Hey Laurie,

Im not sure if this has been discussed in the past, but I would like to see a template that we are able to use when writing a review on gear.

This would make a review easier to read and comapre to other kites. Just a thought.. not sure how, but would make reading reviews more interesting.

Thanks

Joe

Hey Joe,

Thats a great idea. It could be headers and a summary at the end. Something like this.

Rider, years of experience and style of riding

Weight of rider

Strength of wind average and gusts max.

water/sea conditions

Board length and width model?

functionality/quality of bag

Quality of bar - ergonomics 1-10

Chicken loop - functionality 1-10

CL Quick release - functionality and ergonomics F= 1-10 E= 1-10

all bar hardware - quality and tidiness 1-10

lines - Length and quality of finish (ie kookproofing/colour coding etc) (__m) 1-10

Kite Build quality and finish 1-10

One pump or not Yes/no

Valves self seal properly 1-10

Inflation and setup speed and simplicity Sp=1-10 Si= 1-10

Self Launch 1-10

stability (depowered at 12 o'clock) 1-10

relaunchability 1-10

wing speed 1-10

upwind ability 1-10

turning speed 1-10

Low end power 1-10

Upper end control 1-10

gust absorbing 1-10

turning power 1-10

bar pressure 1-10

steering sensitivity 1-10

Feel/feedback 1-10

Boosting 1-10

Ability to out edge gusts 1-10

Jump Height 1-10

Hangtime 1-10

User friendliness 1-10

X-Factor (Fun) 1-10

Safety system and deployment 1-10

Ease of packing away 1-10

Summary and riders notes>>

Can anyone add anything to that or does that about cover it?

Good winds,

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Kitehard said...

Hey Joe,

Thats a great idea. It could be headers and a summary at the end. Something like this.

Rider, years of experience and style of riding

Weight of rider

Strength of wind average and gusts max.

water/sea conditions

Board length and width model?

functionality/quality of bag

Quality of bar - ergonomics 1-10

Chicken loop - functionality 1-10

CL Quick release - functionality and ergonomics F= 1-10 E= 1-10

all bar hardware - quality and tidiness 1-10

lines - Length and quality of finish (ie kookproofing/colour coding etc) (__m) 1-10

Kite Build quality and finish 1-10

One pump or not Yes/no

Valves self seal properly 1-10

Inflation and setup speed and simplicity Sp=1-10 Si= 1-10

Self Launch 1-10

stability (depowered at 12 o'clock) 1-10

relaunchability 1-10

wing speed 1-10

upwind ability 1-10

turning speed 1-10

Low end power 1-10

Upper end control 1-10

gust absorbing 1-10

turning power 1-10

bar pressure 1-10

steering sensitivity 1-10

Feel/feedback 1-10

Boosting 1-10

Ability to out edge gusts 1-10

Jump Height 1-10

Hangtime 1-10

User friendliness 1-10

X-Factor (Fun) 1-10

Safety system and deployment 1-10

Ease of packing away 1-10

Summary and riders notes>>

Can anyone add anything to that or does that about cover it?

Good winds,

Essay Much??

Declare if the reviewer is affiliated with the kite brand.
(Not always obvious if it isn't a site sponsor)

Interesting .. anybody please throw in their 2c here...

How many pulleys are on the kite, very important info that is often hard to find.

How about if it flys straight out of the bag?

I will say to begin with I reckon this is a good idea. Ensures a more thorough review. Anyway, one of the things that interests me greatly is how it performs unhooked. I realise not all can comment but a definite necessary inclusion if the reviewer is able to comment.

Self land? Colour of kite?, as we all know, kites that look cool perform much better.

skill level that kite is designed for eg 1 = noob and 10 = pro
(I know some of you oldskool c kiters will call a c suitable for a noob but really in context of other models available it may not be the most suited eg. ask the question, would you put your 8 year old daughter or son on it?)

Fantastic
At this time of year this has got to be more interesting than tax!!

Idealy for an on-line review, the reviewer would be able to grab a proforma template and modify from there.

So Start comprehensive and reviewer might delete 50% of questions - and answer as relevant for them...

In that template...
Please add Make/Model/Size (Unlikely to forget but for the proforma)
Sail material..
Some of the 1-10 ratings need a base line (a seperate download / reviewable doco') - for example..

Self Launch
1 - no way always needs help (All levels of experience)
5 - ok in mid wind range - if gusty needs 2 or alot of experience
10- in all of recomended wind range DYI is easy.

Stability
1 - Always unstable from 12 falls away either way
5 - OK not perfect can drift off (when no depower trim and not gusty)
10- Will always neutralise at 12:00 - postively drifts to 12:00 with no input.

Relaunch
1 - Alot of fiddle and input required - without good conditions would not relaunch
5 - User input required - firm pull on either line kite slowly moved to relaunch position
10 - No use input required - kite slef-relaunched once lines tight.

etc - bed beckons - but I would like subjective and objective and this is a great initiative. - Also once established for kites, all equipment can use the same - boards, harnesses etc

Cheers
SF

Access to the information - It would be good to provide key data fields to help the search process.

Nite All

Just need to be careful that the reviews don't become too quantitative. Kiteforum's went down that path a while back with a different format and I found it very disappointing. Many were just a stack of numbers and then one line at the bottom for a description. Very little substance. Many just 10, 10, 10, 10...... Most of the time it's good to hear in the user's own words how their session went with the kite. It should be stressed that the numbers shouldn't be used to REPLACE a decent description.

All sounds like a good idea.
It would be good if the statistics pump out a graph at the end.
Its easier to scan an eye over a graph.

It might be alittle tricky aswell as many shops will definately high score their stock of kites. Finacial interests have them set on selling X amount, making 62% margins or no distribution rights. Seems like some of these foreign businesses have shops by the nuts.

This would then make the rating system as reliable as reading Magazine sponsers kite reviews in a Magazine. 10/10 for everything when we all know most of the time its a great big fib.

Anybody want to have more input? Yay, Nay or ... ?

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laurie said...

Anybody want to have more input? Yay, Nay or ... ?

You need more input than that Lozza??? Hurry up and get to work and don't come out of your hole 'til its done. There is about to be a plethora of kites released in another month.

Good winds,