of the stacking lines will help with a more stable flight so i will do this next time i venture out. in all this small 1.4 twin line foil is a great buy . it is also great little kite for the youngsters to get to grips with. it does need to be flown with fairly good winds and not a gentle breeze. the control is responsive with the given lines but you do feel as they could be slightly stronger. speed through the power window is fast with a nice pull too. a couple of quick turns to cross the lines shows the dacron trys to grip its self so a small extra amount of force is needed to keep in control and counter turn the twist out. the stronger the wind the better this small foil preforms and will give a nice strong pull. being only a small foil i recomend it to be used for static flying as the traction from the foil wouldnt be too good for boarding, buggys, jumping or scudding. happy with: price is a real bargain, well built for the price paid, good for learners and youngsters. very stable flight. easy to control, sad with: Cannot be flown in low winds, sold with straps and not a control bar, dacron tends to stretch and damage easy. By : Kasper
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Hi Guys Bought this radsail 3m about a year ago now, after flying delta wings and fimbles pocket kites with the kids. thats how the bug started and it just getting worse. Bought the Radsail off Ebay with a free 1.45m rad FREE ( i like that word). The back pack isn't up to much, zip broke the next day. just use it to store my pads and helmet in now. but i bought a kite not a back pack. thought the handles were a bit tacky also (a year later changed them for Flexi's, why didn't i do it sooner?) Setting up was fine very straight forward, thick lines to the front thin lines to the back. First time out was scarey didn't know too much about the powerzone the zenith and all the rest of the jargon. the kite went straight up and so did i. it dumped me on my face a few yards down the beach. tried again and thought i'd got it then woosh away again. found out later the wind was about 25mph and i'm under 9st. (this day is on film, mate who came with me spent more time laughing and filming me than he did fly his own) To sum it up this kite has been in the sea (not intentionally) smacked into a pebble beach at full chat from the Zenith, skimmed across the pebbles and attacked by a dog. a year later and i still fly it (a little better now though) excellent kite for scudding and i'm now using it to learn the ropes on a land board. this kite is a must buy for anyone wanting to get into power/traction kiting as its cheap but not delicate you can put it through a lot and it'll still come back for more. needing more power just gone and bought a 5m beamer II, will let you know how thats going soon. By : R@TTY
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i own a 6m radsail and have enjoyed it alot however when the whind gets up it can be a handfull and especially when boarding leave you a little overpowered so i baught the 4m. out of the bag the radsails now have a new look very attractive pictures dont do them justice its a very pleasing kite to look at using bright florecent colours. instantly i notice it feels lighter the bridles are thinner and the sail itself feels lighter i dont think its thinner but it feels that way. same old bag and handles see my 6m review not the best but useable. best bet buy flexifoil handles and be done with it. comes with a sticker "nice" and a dvd which was a suprise. stitching seems ok same wobbly bits as old kites (only asthetic) but there are improved places with double stitching looks good set up streight on the lines and away no fiddling needed flying flies much faster than old kite not just sise diference ive flown other 4m's this one feels like a 3m, also i notice not much lift when over head and it doesnt have the arm wrenching pull of my bigger kite the traction comes from the speed it travels accross the window enough to skud all 15 st of me a good few meters nice to fly although has a tendancy to overfly and will luff at the edges of the window not as freindly with gusts as the bigger kite will luff a bit i found that it needed a constant slight pressure on the break lines to keep it in line then there were no probs aven at edge of window it wouldjust sit there. i may even stick some power rings on it to save my wrists flying cond that day 20mph wind not very gusty. board what a pleasant kite to board with not the unpredictable yank of the 6m but a nice gradual speed up and strangly because of how fast the kite moves i was able to go faster with this than my 6m well over 20mph on the beach the tendancy to luff made this painfull once but thats when i learned to keep a bit of break on. after that i had more fun than ever even upwind was good too out running a 4.9 blade in a race, amazing lots of fun really enjoyed it a much better