A view on safety:

Hi Dimitri

Good luck with your new kite company!

I think you are in a unique position to take the sport forward.
First of all you are a "mature/older" rider... no offence.....
What I mean is father of two and old compared to most other team riders.

With your new brand I think you are in a great position to introduce safety products into the sport and make them COOL and MAINSTREAM.
This has happened in many other sports.
For motorbikes it is compulsory to have helmets for example. I know it's a different sport.
Anyway what I am saying is that I think there is a big segment of the kiters out there that would jump on cool signature Dimirti safety gear.
I think that it is also more than acceptable to kite with and without this gear.
Look at it this way.... If you wear the safety gear when you do the stunts you will highlight the stunt and put it in the right light, you can then also shoot some soul session stuff showing the other side of the sport.

I tell you one thing... if I was a helmet company I would jump on the opportunity of investing in a company like yours. There are several helmet companies that are very large and may be a good partner!

If you do get into the safety product thing I would like to help in any way I can.

Anyway good luck with everything.

Will I soon be seeing Traig Trumbo flying your new kites?

He is a real fixture here in the Malibu and LA area.

Cheers

Fred

From OBX Via the Kite Forum

Here is yet another testimonial from the OBX:

Last Sunday I was able to do an ocean downwinder here on the Outer Banks flying the Screamer 12m. Was on the kite for about 2 hrs in winds around 20 mph. I weigh about 200 lbs and was riding a surfboard. Here is my 2 cents on how the kite performed for those that might be interested.

Pros:
- Very good construction from the looks of it. Single pump with clips on the tubes running to the struts. Some heavy duty stitching on the leading edge which looked like it could take a lot of abuse.
-Short bridal system.
- Flatter kite than my current kites (pro or con depending how you look at it).
- Has significant power for a 12m. Honestly I would almost say it had the pull of a 13m to 14m. Was really surprised how much power this kite had.
- Wants to fly at the edge of the wind window which made it great for going upwind.
- While flying on the beach tried to send it over my head and make it fall out of the sky. Got close once but drifted back and recovered nicely.
- Stable! This kite is really solid in the air and doesn't jellyfish much at all. Handles gusts like they were almost not even there.
- Although I only did some small jumps off waves the kite seems to have great hang time. In the waves it was almost to much since a couple of times I floated longer than I wanted and missed the next wave. I think this kite is a serious jumper but didn't really test that to much on the waves.
- Bar setup seems very clean and efficient. Was very comfortable to use.

Cons:
- The kite felt heavy in my hands compared to my regular kites. Possibly due to the beefed up construction.
- Required more effort to turn the kite than I am used to. I honestly think a longer bar than the one I used would have helped but not sure.
- Bar pressure was a hair more than my normal 12m kite.
- Does not respond well when lines are slacked or turning towards the kite on a wave. Becomes very sluggish. Granted by changing my riding style a little I could compensate for this but don't feel I should have to change for the kite. My current kites do not behave this way, at least as noticeably.
- Pulleys on the bridal system like most bridal kites.

Overall the kite is a good first attempt by Epic. I think the kite is primarily for someone who likes to do freestyle and jump a lot. The power in this kite is really impressive and I think individuals that want to soar will be a perfect match for this kite. For me personally I would not use this kite for wave riding. It just doesn't turn the way I want on waves and requires line tension all the time in order to be responsive. I will have to try the Renegade next in the ocean since that is the one that should work better in the waves.

- C

Epic on the snow in Montana

Well once again we had another great weekend out on the snow here in SW Montana. Georgetown Lake proved to be thick enough with ice and had a couple of inches of fresh snow on top of the ice. It was still a little slick with a board though. Skiers had it made holding an edge with no problem. With winds ranging from 10-20mph I was able to take out the 11m Renegade and had a great time with it. I was amazed at the speed it had without being twitchy. It was amazingly stable in the gusts which for us snowkiters' is a definite advantage. I had one mother already asking about getting her son one for a Christmas present after she saw how stable they are. I can't wait for my whole new quiver of Epic Kites to arrive. It is going to be an amazing season!

This is taken from the Kite Forum:

Well Last week was a EPIC day. Wind was just right and the terrain was insane for the launch of these epic beauties.
Setup was a snap and riding up and down the mountain was effortless with the new Epic Screamer and Renegade.

Several of us hardcore montana kiters showed up at the Norris hill last friday and took advantage of 1 foot plus of pure sugar.

After several hours of climbing and touring around on the hill. It was time to get out the glider (i mean kite) Reviewing the Screamer I found the jumping progression insanely smooth unlike some rocketships i've been on before. Once you pull the trigger its hard to say when you touch the earth again. This kite was a smooth elevator ride that even if you make a mistake it was so smooth getting down, safely was NO problem. Climb the hill glide it then go back and do it again. I did this for about an hour an half. My body couldn't take it anymore.

I don't know whether to call this kite a kite or a glider. It was so smooth.

I'd like to thank Cole with underground kite sports, Noah, and Epic kites for this magical day!

Epic Screamer

Here is another Testimonial on the Epic Screamer from our friends at Bellingham Kiteboarding!

