Joined: 24 May 2010 22:27
Posts: 5
Just wanted to leave a few comments on the Pismo expo.
First off, I commend Epic for their dominating presence at the Expo, and really making the effort to get people on their kites to demo them. Dimitri continues to have genuine stoke for the sport that's infectious and if he's not the hardest working guy in the kiteboarding industry...then I don't know who is.
Secondly, I wish I could be giving a review of at least a few different Epic kites that I tried, but I can only do a few, for two reasons: (1) virutally all their demo kites were off the beach once the wind picked up (due to many people being eager to try them), and (2) I was having so much fun on the Epic kite I was riding that I just didn't want to come in and try other kites! Look at the stoke on my face on the picture below!
The picture below is with my own 2010 14m Screamer, which I started off with on Sunday when the wind first picked up. I forgot my Epic bar at home, thus I'm using someone else's bar. I love everything about the kite when I want to ride a twin tip and the wind is above 14mph or so. There's not enough low end for me in lighter winds with a TT (I'm 180lbs) - I do have a tendency to ride a bit overpowered, which I like (probably for the leg workout and big boosts)- so take that for what it's worth. However, the Screamer is one of the fastest turning 14m kites I've flown, it's boosting ability and hangtime is just plain awesome, and the bar pressure is light. Relaunching is decent but obviously not as easy as delta shaped kites. I used to fly the Eclipse Thruster, and then moved to Epic when that company went south. I let a buddy of mine who also flew thrusters try the Screamer, and he bought one the next day. Things I don't like: I'm not a huge fan of the bar setup. The swivel is to tight to unspin the lines and the donkey dick is a bit too soft (easy to unexpectedly get unhooked). The donkey dick was improved with the 2011 bar though, and rumor has it that Epic will be coming out with a whole new bar setup later this year. I eventually flew a 2011 14m F-one Bandit and found that it had much greater bar pressure, was much slower turning, had lofty hangtime, but was just too slow for me. For the most part it had the same pull, but it just felt like it had to be muscled more. I would not buy this kite for myself.
I also demoed the 2011 10m limited Screamer when the wind had picked up more. This kite is by far my favorite when the wind is right. In fact, I flew it twice during the expo. Once on Friday, when the wind was ~25, and I was feeling quite powered up (but not unbareable) and then again on Sunday when the wind was ~15-18 or so. Rode the same twin tip both times (136 X 41). The range of the kite seems quite large. It's speed, power, hang, range, directness, and of course its' boosting ability, I think is unparalleled! The kite really felt like an extension of my body and very easy to handle. In my view, I don't think it can get much better. That being said, I don't think the kite is for everyone. It has a lot of power, and it might scare you !
As for other people's impressions, I can say that several people that I spoke to LOVED the Renegade. These were folks who ride directionals and love the waves. In fact, a friend of mine who has been kiting for 8yrs, who had just spent a lot of money on Cabrinha kites, was bummed, as he thought the Renegades were much much better. Another friend of mine who only rides directionals with his F-one bandit thought the Screamer was okay, but not exactly the style of kite that he's into. Others who are into more freestyle and jumping thought the Screamer was phenomenal.
Lastly, I've commented on here previously about Epic customer service. It has been fantastic when things have come up & I've needed to contact Dimitri. I don't know how that guy sleeps!
This was taken from this post:
http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2366315&p=696414#p696414
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
I just spent the last month living with the Infinity in mostly summer like light winds- say 6 to 15kts.
Here are my observations, noting first I am 180lbs and use a Mako King board when its light and in waves. I also own '11 Renegades 6, 9, 11 and '10 14 Screamer. If the R11m had a bigger orifice on it I'd probably do something unnatural to it- I love that kite so much it hurts. Its perfect.
First off this kite is bigger than I thought. Looks around 14m in size- I forget what the actual measurement is tho. That said its light and very well built.
Cutting to the chase, it does go in in very light winds- guys with their little anemometers show as little as 9 kts (actually 10mph which is 8-9) and I am staying upwind without sining the kite. In 9-11kts I am able to jump the kite at will. In 12+ I am putting on depower. In 14/15kts it feels too powerful to the point where I wanted to get off it- which is fine because the 11m will go for me in 13kts.
