Hey gang, maybe this belongs in the snowkiting section, but just wondering what everyone's thoughts are regarding these 2 kites and how they compare, specifically for snowkiting. I have an '09 Frenzy 11M, but have a chance to buy a Manta II 10M. I like my Frenzy, it has tons of power, but do find it a bit slow turning. I know Mantas are faster, so Im looking at the pro's and con's of each. If I bought the Manta, I'd be selling the Frenzy.

Looking forward to hearing some good feedback!

Kiteyakker out!

I don't know much about either but I did hear the manata is being discontinued so if you want one and can get a deal on one I'd go for it now.

The Manta is NOT being discontinued and is in full production for 2011 along with the Frenzy and Access.

see the post here from madmax kitecrowd manta rumor

He says 2011 is the last year for the manta.

Kent, do you think it will be continued beyond 2011 or just through 2011?

As far as I know, the Manta is still going to be a current production model. The Frenzy is their basic high performance freestyle kite while the Access is the more-tame backcountry style kite. The Manta is a tweaked Frenzy that is geared towards the more demanding riders who don't mind giving up a little bit of stability for a slight more performance minded wing.

Ozone's current production cycle is set on a two year cycle. The Frenzy got an overhaul for the 2011 year while the Manta and Access continued to be the same as the 2010 year. For the 2012 model year, the Manta and the Access is scheduled to have an overhaul while the Frenzy is scheduled to remain the same. Colors may (and probably will) change for each year depending on what the supplier has to offer.

All of this could of course change at any time over the period of the next year, but as of this time, this is the info that has been released.

Perhaps Ozone or Windzup could comment in with any other info - or to correct anything that I have stated that may be wrong.

I don't control the Ozone factory so the above is worth what you paid for it.

Thanks Kent.

So we know that it is still in production. I was wondering more about the characteristics of the two.

Maven, you out there, which do you prefer? I find my Frenzy to be a good, stable, powerful kite, but it turns rather slow, which i find a bit annoying.

Between the 09/10 Frenzy and the 10/11 Manta (M3), I prefer the Frenzy. I don't have one, but I do prefer it. Although, I was always mentally comparing the Frenzy with the Manta that was just slightly bigger (7 Frenzy to 8 Manta, 11 Frenzy to 12 Manta). If you drop down the 10m Manta it should be a touch faster turning than the 11m Frenzy. I prefer the extra stability that you get from the Frenzy.

The Manta should sit just a little bit closer to the edge of the window, which means that if you're flying it in the same winds as the Frenzy, you're probably going to have to work it a bit more until you build up speed. The Frenzy is a little more stable and a little less liable to bow-tie or invert (that x bridle line helps)

All of my comparisons are between the Manta M3 (not the Manta II that you're looking at) and the Frenzy FYX. Hope I helped a little.

P.S. I'm with Kent, I haven't heard anything about plans to discontinue the Manta.

One other things, have you tried fiddling with the back line trimmers on the bar on the Frenzy? I think (haven't gotten around to testing it) that if you shorten those up, it should speed up the turning just a touch.

I have played with them, and shortening them didn't seem to help the turning speed, i always ended up returning them to the factory position. Maybe instead of going for that Manta, i should spring for the '11 frenzy. I've heard a lot of good things about them so far, but would love to demo one first. Nearest demos are 6 hrs away.

I've been told that the performance of the new Frenzy is in between the Frenzy FYX and the Manta M3. It's got more performance than the FYX and better stability than the M3, but not quite as much performance as the M3. All of that is hearsay, so take it with a grain of salt.

FWIW I know Jan, TIkayak, is looking to sell his 09 Frenzy to fund a new 11, if that's an indicator. He seems convinced that it will be the bees knees.

If you are wanting to get a little more out of your Frenzy in speed and performance, the Manta may be the exact ticket you are looking for. They do build the Manta slightly different than the Frenzy to give it faster turning and better overall performance - but it does come at a small cost in the stability. As Maven has stated, the Manta will sit further out on the edge and will fly faster through the window. It also has better upwind performance and is more aggressive on the pop/lift. If you can adjust to the slightly different flying characteristics then the Manta will probably be the best choice for you.

I've got an 8 and 12 Manta M3 for sale if you want them. The posts are are around here somewhere.