From: Ed
Hello Dimitri,
I saw the EPIC screamer 12 yesterday at one of the places that I kite. I had limited funds and bough an old used GK Sonic 11.
There were about 25 kites in the air: Waroos, Naish Helix, OR Rise, North, Waiman Rabbits, Slings, Cabrinha switchbalades and crossbows - etc etc
But.. your kite was kicking ass (screamer 12). It was clearly the best performing, fastest, highest boosting, great handling kite there. This was due to your kite, not the rider. I have to get one. I will sell everything i have and give you my first born to get one.
Eventually, I would like to get 3, but will try to get one soon. Awesome!
Ed
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Dale,
Can you post this on the BLOG.
FROM: Andy Miller
PLACE: CA (USA)
Just wanted to write a quick note regarding the customer service of Epic Kites. This past Sunday I had a mishap with the safety release system breaking on me. Long story about this, which I will touch upon later when I write a formal review of my Screamer 14m and 10m LTD. Bottom line, love the kite, small issues with bar/lines, but I'll get back to that later. In any event, I had emailed Dimitri a few hours after my incident explaining what had happened and asked for suggestions on either how to fix or what to do. Not only did Dimitri respond to my email within an hour of my email (with an apologetic tone), but he shipped me out a replacement part first thing on Monday morning. I am really happy to see Dimitri (& Epic) delivering on their promise of providing excellent customer service. As most people know, a lot of brands are not that responsive much less helpful. Dimitri clearly wants to get his customers back out on the water ASAP and I think this speaks volumes about the company's core values. I also appreciate Dimitri's integrity in urging me to write a review, stating my honest opinion, and not pimping anything. In sum, while I've only been kiting just over a year, and have only had to deal with a few other kite companies on rare occasions, I'm thoroughly impressed with the great customer service of Epic. Formal review of the screamer to come...
Can you post this on the BLOG.
FROM: Andy Miller
PLACE: CA (USA)
Just wanted to write a quick note regarding the customer service of Epic Kites. This past Sunday I had a mishap with the safety release system breaking on me. Long story about this, which I will touch upon later when I write a formal review of my Screamer 14m and 10m LTD. Bottom line, love the kite, small issues with bar/lines, but I'll get back to that later. In any event, I had emailed Dimitri a few hours after my incident explaining what had happened and asked for suggestions on either how to fix or what to do. Not only did Dimitri respond to my email within an hour of my email (with an apologetic tone), but he shipped me out a replacement part first thing on Monday morning. I am really happy to see Dimitri (& Epic) delivering on their promise of providing excellent customer service. As most people know, a lot of brands are not that responsive much less helpful. Dimitri clearly wants to get his customers back out on the water ASAP and I think this speaks volumes about the company's core values. I also appreciate Dimitri's integrity in urging me to write a review, stating my honest opinion, and not pimping anything. In sum, while I've only been kiting just over a year, and have only had to deal with a few other kite companies on rare occasions, I'm thoroughly impressed with the great customer service of Epic. Formal review of the screamer to come...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Dale,
Just wanted to tell you that I F$#@#&* LOVE THE 10 LE. What an amazing kite! I’ve never had so much fun and it was a funny feeling to be on the same size kite as guys that are 175lbs :) Also I’ve never jumped higher than yesterday (even on the 14). I’m super stoked and I’m discovering the sport again as it is soooo much different on smaller kites.
Thanks for all your help with getting me on these amazing kites:)
-matt
Just wanted to tell you that I F$#@#&* LOVE THE 10 LE. What an amazing kite! I’ve never had so much fun and it was a funny feeling to be on the same size kite as guys that are 175lbs :) Also I’ve never jumped higher than yesterday (even on the 14). I’m super stoked and I’m discovering the sport again as it is soooo much different on smaller kites.
Thanks for all your help with getting me on these amazing kites:)
-matt
Saturday, May 22, 2010
From: OX
Location: FL (USA)
14 Screamer Review
10-18 knts max 177lbs (83kg). 144 w/ bindings. Kiting for almost 10 years.
