Shultzie

Do you think this is OK ? Thanks for your "help". Nicolas Is anybody else waiting for kites from this shop. I placed an order for my first Rev 1.5 SLE nearly 18 weeks ago. After no sign of the kite after 6 - 7 weeks, I started sending emails. I got a reply stating that there was an employee problems and that my kite would be posted out immediately. I've waited another 5-6 weeks and still no sign. I've been sending emails for the last 2 weeks, and all I get when I phone is an answering machine. I've placed other orders with several other shops in the USA using USPS Express delivery. I received tracking comfirmation both from USPS directly, and the retailers. All goods arrived within 5-7 working days. The order I placed with windpowersports was also for USPS Express delivery. I've received no tracking information whatsoever. I've seen a post on the revolution forum by someone who had difficulties with windpowersports with a delivery back around April/May, the reason given was that there was a backlog problem. If this is the situation with my order, then I think I should have been notified of the expected delay and given the option to cancel the order. I am now awaiting a refund. I will let you know how I get on. Regards, Mick Just "Google up" COREY JENSEN" and over the years he has been Nuttin' but the best for so many of us here in the kiting community...and with that in mind, hopefully...I am certain Cory will make every effort to corrrect that problem. Corey to some folks may appear to be a "Wild-n-krazeeeee Guy" but always has every kiters best interests at heart.

I have one of these and I think that they where a bit generous with the one mp it will fly in that range though you may need to walk a bit .It may work better if you have a consistent wind speed which alas I don't get to often. good wind's You are RIGHT ON about that....My new Silver Fox 2.5 UL is a reeeeeeeeally nice pleasant kite...but will it truly fly in ONE MPH WIND. Sorry, Only in your wildest dreams and remains as one of the heaviest kites in my kite bag. Yes...That little Desire UL that I tried out at Cannon Beach was a reeeeallly nice little kite. The wind was virtually nuttin... However this said, I was flying my old Purple HQ Breeze kite with the funky bridle on 80 ft. of #50lb. spectra. and continued to fly when when the owner of that beautiful little Desire UL was starting to wrap things up. Noticing that...I had another set of old short #50lb. lines that were now a tad shorter that we hooked up onto his little Desire UL....and WHAT A DIFFERENCE in performance. During my career as a Boeing Wind Tunnel test model maker...the engineering staff performed some pretty EYE OPENING wind tunnel tests on just how much drag can be produced from small cable line diameters. These wind tunnel tests were started after a vertical fin from one of the spy in the sky parted ways from that remote piloted aircraft over skies in hostile terriorities. Not only was the 1/4mile long very expensive small dia multi strand-antenna cable lost but even worse...the loss of a very very expensive pilot-less aircraft and some very very sensitive fact finding information was lost. Being a competition kite flyer and CLPA stunt model flyer (also see last photo of fellow CLPA duel line flyer, Phil Granderson's model) that ...that also we have to rely on small dia. line sized lines. From that windtunnel study on line-drag studies, I became quite aware of just how much line weight and dia. sizes can have on flight. Another Light weight kite in my bag....that was a hoot to fly was this little used EZ light that I paid less than $90.00 at a Cannon Beach kite shop a few years ago...(however I haven't seen these advertised anywhere??? Like the HQ Breeze and this EZ...humm? Gone too soon??? I have a Desire UL, and it will fly on days when nothing else in my bag can stay in the air. A bonus is that it is not expensive. Loren

Just a few shots last weekend on a short trip a few miles SE of Agate Pass near Poulsbo Wa. Great time flying there off the spit that provides so pretty awesome views of Seattle to the East and the Olympic Mts. to the west. Had a good test flying session with my new heavy weight Silver Fox 2.5 UL. Although the winds were waaaaaaaaaay on the lighter side....but Ohhhhhhhh soooooo smooth. Although the Fox was noticable annoying slow, heavy handed (compared to that old reliable little light weight HQ Shadow nimble quickness and fast response) the saving grace of the Fox is how beautifully precise, and slowwwwwww it peforms fades, cascades, roll ups... I just wish that my arms were about 6 feet longer and my bad knees were in better condition, since the FOX seems to need lots of PUSHIN-PULLIN and control input. Perhaps too many sky miles on lighter, smaller or "3/4 quick responding sized kites" can really mess with your flying habits?

