For the last week and a half I have been testing both of the kites back to back and I have to say that I am impressed. The both perform great in
light winds, which is a newer concept for me.
Bags--
They come in the same bag the only difference is the color. The kites pack down very small and the bar fits inside the bag along with the kite.
Bar--
Both of these kites are on the same bar which is nice. It is very clean and easy to use. The only difference is that the matrixx has a 5th line
safety running through the bar, while the montana has the secondary top hat safety above the bar which is a leashless system.
Setup--
The montana sets up from the bag to the air in about 90 seconds. Just unpack kite, unwind lines, connect to kite stake, pull center lines and you are
up and moving.
The matrixx sets up almost as fast, you just have to put a little bit of air inside the kite before you pull the center lines for launch. It only
takes about 30 seconds to a minute longer to launch the matrixx.
Riding--
The montana 7 had me up and moving in 9mph no problem which was awesome considering i'm using a field in the middle of the city and is surrounded by
buildings on all four sides. I normally never even consider a session unless its 14mph or more in the past. the kite is grunty, flies very fast, and
turns fast as well.
Matrixx had me moving in the same winds on that day, and it seemed like the montana had just a little more grunt to it. the matrixx did much better
once you get up to speed. This kite turns quickly as well. This was a huge shock to me since the last foil kite I really had a chance to use was the
12m slingshot rangers. both of these kites turn very fast compared to that kite.
Both kites have a lot of depower and are very smooth when you push the bar out. The main difference that I noticed comparing these two kites to arcs
is that the bar pressure is very light. I felt more comfortable flying with the bar pulled all of the way in. Other than that I felt like I was
flying like I normally do.
Jumping--
Heres where I was very impressed. Since my field is so bumpy I need 14mph winds to get moving fast enough to power through the tough ground so
jumping is difficult and more wind is needed........NOT WITH THESE KITES!
The montana is a float machine and will pick you up and put you down softly. I was jumping in 10-12mph no problem with lots of hangtime. The one
thing that I did notice was that with all of the float I didnt always land where I thought I would land. Sometimes the kite would carry me where it
wanted to take me because of the ridiculous hangtime.
the matrixx was sweet. let me just say that. It had me jumping in the same winds but it was a very smooth heavy lift that just holds you in the air
for a very long time. I was able to grab more tricks in one light wind session than a normal session in 20mph wind. The lift and hangtime on this
kite is awesome, you feel good control and it feels a little more precise while in the air compared to the montana. I took it out on a day that was
19-25mph and I was going big and hanging in the air forever. I've never had that much hangtime before.
These kites are light wind session savers and I had 5 sessions this week when I would normally only have 2. I wasn't just mowing the grass either,
there was some hangtime and tricks that were landed.
I prefered the safety system on the matrixx since the red hat is right by the spreader bar. It is just like what I am used to so it felt comfortable.
The safety on the montana is above the bar but is a leashless system. I was scared that I would miss it if the wind went squirrely.
Relaunch--
I pulled the safety on both kites and reset them just to see if there were any tangles. The reset very quickly and so far I hadn't had any trouble
with bridle tangles.
Random info--
I think if you are looking for a super light wind kite lets say 8-12mph I would go with the montana. It flies very smooth and is very easy to set up
and pack down. It will get you moving and even take you off the ground if you want. It felt safe and reliable every session.
The matrixx will be great for those who want to ride in light winds but who also want to take the same kite in stronger winds, and for those who want
to go big and just float in the air all day long. The matrixx will get you moving in 8mph but I think the montana did a little better job at it. The
matrixx comes alive in 10mph.
I'm gonna stick with the matrixx because of its safety system and its jumping characteristics. I like not having to worry about open foil collapse
even though that never happend on the montana. its better to be safe than sorry.
I love the way the montana looks and flies. I wouldn't mind picking up one in the future just for those light wind days8-9mph.
Overall I was very happy with the lightwind performance and the hangtime/ and easy setup/ pack down with these kites. They are simple easy to use, and
have good qualities that every rider looks for.
If it makes a difference I've had 5 sessions this week and i normally would have only had 2. Lightwind performance makes a big difference.
I've posted a few photos of the kites on my blog, some of them are from wexler, but some are from my field.
www.nowhereboyskiteboarding.blogspot.com
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