So i got this email a week or so back about the pansh sprint I could buy for 95 Pounds / 190 CDN Dollars. so I decided to spend the money and just see what the hype was all about. After hearing that the kite was in production phrase, about time, how long did we hear it was coming? 1 year or more!

The kite arrived today, oddly to the wrong address. I was impressed by the shipping time from China, and the FREE Shipping too.
When I opened the kite, i got a $190 kite ... it may be a racekite as claimed but i see $190 of fabric. I'm the type of person to buy Quality over Price. Remember Robert Graham's designs ... like the Competition X and the Advance Tethis, mylar reinforcements, and in todays racekites added stuff like reinforced LE and Cells / Dirt-Outs / Spliced Bridles / V-Tapes / Reduced Material / etc.

Material:
Feels like Porcher, with a coating on it ... heavier than my Nitro Evo II 4.9 / Cooper 4.4. It also doesnt have that crisp tight feel, more a slippery lose feel. I say slippery since my son walked across the kite and went south after his second step. LOL.

Construction:
It looks good, i mean no missed stitches or anything that i could spot, so the factory it comes from must treat them well. I've seen worse clothing factories in my day in China.

The profile reminds me of the PKD Combat, but their are differences. The open cell ports, are thin probably going to a few more seconds to inflate the outer cells.

The sprint has Dirt-Outs, but IMO they are placed in the wrong place, every other kite on the market has them on the last 2-3 cells, and this is only placed on the 3rd cell so if you tipped the kite in air to drain the sand/dirt you're missing the a few cells. However Dirt-outs can be used to make the kite a little more stable in gusty winds, BUT they didnt put a pull tap on it to keep it open.

There are D-Ribs on the kite as well, becoming industry standard with racekites, more material, less bridle, and stronger sail. However the D-Ribs look huge inside the kite for a 5m, I'm comparing this to the U-Turn Butans / Nitros.

Bridle:
Its nice they have used dyneema, good thin / light / will make this kite move super fast with reduced drag. They are sewn, not spliced and sewn ... doesnt really make a difference but i like the clean look of the spliced bridle. Some of the bridles arent sewn too, and just knotted, to allow AOA adjustments. When i look at it, if you know nothing about AOA, you'll never be able to adjust it, and it reminds me of the sport kite days, when you spent time sliding knots up and down for max performance. Most kites in the market come with pre-set knots, or kites that use a sliding bridle have some sort of max / min market like the Bora III Race.

Dunno if this is on anyone else's Sprint but on the Bridle C Line they have added tiny loops, and the Main Bridle is larks headed to it. A / B Line are looped through the kite bridle white tab. Did they make an error on the C Lines by a few cm(s) and used this method to correct it? (pictures to follow)

There was talk about this "tear your arms off" setting, but I'll wait to try it out on the factory setting before trying to find this setting.

1st Flight: (to be updated - going to be flown on Climax 175/90 daN- 30m and 140/70 daN - 20m) *Edited Sept 15/08*
So I finally got to fly this green thing in about 12 to 24km/h on 30m lines. well, on 30m lines its a slug, and no fast acceration. It did pull hard, but nothing scary, like you knew it was coming into power not like Nitros / Butans / Coopers / Yaks / RM+ / Vampir Pros etc. I personally would not fly this kite with anything longer than 20m if that, probably 17m.
When going downwind, it remind me of the Combats, where it need to be flown to stay moving with the wind, where as others you could lazy though, and just hold it at zenith.
Going upwind, was a breeze ... it liked to point upwind, but I found that most race kites all point high the same.
If you are going to static fly the spring, i'd put it on long lines so you have some lead way when turning.
I do not recommend jumping with this kite, unless you like to fly brake tension - heavy. when you jump and accerate the speed in mid air the LE tips in, when I was in the air I had to apply a little brake tension. I personally fly my fixed foils with a lot of brake tension, since our park is small its stop / go / turn, and i like to get all the torque out of the kite. This kite is a step up from the Ace, and probably more of the people that want to go fast, minus some of the lift.

My Thoughts:
All and all, you pay for what you get. Sure they claim this to be a race kite, maybe because of the AR is 5.3, is that Flat or Projected? Or maybe because of the profile. If you look at any good brand, they list both Projected and Flat ... and even if its a lower number doesnt mean its not racey enough. I've come to believe that kite performance only makes up 30%, the rest is the flier. I've had my ass beat by someone using a Skytiger HI, and I on Airea Raptor back in 1999. Why because he (Cal Yuen - Yoda) is ulimately a better flier than I.
I've said this before, we've waited this long for the Sprint, and just the 5m is avaliable, if you wanted to start a Sprint quiver, how much longer. Companies like Ozone / Cooper / Gin / U-Turn / PKD / Libre / etc are all in proto type stages with their products, when they launch 75% of the sizes are avaliable for purchase.