Others who have tried it say pretty much the same incl one 210 pounder who could not stay up wind on his 14m but stepped on the Inf (and Mako) and was going upwind, riding toeside, kite parked etc, in about 10-11kts I'd say. He's getting both apparently. The Mako + Infinity are great together but points out how important the kite/board combo to be. IMHO the Inf needs a bigger stable platform to operate from. I'll try with smaller boards but in +8 knots its hard to plane out when you are plowing water. By comparison the S14m for me, will only really stay up wind in 11kts but its been a while and I need to do a head to head. I'm guessing the S14 is a better 11-18 kt kite and the Inf a better 8-15kt choice (especially in waves- see below).
I love the turning speed of the new R11m and the Inf doesn't match it but its pretty good for a kite this size- and better than the S14 from memory. Note it seems to pivot better when the bar is not fully sheeted in. Bar pressure btw is just right- not too light/not too heavy.
Jumping. At first I had trouble. The Mako with its concave has to be jumped off the rail, but for me, the faster I went the poorer I jumped (huh?) but when I slowed board speed down it jumps incredibly well in about 11kts .
I had a chance to try it a couple of times in light conditions with small (2') waves. This kite actually made those conds fun (if not epic). I used to hate the S14m when the wind was lite and there was swell (bigger than 2' even ). Now I can't wait for real swell, when before it was too light to go out, the Inf will be a gas, making it not only doable but epic (big swell + light winds = less chop) . I'll still hope for 13kts+ to be on the 11m, but I won't sweat it if it doesn't happen. With a surfboard the possibilities are tremendous.
SUMMARY
If you live in hi winds- gawd bless you. Or if you are a lightweight or cherry-picker who will only out if its 15+ kts, this kite may not be for you. But if you like to kite- a lot- and it spends too much time in the 8-12kt range, you should try this kite. It should mean more time on the water (during the summer in Nassau that could be 15-30 more days easy) and not just mowing the lawn either. There may very well be better kites in this category out there, but I haven't tried them. I do know this one works- and well.
At the outset I said I was dubious about sub-10kt claims but I stand convinced. As always, YMMV.
Here are my observations, noting first I am 180lbs and use a Mako King board when its light and in waves. I also own '11 Renegades 6, 9, 11 and '10 14 Screamer. If the R11m had a bigger orifice on it I'd probably do something unnatural to it- I love that kite so much it hurts. Its perfect.
First off this kite is bigger than I thought. Looks around 14m in size- I forget what the actual measurement is tho. That said its light and very well built.
Cutting to the chase, it does go in in very light winds- guys with their little anemometers show as little as 9 kts (actually 10mph which is 8-9) and I am staying upwind without sining the kite. In 9-11kts I am able to jump the kite at will. In 12+ I am putting on depower. In 14/15kts it feels too powerful to the point where I wanted to get off it- which is fine because the 11m will go for me in 13kts.
Others who have tried it say pretty much the same incl one 210 pounder who could not stay up wind on his 14m but stepped on the Inf (and Mako) and was going upwind, riding toeside, kite parked etc, in about 10-11kts I'd say. He's getting both apparently. The Mako + Infinity are great together but points out how important the kite/board combo to be. IMHO the Inf needs a bigger stable platform to operate from. I'll try with smaller boards but in +8 knots its hard to plane out when you are plowing water. By comparison the S14m for me, will only really stay up wind in 11kts but its been a while and I need to do a head to head. I'm guessing the S14 is a better 11-18 kt kite and the Inf a better 8-15kt choice (especially in waves- see below).
I love the turning speed of the new R11m and the Inf doesn't match it but its pretty good for a kite this size- and better than the S14 from memory. Note it seems to pivot better when the bar is not fully sheeted in. Bar pressure btw is just right- not too light/not too heavy.
Jumping. At first I had trouble. The Mako with its concave has to be jumped off the rail, but for me, the faster I went the poorer I jumped (huh?) but when I slowed board speed down it jumps incredibly well in about 11kts .
I had a chance to try it a couple of times in light conditions with small (2') waves. This kite actually made those conds fun (if not epic). I used to hate the S14m when the wind was lite and there was swell (bigger than 2' even ). Now I can't wait for real swell, when before it was too light to go out, the Inf will be a gas, making it not only doable but epic (big swell + light winds = less chop) . I'll still hope for 13kts+ to be on the 11m, but I won't sweat it if it doesn't happen. With a surfboard the possibilities are tremendous.
