The Miró is the big brother of the Mondrian, not a rescale of that kite but certainly speaking the same design language and with many of the same build features. At 2.6m the only current kite that compares would be the Transfer XT.s. It’s a big kite that’s aimed at pairs/team flying.

The main build difference is that it ditches the yoyo stoppers for a yoyo line (à la Fury) and adds a fourth bridle leg connecting the tow point to the centre of the LE. Both of these are adjustable via knots in addition to all other bridle legs so if you enjoy bridle fiddling this kite is going to be heaven for you. If you don’t…. then just don’t bother. With built in leaders as well the kite carries a lot of bridle that can be a pain when putting the kite away or taking it out.

Framing is necessarily beefed up with P400 LEs and the oh-so-sexy Nitro’s for LS’s. A chunky frame means that the minimum wind speed is quoted as 10km/h (6mph), although this is conservative. At that wind speed the kite is flyable without legwork, if you’re prepared to break a sweat then a little less is usable.

Again the sail is reinforced heavily where it needs to be. And again the fine details are a pleasure.

My flight time so far has been restricted but it comes across as quite a different beast to the Mondrian. If you enjoy a yank-’n'-spank approach or are used to kites that go out of their way to make you look good and hand out the moves, you may be in for a shock or a lesson. The kite needs a deliberate approach to make stuff happen – setup, action, recovery. Miss any step out or go at it half-arsed and you’ll be disappointed. Big inputs needed too with plenty of arm and no little footwork. On the few occasions that I did manage to string it together properly I got absolutely textbook moves as my reward. When I didn’t (ie; most of the time) then not so much.

The Miró flies and tricks pretty slowly at all times. Whilst OK on 30m lines it enjoyed 35m+ even more, given more room to breathe. Pull isn’t massive but even in moderate winds I might be reaching for some heavier lines and brakes (and not be flying on a frozen lake either).

I’d definitely call this a kite aimed at those who already know what they’re doing. I enjoyed the heck out of it when my flying was at the level it demanded, the size and slow pace of the kite really emphasised what was going on but when I wasn’t quite there it became a bit frustrating. It’s not difficult to fly but it is a challenge to fly well, both physically and mentally.

Once I get home I’ll put more time on it and have a crack at the bridle. If I owned one I’m not sure just how often I’d reach for it at the start of a session but it might be the one I switch to if my brain’s in gear that day.

I’ve been trying very hard to love the Miró. It hasn’t quite worked out. I suppose there were faults on both sides….

I think part of the problem is that it is highly adjustable. You’re not presented with a completed, here’s-the-kite-now-go-learn-how-to-fly-it piece of kit but (pun alert) more of a blank canvas for you to create your perfect kite experience. The kite’s never bad by any means but after a bit of fiddling I came across a really sweet setup – it all gelled together and life was good.  But then the wind changed a smidge and…. it all went away again. So it was back to knot sliding to try to find The Door Into Summer* and it being about as elusive.

When the kite is together it’s bloody marvellous . You need to adopt a very full movements to avoid Not-Quite-There Axels and 450° Flat Spins but if you concentrate and fly it like it needs to be flown you’re rewarded with textbook flight. It really is great. A big kite moving steadily (it’s never a fast kite) through a trick properly makes for a happy flyer.

Then it isn’t. And it’s so frustrating. Not that it becomes unflyable just… where has the wonderfulness gone to and can I have it back, please ?

• It’s never an especially impressive Precision kite whatever I did with it.
• I preferred it almost always with the heavier (17g.) tail weight.
• 30m lines were about the shortest I could live with.
• I simply got no line snag problems, which is very welcome.
• The huge bridle is only a problem in proximity to the kitebag.
• You’re not going to upset this frame no matter how hard you try.

Overall…. I wish I liked this kite more but finding that sweet spot and keeping it drove me up the wall. If you could spend some time with it and feed it lab. grade winds then it’d be a lot more attractive. Maybe I never did find the completely right setup.

Many thanks to Challenger Sails for the demo of the Miro.

-Mike.

* waddyamean you haven’t read it ?

So it’s finally here – the Deep Space Ultra Light (DSUL) has landed. To say there has been a bit of wait would be understating things rather, as the kite has been in development in the Benson workshop for a little while now, and in serious development since the start of 2009. It’s fair to say that Tim Benson doesn’t release a new kite until he’s completely happy with it.

DeepSpace standard (left) and ultralight (right)

The obvious question has to be asked. What, and who, is the DSUL for? Given that the standard Deep Space (DS) has a published lower wind range of 3mph, and can be flown with a few small tweaks down a little lower, the first of these questions isn’t quite so easy to answer. Perhaps it’s just an obvious progression and a useful addition to the DS pilot’s quiver to have a light version capable of extending the lower end of the flyable and trickable range. Hence the second question is also addressed. It’s a kite for the flyer who already appreciates the capability of the standard DS, but who wants to exploit those light wind days, or avoid being grounded when the wind drops. As with the UL versions of most other top-end kites, it’s unlikely to appeal to most as their first DS.

From the very beginning, Tim didn’t want the DSUL to simply be a re-frame of the existing sail, but a fully optimised kite in it’s own right. There have been several unofficial DSUL’s (and one official one) with pilots exchanging the standard P200/5PT frame for something lighter. So as well as a lighter frame, the DSUL sports a sail lightened in key areas. The Mylar reinforcement is lighter, and less obvious is the reduction of the internal LE reinforcement at the cutouts and wing-tips. In the final version, the LE material is the same Dacron as used in the standard. Although several lighter materials were tested (a process which was responsible for the most recent delay in releasing the kite), none were found to perform satisfactorily. This leaves the sail closer to the standard than was desired – perhaps if a suitable material can be found a later iteration will emerge.