By no means am I trying to diss / discourage / put down Pansh for their efforts. Every kite has a market, and if Pansh pushes prices for these kinds of kites, it allows newcomers to get into the market for a lot less. This ideally would help grow the sport a little more. I'm glad that Pansh also decided to setup dealers than just sell direct ... without people like Dino @ Dakitez, he helps customers setup kites, and checks the quality on them as well.

Anyways, good luck to the UK Pansh Racing Team this season.

how is your hand doing? can't wait until you fly it and add flight/handling to review. i can't determine quality material/workmanship from nothing, which is usually why i buy the pricier kit(hoping it is the good stuff).
i had it in low wind yesterday. the most impressive thing was how easily it launched. seemed like it reversed launched easier than any of my Revs. maybe this easy launch is a trait of race kites?
i doubt AoA adjustment will ever happen for me (for a long time) without on-site assistance but that's fine. I figured the kite (any race kite) wouldn't get much use around here but it looks cool
Paul

Thanks for the write up Rip...looking forward to your review on the flight characteristics!

hand is doing good, still hurts to hold a fist ... first flight will be sunday.

*nice avatar, kids with our big boy/girl toys look so cute, my son (1year-9months) has moved away from pushing a 23,0 kg fullrace buggy to standing on Dirtslide's mtn board*
sorry off-topic

anyone else order one of this Ltd kites?

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...


http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...


http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...


http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...


http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...


http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...


http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/ripsessionkites/Pansh%...

WHAT A POS
:moon: :moon: :moon:
:moon: :moon: :moon:


OTOH.....i HEAR THE BUTANE IS AWESOME

Rip' has invited us all to try and blow this kite up :singing:

Rip your arms off...... HA ! :singing:

They haven't seen Scudley and D'sliddy's arms! B'boy is a young strapper that is pulling off all the tricks and almost never uses a harness. He may be the winner

I'm a bit confused :puzzled:

Is team Pansh going to enter all these races with a single size and model of kite

Hi Ripsession, great review ...

just to answer a couple of your questions ...

The A and C bridle is actually one long piece, to allow for the AoA adustment. Therefore there is no way to loop through both ends of the A-C bridle, hence one end is larksheaded onto a stub at C.

I asked for the dirt outs to be on that cell... if you look at the internal structure its next to impossible for any sand to get into it. You'll find an sand does mostly collect in the cell with the dirt out. One of the advantages of testing over time ...

AR is 5.3 flat

Blade runner ... more kite sizes are coming soon ... and announcements on team riders across Europe.

I'll close with a photo from the beach at the European Championships this week.... Yak Proto(GT),Yak,Combat & Sprint

I'm pleased to see you running against the Yaks and things right off the blocks
It only makes sense to run against the true competition
I don't expect you to blow them away your 1st year out but wish you all the best ! As Rip's says " only 30% of racing is the kite" ! I think the design of the Sprint reduces that 30% a bit for you at least

We will have our fun trying to destroy the Sprint Rip' has brought in for us. It's the least we can do :smug:

andya
do you still have that RS buggy? how does it compare with the other better bugs o the market?
Paul

the wife said I could get one for my B-DAY! waiting for tracking # now. I already have 4 pansh kites and there is nothin' wrong with the quality of the kites.The linesets and handles leave alot to be desired. And I also own several Flexifoils, so I have seen the high end too. I will probably buy more sprints if the 5M works alright.

Quote:

Originally posted by revpaul andya do you still have that RS buggy? how does it compare with the other better bugs o the market? Paul

Ralf does not make the buggys any more. However he has said he will support existing owners.

The RS bug is stable, strong, overengineered, with workman like but not pretty welding. Coating is good, if not better than other powder coated buggys.

Faults? Seat is the weakest part of the package, side rails are a bit low, and the swan neck is not deep enough drop.

i had a pansh for two weeks, i have been flying ozone and jojo for two years and this is the first kite to blow up, not only blow up but shred nearly in half after the first two flights. :megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan:
get an ozone you will have it for years and it will fly great

that photo hardly does justice, i only see 4 buggiers in the Euro Championships ... were is everyone else? way behind?

i find it odd that they would make A Line one continous length? if you broke a bridle, it would be a pain to fix.

its great that you've added dirt-outs, but you still do not have a tab to keep it open. the fastest way to clean up the dirt is to open the tabs and fly it, rather than spend the time on the ground shaking it out. also the ripstop material likes to collect sand - like it stick to it (electric static?), which i found really odd. ???

*Flight Characterist Updated*

I found this was the case with my Ace :puzzled:
Even more odd it is just in about 3 of the cells. They have attracted sand inside and I can't get it out ? All of the other cells are ok :puzzled:

Quote:

Originally posted by ripsessionkites . also the ripstop material likes to collect sand - like it stick to it (electric static?), which i found really odd. ??? *Flight Characterist Updated*

thnx for the update Rip. it took me a minute to figure things out
Paul

Quote:

Originally posted by kiteon i had a pansh for two weeks, i have been flying ozone and jojo for two years and this is the first kite to blow up, not only blow up but shred nearly in half after the first two flights. :megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan::megan: get an ozone you will have it for years and it will fly great

Never heard of that before kiteon, sounds like a fault. email photos to info@panshkite.com, and see what they say.