kite for boarding than my 6m obviously 15st means i need abit of wind to get going so if you are lighter you may consider the 3m jumping for me its a bit small dont get me wrong by working it accross the power then up it lifted me about 3-5 feet but its not as floaty as the big kite not bad just not as good. i guess again if you were lighter it would be a different experiance PRICE this is the amazing bit i baught it new off e-bay and paid only 124 pounds + p+p thats it for a ready to fly 4m pro kite designed by andy preston (ex flexifoil blade) you cant beat it. summary i would deffinately recomend this kite it looks good, flies fast, pleanty of power but not over the top dead cheap but still good quality im 15st and board with it in 20mph wind in 10mph wind my 13year old skinny son flies it no probs. go and buy one, a worth while investment for any kite bag if you have a big kite and want somthing for the strong wind or if you have a smaller kite and want a bit more power this is for you and yours new for under 130 quid find a better deal By : DNash
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I chose this kite after getting some quality advice from the forum at Racekites.com. I took it out at the weekend for my first ever flight of my first ever power kite. There were scant instructions provided with the kite but i found them to be sufficient. The kite power and brake lines are colour coded and impossible to confuse. I attached the flying lines to the kite and handles, took about 20 minutes to set up in total. The wind was very light on the day, probably less than 10mph. I did struggle a bit at first to launch the kite but once up it quickly soared to the top of the window. This kite is very easy to control and is suited to beginners like me. The kite is very willing to fly across the power band and even in the light winds i was scudding across the snow a bit. It responds well when the brakes are applied to stop you & the kite getting out of control. The brake lines were a bit long but considering that the kite flew straight out of the bag without checking them, i can hardly complain. The kite is well constructed and strong. I crash it head on into the ground (only once though) and it was perfectly ok. Overall, I would recommend this kite to other beginners and am confident to take the kite out in stronger winds as it is easy to keep under control. It generates plently of power and i think it would be suitable for jumping and buggying. It was great value for money - got £100 off at marionville models. It was certainly an excellent buy and saved me from an elementary mistake of power kiting: - buying a two line flexifoil super 10 as a first kite. By : Bowlandflyer
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Review of the Eolo Radsail 1.45m Power Kite, new 2005 design. This item was placed on order on Friday 21/05/2005 from www.skyblueleisure.co.uk ONLY £19.99!! 1st Post this morning the Kite has arrived and it looks great! The kite is packet into a plastic fronted rip stop bad with a Velcro seal at the top making it easy to get the kite in & out of the bag. Contents of the bag are: 1x Kite 1x Sticker 1x Instruction Book 1x Advert Book (Other Models of Kite) 2x Kite Lines & Spool 2x Hand Straps "About an inch wide and just over 17cm long ". The instructions are in many languages and has been translated, So some parts do not make as much sense but the good pictures do make up for this. The design of the Eolo Radsail 145 is very good I thought for a £20 kite, the stitching is very neat and tidy and the kite its self is made from Rip-Stop Nylon. The kite lines are made from thin nylon cord and have black & red ends, But they do look a bit on the thin side but I am sure these have been tested and are quite suitable for this power of kite. The lines come on a black line winder that makes it very easy and neat to tidy away. The Flight Test: 23mph Winds The un-packing went very well and the kite setup was very easy however I noticed that the black line was about 1 foot longer than the red, This adjusted I started my 1st attempt at ever flying a power kite. The kite was held upright on the ground by a mate, Thanks Leigh! I pulled both of the lines and WOOOOOSH. The kite sawed up over my head with such a pull and hovered there until I was brave enough to pull on the right line very slightly; the kite was very responsive and moved VERY quickly with just the slightest of movement from the handles. I tried a few stunts and turns etc and went great, Moving the kite from side to side generated enormous pull. All in all I think this is a great starter kite, As it not too big and is easy to handle in winds of up to 25mph, The sensitivity however was not to my liking as a beginner I would have liked something a little less responsive just until I got the hang of things but this is something I will have to get used to. Fantastic kite and I am very happy to have it and will be going out again tomorrow if the winds die down a bit. I hope this has been of help to a few people who are looking to buy this kite as a beginner and if you have any questions please e-mail me stevehomer@dsl.pipex.com By : m0kqu