OLD FRIENDS AND THE KITES THEY FLEW IN ON!!! Just thought it might be interesting to hear a few words from my fellow addicted KITE-KRAZZEES just who you feel is responsible for sending your addiction for kiting into a life long habit....AND which kites help start this addiction? That old saying..."OLD MEN DREAM DREAMS....well so do many of you youngin's out there in kite cyber-space land still dream dreams that just might stick you for the rest of your lives. With that...Guess I will start this off. Perhaps I have to blame KATHY GOODWIND...where I first bought my young son Ryan (who now is 29 years old. his first TRIBLY...gads when he was just this old (see attached photo with Ryan) (about the same age as our Kite Life Johnny B. at the time? I clearly remember taking our brand new TRILBY down to Gas Works Park...just down the street from Kathy's Shop, where within less than 30 minutes...JUMP STARTED a life long addiction with the wind. Within weeks... We bought a brand new kite from Kathy called "THE CHEETA!" that was manufactured in Calif. by Fred & Darlene Fredricks. WOW! Then from there....we bought two more... It wasn't long before my son Ryan and I were flying side by side..and bashing those old shiney yellow fiberglass rods like matchsticks and making constant trips to the kite shop for repairs... Kathy Goodwind could hardly keep us supplied in new rods and kite lines fast enough. (Not really as Kathy always had an very ample stock of just about any thing that a kite junkie could ever want or kuvit fer' Then we made A HUGE MISTAKE.... I TOOK MY ENTIRE FAMILY ON A VACATION TO LONGBEACH WA. (as a suggestion by Kathy Goodwind) AND THE REST IS HISTORY!!! (Attached a few kite memories...WHO'S NEXT?

THANKS JOHN! RIGHT ON!....After checking that post about the INDOOR KITE EVENTS you posted this morn even makes more sense that the Olympics SHOULD HAVE KITE FLYING...WIND OR NO WIND. Stirr in a little choro and this should make for a real crowd pleaser?

THANKS JOHN! RIGHT ON!....After checking that post about the INDOOR KITE EVENTS you posted this morn even makes more sense that the Olympics SHOULD HAVE KITE FLYING...WIND OR NO WIND.

Agreed... My Shadow was one of the first 5 to arrive here in the US and Kathy Goodwind GLEANED this one for me last year. I have added an extra brass spacer weight onto the supplied weights for the lower end of the spine, cut the bridle attachpoint and added piggie'-tails with knots at the top spreaders....and carefully re- balance the kite frame...due to the left panel weighed more than the right one??? The kite out of the box....flew with a tad bit of oversteer and was a bit hard to roll up or unroll...from yo-yoddleeees and fade consistancy. I have done so much TWEAKIN' N' FREAKIN with that kite...NOW, I am not so sure just what seems to make this kite fly so nicely. Perhaps....JUST LIVIN' WITH THIS KITE all this time? Humm, maybe even the rashed and skuffed leading e dges....just might have made this kite fly betta? WHY IS IT ...THAT MOST KITES IN MY BAG OF CRAPPOLA...NEVER SEEM TO FLY LIKE I LIKE THEM..UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN BASHED N' SAND RASHED, USED AND LIGHTLY ABUSED?? Ever since flying my BADBOY TRIBALS...I HAVE LOVED TRIBLE THEMES not only for sport kites but for sport bikes... check out this mod job Naw...I still love the original HQ SHADOW fade colors...best of all untitled.bmp