The geometry of the sail is shared with the standard version, as is the bulk of the material being Icarex PC31. and many of the neat touches are also carried over. The handling of the wingtip tensioning is super-neat, and the standoff sail fittings are concealed in pockets to give a smooth rear surface of the trailing edge. Adding in neatly formed and cut nose and tail reinforcement makes line-snags near-impossible. The DSUL also retains the roll-bar design from the standard, again eliminating areas for lines to get accidentally caught while providing an easy-to-catch yo-yo stop solution.

Super-neat LE spreader cut-outs sporting reduced reinforcement for weight saving

Snag-free and smooth treatment of the reinforcement at the nose and tail

Lighter Mylar used in reinforcement of the trailing edge (standard on right)

As for the frame, it’s basically lightened in all the obvious areas. The spine and leading edges are P90 rather than the standard P200, 3PT’s replace 5PT’s as lower spreaders and the upper spreader is thinned a fraction from 5.5mm to 5mm tube. Pretty normal changes then, but yet the attention to detail in a Benson kite is evident in the less obvious alterations. Shaving the standoffs and roll-bars down from 3mm to 2.5mm and 2.3mm to 2mm might not be immediately apparent, but have been implemented to save a precious few grams. But now the dedication to optimisation (some might say obsession) really starts with 3 grams shaved off the tail weight and hollow LE ferrules. Even the bridle line is lighter than the standard. The overall effect is to reduce the weight of the kite from 305g to 240g, representing a little under 20%.

Thinner rods are used for the upper spreader and roll-bars on the DSUL

As ever, Benson build quality is superb

The conclusion then, is that this version of the DS, already an excellent kite, is pared down to the absolute minimum with no area of weight saving left unexplored, and with build quality amongst the best in the business. It should therefore prove to fly in the lightest winds and remain trickable too, although the inevitable compromises due to the lack of mass, and hence momentum, will have to be accepted. Of course, everyone wants to know how it actually performs, but that will have to wait for now since Murphy’s Law has ensured that since delivery I’ve had nothing but ballistic winds. For now then, I’ll have to be content with imagining how it is to fly, but I’m sure that when the time comes, the DSUL won’t disappoint.

Update – The First Flight!

Of course it was bound to happen. I receive a new UL kite and pen the first half of a review dealing with the build, assuming that I will be able to get out and fly it and make some comments on that later. One bathroom re-fit and four weeks of high winds later and I decide to get the build part out there as there seems no prospect of flying the kite for the foreseeable… Murphy strikes again. One week later and I’m blessed with an hour of evening wind at 2mph – perfect for the DSUL. So finally, here are my thoughts on how this baby actually performs.

It’s a little while since I’ve flown a light kite. My DS standard flies so low that I’ve been happy to work a little harder and use that, or pack up and do something else. Of course, I wanted a UL, but I was happy to wait for the DSUL to emerge from Cornwall. So, was it worth the wait? Oh yes, you bet it was!

After a 10 minute warm-up on the standard and with the wind dropping to the point where I’m struggling not to loose too much ground, I figure it’s time to give the UL its maiden flight. Set-up is just as the standard, and a smooth tug on the lines has the kite in the air. First impression – whoa, this really is light. It feels almost like there’s nothing there (remember, I’ve only flown standard kites). So it’s really light on the lines. Next, let’s try a few axles, and yes, this is a DS. The response is reassuringly familiar, but then a subtle difference emerges. It’s clear there is significantly more frame flex, absorbing the input and adding a tiny delay between the input and the response. It’s to be expected but it needs an adjustment in flying style after which lovely floaty cascades just fall into place. So now it’s time for a yo-yo and another difference becomes apparent. While the standard is happy to pitch around it’s lower spreaders, the UL needs more room and rotates gracefully around a circle. Of course, a little more slack is required and results in the first few attempts being choked off. It’s also clear that the whole flying experience is slower and calmer, the DSUL being the older and more considered brother to the standard’s rebellious teenager. While unmistakably DS, It has it’s own character preferring to be persuaded to perform manoeuvres rather than forced to. I’m sure it can be thrashed around it you like, but you’d miss out on a far more rewarding and subtle experience.

The slower pace is something that is really nice on this kite. If you want it, it will give you a little more time to react to things, while retaining the flowing nature of the standard. 540’s can be made really flat and closer to a true flatspin on the spot than the standard and the kite gives the impression that super-slow taz’s would be possible. Sadly, these are beyond me for now, but one trick that seems to really flow out of this kite is the slot machine. You have enough time to get the kite flatter before the spin input and as a result the kite spins on a flat plane rather than an inclined one. A direct result of this is that it comes out of the first spin and begs to be spun again. I found multi-slots on the spot pretty easy and much prettier without the need for a tiny bit of flying between the spins. This gives access to combinations of tricks that I’ve not even attempted before, 540-to-slot being one such example that seemed to be given up easily. I could also feel that various duplex variations were close, and something I feel I could achieve with some work.

Flaring the kite feels just like the standard, but the pull to fade is a little different. The lack of mass means the kite needs a longer and gentler pull and a little more time and slack to get to the fade position. Once there though it seems to lock in better than the standard. Maybe it was just the relatively smooth wind (and the bumpy stuff I fly the standard in), but I really could hold a fade for as long as I wanted, rising it all the way through the window with ease. Of course, the JL is pretty straightforward too, with just a little extra time required to flip the kite back to the fade. Backspins were there, albeit a little slower and needing a slightly gentler touch. One surprising aspect was the performance of Lazy Susan spins. Since the kite doesn’t settle deeply in a backflip like some others, the more dynamic approach of giving the spin input during the back-flip rotation is required, a characteristic that is shared with the standard. The momentum carried through the spin though, is quite surprising for a light kite being at least as good as it’s heavier sibling. The kite also floats nicely on its back in the spin without losing excessive altitude meaning flapjacks can be executed low and slow, and multis are in there too.

