I posted this in Kites and Accessories at first, but I figure it will get more attention here, as I have seen a few people, like myself, asking about the Toxic kites but not much review info is out there about them yet. Without further ado, here is my review!

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Just picked up my new HQ Toxic 8.0m from UPS and stretched my lines out in the local park. At first I was a bit bummed that the new kite curse had struck me with no wind whatsoever. I decided to at least try to run around with it until I got tired. No need. This baby can fly on a gnat's fart.

I was a little surprised with how easy the Toxic lifted into the air and took flight, even when I could not feel the wind on my skin. The trees were still, and you could only occasionally feel gusts of maybe 5-6 mph.

I was wearing hiking boots, because I knew I would be either on grass or sand where there could be broken glass(gotta love a city park/beach). Even in ankle high grass, wearing my very grippy hiking boots, this kite could drag me 5-6 feet in a single 45 degree pass through the window. The power is extremely smooth, feeling like a locomotive on rails, yet very nimble. The toxic is steerable by the power lines, but will turn on a wingtip with generous break input.

This thing loves its breaks! That is the best I know how to describe it. You get so much result from break tension during turns and in the window. I could get huge results in power with tension on both break lines. The toxic can handle a ton of break input before the tail puckers and tries to stall, which almost gives the kite a feeling of flying a depower on quad handles. You can park the kite in the zenith, tug the breaks and just feel the lift, but it is not there unless you ask the kite for it.

The Toxic is extremely well behaved as long as it is moving. Like I said, it feels like a locomotive on rails that can turn on a wingtip. However, if you manage to give too much input and stall, or overfly the window, it will not hesitate to bowtie. That is not a flaw in the kite itself in my opinion, since all high aspect kites will behave in a similar fashion.

The bag the Toxic came in is huge. Once I took the kite out of the plastic and folded it the way I like to fold, the kite, lines, and handles only take up half the bag, freeing up the other half for harness and water bottles and other chattel like keys, wallet, etc. It has sweet side pockets with straps that look perfect for packing other kites like revs or stunt kites, or even more water bottles! You can never have too much water with you.

Unfortunately, my girlfriend was too tired after her long work day to meet me in the park for pictures and video, so you all will have to make do with the quick pictures I snapped of when I first unrolled it at my apartment. I didn't think to take pictures of it in the park. I am going flying this weekend, and I am dragging the lady with me to fly some kites as well as take pictures and video of this bad boy in the air. More to follow!

http://i.imgur.com/YxyUgMc.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DeVAzs6.jpg

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These are the pictures my girlfriend got yesterday afternoon. The wind wasn't even moving leaves in trees except when there were gusts.

http://i.imgur.com/sv3x7RO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3JmwZZ9.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/MRiAbCA.jpg

It's impressive eh? This kite is the reason i got back in my buggy! when the wind is too light for the water or your land board you can buggy with a 8.0 Toxic in only a whisper

Looks cool in the air too. My review is in this section too if you want to compare.

Spot on review... Ive flown a few down in Georgia and had no complaints! Ive never had a bowtie, but the largest I flew was a 6m iirc.

They seem like a good match up to the pl twisters... Good turning capabilities, good power, just a good kite... I took the 6m out at jibe and spent two hours sideways, rolled back into camp, and put the same kite in the hands of a complete newbie, and it performed great! (until a stack of revs crashed into it lmao!)

At jibe '12 I was able to pop some 6-8' static jumps with the same kite... Lots of fun!

8m may be a bit big for a first time flyer, but with a little know-how itd be a great addition to a quiver!

I'm def. planning on one to fill my 8m spot,... Unless I find a used RII for significantly less...

I like the stability claims

Can anyone speak to which might be more stable,... RII or Toxic?

Which is better upwind?

Unfortunately I have not yet flown any of the Reactors, as I chose the Toxic over the 2013 Reactor. I had my eye on the 6.9, but ultimately decided that from the info I gathered online, the main difference between the two kites was the Reactors being just a tad faster. The Toxic is a very quick kite already, so the small difference in speed will probably not be missed.

