Nirvana Or Gemini

[Dak]

Hiya all, looking at either of these two, which do people recommend?

[desciple]

I've only flown the Nirvana for a few moments and it deffo takes some getting used two.

 

I have all three Gems std, UL and Minigem. The gems will pull off practically every trick in the book and then some. I'll have worn mine out long before I can do the fll range of tricks available. I love the gemini's and they keep me smiling.

 

If you track down Big Davey or Sky Skiver on the forums here they'll give you a better idea of the Nirvana.

 

Nirvana £210

Gem Std £140 do the math.

[BigDavey]

Different kites altogether - so to speak.

 

Nirvana is a precise, strong pulling delta. Well capable of all the modern technical tricks but does require an assertive approach to flying it. THe kite needs to be 'dominated' (for want of a better word) into tricking - Not that tricks are difficult on it - just require a very 'definite' input. Think flying from the shoulders, rather than from the wrists.

 

Gemini is a much more playful kite - Nowhere near as precise as the N, but then it's not meant to be. Easier to trick in general than the Nirvana, but with a slightly different trick repertoire - for instance the N is much more capable on it's back with turtle based tricks compared to the Gemini, but I've always found the Gemini easier to learn and refine tricks on.

 

Both are excellent kites - Among the top of their respective fields, but as I said - they are different to one another.

 

I've recently sold my Nirvana, but I'd be reasonably sure to have another in the bag eventually. As with Desciple - complete Gemini series in the bag is always worth having

[dnahacker]

i am totally the opposite to davey and steve... i am very much of the french technical skool of flying, i have found the nirvana (and similar kites STX 2.3 , 2.1, opium transfer etc....) suit my particular style of flying, excellent precision qualities, does all of the tricks, slow little over steer, when flying in freestyle comps, i like to mix it up a bit , combining corners and lines with tricks...

 

IMHO the nirvana (and co) are the most versatile kites avalable at the moment

 

i cut my teeth on a gemini lovely kite just not where i am right now with my flying, may even be worth waiting a while and look at the benson "c-class" that is in development, its a doozy.....

[BigDavey]

Vive la difference

[Sky-skiver]

Hi, how do you find your Phoenix?

I think that the Phoenix is somehow in between the Gem and the Nirvana, if you would like an easier 'lighter' feel in a kite go for the Gem and if you would like to feel more connected and would like to work harder,eg bigger hand/arm moovements, then go for the Nirvana. Both kites have prooved themselves on the competition field.

Sky,

[dnahacker]

i dont necessaraly agree that the nirvana is harder work to fly... just different

 

the phoenix is a good kite for the dosh, i would love to try the supreme, the 1 downfall of the phoenix is the heavy pultruded frame

[Sky-skiver]

It would have been a miracle if you would have agreed...

 

All I mean with that is as posted above it needs bigger hand and rm moovements then the Phoenix and will pull harder then the phoenix,

Sky,

[Bill Benson]

I don't fly sports, but it seems all my buddies in the club fly Gemini's.... even to the point that it seems they are the only kites they own.

[dnahacker]

ok lets look at this another way, the Nirvana was good enough for me to just win a uk national trick/freestyle championships with, the guy in second flies a nirvana, the guy in third flys a nirvana, the guy in 4th flies a nirvana...... you seeing a pattern here

[QUOTH]

ok lets look at this another way, the Nirvana was good enough for me to just win a uk national trick/freestyle championships with, the guy in second flies a nirvana, the guy in third flys a nirvana, the guy in 4th flies a nirvana...... you seeing a pattern here

congrats

[wot do I no]

the Gem is a very easy kite to get along with, the Nirvana needs a little more time to get used to, but in the long run you'll get more from the Nirvana.

[whisky]

Although I am a bensonite, the nirvana will do all the new style wrap tricks very gracefully, but the gemini can be easily modified to do the same, if your prepared to start cutting it about a little. Then again the N already done, but you have input very large arm movments. Gem's are light handed (from the wrist) full on freestyle as they where designed to be, after testing the abw/benson C1, its going to be its equal and maybe a little more, still giving it that nice light feeling even in a stiff breeze.

 

The best advice...

Try before you buy... we all have our opinions:eek:

[Dak]

Thanks for all the input people, the worst thing is being in NZ I don't know of any shops that sell these two kites or anyone that owns them, so the only option is to choose one, the wife won't let me have both , and order it from overseas. Being a somewhat novice I may go for the Gem.

[whisky]

You could always email Tim Benson via his website for dealers in NZ.

http://wwwbensonkites.com

 

Alan

[Dak]

Yup, already done that, Tim replied saying the closest was Aussie. At the mo it works out best to buy from the USA, $366 NZ incl freight to my door and they normally arrive within 4-5 days which is pretty good.

[KitesPortugal]

Nirvana is better.