A final word on the frame – although it exhibits significantly more flex than the standard, it strikes me as pretty robust. I gave it a couple of pretty firm tip-stabs without complaint, and the long grass at the field cause a few decent bends in the leading edges during recoveries. It’s been reported that it can withstand a fair level of abuse with prototypes being flown in 15-20mph wind without problems…

So what can we conclude? It feels and performs like a light version of a DS! It might surprise you in a few areas, and if you like the DS standard, all the surprises will be good ones. If the DS standard is “float and gloat”, then the DSUL is definately “floatier and gloatier”.

-Ben

I was going to pen some sort of review about two weeks ago but a cancelled trip to work meant I had more time with the kite. I’m glad I did as that review would have been substantially different to this one.

Let’s deal with the build first: the usual quality we’ve (or at least I’ve) come to expect from Kite Related Design – all properly put together with areas such as the wingtips, LE cutouts, centre-T all dealt with in the same manner as their Fury range – but with some new seemingly bulletproof material at the nose and the sail standoff reinforcement. Sparred mostly in SkyShark P200 but with Aerostuff Blue S LSs. All quite conventional, no corners cut, all very nice. It’s a light wind kite; not a UL and the max. wind is limited to how fast you want your kite to move. I certainly stopped flying well before the kite/frame started complaining.

As for design, this is one flat kite. The (four) standoffs are a bare minimum of 7cm shorter than would be considered “conventional” by today’s standards. Combine this with a wide-ish nose angle and the standoffs being quite distant from the spine you’ve got something that is considerably different to the majority of today’s offerings and seems to harken back to designs from over a decade ago. But with tail weight and multiple yoyo stoppers.

To be honest I’m no fan of the stoppers; they work well but are just four tie wraps on each LE and look tatty in comparison to the rest of the kite. I just wish they could have come up with a more elegant solution.

So let’s fly this sucker !

I have to say that my first few flights were distinctly “uh-oh”. I had a horrible feeling that it as to be Stefan Furter’s Challenge all over again – a kite he can fly like a God but no-one else can. The Element is very conversant in Old School – flat slackline rotations are the order of the day and plenty of them but I couldn’t get it to gel at all. It was back to trick flying rather than freestyle; no flow, no cohesion. Flic Flacs were not coming together either. I couldn’t nail the basics and I certainly couldn’t string them together.

Frankly I didn’t much care for it.

But the extra time finally made it come together. For one thing, ditch the long lines. 20m is plenty and 10m is more than usable at a pinch. And for another you are going to have to get your eye in for this kite’s profile and learn what it looks like when it’s ready to be flipped or spun. And it does look different. Once I started down that path…. oh very much yes

In addition to those unconventionally-flat-by-today’s-standards rotations this bugger rolls up like nothing else I’ve flown. Other kites describe a mathematically interesting orbit about a point in space, this thing folds up on itself. It takes no room and, if needed, precious little time. And it’ll go either way – forwards or backwards – with pretty much equal ease. As the kite uses such a small amount of space to trick you end up working it right down to the deck. I swear I removed some dandelion heads with Yoyos.

After a little musing I think what we have here is a kite that Harry Turtledove might have come up with. It’s a “What If ?” kite – what if after the Stranger and Box of Tricks the design fashion hadn’t been for the deep kite but everything else had occurred ? You’ve got the back in the day Axels and oh-that’s-why-they-are-called-that Flat Spins but you can Yoyo this all over the place and, once you grow accustomed to it, you can mix and match.

I’ll be honest, I don’t think anyone is going to pick this kite up and within 15 minutes pull off a strong repertoire of their own moves. There’s a learning process to make your way through. It is a bit different but I think it’s worth getting to know. I don’t think this is remotely a kite for everyone and I’m not prepared to call it My New Favourite kite yet but it offers something other when so many of today’s kites are variations on a very narrow theme.

An’ anudder thing !

I’ve been doing some tricks I actually had forgotten. Because the Element flattens out fast and can be made to rotate more than once per “pop” I’ve been doing Genie Pops again. I’d forgotten how damn cool they look. And Multiple Axels, which I haven’t done in years. And Tornadoes (Backspin takeoffs). And Torpilles that look they way I remember them.

As I said… it speaks Old School very well when asked nicely.

Mike.

It’s not an unattractive kite. It’s a very conventional shape and design. It’s made from the same sort of materials you’d expect from any other kitemaker. There’s a few oh ? moments in some details but nothing weird or puzzling and quite a few nice touches.

Bridle attaches to the spine below the centre T. Clamped in yoyo stoppers. Base of spine tensioning attaches to sewn in area on sail and 17g. plug in weight. Covered LEs, tied in US, stitched bridle.

The wingtips are conventional nocks, with an end cap tidying it all up. The bridle adjustment has limiting knots to keep you within the working range. Framing is 3PT LSs, P100 LEs and, possibly oddly, a P300 spine (which if we are to believe Prism’s latest design explanation is to give it poorer turn response and more difficult yoyos )

There are a handful of construction issues though. The bridle lines are all lumpy which looks like the inner core and outer sheath have moved relative to each other, the sail standoff fittings have this odd Lego™-bowler-hat look that doesn’t sit flush and I’ve caught 50# and 80# lines in there and finally the sail reinforcement between the standoffs is a soft and flexible fabric (like a low weight dacron perhaps) that looks like it might work but just seems a strange choice. Overall though I’d probably call this the best made kite coming out of China that I’ve seen, possibly even the best non-boutique kite. But I’d still rather have a kitemaker made kite.

All in all, you get a nicely screwed together kite with all the right bits. It’s a conventional design that sticks to well proven practices. So…. to the flying field

I’ve only given it a short work out and on pretty ropey lines but it didn’t surprise me with any bad behaviour. Axels were Fractured, the Back was Spun, the Yoyo Cométe was…. nah, let’s not go crazy But it does the stuff. Maybe it’s a little too eager to turn (ie; oversteers a smidge), I overcooked Snap Turtles more often than not and it took care to pop smoothly into a takeoff Fade. Nothing major and nothing I couldn’t adjust to.