After seeing the opening Ceremony of the Olympics...DID ANY ONE TAKE NOTICE HOW THEY SHOWED THE FLAGS BEING FLYING AND BLOWING STRAIGHT OUT FROM SOME KIND OF WIND MACHINE THINGEE???? Seeing how much techology the Chinese put into the Olympics... I would bet my britches that they could come up with a field area with WIND MACHINES...that one could dial in exactly the wind speed that any kite team or flyer would DIE FOR... UHHH? HAS ANYONE TRIED A HELIUM FILLED SPORT KITE FOR THESE WINDLESS DAZE DAZE While Steve and I were waiting...for the wind to come up AND AFTER TRYING TO SMOKE THAT BEACH WOOD sea weed soaked sudo' OLYMPIC PEACE PIPE... I HAD THIS VISION OF A NEW KITE??? Hummm? Maybe it was the SEAWEED...and perhaps I DID INHALE?

:Now that you mention it------------------Trying to light up n' smoke a piece of driftwood that only looked like a pipe----------Hummmm? Perhaps too many hours of flyin kites...lookin up into the sun and in 90o heat can warp anyones sense of humor n' sanity? rolleyes: NOT TO VURRY...(like Pres. Clinton) I DIDN'T INHALE...and couldn't get that beachwood pipe lite anyhoo?

Here is a few shots from the other day taken at low tide near my Gig Harbor home...at one of my favorite kite flying locations that Ron Potts, Steve Lanier and myself are fortunate enough totake a few moments on the way home once n' a while at low tide. Wind is usually from the south Southwest which makes for some of the most beautiful smoooooth air around the Seattle Tacoma area.. HOWEVER THE WIND HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HARD TO FIND OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS... The wind (what wind?) was virtually A BIG FAT ZEEEEEEEEERRRROOOO so it took some really careful tweaking with my HQ Shadow...and short 85 ft.#50lb. lines . However in contrast...Steve managed to pull off some pretty amazing tricks n' treats that had numerous cars and trucks pulling over on the narrow Purdy Spit road to gawk at Steve and the rest of us of kite-krazeee's. THE WIND STOPPED DEAD...and while we were sittin around the beach on an old log for the wind to pick up..... I noticed a strange piece of beach wood that had washed up right next to us that resembled an old NW Indian Friendship Peace Pipe. I grabbed the camera....held it out with my left hand and made a feeble attempt to capture the moment and took this snap shot. Steve and Ron Potts live up the road across the Spit.....the invitation to stop for a moment and take over the lines for a quick KITE FIX...IS ALWAYS WELCOME. HEY JOHN!!! IF YOU ARE LURKIN...Steve and I talked about just how talented you were when we were flying competition in the early 90's when you were just a KID and how you just keep gettin BETTA AND BETTER as the years pass. How fortunate that we have dedicated and talented folks like you and so many on this board... that have shared your talents, skills and have GIVEN SO MUCH TO SO MANY KITE-KRAZZEESS all over the globe. Hummm? GOTTA GO GANDER AT THE OLYMPICS that starts tonight with a huge ceremony from China. GADS! (Shultzie--The Shadow man! SPORT KITES....SHOULD BE INCLUDED, DON'T YA THINK...INTO THESE GAMES?

PURTY...I LOVE FLAMES....I am going to try my airbrush on my NEW SILVER FOX WHITE SAIL..WOW!

