So I've had my charger since about December but due to issue after issue i hadn't had a chance to take it out until yesterday. Wind was a fairly steady 12-14 knots. I've taken a 10m frenzy out in higher winds so I thought this would be a good opportunity to see what it could do. This was also my first experience with an ARC. took it out to a nice field to put it through its paces. i'm about 180 pounds

First thoughts: Inflation goes much faster with the deflate zipper closed! lol i spent a good amount of time wondering why the second half of the kite was so slow to inflate, but it took little time once i realized my mistake

launch is trickier than what i am used to with open cell kites. not excessively hard i'm sure i'll get it down to an art

once it launched i was not prepared for how much power it had! this thing is a train! top of the window, side of the window, definately down wind, this thing pulled me crazy wherever i put it.

i wanted to see the famous auto-zenith in action so i let go of the bar, and sure enough the kite slowly made its way overhead, but as it did it lifted me off the ground about a foot. still pulled like a train

i imagine that on the water and with some hours on it this would be my sweetspot windrange, but for now i think i'll take it out in about 10 knots

on the bright side, i found out the safety system works a treat!

nice short review, thanks alot!
wow! the 15 seems to have tons of power! but i think there must be something wrong, if it lifts you depowered at the zenit. either you really had much more wind at zenith (>18 knots) or you did not pull in the adjuster ? did you use the navigator bar?

did you made videos? pictures?

CH 15 definitely got the juice ! @ 180 you could get some mad sky for sure!

tips loose? center strap ? knots on the back settings?

main trim must have been all the way out. you are on the fence of the 12/15 @180 trim it in about half way or more this should give you alot of range.

i have been holding the bar in a little on launch and slowly letting it out as it fills and rises.

very nice !

yeah like herc said videos?? can somebody get herc a picture show of this kite!

I didn't play with any of the settings/straps/clamcleat. i wanted to see how she flew right out of the bag so basically hooked it up and let er fly haha. i wasn't out too long. i was wearing shorts and had to pack it in early for fear of totally ridding my legs of skin. was using the navigator bar, it's nice, nothing special, a bar is a bar. but i do like the safety system. wind is stronger today so i didn't take it out. on a weaker wind day i'll play around with setting it up properly. thanks phree for the tips! i'm sure the overpowered autozenith is just a matter of getting it dialed in.

when i ordered i was on the fence between the 12m and 15m but decided on the 15m since winds here don't really get too much stronger than this. winds are either dead, in the 10-15 knot range on a good day, or it gets stupid windy and i go slackline. so the 15m works best for the days i'd want to be out flying and be perfectly powered

I really wish i would've had a chance to try it snowkiting, but between school, having my apartment being broken into, and the utterly craptastic warm winter with no snow, it just didn't happen. once i learn on a board i'm sure this beast could take me as high as I dare to go!

sorry no pictures or vids. maybe once i get it tuned and it doesn't drag me like a rag doll lol

Another one to the d'Arc side

First time I tried to fly my Phantom, couldn't understand why it wouldn't inflate or fly properly ... yup deflate zip was open

There seems to be a lot of adjustment in these things ... lots of scope for fiddling :D

when you're standing still with the kite at zenith its a good idea to pull the trim strap IN to reduce any power.

if you had it at trim OUT its still will have power as you've noticed at zenith

glad you're liking it

Quote:

Originally posted by ripsessionkites when you're standing still with the kite at zenith its a good idea to pull the trim strap IN to reduce any power. if you had it at trim OUT its still will have power as you've noticed at zenith glad you're liking it

YUP

Pull the trim strap in to 95% for launching landing and waiting out gusts. Most of thelift will go away. Then trim it to choice when flying. If you can stall the kite and back it down pulling in the bar you need to shorten the strap a bit.

yesterday the winds were much too strong to go fly but in the safety of my backyard i unrolled the charger to check the internal straps, all are set at the stock setting of being fully let out, any tips on adjusting the internal straps? at the moment having them all set to "less power" seems to be a good place for them lol

i have a feeling that the main trim is indeed out, but whilst being pulled around i had other things to worry about than fiddling with that clamcleat lol

and as per my luck it is now snowing with gail force wind out there! maybe i'll be able to pull out the snowboard yet

Yeah this thing just keeps sounding better and better. Hey EDK, correct me if I'm wrong but are you in Toon town?? I live in Lloyd so only three hours down the road. I'm sure our weather is more or less the same today lol. I make my way out there occasionally so if you are up to it when I'm there I'll message you to see if you wanna go for a session. Gotta get more guys in this area flying.

Sorry end hi-jack.
Shaggs