I reckon it’s probably all the kite almost everyone could ever use. It’s absolutely fine.

But….

I can’t stop seeing a CdC kite up there and it’s a well manufactured item rather than well crafted. For the forum-bothering kite enthusiast there are better badges to be seen flying these days with better quality (for a higher price). I’m not sure if this will be a long term kite for me – I’ve already got kites of a similar nature I enjoy more – but I’ll give it a fair shake. I’ll probably find some 5PT LSs too.

Oh yes… the case. This probably explains who this kite is aimed at. Room for two kites, both broken down (so not flown regularly). It might come in handy for something but I’m not sure what.

Having now flown the Zephyr quite a bit more it still strikes me as a more-than-just-OK kite. It’s still a bit eager to rotate so I’ve had to tone down the inputs but doing this has made the kite work well. Those overcooked Snap Lazies disappeared when I just eased off (a lot !). This kite drops quickly and easily onto its back and rotates very reliably once there – Multis, repetitions and reversals are all there for the taking. For a big-ish kite (2.35m) it’s nimble enough to play well on 10m lines but doesn’t look small on 35m.

Precision isn’t a particular strong point as the light framing means a bit of wobble coming out of turns. Nothing major and probably not something the kite will be used for most of the time.

Compared to the QPro, which it trails in Prism’s hierarchy, it goes a lot more out of its way to help you (possibly even a it too much). It’s a lot more user friendly and playful.

However…. even if I like the kite, and I do, I just don’t want to buy what Prism want to sell me. So far the case is completely unused by me. When the kite isn’t in use it sits in a sleeve with the LEs still in one piece as I wish them to be. The case might well be precisely what I need for one or two situations but for everyday use, it’s daft. Two more sets of lines and straps I can do without too. So who is going to spend £200 when (presumably) a chunk of that is going on stuff that they just don’t want to buy ?

I dunno the answer to that one.

Mike.

It is essentially a scaled down (I wonder if it’s x0.909 a la SkyMax), heavily framed Cosmic TC Ghost with a few bits of colour. It shares the same funky sail material and even has the same lightweight LE tunnel material which, given that it sports Aerostuff Gold S lower spreaders, seems an odd match up. A super light sail and build combined with a hard-as-nails frame – curious.

Now these LE cutouts look a bit suspect to me on an SUL like the Ghost. On a standard weight kite intended to be hammered about madly… they look misguided.  And while it’s an exceptionally trivial point, for a kite commanding a £260 price tag I don’t expect to see any building faults like a misapplied stick on reinforcement beneath a yoyo stopper.

Considerably less trivial is the sail tension. The sail is drum tight everywhere but at the inner standoffs the sail practically screams. I really don’t like the look of these in terms of longevity. I’ve taken a close look and, frankly, the sail looks stretched already with the inboard straight seams looking distorted even when the kite is disassembled. It’s been a long time since I’ve worried about putting a kite together and taking it apart (probably the Prism Illusion was the last) but this concerns me.

I was thinking about this whilst at work. I concluded that Kitehouse were too good to make such a schoolboy error that We would have flayed, for example, Prism for making.

They put the standoffs in the wrong way around on the right side of the kite . There’s only 1cm difference and I’m a bit sick at myself for not noticing it (shows what a delicate feel on the lines I have) but I once I swapped them around the tension is better. I still reckon that the sail has suffered because of this though but I’m not sure if it’s really up to it anyway.

Frankly… disappointing doesn’t quite cover it for a £260 kite.

Now as far as I’m concerned the money this kite cost was spent several years ago and on other kites so I take a moderately relaxed view on this at the moment. If I had had to reach into my own pocket and pull out new funds then I’d be far less sanguine.

But let’s give it a a whirl anyway….

Bryan has described it as “quite simply brilliant” and if you’re in the mood, he’s spot on. That mood might be more easily entered if you’ve recently necked a Red Bull or three. This is one fast kite. You can provoke (or demand) multiple rotations in any plane with a single input. The only kite that exceeds it in pull forward yoyos is the parallel universe Element.

That said if you do wish to move it to another place in the sky from where it is you’re better off Backspinning it over there anyway. As delivered it had heroic oversteer, bordering on the design fault. I’ve ended up with the bridle set as wide as it can go and it’ll still spin within its own wingspan. This is a trick kite; so trick it and stop faffing about with “figures”.

As some other people have noted it might well have been better fitted with Rollbars as it yoyos insanely well. The stoppers do work fine but the extra security that ‘bars would have offered might have been welcome.

That said I enjoy the kite so much that I am going to try to keep it airworthy as long as I can. A difficult kite not to enjoy the experience of but ownership might come with a heartache or two.

Well I’ve been putting the hours in on this kite. Much like my experience with the Element I found Tab A and located Slot B but had a bugger of a time getting them together on a regular basis. But when I did very nice indeed.

You don’t so much pop and yank the lines as simply ping them back at the appropriate moment and then get out of the way. Very small and quick movements. When the wind gods smiled (or more likely were looking the other way) this little bugger was about as much fun as I can imagine ever wanting from a trick kite. Epic and lovely. Yes, the FlicFlac is a bit… curious… but just work around it. There are plenty of options available.

And then the wind would change microscopically and…. it didn’t fall apart so much as wander off . The various tabs ‘n’ slots suddenly didn’t fit and it was all very disjointed. If ever a kite presented a more compelling case for moving to the coast then I’ve not come across it.

I think I can offer a reason why it behaves this way: mental stiff frame combined with a drum tight sail means it’s very responsive to the wind. A little change in the wind speed and you need to make a different input for your flying. Unless you have a divine touch on the lines (and I don’t) then variable winds just mess things up. At one point I had trouble getting Fractured Axels into a Fade to work at all and that’s really pretty basic.

So who is this kite for ? What is it meant to be ?

