Here's what we've been waiting for - a review of the new Z-Air.
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Review of prototype Z-Air.box 8m (007).
Hello all,
My name is Nathan From Air Evolution UK.
And I have been lucky enough to have the Z-Air.box proto to test.
Here is what I thought.
The kite is built to a very high standard (as ever) but what gets your attention very quickly is the Mylar “box” section of the kite it’s much deeper
in the centre of the kite getting thinner as it moves to the tips, you will also notice that the trailing edge flap is much smaller.
I launched the kite for the first time in wind gusting up to 20mph and dropping down as low as 8mph and, as you would expect it went strait up and
settled at the top of the window.
Strait away you can feel this is a completely different Kite to the X-Air / Hybrid ultra core etc.
The bar has a higher pressure and you instantly get a very positive feed back from the kite, you also cant help to notice the huge amount of De-power
available on the bar, (I had rigged my 6m X-Air bar & lines up on the kite) it truly was massive but this became more noticeable as I took it out
in higher wind, I haven’t found a top end for myself on this kite so far I have had the kite out in a maximum of 30mph fully powered and it is great
fun, not once did I think about taking some of the power out on the trim strap as the kite gives you such confidence and control on the bar even with
the punchy inland gusts.
This kite really dose feel a lot like a tube kite, in so many ways
it turns very well with good constant power I have kiteloop back looped this kite on my first session in just less than 20mph and wow! What a buzz it
whips around nice and fast and the stiffened leading edge keeps the a smooth airflow over the wing and all cells fed with air.
It really dose have great “pop” and Agility.
You can see that shape of the kite is different too this gives good stability and lift and as the tips get narrower gives much better performance in
the turn.
I had a lot of fun, riding a short distance then sending the kite back from 10.00 O’clock to 1.00 O’clock then ‘ping’ up I’d go! It was possible for
me have great jumps with foot outs and board off’s with hardly any travel across the ground, however if you build up a bit of speed first and then
send the kite the results are much larger
The even more exciting thing is the fact that I had the 8m…
The 10m is going to be amazing of that I am convinced!!! And from what I have experienced I’m sure that I will be able to hold the 10m into 30mph as
the depower is so good, maybe more, for that I’ll have to wait and see.
I Also think that this kite is one of the best looking kites I have seen.
What I am sure of is that it will be an amazing freestyle kite and I’m very excited by it.
I hope that has been able to give you some idea of what to expect.
Happy winds. Fly safe
Nathan.
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Foil Kites: Flysurfer 12m Sonic 4, 10m Soul V2, Peak 5s and 5.5m Hybrid
LEIs: 9m Naish Pivot, 12m Naish Phoenix
Land: 16" Dirtsurfer GP
H20: 134 Shinn Monk Chromatic, Slingshot 103cm Hope Craft w/ Axis Spitfire 840
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