I've owned a few kites. This size Reactor is the strangest kite I've ever owned. I have not yet successfully buggied with it. I took it out one day in some 20 something mph wind just to get a feel for it. Not enough wind for it(2.8m worked fine though). Strangest thing. It sits in the middle of the window and just won't go. But on a gust; it gives a real hint of what it wants to do. I bet this kite is wicked in some real wind. But I bet it needs some serious wind just to get it to go? Anyone flown this size?

My 3.5m is very sensitive to brakes and I have to get it moving before the kite builds up enough internal pressure to overcome the air resistance on the brake lines and flatten the trailing edge out enough to move forward. This effect is not as noticeable on the 5.5, and virtually nonexistent on the 8.6m. I wonder if the smaller sizes exaggerate this behavior and you might try shortening power lines or lengthening brakes a tad to make takeoff easier.

I know exactly what you mean with that 2.2 reactor. I had one to test out and found the same thing. Even if you had back lines slack you need to kick it forward to get it moving and then it would take off. My small Airea Raptors were the same way in the small sizes. They need a good speed to be flying otherwise they tend to stall. But get them going in a good wind and they just go full speed. I only static flew the 2.2 reactor and found that it would hang. When I used my 2m raptor in a buggy I had to sometimes keep a gentle sine on the kite to keep it running steady even at higher speeds so that it was always flying faster A slight drop in speed and that subtle reduction in pressure in the thin wing would drop it back in the window a bit from ahead to more beside me and then I'd have to whip it dramatically to get the kite speed back up and that was always a little scary when going in the high 50s down the dry lake and then that gesture would make the buggy have a slight wobble from my shift in weight and then the kite would shoot fast ahead as speed increased again in the kite. I tried tweaking the bridle a bit but small changes would make the centre drop or change the shape in a way I didn't like but I didn't play with it a lot. I think they just like to be flown fast and once you get used to them you'll adjust flying style for that kite.

Funny, I thought it was just me. I bought a 2.2 brand new. Could never fly the darn thing. I thought it was just me and sold it. So I never experienced all the Reactor fanfare....

Yeah, it is just a quirk of the smaller sizes I suspect. Like I said, that behavior is nonexistent in my 5.5 and 8.6. I have only seen it happen to the 3.5. My guess is that the smaller sizes all share that behavior. I think it is mostly because of the way the bridle is done on Reactors that causes them to change their angle of attack and stall at the edge of the window, rather than overfly. This is a beginner friendly behavior, so you won't likely see your reactor surge and overfly you in the buggy if you are not experienced enough to manage the brake tension. The side-effect of this behavior is when it stalls, the top skin of the kite about one third up from the trailing edge puckers, which disrupts airflow even more. The larger sizes need less pressure to keep this pucker away because they have larger cells. On the smaller sizes, it just means that they don't fly well static in my experience unless you are flying in moderate winds. My 3.5 can have totally slack lines, but sometimes will not lift straight up for a hot launch. However, if I pop it up enough to turn it on its side to get side movement, it charges the cells and rips my arms off. It can be overcome with more time spent under the kite. You just have to fly it a little differently.

i have a 2.9 in rasta...its a perfect kite

I haven't used my 3.5m but just once in the buggy, but it was pretty awesome. I'd say the wind was around 13-15 mph. Mine is unique though as its made of lightweight fabric custom (originally belonged to a team rider I've heard). As much as I have loved my RII's I am selling all but the 3.5m, mostly just because of how well it performed for me as well as how unique this particular one is. ... Have yet to experience what you guys are talking about. With my Reactors, I have ALWAYS made an immediate turn left or right once its off the ground,... they don't shoot straight up for me all that much.

I don't ever get wind to warrant much of anything below a 3m, so I really can't speak to a smaller size.

I will be bringing my three Reactors to JIBE. I will show you what I am talking about with my 3.5. It is no fault of the kite. It doesn't do it at speed because the pressure in the cells is high enough to prevent the top skin by the trailing edge to pucker. You will know it when you see it. It flies like a dog until you pump it sideways one good time to push some more air into it and charge the cells tight enough to push that wrinkle out.

my Rasta is a virgin.......


"Dear wind gods..........."

I don't think PL got the bridle right on it...

I flew a stock RII 2.2 and one that did over 100kph that was modded - both at Ivanpah. Felt like 2 different kites to me.

I think the RII's are best in the upper half of their wind range. I guess that's what happens when the test pilots are top notch and never fly a kite in it's lower wind range...

I'm not that I agree with you 100% there Ron,... You might be right about the smaller sizes, but especially with my 5.5m and 8.6m, I really marveled at their low wind performance, even more so with the 8.6m. I could get moving in 6-8mph wind.

Yeah, Spence I agree with you. I have the 3.5, 5.5, and 8.6. My 3.5 puckers badly and flies like a dog until I get it out of the stall with a good tug, but then she is a little rocket booster. My 5.5 rarely ever has a hint of the tail pucker. My 8.6 will move me in wind I can hardly feel on my face without any of the pucker beyond what typically comes with a light wind day. If I can't fly the 8.6, I likely won't be putting up anything unless someone drops a 12m Peak2 on my doorstep.

I had the 5.5m out one day at the very bottom of it's wind range. If PL ever releases a Reactor 3 or whatever they call it; it's going to be absolutely amazing. The current Reactor has some odd quirks; but they are livable. If this wing was on an aircraft; I think it would be considered to be aerodynamically unstable. At times; the 5.5m Reactor reminds me of a Rev kite. It will stall out in the air and just sit there. Sometimes it will backstall and float down to the ground while staying inflated. Then it will sit motionless 2' off the ground. Sometimes it feels like the kite can fly backwards.

The fact that in light winds; it often feels like it's on the edge of stalling and can stall; I'm sure that can be tuned out of it. I think the odd flying behaviours might be seen in all of them at the lowest of their wind range. Next time I'm out and the winds are light; I'm going to get the other sizes out and see how they fly in the light stuff.

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2 days in a row; the forecast showed it was going to be light(turned out to be slightly more); so I grabbed the 5.5 and went out the door. Big mistake both times. I both underestimated the power of the 5.5 and the power of the "light wind". So now I take the 4.4 with me as backup if the 5.5 is going. When our winds are in that range; it's nice being able to go up or down a size.

If the Reactor price was lower; I'm sure they'd sell more of them. The price is always going to keep it's numbers down.