The past 2 yrs a 12 was my biggest kite. If it wasn't windy enough for it I didn't want to go out. The downside I suppose was it had to 15+ for me to go out on bindings and stay up wind after throwing tricks. Yeah, I could roll around on the surfboard in the Florida surf, but for flat water with power I needed 15 or more.
This year I decided to go back to a 14 as my light wind kite and I'm so glad I did. Right out of the bag the black, red and white colors look top notch- still not as cool as the all black 10, but a solid looking kite none the less.
The one pump connections -have a cool 90 degree bend nozzle so the connecting tube doesn't have to bend and kink to get to the strut.
I really like the small bridle.- Unless your kite was under inflated and a wing tip forced itself through somehow, I don't think the tips could flip inside the bridle at all since they're so small.
It reminds me so much of a C kite with the flight characteristics - I sometimes think about putting a fifth line on it just to see how it would do with one. It doesn't need it, but sometimes I really blow up catching a heel edge or something and taking the extra few seconds to gather myself before dealing with the kite is nice.
Relaunch - Every time I put it in the water it was on it's edge ready for me to launch. I've had to relaunch it when it's facing down quite a few times to, but it's so easy, just pull in two or so feet of one steering line it reverses itself into the launch position. But what's even better is that you can roll it on its back like the old days of relaunching and it won't flip and tumble down the way. I've ridden so many kites (especially bows) that once you flip it on its back it keeps wanting to tumble or you cant get the wingtip to grab air and it just keeps sliding around on the water. Anyway the Screamer sits on its back no problem - another reason that I think it could ride with a 5th line if I wanted.
The kite is so solid in the air. It turns nice, clean, and steady. Nothing is flapping about in the air like other kites I've had in the past.
Our bay waters will start to chop up and white cap right around 13knts. What was so fun was the fact that I was riding powered in side-on wind with the water at minimal chop. If I waited to ride another day on my 12 I would have been in chop city - or if I rode it that day I would have been going down wind and walking the walk of shame just to do a few tricks.
On the 14 Screamer I was popping two or three small tricks per tack followed by a bigger trick at the end of the tack - all the while staying upwind no problem. All my friends were doing the same tricks wise, but couldn't stay upwind and would have to do two or three tacks with no tricks just to get to our starting point.
All and all I'm super stoked to have a 14 back in my quiver. The 14 Screamer is ridiculously fun!
Location: FL (USA)
14 Screamer Review
10-18 knts max 177lbs (83kg). 144 w/ bindings. Kiting for almost 10 years.
The past 2 yrs a 12 was my biggest kite. If it wasn't windy enough for it I didn't want to go out. The downside I suppose was it had to 15+ for me to go out on bindings and stay up wind after throwing tricks. Yeah, I could roll around on the surfboard in the Florida surf, but for flat water with power I needed 15 or more.
This year I decided to go back to a 14 as my light wind kite and I'm so glad I did. Right out of the bag the black, red and white colors look top notch- still not as cool as the all black 10, but a solid looking kite none the less.
The one pump connections -have a cool 90 degree bend nozzle so the connecting tube doesn't have to bend and kink to get to the strut.
I really like the small bridle.- Unless your kite was under inflated and a wing tip forced itself through somehow, I don't think the tips could flip inside the bridle at all since they're so small.
It reminds me so much of a C kite with the flight characteristics - I sometimes think about putting a fifth line on it just to see how it would do with one. It doesn't need it, but sometimes I really blow up catching a heel edge or something and taking the extra few seconds to gather myself before dealing with the kite is nice.
Relaunch - Every time I put it in the water it was on it's edge ready for me to launch. I've had to relaunch it when it's facing down quite a few times to, but it's so easy, just pull in two or so feet of one steering line it reverses itself into the launch position. But what's even better is that you can roll it on its back like the old days of relaunching and it won't flip and tumble down the way. I've ridden so many kites (especially bows) that once you flip it on its back it keeps wanting to tumble or you cant get the wingtip to grab air and it just keeps sliding around on the water. Anyway the Screamer sits on its back no problem - another reason that I think it could ride with a 5th line if I wanted.
The kite is so solid in the air. It turns nice, clean, and steady. Nothing is flapping about in the air like other kites I've had in the past.