My wife Carol, Annie the Demon Dog, "ME N' MY SHADOW" n' new SILVER FOX...took off for our 3 day annual trip to FRIDAY HARBOR...and decided to take a quick kite fix on the way home at Deception Pass Beach Park on Whidbey Island. The weather was BEEEEUUUUTIFUL...BUT NOOOOOOO WIND 2 days out of the 3. First day at Friday Harbor was winds from the south east around 8 to 12 and flew the new Silver Fox on South Beach and although this SF 2.5 UL is no lightweight....it flew extremely well and had a great time doing "woodwork ground work" among the HUGE AMOUNT OF WINTER STORM dead trees and limbs that litter'd my beautiful flying site. Wind was just right for doing some great 'wind paste stuff against many of the smoooooooooth white fire wood beach logs...(took pictures but haven't picked that roll of film up as yet. THE NEXT TWO DAYS WERE DEAD DEAD DEAD CALM...MAX WIND round 2mph. SO THE SILVER FOX STAYED IN THE BAG.. SO IT WAS 'SHADOW TIME...ONCE MORE... I have flown and worked with this beautiful little Shadows for a year now...and after adding a little extra tail weight and adding extra pig tail knots to the upper spreader line, this little HQ SHADOW was the best kite of choice for these two days. I flew with my new set 90 ft. 50lb. lines. In DEAD AIR..this little Shadow is a HOOT N' A HOLLER' bunch of fun. I keep hearing folks claim that their stock bridle Shadow...doesn't like yo-yo-hooo's but with the added weight and extra adjustable knotted piggy tails..this little SHADOW out shadows both my old QPeee and new SL 2.5. This Shadow will SPOIL U BIG KITE KRAZEE'S and have heard that many flyers feel this Shadow is too "Squirrleee',over steers and doesn't track that well...BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU after MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE BRIDLES ARE CAREFULLY MEASURED, RETIED..As well as TAKING CARE TO BALANCE THAT SAIL CAREFULLY. (MY LEFT WING PANEL WAS CONSIDERABLY HEAVIER that the right panel...due to the FUNKY WHITE FIBERGLASS stand off reinforcement stitching) and after all these refinements and adjustments, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS LITTLE 3/4 SIZED SHADOW WILL SURELY CAST A SHADOW over just about any kite in my bag and maybe yours? Check out these two photos...and one close up that shows the Shadow details untitled.bmp

COME ON....STEVE!!! GOT PHOTOS????

Nice to hear that you are enjoying this new Silver Fox of yours. I had the opportunity to work 3 days with my new Silver Fox 2.5 UL at Cannon Beach, Oregon... In various wind condititions. I used a pretty accurate wind meter....and I enjoy the ride this kite gives in about 4 to 7mph with the turbo setting....without that weight that slides over the spine. Like you say..this kite flies....ever soooooooooooooooooooo slow but also is so predictable and precise. I love the way it snaps stalls and just stays nailed to the sky. This UL 2.5 spills air ever so quickly and also just loves to recover from the fade with such ease. The cascades are so slow and beautiful...half axles to cascades...again so EZ and precise if one keeps aware of the wind window direction. This kite LOVES SLACK LINE STUFF but still takes MORE FORWARD ARM SWEEP and STEPPIN' FORWARD that most of the other kites in my tattered bag of tricks. Especially fun...when POPPING it off the ground with the nose pointed down wind..tap in a good touch of hand input..YEEEEEH HAAAAAA...talk about time to rock n' roll. talk about a nice rotation into a multi-barrell rolls etc. What a pleasant surprise...that it still does things sooooo darned slow, but predictable. FUN, Fun Fun... Fortunately I also had some extra steel bushing sleves that fit perfectly over that lower spine that were exactly half the weight of the supplied weight and toyed with these when the winds came up into the 8 to 12 range. Perhaps the bottom line advantage...to this heavier frame is that there is so little distortion or flex. Plus the kite remains quite quiet and doesn't make much flutter n' flap. Pure solid and predictable... This kite seemed to give an EXCEPTIONAL WIND RANGE...more so than most of the UL and SUL's in my delapitated kite bag of crap. Also, the only other single non-color kite in my bag is n' old Vapor and I had almost forgotten just how nice a pure and simple WHITE-BLACK N GREY KITE actually looks in the air....SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL WHEN BACK LIT BEHIND A BRIGHT BLUE SKY BACKGROUND...or A GOLDEN SUNSET! Also I was AMAZED AT HOW MANY FOLKS WOULD WALK UP AND SAY JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS COLOR-LESS KITE LOOKED IN THE AIR and they kept asking where they could find one of these kites. I was more than pleased to recommend the nearest and dearest kite shop in the CannonBeach Seaside area that just LOVES FLYING AND SELLING THESE NEW SILVER FOX KITES...which are on display at: ABOVE IT ALL KITES www.aboveitallkites.com that is owned by two amazing kite friends. Dave & Keli Colbert in beautiful close bye Seaside and Longbeach. (bye the way....John, if you are lurking: They said to say hello and they gave me a little packet showing the mighty iQuad team with John Barresi-David Hathaway-Bazzer Poulter-JD Fabich-Jay Nunes-Adrian Flanagan-Mike Kory-ToddRudolph-Steve de Rooy and Benny Dantonio!!! HOW'S THAT FOR A BUNCH OF ADDICTED KITE-KRAZEEE'S???

