Scudley - 22-7-2010 at 10:09 PM
Last Monday we had a bit of a wind storm pass through Vancouver. Seeing as it was the first time we have had better than 15 kt wind since I got my 2m
Reflex, I had to head out to GP to check it out. I arrived to 20 kts W gusting to 30, big white caps on the mouth of the Fraser.
Sky Country made 6 2m Reflexes at our request after finding the wind at NABX was too much for even my 2.7 Vampir. The designer said a 2m would be
very fast, but provide too little power to be fun. He was wrong. I had blast.
There was not a soul in the park when I arrived. I started flying. The first thing I noticed was how fast I was going for so little pull on my arms.
Looping the kite made things even faster, but still no feeling of being yarded out the buggy. Next tack I continuously loop the kite over and and
under. Kite control was amazingly precise and predictable. The predictability was important as the Reflex 2m is very fast: a quick tug on a break
and the kite is going the other way. Soon I am doing up wind turns and backwards jibes.
After three hours the wind was slowing down and single liners were showing up: time to go.
I have no idea what the top end wind is for this kite. Even when slammed by a 30 kt gust, I never had any felling of being overpowered or not having
complete control of the kite.
I am really looking forward to flying this at Ivanpah.
I should probably add that I will not be using this kite in any attempt
The kite is made in the Ukraine by Sky Country (Paragliders & kites) from a combination of Gelvenor and Skytex. The aspect ratio, the same as for
all Reflex sizes, is 5.1. The cell openings are covered with an ultra-fine porous mesh. The mesh does two things: maintains the shape of the leading
edge; keeps snow, sand and other debris out of the kite.
The kite is not cheap, but this is not a kid's toy*. Gelvenor and Skytex are not ripstop. The materials and workmanship are top notch, as to be
expected from an aeronautics company.
S
Marketing Commissar (kites)
Sky Country Canada
*Tonka will argue it makes a great kid's toy. It is probably a great kid's toy if you can convince your wife that the kite really was for your child
and not for you when it is blowing 30+.
RonH - 23-7-2010 at 08:47 AM
I had a chance to fly the kite yesterday...
I looked like a total noob for a few seconds. Way too much input on the brakes and it's spinning like a windmill. We could name the kite "twitch".
Anyways, I get going in 17kts wind and you have to sine the kite to make any power. Like Scudley said, no side pull but i did get going at a decent
speed for our little park. I would think 25kts is where this little beast would be happy.
Had fun with it, looking forward to a little more wind to see how it does without having to work it to get going.
Ron