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Having had a long held interest in Kites it was only a matter of time before I took the plunge into "power" kites, I came across this kite in the Cotswold Outdoor shop in Keswick (Cumbria). I spotted it in their sale, amongst all the Flexifoils etc, I couldn't resist it at the price, the enthusiastic and knowledgeable shop assistant gave me a guided tour of the kite and some basic tips for flying it. I walked out with a new 3.0m kite for a tad over £70-00 including lines, handles and a "rucksack bag". After an evening spent surfing the internet I started to have second thoughts about my 'bargain' as most of the reviews were about far more expensive kites, I have now come to the conclusion that there is an element of kite snobbery around and that although the big names produce good kites there is little point in spending silly money when this kite does everything a beginner needs at a reasonable price and has the potential to provide reliable and easy flying until I am ready to spend more money if my own skills exceed the ability of the kite. After reading the excellent 'how to' guide on this website it was off to the local field for a test flight. Once the lines were run out and lengths checked/stretched the kite was coaxed into the air. The wind was light, in fact probably below the minimum indicated on the instructions but once up in the air the kite remained controllable and provided an easy introduction to power kiting. Construction of the kite is good, but I do agree with other reviewers that the stitching is variable in places, although there are no areas for concern, the edges are well reinforced , and the kite holds it's shape well and has no distortion in any of the panels when full of air. The supplied handles are basic but work well, there are loops, but not on the brake end of the handle, so staking out required the fitting of two more loops. I assume the power end loops are there for harness use? The supplied instructions are reasonable multi language affairs with good diagrams of both setting up the kite and the wind envelope. The only confusing point for a newcomer to this type of kite being '2 thin strings' on the brake bridles that are not mentioned or shown in the instructions, I elected to attach the brake lines to them and see what happened! In the event they are required and are not there just there to keep the bridles tidy for packing the kite as I first thought. If you want a reasonable kite at a very reasonable price don't pass over this one because even at the 'normal' price it's good value for money and it does everything a beginner needs and more. Even in light winds there is power available when you put the kite in the right place, the potential is there for use as buggy power. This kite may not have a trendy name or image but it is great value for money and it does exactly what it says on the bag! By : Ian Smith
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Finally dusted of the cobwebs on my kite bag last Sunday and went down to the local park. 12mph winds and as it's been 6 months since I've taken the kites out thought I'd start with the 4m. I'd forgotten how much fun they are as during the winter I get all tied up in skiing. I've got 3 kites. All radsails. A 2.4 gor the really windy days, a 4m pro and a 6m pro. When I bought my first kite, the 4m, I read loads of reveiws that they arn't that good and you get what you pay for but some advice at my local shop said they are wirth their money and some and been a simalar shape to the blade II you can't go wrong. The kite flys like a dream. The only down side is they do tend to fly over and luft a little but thats easily rectified applying the brakes. When ever I fly it I feel like I'm holding a wild horse that just wants to go for it so let her go and wayhay big smiles all around. I was so taken with the kite I found a new 6m radsail on ebay for £159 with handles and bar in Germany so quickly bought it up for the lighter wind days. Did get caught out on the first day I took it out getting caught by a strong gust and getting some unplanned serious air but this brought smiles and the quality was just as good as the 4m. The 2.4 followed but I'm still to take it out. The only done side I found with the kit was the handles but these can be replace with little expence. To sum up the Radsails may be cheaper than other makes but they are still a hot engine. I'm still to find anybody to fly with in West Yorkshire so if anybody is localish to Leeds or Bradford let me now. By : kiwi1