Frankly… I dunno. The choice of materials is truly surreal. I simply cannot see these beasts reaching a ripe old age. They beg to be flown in a way that is almost certainly going to damage them. It’s a bloody entertaining ride, I just don’t expect it to be an especially long one. The same kite with an Icarex sail and some beefed up (not slimmed down) reinforcement makes a lot more sense to me.

Do I like the kite ? At times I frickin’ love it. When the stars align it goes to 11 and proceeds directly towards 12. I can live with the crappiness as long as I get some of the good stuff now and then. That’s not to say it can’t be unbelievably frustrating.
Is it worth £260 ? Ooooh. Difficult. In many respects; no, not by a long shot. In others; yeah, why not ? Can’t take it with you.
Could it be better ? Yes. Ditch the Ghost material, stick with Nitro LSs, fit rollbars as standard, drop the price. That would be a borderline essential purchase.

Continuing kudos to the FA Shop for making this sort of highly specialised toy available.

Mike.

My monochromatic Seven arrived recently. Number 2 apparently but I’ll be passing off as the long lost R-Sky 10th anniversary model to those who don’t recognise it :-
As I mentioned earlier, this was one of the most pleasant buying experiences I’ve had in getting a kite. Watching the kite’s build progress through a gallery is a very nice touch.

I like the way the dacron wear patches/reinforcements along the spine are used as graphical elements too.  Details even on the back of the kite. Nose has a slightly notched look but snag-free thus far.  SkyShark 7PT “Black Diamond” LSs mean v. stiff and no bridle wear. Wingtip is very tidy.  Covered LEs, naturally. TAPAs for the US. The cord along the LLE adjusts the leech line. Standoffs held in with metal screw into metal countersink fitting. Solid and snag free.

There is one area of the construction that I have had a problem with – the yoyo stopper cutouts. These follow the R-Sky semi-covered style but something seemed amiss when the kite would judder when unrolling. Here’s why:-

After very few airmiles the leaders (built into the bridle) had cut into the LE dacron, leaving a small flap that sometimes fouled the lines. It seems to have got as bad as it is ever going to so I’ll tidy it up and probably think no more about it. Note the stoppers for the yoyo stoppers.

Actually there is one more thing; there are no manufacturer labels on my kite although I see I can buy one as an optional extra now. Now I know what it is but the curious onlooker gets no clue. It seems like an oversight, especially when Sportdesign has a nice logo.

Not pictured is the supplied alternative tail weights. Lengths of brass rod with the same countersunk fittings as on the back of the sail. Just pop in whatever weight takes your fancy; very neat and well thought through. The weights not in use sit in a neat holder and then in a separate bag.

Perhaps the neatest weight kit going. Mine are 6.62g, 11.45g, 16.02g and 21.04g. Plus the zero gramme option Nice bespoke engineering look. They really are tuning options – there’s not a huge amount of difference in flight moving up or down one weight and nothing magically appears nor disappears because of the “wrong” weight being fitted.

The minor problem I had with the LE dacron damage solved with a little tape. Apparently although this hasn’t been reproduced by anyone else there are revisions to the later models to further protect against this.

I hope you can see the build quality on offer here – it’s first rate in all respects. It really is a lovely object in its own right.

How about a flight ?

With a 5mm US and 7PT LSs and tail weight this is a bottom heavy sort of kite. It does fall onto it’s back quite readily but apart from that it’s quite neutral with no overwhelmingly dominant flying traits. As with The Sin you could read this as either a good or a bad thing. It does the stuff that the flyer asks of it. Watch the video again if you like. Polyvalent is probably the word for it. I think I had some problems pulling it nose forward but I’ve got used to the Element now so I’ve been spoilt. That’s about the worst I can say about it. Otherwise it does what it’s told and just that. I’ve stuck to the installed weight (6g. ish) for now BTW.

As such it’s in a very crowded marketplace. There are plenty of alternatives to the Seven out there but in the air it’s as good a choice as any, offers an truly excellent build and buying experience and must be attractive simply by being different. A-bag material in all respects.

Flight-wise there’s much to admire. The framing makes this a Heavy-ish Standard and it’ll take some pretty harsh inputs without complaint. It’s never lost for momentum to make it through trick rotations either. It’ll wrap up and spin about pretty much however you like it too. Backspins look neat because they are a little flatter than some other kites (no flailing wingtips). Fades are nicely stable too with the kite just waiting until you decide to do something less sedate. Figures are a bit loose until the wind picks up and you can drop the bridle back a bit. It’s not my idea of a Precision Kite per se though. The balance of the kite is such that it naturally falls face forward a little in a stall which can lead to the occasional face plant if you mess up.

One quirk is the relative speed of pitch; popping the Seven from belly down, either off the ground or in the air, into a Fade from this position happens quickly. The Backflip is hardly slow but… the Frontflip (?) is something you need to be ready to deal with. Is does make for plenty of options doing, and Cosmic TC owners should look away now, Flic Flacs. From a vertical dive you can just slack the lines and pop it back or go all the way forward into a proper “Kill” before continuing.

Overall I’d say that it tricks fastish, but I’ve been flying the CTC XS and Element recently so I’m working on a theory that Einstein was wrong about the speed of light being the fastest possible.

So is this the Kite That Saved The World ? Is it an essential purchase ? Is there a Seven-shaped hole in your life that you never even knew existed ? Ummm… probably not. It’s a lovely piece of work, very capable in flight and entertaining but so are quite a few other kites. If you are looking for something polyvalent though then this one should at least be on your list as you are guaranteed a pleasant purchase that you won’t regret.

Mike.