Quote: Originally posted by Demoknight

The Toxic is a very quick kite already, so the small difference in speed will probably not be missed.

And the fact you mentioned that the Toxic loves brake input!
Something my RII is not to crazy about. It can handle some brake, but not as much as some of my other kites. Maybe it's the 6.9m size? Spencer said his 5m RII was a little picky about the brakes as well, if I'm not mistaken. But, I realize this attribute, and try to pilot around this with just a tad different flying style. To bee 100% honest, I picked up My 6.9 for long haul-low wind days (beach runs), where I wouldn't have to call on the brakes as much. Not my normal cracker box field riding.

Hope to try a Toxic soon as well!

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

Quote: Originally posted by Demoknight   The Toxic is a very quick kite already, so the small difference in speed will probably not be missed. And the fact you mentioned that the Toxic loves brake input! Something my RII is not to crazy about. It can handle some brake, but not as much as some of my other kites. Maybe it's the 6.9m size? Never flew another RII size to know. Spencer said his 5m RII was a little picky about the brakes as well, if I'm not mistaken. But, I realize this attribute, and try to pilot around this with just a tad different flying style. To bee 100% honest, I picked up My 6.9 for long haul-low wind days (beach runs), where I wouldn't have to call on the brakes as much. Not my normal cracker box field riding. Hope to try a Toxic soon as well!

No,... RII is front line biased. my 5.5m (like your 6.9m) doesn't like much brake input either. Some of the guys told me this when I first picked it up... It's just the nature of the RII from what I understand.
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=25843

I've flown Angus's 8.6m RII, but only for all of like 15 minutes... Pretty rad.

I'm favoring Toxic for this size because of the stability claims... With the cruddy Atlanta wind, at the "low wind" range, I'll need that additional help.

I suspect Demoknight will be pimping a new avatar any day now. :D

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

I suspect Demoknight will be pimping a new avatar any day now. :D

HA! I was just contemplating this today, "Should I go ahead and switch to one of the rad air pics of the 8.0?"

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

I'm favoring Toxic for this size because of the stability claims... With the cruddy Atlanta wind, at the "low wind" range, I'll need that additional help.

Yeah, it really is like a cross between a locomotive and a Porsche. Once it gets a bite of the window, it really doesn't let go, and for the most part you can whip it around all you want.

^ That's weird. That is soliver's quote. LOL

I don't think I have read what you are talking about 3shot, but it must be EXACTLY like a Porsche locomotive, because that is the only way to describe it.

Toxic 8m must be a very different kite than the 3m. 3m flies static nicely, but in the buggy I was really unimpressed. It had less power than my 2m Reflex, which I put down to try Viento's 3m Toxic. When I tried to work the the Toxic hard, it collapsed. It didn't bow tie, but just turned to a bag of laundry heading straight for the ground; no attempt at trying to reinflate. The wind was blowing 16kts NW (NW = lots of rotor at GP), but my 2m was not dropping like the Toxic. I quickly went back to playing with 2m.
On Saturday Ryan lent Viento his buggy. Edward, probably our best free styler, was out ripping on his 3m watching Viento struggling with the toxic and buggy. Edward goes over to hep Viento and checks out the Toxic with his buggy. He couldn't move; picked up his 3m and he's back to two wheeling.
S

Not sure what to say about that Scudley, 16kts is enough to fly a rock on a string... I don't have experience with the smaller Toxics yet, but so far the only drawback at all that I have found after putting many hours on my 8.0 is that it easily overflies if you are not watching it, and it does not like up-turns on the edge of the window. Sometimes that causes me headaches when I look down for a second to hook in. That I suspect is just due to the larger size and relatively high aspect ratio for the size. In my mind, I imagine that while the center of the kite is at the edge, when you upturn it puts the outside wingtip ten feet upwind of you and can cause some nasty bowties if you are not careful.