SUMMARY
If you live in hi winds- gawd bless you. Or if you are a lightweight or cherry-picker who will only out if its 15+ kts, this kite may not be for you. But if you like to kite- a lot- and it spends too much time in the 8-12kt range, you should try this kite. It should mean more time on the water (during the summer in Nassau that could be 15-30 more days easy) and not just mowing the lawn either. There may very well be better kites in this category out there, but I haven't tried them. I do know this one works- and well.
At the outset I said I was dubious about sub-10kt claims but I stand convinced. As always, YMMV.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
My First Trip to Cape Hatteras
I've been dreaming about going to the OBX ever since I started kiting. This past weekend I finally got down there and HOLY SHIT! This place was so much more than I even thought it would be. Not only was this the best kite destination that I have ever been to but everyone that I met down there was so cool! By far the coolest person I met was Dimitri Maramenides. His attitude and enthusiasm towards his sport was motivating. This dude hooked me and my crew up with an entire quiver to demo for the whole weekend. I got to test the Screamer 12 & 14, Renegade 9 & 11 and I bought a Renegade Infinity from Dimitri just before I went down to the OBX. Dimitri also hooked us up with the new Droid and the Oxygen boards.
I was so impressed with the performance and construction of the Infinity that I had to try the rest of the kites. The first day we were in town Dimitri invited us to ride behind his house. I started my day on the Screamer 14 and was having a great time for about two hours. The biggest boosts I've ever done. The wind was coming up and Dimitri busted out the 12. I was in the market for a 12 and I was super excited to finally fly it. I started out a little under powered but was still having a great time. Dimitri and I were riding for about 20 minutes before he waived me down yelling "YOU NEED MORE POWER". I thought he wanted me to take the 14 back....nope. He had me land the kite to his kid and we quickly adjusted the outside lines in on the bar and BOOM! I was lit up again! If you haven’t flown the EPIC kites yet, be sure to get your hands on one. They are super impressive. The Screamer 12 is crazy fast. I was actually a bit scared of it at first but after an hour or so I was boosting bigger airs than I was on the 14 and had one of the best kite sessions I’ve ever had…that is until the next day.
For our Saturday’s session Dimitri advised us to head to Kite Point. I was super lit on the Screamer 12 all day long. I kept trying back rolls and kept over rotating because I had so much hang time with the Screamer. I never tried to do a double back roll so I finally just said “Fuck It” and went for the double. Landed the first try and was super stoked. Later in the day I decided to give the Renegade 11m a try. This kite was equally as fun. It’s a little smoother, not quite as radical as the Screamer but it was super stable. I found myself not even looking at the kite. It was always where I wanted it to be. I personally preferred the Screamer but I’m considering getting my girlfriend a couple of the Renegades simply because there so easy to ride and just have fun. My buddy was on the 9m Renegade and the Droid 135x41 all day, never switch up his rig. It was only his 4th or 5th time kiting in the water and he was staying up wind with no problems.
Sunday the wind was super light but it wasn’t going to keep us down. We headed back to Kite Point and busted out my Infinity. I went out first. I weigh about 215lbs and there was only about 7-8mph. I couldn’t quite stay upwind but I was out kiting on a twin tip and having fun. I handed the Infinity over to my buddy who weighs 150lbs. He went out and was staying up wind and also doing small boosts and back roll kite loops. The wind came up a little. Wind Alert was saying 10-12mph I went back out and I was able to ride up wind and do some boosts and rolls. I am super happy with my investment in the Infinity. As a bigger rider and living in Michigan, I know I’m going to use the shit outa this kite.
Needless to say, I came home with a new Screamer 12. My one buddy came home with a Screamer 14 and the other a new Droid board.
I also want to thank Matt and everyone at REAL and Waterman’s Retreat. If anyone is looking for a pimp ass place to stay, look no further than Waterman’s Retreat! This place is soooo sick! I wish we had a kite shop like this in Michigan! We finally did get to ride at REAL, our last day on Monday. What a kick ass spot. I’ve never rode such flat water. The Slick is the place to be on a SW wind.
One more thank you to Charlie at OBX Kite Repair (www.obxkiterepair.com) for fixing my boo boo. If anybody is in Hatteras and needs a quick fix on their kite, look no further than Charlie. I can’t even tell where the tear was! If I ever need kite repairs, I know where I’m sending my gear.