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Having received a 3m radsail for Xmas, I was keen to have a go. I am a kite novice and so didn't really know what to expect (my only experience is a couple of goes with someone's 2.5m Flexifoil Bullet. I have recently returned from my first outing with the kite and must say I'm delighted. I have now had one full afternoon with it in winds of around 15-20mph on top of the Sussex downs and have the following comments about it. QUALITY I don't have a lot to compare to. I would say that the bullet I've had a go with seems a bit better put together but for my use that's not really an issue. All the lines seemed to go where they were supposed to fairly easily and nothing (except the zip on the bag supplied with it) has fallen apart yet. VALUE FOR MONEY Seems really good compared to other products. The kite is really good fun and far less money than similarly sized and featured kits from other manufacturers. Perhaps time will tell me that there's a good reason for this but right now I can't imagine paying an extra hundred or more pounds for something that does the same job. POWER way hey! It pulls strongly but fairly flat. I would imagine that it would be good for boarding in the right wind, but I need to improve my flying skills before I can put this to the test. Had lots of fun doing a few jumps and generally playing around with it. Me and my friends ended up on our arses, faces and various other bits but having loads of fun (yes we're in our mid thirties, honest!) STABILITY It's really not hard to fly at all. Seems to be happy to sit up high in the wind window for as long as you want. Also happy to race around and pull like crazy if you so desire. Given that I've only been out with it once, I was impressed by the extent to which my friends and I could get to grips with it. This kite seems a lot easier to handle than a smaller Radsail that I also have (1.4m and rather nippy). EASE OF SETUP No issues here. Next time could be interesting as I packed it away in a hurry (the kids needed the toilet so I had to dash to the pub) and in fairly gusty wind. However, if I can get it rigged up correctly anyone can. On its miaden flight, it only took about 5-10 mins to get flying straight out of the bag. OVERALL RECOMMENDATION It's great. I am looking forward to heading out with it again real soon. By : ranthony
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I have had one of these kites now for about 3 months and pesonaly i think it is a great intermediate traction kite!!!! Firstly it comes in a very good quality rucksack witch has a Main pocket (for the kite and handles) A front pocket (for lines and stuff) and two small side pockets either side (for anything that is small that you want to put in there) ! Secondly the contents : when you buy this package it includes : The foil traction kite : The kite is very good quallity, the bridle is a nice and strong, the stitching is very good and the graphics are a wicked blue and white. As far as the perfomance goes you can not falt it, the speed of it is very quick so is the response of the kite. It has incredable lift and i can not beleive the pulling power for the size of the kite. So far i have used the kite only for recreational use but soon i am going to start land boarding. The handles surplied are nice silver alloy handles with red and black gips, the are very nice to hold when flying. The set of quad lines could be improved a little by the strength as i snapped them on the third time flying but they are ok. The package also includes a full set of instructins on how to fly this kite, and also includes a DVD of people flying this traction kite. The price is very good compeared to other kites of the same size!! THe package comes ready to set up and fly for just 100.99 pounds, (which is a very cheap price i think) If i could change my mind on what kite to get i would still go for this one again and again it is a great kite for all those who want to get into power kite flying. ITS WICKED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By : josh
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Bought this kite from marionville models, and for the money its bloody good value. Only cost 95 quid including next day delievery. comes in a good quality bag with clear and easy instructions. took half hour of setting up and i was flying the kites performance so far has been really good, theres plenty of power there and its not frightening like a blade 3 which makes it good as a beginners kite.It turns quiet fast, although you do need to pull alot on the handles to get it to go. thats one thing i ahve changed the handles were aluminium and the power lines cut into your hands so i changed them for some blade 3 handles. overall though very good kite for the money. By : vale46