The kites I usually fly have an AR of 5.1 compared to 4.5 for the toxic, so I don't think inexperience with high A/R kites is the problem. I think you nailed it with the kite folds on upturns at the edge of the window.
If you watch some of my video, you will see my kite is all over the window when I am working it, lots of loops etc. If a kite does not like upturns at the edge of the window, it is not a kite I am going to think much of.
S

The 8.0 is 4.85 if I remember correctly. It is the only one of the series with that AR.

Well, Scud, I think a lot of the upturn issues that I have experienced have been due to light winds. In the upper end of its range I have not had the same problem. I am zooming my Toxic around and getting dragged when guys with 5 and 6m kites can't even launch without a running start. When the wind is 8-10mph, the kite behaves a little differently on the edge, and the tips rarely fold on me. I got the kite for light winds though, and most of my hours spent flying it so far are in wind so light that you rarely even feel it on your skin.

Oh Boy. Wait til you finally get a buggy and that huge tent catches a puff of wind. YEEEEEHAAAAAW.....OH SH#T!!!!!
LOL :tumble:

That is what I am hoping for, 3shot!

Demoknight, have you buggyed with this kite? The reason I ask is the problems I describe have only became apparent when I was buggying; kite flies fine static.
S

Not yet. Working on getting a buggy. Been flying it static and atb 10 hours or so per week since I got it though.

Its about the only kite I buggy with (Toxic 8.0) and I have had no problems with it - at all. I actually find it generates better power on upturns than other similar kites I have tried. Its more of a general purpose kite than a pure race kite for sure so If buggy racing is your bag then there are better offerings on the market but for your average recreational buggy pilot the Toxic is a suberb choice.

Maybe it just doesn't suit your style Scudley? 2 & 3m kites seem like a an odd choice to me when is only 16 knots. I would have my 5.6m up in those winds.

Lives2fly, I do not have issues with upturns other than all the way at the edge of the window. I think most kites would struggle there, even the more stable low AR kites like my 5.0 Tensor can stall like that on the edge of the window. Like I said, I think it is more due to light winds than any fault of the kite. I have had it out in 10-12 mph winds(the Toxic) and I can sling it any direction I want without any tip folding or stalling, even on the edge of the window. I really like flying in low winds with it though(5 and less) because I am still amazed by how easy it stays up in the air zooming around while other people around the park are jerking on slack lines to get a momentary puff into their kites.

Yeah its impressive. I have had buggy sessions in 4 knots with it :D

I've not really explored its top end because i got it for light winds too. if its sub 10knots and I can't kitesurf or atb then i can always cruise in the buggy with my toxic or just fly it static. I was torn between the toxic and the 10.8 Reactor 2 at the time i bought it but definately don't regret getting the HQ

Haven't tried the Toxic yet but the 10.8 Reactor II is sick in light winds.

But for really, really light winds, the Vapor 16.1 is frickin' amazing. The power it generates is incredible....gets a little scary when the wind gets stronger however and it has a very limited wind range....sorry to sidebar...I just love both of those kites...anyways, back to the regular schedued programming.

Quote: Originally posted by lives2fly

Maybe it just doesn't suit your style Scudley? 2 & 3m kites seem like a an odd choice to me when is only 16 knots. I would have my 5.6m up in those winds.

The 3m Toxic doesn't suit my flying style, as I said, every time I tried to work the kite hard, it collapsed. I don't park and ride. I like to fly my kite. By working the kite hard, I mean continuous power loops over then under and over again. It may be the kite does not like rotor, GP is filled with rotor on a NW.
For Viento, the choice of a 3m was easy: it is the only decent kite he has. The rest are toys.
There were a lot of factors for my choice of kite, I guess the biggest was my 2m is really fun to fly. Working it in 16kts I was going about as fast I wanted to go. GP is in really rough shape this year. Since the lake drained there are dozens of these pan shaped holes that are just brutal after a while ( A friend says if you hit them just right it feels just like his shock wave lithotripsy treatments.).
S

My Buggy spot is pretty rough at the moment too. Big tides are leaving these little inch high close packed ridge patterns that are like riding over cobblestones! maybe I should downsize my kite choice but I'm not sure I have the buggy skills to be flying a kite that hard and going where i want at the same time!