THANKS MERLION... Come to think about it....I had that a similar problem with my SHADOW...when I added waaay to much lead to the butt end...

SOUNDS GREAT.... Private E and I will send you my phone numba'...BREMERTON HAS SOME AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL SPOTS TO CUT HOLES IN THE SKY...(n' water

Could just be my indiviual kite n' bridle....but my SL 2.5 UL WILL NOT WING-TIP TURN OR SPIN ON IT'S WING TIP... in normal winds with the 3POINT PRECISION SETTING...NO MATTER HOW YA TRY... After switching to the TURBO...no problem...except on that setting the kite foward drive and speed is SOOOO SLOW-MO!

Ken... WOW! THOSE SHOTS ARE TOTALLY AWESOME...OUTSTANDING.... but where is he located...' I HAVE A BRAND NEW SILVER FOX MODEL...THAT IS JUST BEGGIN'FOR SOME COLOR!

Best Freestyling Bang for the Buck Sportkite..? 3 come to mind, Level One, My One, which will do everything known and more. Level One Jump, it may be small in size, but is a trick machine in capable hands. The 3rd Silver Fox 2.3 Std, this sportkite speaks for itself. Once again, it depends on "how many bucks you have to bang with"..? Regards, Merlion Hey Gang... My CEO-CFO-MISSEEMASSA' caught me sitting on the curbside exit to Gig Harbor last week...holding my sign that read: "WILL GIVE KITE LESSONS FOR NEW SILVER FOX 2.5 UL SPORT KITE...GOD BLESS!" After receiving my monthly pithee-pentence' retirement check.....I went on line, ordered that new FOX and within a couple of days, my new BIG HEAVY FOXY-MAMAAA! arrived by priority lst class mail by our postlady...that she delivered directly to my shaky-old kite depraved n' deprived hands! The GODS OF SPORTKITES must be angry with me....THE WINDS HAVE BEEN VIRTUALLY CALM with teasing gusts to almost 0-to3 mph...EVER SINCE! I have only been out twice in last few days...but so far my first impression is: THIS BEAUTIFUL SKYFOX 2.5 UL is actually one of the heaviest kites in my kite bag! Even weighs more than one of my old vented high wind kites? Daaaa????? I was equally surprised to find that the bridle settings do not allow much room for tweaking and sadly, with both the standard and turbo "sweet spot" settings...seem to be set WAAAAAAAAAAY TO LOW but after working with BOTH settings and finally after resorting to "bow-tie' with my little pieces of Starbucks java stirrin' sticks....that would allow me to BRING IN THE NOSE AT BIT...then at least would allow the kite to almost reach the top of the light wind window...but sadly THIS QUICKEE' FIX...reduced the trick-ablility almost to an unacceptable condition. Both days... I GAVE UP, took my little old HQ Shadow and beat up old Prism Qpeee' and then at least was able to at least take advantage of the light air...THAT MOST ANY OTHER BRAND OF UL in my bag was more than capable of performing in? Hummm? Guess that what happens when I put too much trust in watching videos instead of TEST flying any kite before I decide to invest my meager lunch money. BOTTOM LINE: BUYER REMORSE...NOT REALLY!! TODAY THE WIND IS UP...but raining! Perhaps with a little normal 5 to 10 breeze... This little LEADFOX 2.5 UL...