At the very beginning of the rise of modern stunt kites (the very late 80s and very early 90s) one of the main hubs for many things that occurred was The Kite Store in Covent Garden (sadly no longer with us). Their first step into stunt kite manufacture, the LiteFlite, introduced many people back then to carbon fibre frames and truly light wind performance. From there was spawned the LiteFlite S, the LiteFlite Heavy, arguably the MicroFlite and then, in 1992, came the LiteFlite Radial.

http://www.elisanet.fi/mike.emery/kites/LFRadial.jpgIn their own catalogue they introduced it as “probably the best freestyle/precision stunt kite ever“. Now that’s truly Prism-level ad. BS ! Let’s look at what the kite actually was:-

If you have/had a copy of Mark Cottrell’s truly ground-breaking book “Swept Wing Stunt Kites” of 1990 then you would have seen one of the early versions of this kite, called Mabel. One of the main design features of this kite and the Radial was that it had a sail batten on each side running from the nose to the trailing edge where the single-per-side standoff is attached. These battens are also then acted upon by standoffs coming from the upper spreader, which is tied to the spine with a connector. This means that the sail profile is “rigid” and doesn’t collapse when the kite is stalled. This was supposed to mean that the kite would always be easier to take off from odd positions. “Groundwork” was a major field of endeavour in those days.

In addition the Radial had a “Limited Slip Bridle” wherein the upper outhauls of a three point static bridle are connected with a continuous line and can slip back and forth (not all kites had this though). You could adjust how much slip was available and the more you allowed, the weirder the kite’s behaviour. If you ever saw the designer flying the kite then you would believe some of the hype that “with large amounts of slip, flight is more like that of a 4 line kite”. The trouble is…. if you saw anyone else, then you wouldn’t believe the hype.

Other than these aspects the kite was quite conventional and even a little out-of-date by the time it was released. It had a simple sail with straight lines everywhere whilst contemporaries were beginning to use curved panels and seams in their construction. As it was a result it was pretty noisy. It used Carrington K42 nylon hung from a Beman Strong 15 frame (that’s 5.9mm and quite heavy).

So how did best freestyle/precision stunt kite of 1992 (allegedly) actually perform ?

The sad reality for me was that it was a huge disappointment, an enormous frustration and something of a personal insult. I liked the original, S and Heavy LiteFlites and was truly looking forward to the Radial. I found the kite difficult to make do even the basics (and these are 1992 basics we’re talking about here) and the ad. blurb that claimed that “this kite is not for beginners – you won’t break it, just get frustrated with the way it flies” (well I was frustrated so…. I was a beginner, right ?). The main issue was that turns were… leisurely… but it was possible to pull the nose of the kite so far into the wind that the kite stopped turning and started to glide into the wind – in a not particularly consistent nor recoverable manner. Overall it just didn’t seem to work for me or many other people the way it did work for Mark.

BTW the kite was flown in team competition by the Blast, formed from the remnants of seminal UK team, the Blitz.

The Challenge comes in a heavyweight kite bag with a pocket for lines. The kite is held wrapped up with a velcro strap. Generic instructions (in German but heavily illustrated) are included with a stapled insert giving spar specifications and a pictorial on ASP (Anti Speed Profile) adjustment. There are no specific instructions on the bridle although the quick adjustment feature common to most Level One kites is covered.

 
A moderate aspect (neither overly high nor low) ratio wing of around 2.2m span with four stand offs, spaced quite evenly along the lower spreaders. The stand offs are not adjustable for position. The spine is slightly cut short, giving a two point stance. The leading edges are very nearly straight with little sweepback. The wingtips and spine attached to the sail with traditional Level One looped and tied back cord. There is a static bridle with a redundant line running from the upper spreader/leading edge connector to the inhaul which stops the bridle from snagging around the base of the spine. There is a two position quick adjustment for the bridle at the upper spreader/leading edge connector and the bridle can be tuned at the tow point also. A leech line is fitted to the trailing edge and can be tightened for silent flight or loosened to enhance the ASP. The symmetrical sail panel layout combines a number of overlaid panels in areas of stress, notably at the nose and around the standoffs. The panelling at the nose is reinforced with several stitch lines.

ASP is a design feature that illustrates the intelligence that has gone into this design. The trailing edge between the outer standoff and wingtip does not follow a smooth curve but has a short straightline section. When the leech line is tight the kite is fast, tricky and silent but when the leech line is loosened this section of the trailing edge is allowed to interfere with the airstream and causes extra drag at the wingtips. This makes the kite slower, tighter turning and (much) noisier. Adjust to suit your flying preferences.

The sail is ripstop polyester with full length leading edge reinforcement in dacron. As mentioned there are many places where the sail panels are overlaid to double thickness for reinforcement. The frame is a mix of 6mm leading edges (one piece each of 152cm) and upper spreader, an 8mm spine and Sky Shark P200 lower spreaders. Leading edge connectors are APA for the lower spreaders and FSD for the upper, with glued stoppers above and below on all four. The centre T-fitting has both internal and external ferrules for durability and again has stoppers above and below. The end caps on the leading edges and spine are the enclosed FSD type. All three have a broad vinyl ring to tidy up the tensioning and leech lines, giving few opportunities for snags. The standoffs, which are 3mm translucent fiberglass, attach to the sail with hard fittings secured on the backside of the sail with an O-ring and with a soft rubber fitting on the lower spreader.

The Challenge gives the impression of having a lot of thought going into the choice of materials and construction options. All of the materials are top quality and the detailing shows the competition pedigree of this kite. It is competition ready out of the bag. As with all Level One kites there is a lot of work in the sail and it is all neatly executed with plenty of reinforcements that promise a durable kite.

Level One rate the wind range of this kite as 7 to 45 km/h (4 to 28 mph). The kite is no lightweight and although it will take to the air at lower wind speeds, particularly if the bridle is adjusted, the Challenge is underperforming and can be pulled from the air very easily. I’d personally not rate the kite as truly usable quite as low as that. Whilst it will be in the air, you won’t get a true reflection of the kite’s considerable abilities and probably won’t be able to set the kite on the second bridle setting at all. If the wind is solidily at at least 10 km/h (6 mph) then it is truly worth getting the kite out of the bag. The upper wind speed limit seems reasonable. The wingtips start to vibrate when you get near to the safe limits.