I know I’m going to catch a bunch of guff from a lot people saying I’m pimping EPIC or REAL or whatever but I dont relly give a shit! I just want everyone that hasn’t been to the OBX to know about my unforgettably kick ass experience. I don’t know how I’m going to get more time off work, but I’m going to do my best to get back down there this year.
I was so impressed with the performance and construction of the Infinity that I had to try the rest of the kites. The first day we were in town Dimitri invited us to ride behind his house. I started my day on the Screamer 14 and was having a great time for about two hours. The biggest boosts I've ever done. The wind was coming up and Dimitri busted out the 12. I was in the market for a 12 and I was super excited to finally fly it. I started out a little under powered but was still having a great time. Dimitri and I were riding for about 20 minutes before he waived me down yelling "YOU NEED MORE POWER". I thought he wanted me to take the 14 back....nope. He had me land the kite to his kid and we quickly adjusted the outside lines in on the bar and BOOM! I was lit up again! If you haven’t flown the EPIC kites yet, be sure to get your hands on one. They are super impressive. The Screamer 12 is crazy fast. I was actually a bit scared of it at first but after an hour or so I was boosting bigger airs than I was on the 14 and had one of the best kite sessions I’ve ever had…that is until the next day.
For our Saturday’s session Dimitri advised us to head to Kite Point. I was super lit on the Screamer 12 all day long. I kept trying back rolls and kept over rotating because I had so much hang time with the Screamer. I never tried to do a double back roll so I finally just said “Fuck It” and went for the double. Landed the first try and was super stoked. Later in the day I decided to give the Renegade 11m a try. This kite was equally as fun. It’s a little smoother, not quite as radical as the Screamer but it was super stable. I found myself not even looking at the kite. It was always where I wanted it to be. I personally preferred the Screamer but I’m considering getting my girlfriend a couple of the Renegades simply because there so easy to ride and just have fun. My buddy was on the 9m Renegade and the Droid 135x41 all day, never switch up his rig. It was only his 4th or 5th time kiting in the water and he was staying up wind with no problems.
Sunday the wind was super light but it wasn’t going to keep us down. We headed back to Kite Point and busted out my Infinity. I went out first. I weigh about 215lbs and there was only about 7-8mph. I couldn’t quite stay upwind but I was out kiting on a twin tip and having fun. I handed the Infinity over to my buddy who weighs 150lbs. He went out and was staying up wind and also doing small boosts and back roll kite loops. The wind came up a little. Wind Alert was saying 10-12mph I went back out and I was able to ride up wind and do some boosts and rolls. I am super happy with my investment in the Infinity. As a bigger rider and living in Michigan, I know I’m going to use the shit outa this kite.
Needless to say, I came home with a new Screamer 12. My one buddy came home with a Screamer 14 and the other a new Droid board.
I also want to thank Matt and everyone at REAL and Waterman’s Retreat. If anyone is looking for a pimp ass place to stay, look no further than Waterman’s Retreat! This place is soooo sick! I wish we had a kite shop like this in Michigan! We finally did get to ride at REAL, our last day on Monday. What a kick ass spot. I’ve never rode such flat water. The Slick is the place to be on a SW wind.
One more thank you to Charlie at OBX Kite Repair (www.obxkiterepair.com) for fixing my boo boo. If anybody is in Hatteras and needs a quick fix on their kite, look no further than Charlie. I can’t even tell where the tear was! If I ever need kite repairs, I know where I’m sending my gear.
I know I’m going to catch a bunch of guff from a lot people saying I’m pimping EPIC or REAL or whatever but I dont relly give a shit! I just want everyone that hasn’t been to the OBX to know about my unforgettably kick ass experience. I don’t know how I’m going to get more time off work, but I’m going to do my best to get back down there this year.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Email from Aaron
I finally got to ride the Infinity....WOW this kite has some balls!!! It was blowing between 12-16mph maybe little gusts up to 20-22mph. I was riding up wind with my small board 137x41 Liquid Force Recoil and I weigh 210lbs plus all the gear.... and I was wearing all my cold weather gear. The air temp was 45 degrees and the water temp...well, the ice just thawed two days ago...it was cold! I was also doing some nice boosts. I only got to ride for about 45 minutes so I didn't get completely comfortable with it. It flys sooo much different than my old 16 Havoc! Way more power, much faster turning and feels much lighter in the air. It did fall out of the sky once but it was my own fault. I rode into a shallow bay to rest and there are alot of trees causing a wind shadow. I am very happy with my purchase.
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