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This is only the 3rd Kite I've ever owned, and the only one which still scares the pants off of me. The kite is very large but easy to handle out of the bag, comes with lines and handles, good enough... The kite has a nice design and looks great in the sky. The bridles don't get tangled too badly and because of the length and the way they are designed, so they're easily sorted. The kite does sit nicely staked out, be warned as you attach yourself to the lines it has an incredible pull as it takes off... When it takes off it almost trys to produce a swing action trying to drag you under it as it pulls to the zenith. Once up its slow, I did however only fly this kite in the lightest of light winds. A friend who was flying a Symphony 2.2 had his kite darting all over the place, while the Radsail 6m seemed like a slow blimp moving across the sky. It can pick up some speed but needs a bit more wind. In the lighter winds when the wind fell for s moment the kite did collapse, but be warned once this kite fills back up again there is an amzing force to fight against ( perfect for jumping, scudding). Attempted to land the kite and it isn't easy. Takes a fair bit of strength to use the brake lines all the way down, even then as soon as you relax it shoots backup into the zenith ready for more. Perfect kite for buggying, used a parastorm along with this kite and you can reach great speeds, easily controlled, flying at the edge of the window still provides a good force and the kite sits there nicely, doesn't try to rip you out of the buggy which is a plus when your out of control heading towards the sea.... I'm 12st and can just handle this kite. Would recommend no one lighter tries it .. By : cim
- 5 comments
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- eolo
- radsails pro
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After beginning my kite sport with a PKD Buster 3m, flying the Radsail Pro 5m has been quite a challenge. Starting it for the first time in intermediate winds, I have nearly been blown away! This beast equals brutal force. I didn't dare to start it up again until the winds became very slow. Once again no problem to prepare the kite on the ground, pulling the handles and here it was again, and excellent pull, but this time, controllable. I did the first manouvers and man, a completely different feeling compared to my Buster. This kite is very sensible, has a comparibly small window, overflies if you don't take care every second, needs a lot of force to operate breaks and collapses once the wind decreases for a second. You really have to build expertise to be able to fly it in low winds for longer than 5 minutes, and you need to be 75kg or heavier to fly it in medium winds. If the foil collapses the bridle lines get mixed up very easily and there is only a 50% chance you get the foil operational in the air again. build quality and materials : The foil is good quality and durable, although the sewing quality is definitely lower than the Buster one. The bridle is made out of excellent strong dyneema. The air entry is covered with a mesh type net fabrics, which nicely prevents stones to enter the kite. I bought the kit via Ebay without lines and handles. Overall, not expensive, but definitely beginners will have less fun with this kite, never leave this to unexperienced flyers. By : KE
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Just upgraded from 3m to 5m having learnt digging up the beach and dryboarding (exit) with radsail last summer and been impressed by it not only by it's value for money. Ye...ye...the man at the local shop (Radsail-it must be like a Skoda!) and the net forum keep saying "u get what u pay 4". The longer-than-me-serving flexifoil folks at the local beach however were pretty impressed by the feel of the materials, the feel in the air, the design and colours and more so by the bucks I spent on it having auctioned it from ab-shop on ebay.de. Very stable everywhere in the window and I mean everywhere unlike a Buster5.5 tried recently and had to send that one back as couldnt get to grips with it at all-but was probably faulty somehow unfortunately (still waiting for feedback from PKD on if it was my fault or the kite's). The pull is absolutely thrilling and I find there is a good deal of lift as well in the right winds (Im 90kg) which others haven't found so much on reading their reviews. Yes, as with the handles of the earlier non-Pro versions, they could do with upggrading since the black plastic lids come off easily and the so exposed rim of the alloy tops hurt the thumbs well. So flexifoil handles got flown in by Santa and the kite didnt mind them at all. Sorry, static, disagree with your view on the radsail name - rather like a brit view on unfamiliar names. Radsail is well established on the continent (.de .dk .nl) where Flexifoil is less well known...but then this is an opinion forum... Nothing to report on the downside so far.. Declared conflict of interest : none (truely!) Yeeepeeeh - Safe'nHappyFlying! By : uwontcme...