ASP sometimes makes the Challenge feel like two subtly different kites. With the trailing edge tight there can be a little hesitancy in making really tight spins and undercut turns at the edge can slur into under-steer. Precision is definitely enhanced when the kite is noisier although that is not to say that it is poor beforehand. Tricks are not really affected to the same degree. It is exceptional in either state. In conventional precision flight the Challenge is exacting, responsive and sensitive. Firm and precise hand movements are needed to make the kite perform. If you are used to more relaxed kites that flatter the flyer then this sensitivity may be difficult to get used to. It is very easy indeed to overdo push-pull turns and set the kite onto its back but it is always controllable and consistent, just sensitive. Not a kite for the either the beginner or the timid. Speed control is good, being easily accelerated or slowed just from the arms, although with the trailing edge tight it is quite quick in a straight line. Pull is not excessive (150lb line is enough).

Axels and Half-Axels can be a little scary at first as the kite kicks around a long way, showing the back of the sail to the flyer in a way that normally spell “tip wrap” but this is rarely the case. Any simple tip wraps that are encountered can frequently be removed by getting the kite flat on the ground and snapping the offending line, spinning the kite around and slipping the line off. More complicated snarl ups do need a contemplative walk. Backspins and Lazy Susans present no problem* and a Fade can be held steady, although the “spinny” nature of the kite makes it easy to unbalance the kite if coming into the Fade from an Axel.

One aspect is particularly notable: pitch manoeuvres (Pancakes, Fades, Flic-Flacs, Yo-Yos, etc.) are not only easily achievable but extremely controllable both in speed and amount. I have only ever tried some very high aspect ratio kites that can match this and even they were not as controllable and repeatable in this respect. Snap stalls can be held nicely upright, forced into a Backflip (Turtle) or even really hammered into a backwards Yo-yo.

Stefan has used this kite to win all manner of competitions across Europe. In his hands it has won precision, ballet and freestyle events. Whilst a huge part of this is down to his skills as a flyer he clearly needs a kite worthy of his own abilities.
This is my third Level One kite and the consistency of construction across their range is noteworthy. It also means that the same small problems are seen. One or two of the stoppers (and they are in five positions) have come unglued and needed replacement. There are a few places where the dacron has frayed slightly due to not having been hot cut quite well enough. The dacron at the nose isn’t cut away quite cleanly, giving an unfortunate catch point when in a Fade. None of these are in any way major errors and can be resolved easily but removing them at the manufacturers would elevate Level One to the
very highest quality. As such they are minor irritations. The quick adjustment of the bridle is quite coarse, giving quite a
large change in flying characteristics. Perhaps an intermediate position would be possible.

This kite in many ways represents the state-of-the-art for a European dual-line individual competition kite. It has no significant weaknesses in its flight and, in the hands of a true expert, can show exactly what can be done with this sort of kite. It is solidly made, keenly priced and rewarding (if demanding) to fly.

*I’ll expand on and clarify this, if I may.
Both are do-able but the nature of the kite is to be VERY sensitive and responsive. It does what you said, not what you MEANT to say. You will need to be very deliberate about your motions to get these (and any other) moves. In no way shape or form is this kite fool proof. Have an off day and you probably won’t enjoy it. It flatters good flying and punishes poor flying. My success ratio with Backpsins is low. It gets better if I concentrate but how much fun is that ?

I guess that the static bridle is in no small way responsible for this. With a movable tow point (dynamic or active) you get a “zone” to hit a pop for a trick. With static bridles this is more like a “point”. Not user friendly but rewarding when you nail it.

The Challenge does not come with training wheels.

Originally posted on rec.kites (in 2002).

The Stiletto is the latest design from Peter Betancourt, a 2m kite coming in at a lower price point than most of the rest of his range. As a custom kite maker Peter is able to offer personalised kites in the form of frame options and, most obviously, his famous appliqued sail designs. This review is based on a kite with a normal wind range frame and the “Tribal” motif.

The kite comes in a full length nylon bag, colour coded to the sail. A small pack including spare standoffs, end caps, sail patching material and a business card was included. No instructions were present.
The Stiletto is quite dissimilar to the other kites in Peter’s range. It features a medium aspect ratio and a noticeably flatter sail than is today’s norm held by a single standoff per side. The leading edges are pulled into only a moderate amount of curvature when the kite is fully assembled. The bridle is a cross-dynamic with the crossovers from the lower spreaders tied together where they touch. A simple trick line runs from wingtip to wingtip passing through the channel of a cut down 90deg leading edge connector at the base of the spine. A very neat and snag free implementation. The sail is a single panel (presumably one of the areas where a cost saving has been made) with the applique applied to the rear of the sail and the front cut cleanly away.

The sail and applique is in Chikara, a nylon fabric. The framing is mainly in SkyShark P300, which is a straight gauge wrapped spar, but with P200 in the upper leading edges and a 4mm upper spreader. Standoffs are 2mm. The leading edge is made from the same material as the main sail (Chikara) with localised patches of Dacron around the spar cutouts. There is a kevlar reinforced Velcro tail fastening, a Dacron patch where the upper spreader crosses the spine and a kevlar reinforced nose which features the “Ram Air” stiffening as seen on other kites in this range.

The leading edge connectors are from APA (different sizes for upper and lower spreaders) and the wingtip nocks are of the FSD enclosed type for a smooth wingtip. The leading edges and trailing edge leech line are tensioned by long hanging lines that must be wound onto the nocks.

It is not uncommon for Peter Betancourt’s kites to win prizes at kitemaking competitions. That is to say, his _customers’_ kites. Whilst the very top manufacturers turn out some very well made kites they really do not match up to the craftsmanship that this kite displays. You will search in vain for errors, flaws and disappointments but just looking is worthwhile to reveal the intelligent and elegant solutions to kitemaking apparent in this kite. Having a hand signed dedication to yourself on the kite plus the whole air of quality, attention to detail and beauty adds a sense of occasion to every flight. A kite made for YOU, rather than #2143.

