Power Kite Forum - Born Kite Long Star

Born Kite Long Star

John Holgate - 23-5-2015 at 12:39 AM

Due for launch in mid June, is the new Long Star from Born-Kite.

It has a much wider window than the Nasa Star 3 but does not give away the brilliant stability the NS3 is known for. It uses a Leading Edge Depower system (LED). No fluttering and no collapse even in gusty conditions. You can control any backstall actively with the LED and relaunch is said to be very easy.

Will it be faster? Will it head upwind better? - I would think it will on both counts. At this point, I've only seen the photos and had a brief description from Steffen but I should have my hands on one when they become available and will let you know what I find.

No details on cost yet, we may have to wait till they appear on the website. Interestingly, this is not the Ultra Star - I don't know the differences but I believe the Ultra Star may be a little more like the Peak and should be available later this year.

Year of the single skin kite!!

bigE123 - 23-5-2015 at 03:25 AM

Looks like the NPW9b HA that didn't flutter at all, turned really well, but it didn't have a very good window, this will be an interesting kite.

ssayre - 23-5-2015 at 03:43 AM

This looks very interesting. Last night, my wife was just saying how she wished I had a longer one. :D

John Holgate - 23-5-2015 at 05:02 AM

Quote:

This looks very interesting. Last night, my wife was just saying how she wished I had a longer one. :D

Once you get a Long Star, you need never feel inadequate again!

Seriously though, everything I want in a kite is the stability and ease of use of the NS3 with 15% more speed and upwind ability. The Long Star may get awfully close to that - I'm chomping at the bit to try one.

I particularly like the color scheme. Sorta looks like two NS3's joined together....

Hmmmm.....Long Star.....anyone else getting images of gunslingers?

bobalooie57 - 23-5-2015 at 06:36 AM

Here's what came to mind for me, but I've been to Texas!

ls beer.jpg - 7kB

3shot - 23-5-2015 at 06:58 AM

Thanks for the share John!
Can't wait to see the Ultra Star as well.

soliver - 23-5-2015 at 03:13 PM

It is certainly very strange looking,... I'm very interested in seeing how it performs... And of course you can't help but wonder now that you've bought what you thought was the most recent Nasa Star design, he's already on to the next thing?!?!?

John Holgate - 23-5-2015 at 04:28 PM

Quote:

And of course you can't help but wonder now that you've bought what you thought was the most recent Nasa Star design, he's already on to the next thing?!?!?

It would seem that Steffen is not one to sit around wondering if he can build a better mousetrap, so to speak.

I've known about the Ultra Star for a long time as a kite that would be more purpose built for buggying but hadn't seen any pics until they popped up in the German magazine. But I knew nothing about the Long Star till two weeks ago - progress on single skin design is looking pretty rapid this year. I know Peter Lynn has made something like 40 single skin, single line prototypes over the last couple of years and they've obviously done a bit of testing on the Mongolia trip.

Just goes to show, you never know what might be just around the corner. Mind you, none of the above makes my NS3 or NS2's any less enjoyable to fly. :D

IMK - 23-5-2015 at 06:48 PM

I like the unique look of it. Looks like something out of a Batman movie.

Randy - 23-5-2015 at 07:55 PM

Hats off to Born for continuing to innovate with NPWs. John any word on what sizes it will be offered?

John Holgate - 23-5-2015 at 09:04 PM

Yellow is the 3m, Orange the 5m and Blue is a 7m. That's all that has been mentioned so far. Although I do note that the NS3 lineup has been expanded recently....:D

3shot - 24-5-2015 at 05:51 AM

Come on Ultra Star!!!

ssayre - 4-7-2015 at 06:35 AM

Looking forward to trying this one.

Bigmike, will you have these and the upcoming ultra star available?

Windstruck - 4-7-2015 at 07:31 AM

I'm seeing Batman too!!! :ticking:

I feel a gaping hole forming in my quiver already!

Would be super cool if Stefan played off of this with his color scheme.

Devoted - 5-7-2015 at 05:31 AM

I was looking into the nasa star big size to rock my boat (surfboard) on the water.

And i stick to that. No matter how a kite flies, there is always the side effect of looking at it. And I dont like the design. Very depressing colors.

I am how ever intrested in the way this flies. It looks like a long nasa wing. By shape that is. Curious about the differences.

And I thinknits awesome that inovation is still here and brands dare to take a risk.

Devoted - 5-7-2015 at 05:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

This looks very interesting. Last night, my wife was just saying how she wished I had a longer one. :D

You can buy beer bbc.co in big bottles now a days:P

ssayre - 7-7-2015 at 07:53 PM

Long Star being released July 20th

Get some!

ssayre - 19-7-2015 at 10:11 AM

It's here and looks vastly different than what I was expecting from a control and depower perspective. Looks awesome.

3shot - 19-7-2015 at 10:32 AM

That's a killer looking kite! As always, Steffen pushing the design envelope. That bar concept does look sweet. Looks like an adjustable stopper ball this time instead of the cam cleat? Damn... I want one....
I need a part time job.....