(SKYFOX 2.5 UL?)JUST MIGHT PROVE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST FUN KITES IN MY BAG OF RASHED AND TRASHED OLD STUFF. Hummm? Gotta trim some weight some where??? Perhaps starting with a new lighter bridle with more adjustability just might DO THE TRICK? Until then...my CFO still thinks that I have this most annoying health concern that has been part of my Arkansas gene pool for so many years... (see attachment: Yesterday...finally lucked out with some of the smoooooooothest incoming SW wind that I flown in for about 3 months here at my Gig Harbor Purdy Spit. Took the new Silver Fox 2.5 (UL:) Couldn't find my wind meter...but from my calibrated wind on my earballs....I would guess would be in the 4 to 8mph range. Anyhoo...Started out flying with the "red bead slip-snot' setting and althought the kite tracked nicely...it was VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE to fly a snappy crisp 90o turns or anything that could be called a wing tip turn? To label this blue bead setting PRECISION....is not only an UNACCEPTABLE STRETCH but literally has to be a JOKE. HOWEVER!!! After wasting about 20 minutes of great flying conditions...(even with thoughts about putting the kite up on CRAIGS LIST) Atter that randumb' thought... OK! AFTER MOVING THE SLIPKNOT BEHIND THE BLUE BEADS!! THIS WAS THE ANSWER... Although this BIG HEAVY SL-UL definately DOESN'T FLY LIKE ANY UL that I have ever flown... At the TURBO MODE... suddenly this BIG TOAD began to show me some of the nicest but SLOOOOWWWEST' trick flying of any kite I have ever flown before...ONCE I GOT USED TO JUST HOW SLOOOOOOOWWWW THIS KITE FLIES at this setting. Even during the moments when the wind picked up....this FOX...remained at a snails pace... SLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW MOTION! Still after all SAD AND DUNG!!! This SilverSlugFox... yesterday, became a predictable flying machine...(to the point of almost BORING) but a nice change of pace from flying what I thought would become a freestyle UL kite. GADS! THIS MUST RATE AS THE SLOWEST MOTION FLYIN KITE I HAVE EVER FLOWN??? One other point: I guess this proves that I DO NOT ENJOY a kite that TAKES THAT MUCH ARM AND HAND INPUT IN ORDER TO GET A KITE TO RESPOND...thus proving I have been getting waaay to lazy, from flying that radical snappy fast paced Goodwind custom Flashlights & HQ Shadow for the past year. Perhaps that has forever killed my interest in BIG HEAVY KITES? Bottom line: I haven't given up on this BIG WEIGHTY SILVER FOXY MUTTA so called a UL kite. I HATE TWEAKIN BRIDLES...AND KEEP HEARING THE ECHOS OF MARK REED...in my demented kite brain....HEY SHULTZIE!!! STOP TWEAKIN AND FREAKIN WITH MY BRIDLES!!! FIRST, LEARN TO FLY THEM LIKE I DESIGNED THEM!!! However in this case with this SL 2.5 BIGGINS HEAVY MONSTER...I THIND A BRIDLE TWEAK has to be the answer? With that in mind...I will have to give this SILVER FOX...a lot more AIR TIME! It is more than clear that at my age...I don't want to waste time tweaking. I JUST HAD A HORRIFICAL' THOUGHT!!! (After death...for n' old kite flyer.. SURELY HELL COULD BE>>>>THAT THE DEVIL WILL GIVE HIM A BEAUTIFUL FOXEY LOOKING KITE... THAT WILL LOOK SOO BEAUTIFUL... BUT WILL GIVE THAT KITER FOREVER HELL as he SPENDS ETERNITY.. TRYING IN VAIN TO GET THAT BEAUTY TO FLY AS EXPECTED..... IN THOSE HOT WINDS FROM THOSE HELL FIRES FLAMES BELOW!! YES! I have just reviewed that great SILVER FOX VIDEO...AGAIN!! Yes! in the right hands of an expert...this kite does have some real possibilites as a freestyle kite. Hummm? "FIREFOX!" or "HELLFIRE!" What a great names for a new smaller fast flyin-quick snappy turnin-tumblin radical freestyle kite??? OK! KITE-KRAZZZEEES! INDEED...YES! TOO MUCH HOT AIR HUH? I NEED LOTS OF KITE THERAPPEEEEE!!!