They are usually very good.

Quote:

Originally posted by ripsessionkites that photo hardly does justice, i only see 4 buggiers in the Euro Championships ... were is everyone else? way behind?

lol, that was private testing at, but not in, the Euros. The Pansh is still new, and only one size, hence it will be next year before we see it racing fully.

Quote:

Originally posted by ripsessionkites i find it odd that they would make A Line one continous length? if you broke a bridle, it would be a pain to fix.

yep agreed it is odd. But if you think about it it saves 2 stitched ends and an extra adjuster, per bridle cluster. Thats 12 stiched loops saved in all. It all adds up...


Good review up there ...
& totally agree with you Ripsession, that the pilot has the most influence on performance. However at the very top level, the pilots are all close, and every little advance in Buggy and kite really matters.

Just look at the Euros results ... last year, the French were on top on their Yaks. This year, on their own beach they were totally wiped by the Libre Spirit flyers. 5 of the top 6 for Libre, its kind of unheard of.

Pilots and buggys were largely the same as last year, but a totally different result. The variable? A new kite design! Well done Libre!

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner I'm pleased to see you running against the Yaks and things right off the blocks It only makes sense to run against the true competition I don't expect you to blow them away your 1st year out but wish you all the best ! As Rip's says " only 30% of racing is the kite" ! I think the design of the Sprint reduces that 30% a bit for you at least We will have our fun trying to destroy the Sprint Rip' has brought in for us. It's the least we can do :smug:

I hope you do have fun. To be honest we're not too worried by Yak fliers. The Sprint has already proved it can outpace them on the beach in Wales and in France... poor French chaps were apparently not too pleased.

The Sprint in the picture Andya put up had been messed with (tuned) for only 15 minutes by one of the UK team before it was out with the big boys and holding it's own, so I'm told by our team captain. Expectations for racing are very good indeed.

As to a previous comment you made. The Pansh race kite will be coming out in a huge range of sizes from 2m to 15.5m. I'm still waiting for confirmation as to when that will be but we are hoping to have them racing very soon.

Cust.

15.5 :wow:

bring the Euros on....I willl take anyone down with a yakuza!!! ANYONE!

GEEZ AND how many 'euro championships' are there....I saw result with bjorn as the champ....

I've raced the euro champ at ivanpah and won...good racers, our scene isn't as developed but I believe there are 10 good racer that could compete and win

we will grow NAPKRA slowly but surely.

only 10? i counted over and over ... guess I didnt make it in the top 10. :o

if this makes you any happier, a few Dutch riders are attending Nabx 2009. Honestly most of the are Yak Fliers. Ozzy and Ruudje both fly Ozone.

I"m the happiest happy dooooood der is....and I can't wait to ride with more euros.....

rippy rip I ment the approx 10 I have in mind that I would send head first into a race with euros...

-jon
-big john
-b rex
-rip
-dirtslide
-bison
-ty
-ac
-luk
-aj
-steve e
-swav
-kent (awoc)
-joe mauma

knowing me, I'm forgetting some...but this is the crop repping the USA/CA.......

Eli, Your not in the top ten?:D

Neither am I....guess I need to work on my skills LOL

its skillz, and you are on da list...I'm not worth of judging skills,

fast is fast....but who is the fastest

What about a real contest....who can go the fastest in a Kite Trike and not get hurt :singing:

I traded buggies with Crieke for awhile this afternoon and broke a buckle on his new replacement (warranty) seat after about 20 minutes. He was giving my Flexi bug a look I wasn't comfortable with when he brought it in. Man that thing does sit really low to the ground. I could feel the longer grass blades hitting my low point as I rolled along. Somebody is going to get hurt with riders and kites than know how to go fast.

I have a very early generation Flexi with straight side rails and a Peter Lynn seat.

I call it Bumming Out :moon: and have had some good bumps ! My main strap will work a bit loose so regular re-tightening is needed.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob I traded buggies with Crieke for awhile this afternoon and broke a buckle on his new replacement (warranty) seat after about 20 minutes. He was giving my Flexi bug a look I wasn't comfortable with when he brought it in. Man that thing does sit really low to the ground. I could feel the longer grass blades hitting my low point as I rolled along. Somebody is going to get hurt with riders and kites than know how to go fast.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob I traded buggies with Crieke for awhile this afternoon and broke a buckle on his new replacement (warranty) seat after about 20 minutes. He was giving my Flexi bug a look I wasn't comfortable with when he brought it in. Man that thing does sit really low to the ground. I could feel the longer grass blades hitting my low point as I rolled along. Somebody is going to get hurt with riders and kites than know how to go fast.

dude you and Fulmer gotta lay off those Krispy Kreemes