Our bay waters will start to chop up and white cap right around 13knts. What was so fun was the fact that I was riding powered in side-on wind with the water at minimal chop. If I waited to ride another day on my 12 I would have been in chop city - or if I rode it that day I would have been going down wind and walking the walk of shame just to do a few tricks.
On the 14 Screamer I was popping two or three small tricks per tack followed by a bigger trick at the end of the tack - all the while staying upwind no problem. All my friends were doing the same tricks wise, but couldn't stay upwind and would have to do two or three tacks with no tricks just to get to our starting point.
All and all I'm super stoked to have a 14 back in my quiver. The 14 Screamer is ridiculously fun!
Friday, May 21, 2010
From: Cape Cod Kite Chick
Location: Cape Code. MA (USA)
NICE! Love the video made by Dimitri on page 59, and great pics Lane on page 58! I was actually in OBX that day Lane went out, but didn't have the cajones to join him in the side off wind and waves. well, that's changed now that I stopped flying girlie kites and got myself a pair.....of Epic Renegades that is.
I got to try them on some downwinders in the ocean in Hatteras and had some of my best sessions yet- the kite was so smooth for riding waves, it would power up when I needed it, and once I'd found a nice wave I'd just push the bar out, forget about the kite and ride the wave in, then just sheet it back in to power myself back out again to look for another ride. And even if I got pushed too far under the kite it'd just settle back in the window and hang there like it was just waiting for me. I mostly ride strapless, so it's sooo nice to have a kite that's so silky smooth and doesn't jerk me off the board when it powers up, but when I did ride it strapped in bigger waves I was amazed at how much pop it had for a kite with so much depower when I would send it a little to pop me over any breakers. I got the 9m thinking it would be the mainstay of my quiver, but in fact I've mostly been on my 6m which I can use in 17-30 mph (I'm only 5'3" 110 lbs). It's SO much fun being able to get out most days on a little kite! So don't let it's size fool you, especially when I loop it I realize how much power it has for such a little kite. Imagine for you guys being on a 9m almost all the time, how much fun that would be for you!!!!
Now back home and equipped with a brand new pair I decided to I had to get out in the nice surf we had here yesterday and brave the side-off wind. I knew from my experiences that the Renegade would be a reliable flyer in flukey, offshore wind. Well I ended up having much more confidence in the kite than in my own abilities when we got there and realized the wind was actually dead off-shore at the break. Still the waves looked clean and nice, so we had to go. Now I'm a believer and the guys here are gonna have to deal with me pestering them to go out in off-shore winds whenever the surf's right! And that confidence comes from knowing I have the right kite for the conditions. Not only does it behave beautifully in the air, but it relaunches easily b/c it only has 3 struts, which is key to getting it up and out of the waves quickly. One thing to be aware of if you've tried the Renegade and didn't like it: right out of the bag I found both of them flew way oversheeted on my bar. I don't know if it's b/c I'm using my old bar with them and the center lines are just stretched out, or if the kite is much more of a front line flyer than my old kite. But the problem was easily resolved with some center line shortening and adding some pigtails to the rear attachment points.
While I didn't try the Screamer, it's worth mentioning that our friends from Boston did and one of the most skilled riders in the group who is sponsored by Naish said he loved it and it was "the biggest boosting kite" he'd ever been on.
Location: Cape Code. MA (USA)
NICE! Love the video made by Dimitri on page 59, and great pics Lane on page 58! I was actually in OBX that day Lane went out, but didn't have the cajones to join him in the side off wind and waves. well, that's changed now that I stopped flying girlie kites and got myself a pair.....of Epic Renegades that is.