Best Freestyling Bang for the Buck Sportkite..? 3 come to mind, Level One, My One, which will do everything known and more. Level One Jump, it may be small in size, but is a trick machine in capable hands. The 3rd Silver Fox 2.3 Std, this sportkite speaks for itself. Once again, it depends on "how many bucks you have to bang with"..? Regards, Merlion Hey Gang... My CEO-CFO-MISSEEMASSA' caught me sitting on the curbside exit to Gig Harbor last week...holding my sign that read: "WILL GIVE KITE LESSONS FOR NEW SILVER FOX 2.5 UL SPORT KITE...GOD BLESS!" After receiving my monthly pithee-pentence' retirement check.....I went on line, ordered that new FOX and within a couple of days, my new BIG HEAVY FOXY-MAMAAA! arrived by priority lst class mail by our postlady...that she delivered directly to my shaky-old kite depraved n' deprived hands! The GODS OF SPORTKITES must be angry with me....THE WINDS HAVE BEEN VIRTUALLY CALM with teasing gusts to almost 0-to3 mph...EVER SINCE! I have only been out twice in last few days...but so far my first impression is: THIS BEAUTIFUL SKYFOX 2.5 UL is actually one of the heaviest kites in my kite bag! Even weighs more than one of my old vented high wind kites? Daaaa????? I was equally surprised to find that the bridle settings do not allow much room for tweaking and sadly, with both the standard and turbo "sweet spot" settings...seem to be set WAAAAAAAAAAY TO LOW but after working with BOTH settings and finally after resorting to "bow-tie' with my little pieces of Starbucks java stirrin' sticks....that would allow me to BRING IN THE NOSE AT BIT...then at least would allow the kite to almost reach the top of the light wind window...but sadly THIS QUICKEE' FIX...reduced the trick-ablility almost to an unacceptable condition. Both days... I GAVE UP, took my little old HQ Shadow and beat up old Prism Qpeee' and then at least was able to at least take advantage of the light air...THAT MOST ANY OTHER BRAND OF UL in my bag was more than capable of performing in? Hummm? Guess that what happens when I put too much trust in watching videos instead of TEST flying any kite before I decide to invest my meager lunch money. BOTTOM LINE: BUYER REMORSE...NOT REALLY!! TODAY THE WIND IS UP...but raining! Perhaps with a little normal 5 to 10 breeze... This little LEADFOX 2.5 UL...(SKYFOX 2.5 UL?)JUST MIGHT PROVE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST FUN KITES IN MY BAG OF RASHED AND TRASHED OLD STUFF. Hummm? Gotta trim some weight some where??? Perhaps starting with a new lighter bridle with more adjustability just might DO THE TRICK? Until then...my CFO still thinks that I have this most annoying health concern that has been part of my Arkansas gene pool for so many years... (see attachment:

Gads... I wish I could find that shoe box of old kite photos.....I had a photo of MIKE AND GANG...ARRIVING AT LONGBEACH in that old vintage (was it light blue) school bus of his. What a presense CYBORG would make when they took to the flying and staging areas... Action on the boardwalk would always STOP! when Mike and gang would take to the air. I was given one of those kites of Mikes for a weekend at Ocean Shores.....(in 1992-3?) and had a blast with it. attached photo: The famous Longbeach boardwalk... (How many times over the years have we heard folks flying to the great old song?) "UNDER THE BOARDWALK!"