The wind range for this kite is roughly from 3 to 20mph. At the bottom end the kite is easily overcontrolled and at the top end very fast indeed (plus you worry for the consequences for that applique if things do go wrong). A usable range is more likely 5 to 15mph. In general 80# line will suffice but moving up to 200# for the top end may give benefits in making the experience a little less manic. The initial qualities that I noticed where the kite’s snappy acceleration and oversteer. It should be noted that “oversteer” is a characteristic and NOT necessarily a fault. In this kite’s case it is part of its personality. It is quite predictable, controllable and allows plenty of groundwork, which the frame is well capable of withstanding. The very rigid frame makes for a responsive kite which can cut reasonable figures but it demands constant attention to avoid wandering lines and overcooked turns.
The flat sail (by current design trends) accelerates and decelerates quickly, making for sharp stall entry and exits. It also allows slack line manouvres (Axels, etc.) to be executed with great speed. Fades can slip away quite quickly but are easy to enter from a Split Axel. Like many flatter kites it seems to have a natural recovery position onto its back when/if things go a little wrong so easy Turtle recoveries and Lazy Susans are a welcome addition to this kite’s abilities.

Although it is possible to form the nose of the kite with the “Ram Air” fixture it is difficult to notice any substantial in-flight difference in handling and it always seems to be in the same position at the end of a flying session anyway. I would class this kite as a recreational, entertaining kite for an experienced hand. Both as a competition kite and for beginners I would be put off by the speed and sensitivity to small control inputs.

I am concerned that when/if the leading edge and leech line tensioners wear out this will be a difficult replacement job. The lack of reinforcement along the whole of the leading edge seems like an unusual choice in a kite that otherwise seems so well suited to groundwork. Getting the kite down flat (Pancaked) takes a lot of practice and movement, even in lower winds. This makes some tricks difficult to accomplish the “book” way but encourages experimentation into getting there via a different approach. The lack of instructions is a disappointment. Some words on the bridle would certainly be appreciated.

A beautifully made, hand crafted recreational kite that offers some challenge to master and lots of entertainment. It would make a fine choice for anyone who appreciates quality and artistry and simply wishes to enjoy their flying on many levels.

Originally posted to rec.kites (in 2000).

The kite comes in a full length mesh bag with a small but informative leaflet. A velcro strap to keep the kite rolled up when stored is included.

The Outsider is similar to the preceding T2 in that it has a square nose angle and reasonably straight leading edges but differs in that it has a significantly shortened spine and has two set of inboard standoffs in addition to wingtip stretchers coming off the leading edge. The bridle is dynamic but can be switched to static if required (this conversion and bridle tuning is covered well in the instructions). The sail has six panels, symmetrical and aligned to the leading edge. The applique pattern is overlayed but the sail material behind the applique is not removed to eliminate the possibilty of uneven sail stretch.
(The “standard” kite is a twelve panel design with an extra line of three smaller panels running along the leading edge.)

The sail is in Icarex with the applique in Carrington K42. The framing is mainly in ProSpar 6mm apart from the lower
spreaders which are Avia G-Force SUL. Dacron reinforcements are used for the standoff connection to the trailing edge, the sail stretcher pockets, on the spine where the upper spreader crosses and from the base of the spine to the lower spreader T-piece. The nose is reinforced with dacron and webbing. The base of the spine is tensioned with a velcro loop. The leading edge connectors and the standoff fittings are from APA, the highest quality availible. Only the T-piece looks a little unusual, being a carbon rod held in place with looped O-rings. The rubber band retainer for the sail stretchers is a thoughtful touch.
The leading edges are attached to wingtip nocks with elastic bands through hot cut holes in the leading edge tunnels. The nocks are drilled to take the Active Trick Line (with a bungee centre section) which is also supported with lines from the outer standoffs. There is no leech line in the trailing edge (it is quite tight enough not to need one).

Airdynamics make hand-crafted kites and whilst the overall quality is very high, such as in the seams, there are a few small details that show this “hand made” aspect. There is, however, nothing that could be viewed as severe as a fault.

The rated wind range for this kite is 3 to 20mph. This seems realistic, although the kite is under achieving at its low end. It certainly requires 5mph plus in order to begin to appreciate its true qualities. Towards the top end it may be necessary to fit one set of the optional brakes. With mesh brakes fitted between the outer standoffs and the spine the Outsider was comfortable at 20mph and flew exactly as it had been at 10mph without the brakes.
I would class this kite as an advanced all-rounder, perhaps even a “Freestyler”. Certainly if it were flown just as a tricks kite or just as a figures kite it would be wasting a considerable amount of this kite’s abilities in either direction. I have yet to discover a notable weakness in the kite’s flight.
As befits a kite designed for Masters’ Class competition the Outsider has some outstanding flight characteristics. It is extremely stable in a Side Slide, for instance, with the kite remaining upright and moving at speed sideways (not always an easy to find combination). It offers remarkable stability in a Fade also and can be put into and held in this position with ease. It does not really seem to be an out-and-out Precision kite but is accurate in turns and tracks well. Backspins are present and correct for those who wish to.
Fortunately it is highly tunable, via both bridle and standoff position, so if the factory setting is not quite to your liking it can be “tweaked” accordingly. Again, the extensive details in the instructions are of great benefit in this respect.

The leading edge tensioners are very tight and troublesome to fit and remove. The rubber bands could easily be lost or damaged and the difficulty in using them makes breaking the kite down tiresome. The velcro around the base of the spine is quite narrow and can be pulled off the spine after a crash.

A hand crafted, high performance, all round stunt kite. It would make a fine choice for the individual competitor (add the brakes for full wind range in one kite). An excellent choice for those who enjoy experimenting with their kites in view of the adjustability.

Originally posted to rec.kites (in 1999).