The most notable thing about the Screamer, is that EVERYONE that has tried it really likes it. Girls, Guys, Young, Old, Skilled, Unskilled... EVERYONE. Jumping on this kite is a dream, with a hard yank up, and a smooth glide down. Kiteloops were crisp and easy to initiate. Great low end in lighter winds, and very solid in the upper ranges. No funny flutters, wobbles, or anything, even when really overpowered in gusty conditions, and backstalling this kite is nearly impossible Relaunching is a breeze, and it reverse launches without hesitation. Bar pressure is moderate, and the direct connection of the steering lines makes the response immediate and direct. It is one of the fastest turning kites I have tried, although you always have the option of slowing it down. Take Dimitri's advice, and try this kite and see why EVERYBODY loves EPIC.

This is from a rider out in the OBX:

“What can I say, the kite fits like a great pair of shoes or gloves..The Renegade 9m was a very fast turning kite, had a lot of steady pull, and was the easiest kite that I have ever re-launched in all my 10 years of kiting..I fill that the Renegade, (in my personal opinion), will be the best all-round kite for anyone who is getting into kiteboarding for the very first time...It is very simple to use, easy to re-launch, very nice “safety system”, and very simple to “set-up” right out of the bag...I have very short arms, and it was hard for me to reach the “trim strap” when I had the kite in my hands for the first time...I was shown that could be made shorter with just a simple adjustment on the “chicken loop line”...Very fast and very simple to do, but the system does come standard from the factory, so you will have to adjust it to your riding style...I also like the “one bar” fits both kites, any size, from 6m to 14m...45cm to 55cm....That to was a very simple adjustment, even with someone holding the kite, you can change them in seconds...So My over all rating of this Kite, from 1 to 5, 5 being the best, and 1 being the worst...I am going to give it a 4 1/2...The reason it is not a 5, because I think that there could be some improvements down the road, even if they are just simple things...No one has a prefect kite on the market, if they did, then everyone would being riding that Kite Company...To be continue, after I get to ride the “Screamer”...

More great images coming in from Aruba. Dimitri is just barely able to get out onto the water because of the popularity on the beach with all the kites. Thanks to Aruba Kitesurfing School for helping out. Those guys are great on the beach and you should stop by on the next trip.

Here is a report from Wally!

Hi folks! Wally Gator here... Was with Eclipse from the begining and now a rider for Epic. Rule 1 - Read thread before making rediculous comments. Facts- I have been testing the 10m L.E. in Maui for the past week. The kite is as good or better than any kite out there. I wont mention brands but if your a competition freestyle rider riding C's, you are about to shit your pants! This kite is super smooth with a ton of power for their size and maintains perfect attitude with minimal attention to bar input. The turning speed of the Screamer is just barely noticable from the Thruster but a hair slower inwhich is a great thing for the majority of kiters. Still a superfast turner! But most of all, this kite is one of the smoothes flying kites in the air regarding stability that I have ever flown. Its rock solid and the bar pressure is perfect! As far as unhooked load and popping, it is similar to the Thruster only smoother ( this kite does not jelly fish). The trigger point for loading up the edge and releasing on boosts is a tad different and takes a day or two to get the exact feel for the sweet spot. But once you find it, hang on and get ready to fly like an eagle. This thing will set you down like butta because of the amount of lift it attains!Remember, this thing has a ton of power! So when intiating a really powered loop, get ready to feel the steel baby! Kite gets around nicely but enables you to swing nicely back up under the kite and whip it in the opposite dirrection for warm fuzzy feelings. BOTTOM LINE IS: TRY KITE FIRST, THEN MAKE COMMENTS ON THREAD. Now everyone get out there and put the FUN back into the sport! BTW: Epic is here to stay folks! Whether you like it or not, these kites will be hard to beat in 2010!

Norris Hill, Norris, MT 11/13/2009

What a day. Blue skies, 12+ inches of fresh pow., killer terrain, great winds, good friends, and of course the new EPIC 14m Screamer and 11m Renegade to top it all off.

Several friends showed up riding 12m Ozone’s. Having to show that LEI’s are just as capable, I busted out the 11m Renegade. I was a little underpowered but still able to climb the steep hills, glide and boost with ease. The stability and the relaunch of the kite were amazing. After getting used to the new kites they handled the variations in wind from terrain great.

Being my 2 time out since knee surgery I can’t complain one bit. With winds of 17-25mph and gusts up to 27mph I was amazed I held out for 2hrs. At that point it was time to sit in the snow and take some pics.

Rhett took out the new EPIC 14m Screamer and was throwing down some great boosts. He said that the kite handled great in the winds. He never felt over powered and thought that the kite floated amazingly.

I was never able to get out today on the 14m Screamer since my knee was done for by then, but I am hoping to get out in the next day or two and give it a try.

A Epic day on the Oregon coast, we had the Screamer 7m, LE Screamer 10m and 6m Renegade.

Conditions were perfect, NW winds clear sky's.

Rob R. who rides 2009 Kimas rode the 6m Renegade and came off saying the Renegade is a big improvement, most notable was a lighter bar pressure, He say's the relaunch was better also!