Windstruck - 19-7-2015 at 12:07 PM

DADDY WANTS!!!!

soliver - 19-7-2015 at 12:16 PM

Oh jeez... If I only had a spare kidney to sell :no:

That really looks awesome!

Windstruck - 19-7-2015 at 12:19 PM

I just sent an email to Steffen with a CC to Big Mike asking about how to get one. I'd like to buy through Mike for a whole bunch of reasons. I'll post what I learn.

Beyond the question of how to get one, I also asked about how they compare size to power with the NS3s.

:Ange09:

3shot - 19-7-2015 at 03:18 PM

Get me a 5m too Steve while your at it

Windstruck - 19-7-2015 at 03:41 PM

Get in line Jason, get in line...

ssayre - 19-7-2015 at 03:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

I just sent an email to Steffen with a CC to Big Mike asking about how to get one. I'd like to buy through Mike for a whole bunch of reasons. I'll post what I learn.

Beyond the question of how to get one, I also asked about how they compare size to power with the NS3s.

:Ange09:

Mike said he was going to try and unload some ns3's before bringing the new stuff on one of his last posts, but who knows, maybe he will bring some in.

Windstruck - 19-7-2015 at 03:52 PM

Yup Sean, I read that too. Can't blame him. I CCed him on my email to Steffen mentioning I'd like to buy on and get it from Mike if possible. I do want to buy from Mike for a host of reasons (Mike has done me some nice solids and I'm a loyal guy in face of such things), and I was hoping to generate a little momentum at the same time!

John Holgate - 1-9-2015 at 03:19 PM

Way too early for any sort of review yet as I've only been able to fly it in light and variable winds. But it certainly is one interesting little beastie!! Seems to make a lot of power for it's size, flys very nicely with good power through the turns. Haven't really had to depower it as such yet but you have to also use the depower to avoid it backstalling. I originally thought any deformation on the leading edge would stop it from going forward in the window..... I was completely wrong there and my first few outings as a result were not optimal. Once you get used to it, it all starts to make sense and it looks hugely promising for the buggy once I get some decent wind. It's definitely nothing like the NS2'3/3's - although it does show the same 'tracking like it's on rails' stability. Much wider window - I've even had it go clean over my head and luff (which was easily preventable).

Here's a peek in very light winds...

Windstruck - 1-9-2015 at 07:15 PM

John - FANTASTIC! Thanks for the posting. As always, your videos are Bo informative and fun to watch. Nice tunes that broke out about half way through!

3shot - 2-9-2015 at 04:23 PM

Sweet. I would not have my Stars without having watched John's vids first. Good stuff John!

ssayre - 2-9-2015 at 05:52 PM

interesting thing, if you look at the pictures John first posted of steffen flying these, he is only flying a 3 line set up typical of any nasa star. I suspect he split the bridles and added Z and 4 line later. I don't even see the additional transport loops on the version in the pictures. I wonder if he originally set out to make it more in line like the nasa stars as far as control, but maybe had trouble doing the traditional side launch / land with the wider profile and maybe needed the additional lines to prevent backstall. Either way, that tells me that with decent wind it will probably fly in 2 line mode like normal. That would certainly simplify things if used as a streetkite set up. I guess we will find out.

John Holgate - 2-9-2015 at 06:47 PM

Thanks guys. I have flown it on handles and apart from the backstall issue in light conditions, it flew tremendously well - as nice as any kite I've ever flown. It also liked a bit of brake input in the turns. If you keep it away from the edges of the window and under a bit of power, the backstall wasn't too much of an issue. As you feel the lines begin to lose tension, spin it round before it stalls. Having said that, it was only a single 15minute session with handles so take that for what it's worth. Steffen has said to me that it cannot be flown with handles but me being me, I'll have a few more goes with it under various conditions with handles just to see what it can do.

The Turbo Bar (with 5th line mod) was meh, not really enough bar travel to properly engage the depower and the Long Star felt a bit weird on the Turbo Bar. Still have to give the 3 line bar a whirl and I've also made up another 5 line bar to try - similar to the one I used with the 5m NS2 in the 'kiting at Shallow Inlet' vid with trapeze loop, both brake and power lines from the bar ends with brake strap plus a center depower line.....now that I think about it, it's exactly the same as the std 3 line bar with extra brake lines attached.....

I tried flying it yesterday morning (local weather bureau was saying 15 - 27 knots at the time but it was so gusty I quickly put it back down. It did sit firmly on the the brakes even in those gusty conditions and backed down with the brake strap fine. (whew! Just as well). I went back to the house and grabbed the 1.5 & 2.5m NS2's for a fly anyway.... I think the wind must have started dying off though (still very gusty). I ended up putting the 2.5m NS2 up but in comparison to the LS 3m, it felt like a toy kite.

It's a really interesting kite with huge potential as a buggy engine. The fact that I've had the LS go straight over my head and luff shows excellent promise for upwind ability. Should have some light southerly's tomorrow to give it a another spin, no wind for Saturday, and Sunday is the Dean Kite Festival so I should get some flying of the LS there too. A possible beach trip is on the cards mid next week if it's not too showery.