Kent! Thanks for that prompt reply to my E mail to inform us about the review of that little "JEWEL" of a kite. Speaking of JEWEL... That review of yours was EXTREMELY well thought out test plan but even betta yet, it was great to see that you not only put that little kite through some pretty intense testing and also it was great to hear , what other accomplished kite flyers honestly thought of this little fun, fun , fun kite. After reading your review....This little JEWEL is not only a very good BANG FOR THE BUCK...but EZ on the wallet-O-as well!!!

Any chance of checking out Jon's NIGHTHAWK?...looks interesting...for a few bucks more....especially the poly sail...to keep the NW moisture buggaboo's away?

Thanks John for sharing your personal preference thang' thing with me....when it comes to finding a great freestylin' sport kite that doesn't take a couple month retirement fund fun $$$$ A virtually impossible question to answer, huh? Since we know that soooo many factors play into which kite of choice of the day...might bring up a different answer to that question. The weather...be it light or windy..bumpy or smooth..... Our mood!!! I never leave home with a kite..without headsets and my favorite music AND SO MUCH depends on not only the flying conditions..but more importantly what kite in my bag that FITS both the weather conditions or my choice in music or my ever present mood swings that often be-devil old kite krazzzeees like me? Actually kinda strange question coming from n' old kite-kook-koot....to be extremely fickle and loves kickin-n-kite testing ever kite that I can get into my shriveled old carpel tunneled hands. SO MANY GREAT KITES...SO LITTLE TIME....SO LITTLE OPPORTUNITIES so be fore warned: If you see a KRAZEEE OLD KITE MAN with a dirty old grey GIG HARBOR hat...limpin up the beach toward you...EYE BALLIN' THAT PURTY NEW NEW KITE YOU JUST PLUNKED DOWN A MONTHS WAGES FOR...who has the awetazzzity' or nads' to ask you for a "KITE FIX" on that new freestyler of yers'... JUST "SNYLE" be honest with that really good answer: " NO! HELL NO!!! U CAN'T HANDLE IT!" Oh...yeh! You've seen this photo of my old Flash many times before...but still my favorite vintage freestyle kite that I did my first barrel and roll up's with soooo many years ago.

This morning.....as I was sittin' beside the new Narrows bridge exit with my cardboard sign....THAT READS... "WILL GIVE KITE FLYIN LESSONS AND TEACH KITE-TRICKS FOR FOOD or the new freestylin' trick kite of the moment." It didn't take long that NO ONE EVEN SLOWED DOWN OR STOPPED...(except for one reeeeeeeeally unfortunate down on her luck n' looks lady of the night just returning from her nightly gig on Tacoma Blvd south on her way home. She asked if I had had any luck....and wanted to know if I would teach her how to------------- NEVA MIND!!! After I explained my woes and worries about how much new high performance kites cost these days...she flipped me off...got back in her old Chev pickup and drove off...spraying me with loose gravel and the smell of burnt gas and oil fumes. E-NUFF CRAP! BOTTOM LINE: JUST WONDERING WHAT MOST FREESTYLIN' N' PROFILIN' DOWN ON THEIR $$$LUCK FREESTYLIN' FLYERS ARE FLYING THESE DAZE-DAYS FOR FUN-FOOD-AND SOUL SOOTHIN"??? :confused!: In other words...the most fun kite for the needy and new free style kite depraved and deprived addicted kite-krazzeeeeeeeeee? photo shows..left to right. Shultzie-The Roger Maddy clan and our beloved KITE-KRAZZEEELEADER...COREY JENSEN! Longbeach 94