Love at first flight…





I flew 4m and 6.6m Blade IIIs before buying this beast. The power delivery is much more predictable and less violent with the 8.5.

This kite really works well for me (165lbs) in winds of about 10 – 14 mph. I’ve tried it on a 65cm bar (w/ two lines) and on handles with my mountainboard. The bar works well in higher winds and the handles definitely allow you to get more out of the kite in lower winds. I’m thinking of trying Flexifoil’s crossover kit to see if it speeds up the turning with the bar (it’s slow).

Static flying is a good work out and you can get in some stylish pendulum jumps with ease. I tend to overfly it after landings, but using a bit of brake (or redirecting) near the end of the jump solves this.

Overall, I’m really impressed. The smooth power and great lift makes this my favorite fixed bridle kite so far.