OVER THE WEEKEND AT COTTONTREE WE WHERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO DEMO THE TREE KITES. THE WIND WAS NOT THE BEST BUT HEY IT WAS GOOD TO SEE WICH KITE WAS ABLE TO HANDLE THE LIGHT & GUSTY CONDITIONS. I AM AN EXPERIENCED KITER, NO AFFILIATION WITH ANY KITE SHOP OR BRAND, SO I HOPE MY REVIEW IS NON BIAS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK KITE ACTION CALOUNDRA, M8 NOOSA & THE CREW THAT TURNED UP TO DEMO THE KITES ON SUCH A ****TY DAY (SUNDAY)& THE BOYS THAT HELPED ME OUT ON WEDNSDAY IN THE RAIN TO TEST THE LIMITS OF THE KITES.
REVEW
THE 08 REBEL 14M; IT TURNS MUCH FASTER. I WOULD SAY AS FAST AS THE 07 10M, NOT AS STABLE AS THE 07. IT SEEMS TO BE MORE OF A HIGHER ASPECT KITE TO LAST YEAR & WILL OVER FLY IF NOT SHEETED IN OR CONTROLLED. NOT AS MUCH LOW DOWN GRUNT BUT IS MUCH FASTER & DOES GENERATE LOADES OF POWER WHEN YOU GET IT GOING, WITH IT'S SPEED YOU CAN GET GREAT BOOST & FLIES WELL UNHOOKED. IT DOES FEEL MORE LIKE A FREE STYLE KITE THAN LAST YEAR, GREAT ON FLAT WATER AND CHOP BUT I FEEL THAT IT IS NOT AS MUCH OF A SURF KITE AS THE 07.
THE HELIX 12M I'VE SEEN IT FLY WELL & GIVE A GOOD FLOTATIONAL BOOST IN FACT THE RIDER WAS HAVING A BALL, BUT UNFORTUNATLY THIS WEEKEND THE KITE DIDN'T PERFORM WELL FOR US AT ALL. THE KITE DIDN'T SEEM TO LIKE THE EDGE OF THE WINDOW, IT SEEMED TO BE RELUCTANT TO LAUNCH TO THE SIDE, BUT MORE DOWN WIND THAN USUAL, IT DIDN'T LIKE BEING WET, IT SEEMED TO MAKE IT'S TIPS HEAVY. IT WOULD TWIST OUT OF SHAPE WHEN PULLING ON THE BAR TO TURN, IN THE POWER WINDOW THE KITE WAS SMOOTH & FELT LIKE IT GLIDED THROUGH THE AIR, NOT WITH SPEED BUT EASE, IT GAVE GOOD BOOST WITH A SLIGHT FLOATY FEEL & KITE LOOPED SUPER FAST. IT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH GRUNT OR SPEED TO GET OUT ON THE WATER. IT SEEMES TO BE A GOOD OR STRONG WIND KITE & I THINK IT WOULD SUIT A FREESTYLER OR NEW SCHOOL RIDER THAT WANTED A SMOOTH & GRACEFUL RIDE BUT IN GOOD WIND. NOT A QUIVER KITE BUT A KITE FOR THOSE PERFECT DAYS THAT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD ( SMOOTH & STYLISH). IN GOOD WIND.
THE BANDIT, WHAT CAN I SAY, BUT IT WAS THE PERFORMER ON THE WEEKEND. A GOOD FOUR LINE KITE, F1 HAS GOT RID OF THE FIFTH LINE FOR A CHANGE. THEY ARE A LOW ASPECT KITE, VERY STABLE & GRUNTY, YES VERY GRUNTY. THE 13M FELT LIKE A 15M KITE BUT WAS AS FAST AS 10M. GOOD DEPOWER, IT HAS A C KITE FEEL BUT WITH A BOW STYLE DEPOWER. IT SEEMS TO RELANCH VERY WELL & DOES GO UP WIND WITH EASE. THE TRAILING EDGE DOES HAVE A FLUTTER WHEN TURNING UNLES THE POWER IS KEPT ON, IT BOOSTS LIKE A C KITE & KITE LOOPS WELL. THE BAR NEEDS A STOPPER BALL IF YOU LET GO OF THE BAR IT CAN SLIDE OUT OF REACH (IN A WAIST HARNESS) & YOU LOSE ALL POWER. WHEN DEPOWERED THE KITE WILL DROP OUT OF THE SKY TO THE EDGE OF THE WINDOW, READY TO RELAUNCH & WITH EASE. THE FRONT V LINES THAT HAVE PULLEYS LOOK LIKE THAY WOULD WERE QUITE QUICKLY, SO THERE WOULD BE A BIT OF MAINTENANCE INVOLVED, BUT EASY TO DO. THE 9M IS THE PICK OF THE BANDITS. I'M 95KG, I GOT GOING IN 15 KNOTS GOING UP WIND & HELD THE KITE DOWN ON WEDNSDAY IN 36 KNOTS & 2.5-3M SURF.
ON THE WEEKEND THE BANDIT WAS THE PICK OF THE KITES UNANIMOUSLY. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TEST ALL THE KITES IN SOME BETTER CONDITIONS. I AM ANXIOUS TO TRY THE REV. I AM SURE IT WILL BE BETTER THAN THE LINK. THANK'S TO ALL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU SMILE & HAVE FUN.IF YOU WERE THERE FOR THE DEMO PLEASE PLACE YOUR REVIEW. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT. & THANK'S AGAIN LUKE & MATT.
MOJO
> 9 months ago, 23 Aug 2007