I got to try them on some downwinders in the ocean in Hatteras and had some of my best sessions yet- the kite was so smooth for riding waves, it would power up when I needed it, and once I'd found a nice wave I'd just push the bar out, forget about the kite and ride the wave in, then just sheet it back in to power myself back out again to look for another ride. And even if I got pushed too far under the kite it'd just settle back in the window and hang there like it was just waiting for me. I mostly ride strapless, so it's sooo nice to have a kite that's so silky smooth and doesn't jerk me off the board when it powers up, but when I did ride it strapped in bigger waves I was amazed at how much pop it had for a kite with so much depower when I would send it a little to pop me over any breakers. I got the 9m thinking it would be the mainstay of my quiver, but in fact I've mostly been on my 6m which I can use in 17-30 mph (I'm only 5'3" 110 lbs). It's SO much fun being able to get out most days on a little kite! So don't let it's size fool you, especially when I loop it I realize how much power it has for such a little kite. Imagine for you guys being on a 9m almost all the time, how much fun that would be for you!!!!
Now back home and equipped with a brand new pair I decided to I had to get out in the nice surf we had here yesterday and brave the side-off wind. I knew from my experiences that the Renegade would be a reliable flyer in flukey, offshore wind. Well I ended up having much more confidence in the kite than in my own abilities when we got there and realized the wind was actually dead off-shore at the break. Still the waves looked clean and nice, so we had to go. Now I'm a believer and the guys here are gonna have to deal with me pestering them to go out in off-shore winds whenever the surf's right! And that confidence comes from knowing I have the right kite for the conditions. Not only does it behave beautifully in the air, but it relaunches easily b/c it only has 3 struts, which is key to getting it up and out of the waves quickly. One thing to be aware of if you've tried the Renegade and didn't like it: right out of the bag I found both of them flew way oversheeted on my bar. I don't know if it's b/c I'm using my old bar with them and the center lines are just stretched out, or if the kite is much more of a front line flyer than my old kite. But the problem was easily resolved with some center line shortening and adding some pigtails to the rear attachment points.
While I didn't try the Screamer, it's worth mentioning that our friends from Boston did and one of the most skilled riders in the group who is sponsored by Naish said he loved it and it was "the biggest boosting kite" he'd ever been on.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
FROM: Chad Cooper
"Dimitri,
Thanks for the Masskiting demo you did for us a couple of weeks ago. Very cool to see someone with your skills throw down for us. I can say with absolute certainty, my next kite will be an Epic. Loved flying the Screamer, jumps to the moon. Great meeting you and good luck!
Chad.".
"Dimitri,
Thanks for the Masskiting demo you did for us a couple of weeks ago. Very cool to see someone with your skills throw down for us. I can say with absolute certainty, my next kite will be an Epic. Loved flying the Screamer, jumps to the moon. Great meeting you and good luck!
Chad.".
Friday, May 14, 2010
From: Costas
Place: Cyprus
Hello Dimitri,
Just wanted to let you know about my amazing session today. I went to the beach and it was blowing 20-23kn. There was no one there apart from a teacher and his student. I pumped up the 10m SCREAMER LTD and went into the water. I was boosting 40feet every jump and hanging up there literally for ever !!!! I was so excited !! This kite definitely boosts to the moon man!!
Later, the other local instructor came down, a very experienced rider, Flexifoil addict. After seeing me jumping he came to me and asked me for a go on the 10m LTD and he just wouldn't give it back. He pulled some huge jumps as well and he was doing his tricks like he was flying the kite for ages. He came back with the best comments he just loved it from the very first minute.
Anyways, thats all for today. Everyone who tries it is very impressed and i'm so stoked about the 10m I just can't stop thinking about those jumps. MOMI IS THE MAN !!!
Costas
Place: Cyprus
Hello Dimitri,
Just wanted to let you know about my amazing session today. I went to the beach and it was blowing 20-23kn. There was no one there apart from a teacher and his student. I pumped up the 10m SCREAMER LTD and went into the water. I was boosting 40feet every jump and hanging up there literally for ever !!!! I was so excited !! This kite definitely boosts to the moon man!!
Later, the other local instructor came down, a very experienced rider, Flexifoil addict. After seeing me jumping he came to me and asked me for a go on the 10m LTD and he just wouldn't give it back. He pulled some huge jumps as well and he was doing his tricks like he was flying the kite for ages. He came back with the best comments he just loved it from the very first minute.
Anyways, thats all for today. Everyone who tries it is very impressed and i'm so stoked about the 10m I just can't stop thinking about those jumps. MOMI IS THE MAN !!!
Costas
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