John Holgate - 3-9-2015 at 02:31 AM

Quote:

interesting thing, if you look at the pictures John first posted of steffen flying these, he is only flying a 3 line set up typical of any nasa star.

Good pick, Sean. I hadn't noticed that but you're spot on.

Randy - 3-9-2015 at 05:10 AM

Wow - very cool kite and informative, well done video!

Windstruck - 3-9-2015 at 05:40 AM

My 7.0m LongStar left Jersey City last night!!!! :singing:

Slowly escaping the Vortex!

John Holgate - 4-9-2015 at 05:28 AM

Sean got me thinking about the 3 line bar and I ended up adding some brake lines to it to make it a 5 line version. I tried relaunching from upside down without the brakes - couldn't do it. I think it does need a 5 line bar. But if you already have a 3 line bar, it's not hard to add a couple extra lines for the brakes and then it will work very nicely. Gusts of 12 knots today with lulls down to 4 knots but even in 9 - 10 knots, the LS 3m was making enough power to pull the buggy around the paddock and I couldn't hold my ground static flying it. I was left extremely impressed.

Windstruck - 4-9-2015 at 05:42 AM

Sweet John! So... with the bar/line mods as shown you were able to reverse launch? If would certainly make sense that you would. I'm now curious how it will feel buggying with half the load on my arms and half through the harness. Not a bad thing necessarily in my view, giving the old popeyes a bit of a pump as I tool around!

John Holgate - 4-9-2015 at 01:29 PM

No problems reverse launching with the extra lines added to the std 3 line setup. Bugging with 50% (rough estimate) load on bar is pretty easy - but you can't let go of the bar....although you could probably add a trapeze loop to that bar too.

3shot - 4-9-2015 at 02:18 PM

Excellent video John! Informative as always!!

Windstruck - 4-9-2015 at 02:47 PM

...Can't let go of the bar.... that's interesting. I look forward to trying this all out very soon.

The Nasa Wing grows up even more..

skimtwashington - 4-9-2015 at 03:39 PM

More power than The Nasa Star....better upwind....?..... :thumbup:

Stability: Long Star vs. Nasa Star in 'janky' winds...?

This might be the new 'star' of the Born line.

I'm thinking a comparison of some sort between the Ultra Star and Peak might be interesting.... but maybe also this Long Star and the Peak too...
Sizes to compare for equivalent power with The Peak...?

Anyway, the Peak and Born line certainly making the scene for single skinners(that are not LEI). Quick unpack and go..crashable...safety features(over FB). They are making a viable niche in traction kiting and may be growing.

The loudest 'singing' of praise I seem to hear on PKF is on the Peaks, followed by the Born line- just behind.

I don't hear as much singing on PL Uniq kites.... so far. PL may need some time and more R & D and new models.

What open terrain you have there!

Fair dinkham mate...good video report/review. :smilegrin:

Windstruck - 4-9-2015 at 05:24 PM

@skimwashington - We are most certainly tracking along the same lines. I've got a complete quiver of Peak-2s, quite a number of NS3s and two LSs (OK, the LSs are somewhere in the postal Vortex, but they will be here eventually). I plan on doing some of these cross comparisons from my buggy during single sessions. I too want to know the wind ranges for the respective kites. From what I've read from John Holgate so far it seems the LSs may have a bit more pull per square meter than their cousins the NASA Stars.

As for the PL Uniq, I had one (4.5m Quad) but turned around and sold it. I was not pleased with it as a buggy engine. Lots and lots of grunt per square meter but a relatively narrow wind window and not much upwind pulling capacity. Others may feel differently, but I have yet to see anything even somewhat positive about the Uniq line from anyone not also selling them. Not taking anything away from those comments (or the people making them), but it's always nice to hear from folks not so skinned in the game so to speak.

For inland janky winds the DP aspect of the Peak-2 is pretty hard to beat, and at least to date (LEIs not withstanding) they appear to offer the best on-the-fly depowering of the currently available single skin kites. For us inland (and in my case, mountain) dwellers, this DP has saved my hide many, many times. Today, for example, I had the 9m P2 up in the air from my buggy thinking it was underpowered. Within a lap the wind was blowing so hard I had to pull the rip cord to keep from getting into trouble. Try that on a FB and strop. Better yet, don't try that.

John Holgate - 5-9-2015 at 06:12 AM

A little more 'Born Porn' for you. :D Took the 5m out for it's maiden flight today in ridiculously light winds around 4 knots with gusts to 6.5 and lulls to well....nothing. There was a bit of standing around waiting for wind to turn up but not for long. I hope I'm not getting carried away with these kites, but I can't get over the solid pull all the way around the window in light winds. I couldn't hold my ground in 6 knots. Turns were almost on a wingtip and with a little tension on the depower line, you could hover them at the edge of the window in what couldn't have been more than 4 knots.

Windstruck - 5-9-2015 at 06:52 AM

Sweet John! I'm digging how these LSs look. So sinister, so Batman-like, yet still beautiful. I particularly appreciated the slightly contrasting color look at the stitching around the orange star. When the fark is mine going to show up? :D