So I'm thinking about cleaning house and getting rid of some kites and picking up some new ones. Just looking for a kite that is quick, powerful and stable but not really interested in race kites. Here's what I was thinking:

5m - Blurr
7m - Blurr
9m - Butane
10.8 - Reactor II (already have this one).

Are there other kites I should be looking at? What's your favorite FB in this range?

looking at your quiver and thinking if i owned it, what would i buy??

... id prob buy a butan...

not because i know it, but because i hear good things...

if you like handmanship at its best the Butan is nice

RII in the new colours

Core

I went solely with RIIs for fixed bridle. That wasn't with perfect info on all other brands but it was stable enough for me to keep a smile on my face and yet still fast too. Blurr's were impressive when I first flew them but I don't think they have the same performance level as the RII. I'm interested in comparing the RIIs with the Ozone Method to see how they stack up against each other. I'll post up if I get to try one.

I flew the Butan 6.5 about 1 year ago as part of the Pass the Kite program....really, really liked it (Wasn't that kite sent from RIP?). The kite appeared well used but still had so much power and was pretty stable. I can't be sure but it seems to be an older design...wonder how it would stack up against the RII?

Would like to try the Method as well but I think John H. said he felt it didn't have quite the same power as the RII's.

I was wondering how the Blurr's would fare against the RII's as well. Loved the 3.5 when I flew it about 2 years for about 5 mins.

Would be pretty easy to just go with RII's across the board but I do like variety....

I've got a 2.2 RII for sale with less than 30mins of airtime...

Thanks for the offer CC, but I just bought the 2.5 Blurr for that windrange so I'm covered.

I just bought BigEarl's 5.5 Butane and love it. Took it out in way too much wind yesterday (let the jonesing get the best of me, checked the anemometer before I left the house 12-15mph when I got home checked to see what it had been when I was out 23-30:o) got myself lofted on the low lift setting but had a very nice floaty landing. I think that was the best/smoothest jump I'v ever had.lol

From what I hear, the Blurr is quite similar to the Method. Although I haven't flown a Blurr. I have run it side by side with the blade v and thought the blade was more aggressive and lifty - I feel the Method is just like a Blade......that's taken a sedative. Where the Method shines is in it's forgiving nature. Haven't bow tied the Method in nearly 400km of buggying with it whereas I can bow tie my Century II in 2 minutes flat......hmmmm probably says more about my kite flying skills.... Really good wind range on the 6.5m Method - with 30m lines I can go from 6 knots to about 15 - and I'm not into being overpowered.

If you're after ease of use and relaxed moderately fast cruising - then the Method is very nice. Size for size I don't feel they're all that powerful compared to RII's, Cent 2's etc but they are very easy to handle. If you like flying with a bar, then the Method's are great on the turbo bar whereas the RII's and Cent's definitely prefer handles.

Blade flew really well on the turbo bar too which I wasn't expecting.

JOJO ET Instincts. Love 'em but don't fly them much anymore (saving for my kids). Super stable, good grunt, decent upwind performance. Great quality.

My next intermediate is the Reactor II 6.9, no doubt. Flew it on the flyboard in 12 knots wind, and made me go faster then most buggys. Great speed, yet easy to fly and surprisingly stable.

7m flexi bullet--super grunt-super stable........

What about the PL Core's...? Have you tried those...?

Reactor II is the way to go. They have the stability and the speed that you need. When you first start out it is stable enough and later on when you improve you skills you can get it to start running for you.

Two weeks ago in Ouddorp I hit 81.7kmh with the 3.5 RII, if there would have been more room I could have gone faster.