Another happy customer

Olivier EPIC Renegade 4G 9m

From: Olivier
Subject: EPIC Renegade 4G 9m et veste néoprène
Date: February 8, 2015 9:36:12 AM EST
To: Dimitri Maramenides <dimitri@epickites.com>

Salut Dimitri,

J’ai récemment acheté une Renegade 4G en 9m. Je navigue d’habitude en Screamer mais j’avais envie de tester autre chose.

Première session hier en Bretagne par vent side-on, 25 noeuds, rafales à 30-35.

Agréablement surpris par la qualité de la construction: des renforts partout, le système du one pump bien protégé, des anneaux anti friction à la place des poulies. Et la déco, quelle déco! Des détails partout… très agréable!

Au décollage, c’est du plug&play. Pas de temps d’adaptation. L’aile est très saine, très agréable en barre. J’avais peur de ne pas être à l’aise dans les rafales (les Screamer sont assez physiques de ce point de vue là) mais la Renegade est vraiment passe partout. Quel plaisir!!!

J’ai même voulu tester le redécollage de l’aile: cela se fait presque tout seul.

En saut, elle porte moins que la Screamer mais c’est tout à fait acceptable (les conditions n’étaient pas non plus propices à tester l’aile à ce niveau là).

Je me suis fait plaisir en achetant la veste néoprène EPIC il y’a un mois en prévision du froid qui commence à s’installer en Bretagne. Hier, air à 6°C et eau à 9°C. J’étais en intégrale 5-4-3 avec des chaussons. Pas de gants, pas de cagoule. La veste a fait son boulot: très bon coupe vent et elle garde vraiment bien la chaleur.

J’attend avec impatience les prochaines sessions!

A bientôt.

Olivier

Jim from NZ loves his Screamer

Dimitri,

I am writing to thank you for the excellent service - you are your team provided.

Earlier in the week the screamer arrived in New Zealand all the way from the US.

I have been out twice now

Firstly in 15-18 knots - it performed well and in 18 knots I got some air - I did not lock in the pump up valve properly so I came in after 2 hours with a little soft kite.

BUT THEN TODAY.

The wind was between 28 and 35 knots - while I was fully depowered - I was in control and while I did not go to hard as it was the first time in these conditions - I got the most air I have ever had - and talk about hang time - intact the screamer actually wants to fly - and yes I did SCREAM!!!

This kite is simply amazing - It lives up to all the comments and advertising statements you make and it really does work from 15-35 knots - Simply incredible.

You and your design team need to be congratulated - simply the best kite I have ever had - the graphics are great.

I will be purchasing more products I am sure - although really it is a 1 quiver kite!!!


Again thanks for you service - and please feel free to share this email with anyone who is thinking of purchasing your kites.


Jim
Auckland
New Zealand

best regards

Jim

Screamer 10 LTD Review from FL Demo

In December I travelled to Florida on vacation to escape cold Copenhagen. Prior to my trip, I had gotten an interest in trying Epic kites. Dimitri is not only a fab kiter and great promotor, but I witnessed his customer service going beyond his brand name! Responding to my e-mail on going to Florida and I wanted to test his gear, Dimitri not only said he was so convinced that I would buy the Screamer 10 Ltd that he would send it vs a deposit, but also offered to ship a board together with the kite to my hotel to try while on my holiday. That is unparalleled customer service! I was the happiest man in South Beach, finding all waiting for me there.

The Screamer got to ride FL waters 3 times during my holiday. First at 20-24 knots wind on flats outside Key West, then once at 16 knots winds and then 14 knots at Key Biscayne. Dimitri told me that I would love the Screamer… and here’s the review. Note: I’m fairly new and have ridden f-one and Naish kites before trying the Screamer. 

Screamer 10 LTD

I must admit, I Love it!  And I bought it. Dimitri was right… and after that it has gotten about 5 rides in the cold Copenhagen water and weather in both perfect (18-28 knots) as well as gusty conditions (25-35 knots)

Pros:

+ amazing grunt, lift and air control. I found it to have better stability during the jump and more responsive turn control when jumping compared to the Bandits I ride usually/used to ride usually. I had never before taken such lengthy flights as with this kite. 

+ very responsive - also felt it rewards aggressive handling extremely well

+ powerful in upwind

+ playful in waves – learned this in Copenhagen; it’s extremely nice turning with good stability in good winds lets you be very playful in the waves 

+ predictable and stable but thrives in higher winds rather than low - find it better than my bandit 7 when it is in the 18 knots+ area

+ handles extremely nice in low end of power window

Cons:

- in gusts at low winds it tends to loose power and you have to be alert on stalls and mid field drops - it drops fast and maybe because it is...

- ...heavy (but sturdy build has a compromise)

- inflation blocker (ball) is not working always – and improvement for next generation would be to look at f-one or Cabrinhas inflation systems. 

After coming back to Copenhagen, and giving it a few more rides, I got perfect trim of the kite and removed stall tendencies by putting the front lines on the second know of the lines. It has become my favorite kite for the conditions we have had lately, the grunt lets me have fun on a 10, when lots of the others around are at 12s. 

4G bar

My first reaction after 3 rides was that I was not totally sold on it, but it is growing on me the more I’m using it. 

Pros

+ great control and responsiveness

+ comfy handlebar grips

+ lines have easy to open attachment mechanisms

+ release system is good and the ball mechanism is easier than f-one’s lock to reattach

Cons

- power and depower control system.

I had a bit difficulty finding comfort with the power and depower system. The system is very clear on increasing and decreasing, but handles are hard to reach and response is not so immediate as on the f.one system. The benefit is that when it is set, it sticks (unlike the f-one which can tend to jump out if you don’t secure it well)

- unprotected/covered lines makes it easy to get a burn if you ride one hand and ride split finger over the lines, and lines will probably have more higher wear over time

Droid board

Love it! This was a surpise. It is light and extremely responsive, loved how it responded snappily to turns - felt I could pop front to toe much easier than the f-one Trax (regular version, not the carbon that I have not tried)

Pro

+ responsivenes

+ landing smoothness

+ good pop

+ handle bar - love the feel 

Con

- tendencies to getting a bit dug-in in high downwind chop 

Also, one of the most experienced riders at the tour organizer in Key West got to try the Droid – and he was very positively surprised. 

All in all, I have witnessed first hand Dimitri and his crew’s fantastic customer service and products and encourage more to do it. They deserve a big thanks! With the offer – pay a deposit and you can return if you don’t like it – I can only say: try it!

Customer Service Thank You Messages

Not even an Epic customer

I just wanted to take a moment to publicly thank both Helen and Dimitri for their help with a non kiting favour that I asked of them last week. Both of them were very helpful in answering some questions that I had, and both were very upfront, honest, sincere and positive.

I don't think you could encounter nicer people in any business, anywhere!

Blake and Cathy
PS, I'm not even an EPIC customer...….!"

Epic kites review from fastrider

Hands down as a kite company epic kites has the best customer service.
I'm just a customer of epic kites. I've had Cabrinha and Starkites. I'm not what so ever downing any other brand, I'm sure all other brands are good as well, I'm just speaking from a customer stand. If you ever need anything for your kite to get you back in the water asap and Dimitri does not have it, he will take it off his own personal kites to help get you back out. Plus as any kiter knows some times it a pain t find parts and being epic is a NC local there's always parts nearby. Let me note now I do not side for them nor do I receive anything from epic. I'm just another satisfied customer that works a 7-3 job at norfolk southern in va and I kite in nc.