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Was looking forward to flying the 1.8m after many successful flights with the 3.0m Radsail (not pro model) which I like very much for the price range. My first (and only flight since) was at a local kite festival. There wasn't enough room to do bugging so I thought I would stunt fly the smallish Radsail. Well, I set it up and launched it, flew it overhead and parked it in the nuetral zone to double check line lenghts. OK, so far now for some fun... Did a quick dive to the right into the power zone and.... :::: snap :::: the kite floated to the ground in a wad by the left control line. Further inspection indicated the right bridle leader had snapped. Could be a freak incident, but as you may guess I am not a happy camper so far. By : Bill Benson
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I've had one of these for a good while now, mainly used for static flying and boarding when the wind gets up. Good points - cheap (£130 for a 3m foil) - excellent power - flies well on 2 lines and on 4 - quality construction Bad points - the original lines snapped quite soon, as did the second set of 300lb lines we replaced them with. I guess this shows how powerful and well made the kite is ... the bridle, fabric and stitching are still as new, even after repeated high speed dumps onto the beach, drags over rocks and the usual abuse. My girlfriend has been using this kite as a starter kite in light to medium winds; it's a great way to learn how the wind window works and how to control a 4 line kite. We found that the brake lines do need extending by about 30-40cm to get it to fly smoothly without the trailing edge curling over. When the wind gets up then this thing really pulls. Faster on 2 lines than 4, but you lose the easy braking and reversing that's possible with 4 lines. Set up with the 4 lines, self land and launch are dead easy, even after spinning the kite and landing it upside down. Comes with good 4-line handles, a bag and good instructions. I've tried it 2-line with a bar (50cm) - the bar I think is too short but it could be the very light winds we flew in. Rose prefers the bar for learning. I reckon it's a great way to start kiting. It's also great for getting out when the wind gets too strong for your bigger kites. By : chris tanner
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After much swearing cursing and hanging around waiting for winter gales to drop off , it became clear that i could cut down on this frustration by getting a sub 2m foil at least allowing me to get out on those insanely windy days. The radsail 1.8 usually comes as a dual line , however it is available as a quad line these are very hard to find though. the quad line version comes bundled with a quad line set and a pair of aluminium handles , the quality of both leaves a lot to be desired , this didnt really bother me however as i intended to use the kite on a bar with my existing lines , the supplied lines would never have held up to the winds i wanted to use it in anyway. The kite seems very heavy for its size as it is made from polyester , this however has its advantages , making the kite very rigid and totally bomb proof . i have had this kite out in various different conditions , but will need at least 20-25mph just to produce any power at all , above 25-30mph hovever i realise why i bought this kite , it pulls like a train in these conditions and despite its small size and insane speed through the window remains quite flyable , i have been mountainboarding with it from 25mph for a gentle cruise all the way up to 45mph which can get quite scary as you can pick up speed much faster than you would expect with a kite this size. It has a moderate aspect ratio and despite its size remains quite stable in high winds unlike some sub 2m kites. Probably a good thing but this kite produces virtually zero lift anywhere in the window , it is also quite easy on the launches as it really has to be turning to produce a decent pull , that is the trick with this kite , once you have it up to speed it will just pull harder with every turn you throw at it , alowing you to rapidly build up speed , be warned though swinging this kite in the opposite direction will not loft you or even stop you , you will just have to ride the speed out with the kite behind you and then begin working it to start to move in the opposite direction. The only drawback being as the windspeed increases so does the speed of the kite, you have to keep an eye on it or it could bite you very quickly and very hard in higher winds it is for this reason i have put it in the advanced category , it is just so fast that a small error could leave you with a mouth full of dirt before you even realise you made the error ! i would have to say for a sub £75 kite you couldn't possibly do any better than this , it is predictable flys with a constant speed , and i have had no problems with it over flying the window even in 45mph winds! i would recommend this to anyone who like me just cant have another wash out weekend due to no or too much wind , at least this little baby cuts down on 50% of the right off weekends and it does it very well . By : Lofty