Rob also rode the 7m Screamer, he really like it, but the Renegade was more suited to his style.

Great day to have the new kites out!

Aruba Nov 2009

Have a look at some of the photos coming out of the latest trip Dimitri and crew are doing to show off all the new kites. This looks like a tough life eh? If you knew Dimitri’s travel schedule and talked to him while he was in China, it actually is work. Looks good though, eh?

There are more in our media section

Epic kites

Epic kites from the snow of Montana to the warm beaches of Aruba!

How Epic!

Here is what people are saying after a ride on the new Epic kites:

Bob N and I joined Tom V and a few of the Bellingham crew for a stellar session at Locust late this afternoon. I got to ride both the 12m and 9m prototype/demo Epic Screamer kites (I guess I should have said an epic session at Locust ). Boy are they nice! Especially the 9m!! I was never a big fan of the Eclipse kites, but the Epic - what a responsive, extremely fast turning kite. But super smooth and stable - it's fast but not twitchy. And I don't know how it does it but its got huge boost and hang time - I hate to admit it might even be better than my 2009 Nemesis HP.

Epic Kites in Montana

The 14m Screamer and 11m Renegade arrive here in Montana today and I am looking forward to getting out and riding them this week and weekend. The forecast calls for snow so we are hoping to get the first pics. of the kites in action on the snow. If anyone is interested in checking them out this weekend get a hold of me and we can set up a demo for you.

Here is some reviews from our friends up in Bellingham.

I have been able to get out on the Epic Renegade 9m, and the Screamer 9m and 12m.

I made a video yesterday of the 12m and 9m in action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaKgUhffThI 12m Screamer 20mph

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vtWJSd99jM 9m Screamer 25mph

(Note, I am no Dimitri, and weigh in at about 220lbs)


Several others have been out too, and the feedback has been nothing but positive on the kite, even from the most critical riders. The screamers have similar jumping characteristics to the thruster, but with better hang, and a softer landing. Turning speed also seems very similar to the Thruster as well. the two biggest differences I see from the thruster is that the Screamer is more stable in strong gusty winds, and it seems to be easier to relaunch.

Not joking when I say that everyone who has tried it (except for a devout C-kite rider) wants to get one or more.

I spend only about 10 minutes on the Renegade, but to me, it seemed like the 2009 nano, except more solid in the air. Relaunch was easy, bar pressure light/moderate and it was more responsive than another "delta" kite that I flew back to back. Low end power seemed higher on the Renegade, but honestly both the 9m Renegade and Screamer had enough power to get me going upwind as the wind was dying. The difference is that the Renegade seemed to pull right from the get go, wheras the Screamer seemed to develop more power with more board speed.


Below are reveiws that were sent to me after riding the screamers.

#1 Major approval of the Epic, stable and turns fast like a Thruster.
I'll have to be adding the 9m to the collection of random kites in my
garage. T said the 12m was also lots of fun, looking forward to that
one next time.
B


#2 Definitely a thumbs up for the Screamer. I rode the 12m yesterday at
both ends of the spectrum. It was super stable and easy to handle at
28mph and still had enough pull to keep planning in the mid teens at
the end. I think Andy described it best by saying that it's a blend of
the best characteristics of an 09 Thruster mixed with an 09 Rise.
-Perfect turning speed, both initiation and across the window
-Very stable in the gusts with very little movement unlike the
Thruster.
-Very backstall resistant (the kite will deform well before it
backstalls giving plenty of notice, however, if properly trimmed you
won't even get that)
-GREAT jumping kite with incredible hangtime and soft landing (only
problem is that it loops with very little input and somtimes without
even knowing it but that's my problem, not the kite.
-The kite moves way forward in the window with agressive edging making
for stellar upwind performance.
-Easy relaunch when well powered (didn't get to try it in the lighter
winds)
-Lots of depower with a relatively short bar thow
-Construction and build quality second to none. Very nicely made.

I'm definitely sold on it, and that's after years of riding Best.
Andy, it's ALMOST as nice as a Nemi HP!!!
(it's actualy better, but I can't admit that to Andy)
Looking forward to trying the 9m

T


You can check out more footage as we get it put together at www.bellinghamkiteboarding.com

Thanks,

Andy

Hey guys, We are in full swing trying to get everybody a spin on the new kites, the kites are spending as much time in the mail going from dealer to dealer as they are on the water.

I have been able to fly the 14m Screamer as well as the 7m Screamer very very nice!

Going to try and get out in the next few days,

Much more to follow!

Thanks for visiting us!

La Ventana Kite Expo

Tickets are booked and everyone at Epic is ready to converge on La Ventana for a good time. We have lots of kites lined up to demo and will be out on the beach everyday ready to ride.

Kevin

Kites in the NW

Our Northwest rep, Dale Johnson, has the kites in hand now and is out testing the the cold SW winds on the coast. Hopefully, he will report back soon with the news on how they fly in the strong coast winds.

Kevin

www.epickites.com is LIVE

The EPIC web site is now live. We will be doing constant updates with improved technologies and more and more content.