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
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
