mikenchico

Mine is blue & yellow, probably the most precise kite I've ever flown still, strong pull and noisy as stated. It was a design by Don Tabor that I believe pre-dated the Hawiian Team. It was originally produced by Action kites while Don was affiliated with them, once they parted ways Don licensed the design to Jerry Sinote who produced it under his label "One of Jerry's Kites". That is old skool at it's finest

A freind called one day and said "hey run down to the drug store and get one of those cheap kites, we're fighting them" seems they had independently discovered that if you slacked the line they would turn a bit and were cutting each other down. We were well into our 20's this being around 1980-82 and I thought it sounded a bit lame, but it also sounded like a challenge so off I went. A week or two later I found some cheap gayla plastic two string thing that I figured would beat them at their game, well it didn't fly at all. But the idea of a controllable kite was intriging. Soon I discovered a TRLBY, $12 for a kite??? I had to try it, and it flew, it didn't fight well though, first cross of dacron lines with cotton and I was toast. But I was hooked too, we quit fighting but I kept flying those TRLBY's for a couple years. Then an Avenger, then a TOTL Team Chevron, then a Spin Off, then a .... & a .... plus a .... until I now have more kites then brains obviously. Heck I just purchased another $2000 worth of kites last weekend. BTW: I still have that plastic eagle delta I fought with that first day.

If you can hold off a month or so and save a few more $'s Premier is making a Widow Maker clone with Jon's blessings. I don't know how well it will compare with the Sky Burner, there are some noticeable differences and at the price most certainly parts spec differences but Jon has a way with spec'ing parts, after all he is SkyShark, Black Diamond, Icarex, APA etc. etc. etc. he's even found a way to bring Nirvana's into the USA at $325 rather then $550. If the Premier Widow flys at all comparable to the Widow Maker and is built with Premiers normally fine quality craftsmanship for $150 you couldn't go wrong. Between the Hypnotist & the E2 you'll need to define your style and flying conditions, I haven't flown an E2 but from what I've seen it has a lower wind range, the Hypnotist needs a bit of wind like your Nexus & GF's Quantum. If wind isn't a problem the Hypnotist is an easy kite to get familiar with pitch based tricks.

Thanks again Kent, here's a pic of my new "Sunrise" Widow Maker & me, setting up for a coin toss it looks like. Sorry it took so long, weather & life haven't co-operated. But finally got out for a bit today with Rhonda to run the camera, no wind but the kite does surprisingly well in 2 mph & less, other then if you miss time your snaps you pull the kite halfway back to you but hit it right and it rewards you big time. It gave up my first successful Jacob's Ladder which I was able to extend to 2 1/2 rungs. In fact it's given me more consistent results on everything I struggle with on other kites. It goes into a Turtle so easy, just a twitch and a bit of slack and it's on its back, unbelievable for a kite that doesn't exhibit any pitchyness, until you ask for it. Rolls up easier then anything I've held onto. Locks into Turtles and Fades rock steady. Backspins I can't do on most kites, this thing gives them up with a smile and says "Lets turn that into a backspin cascade, eh?" Cascades, Half Axel/Kick Turn & Axels are sweet. Lazy Susan's are another one of those tricks I can't do, but the Widow Maker said 'Oh give me a chance" and sails right around, pauses for a moment to see if I want go again then rolls right out, surprising since it won't roll out of a Turtle until persuaded a bit. I'm Loving It - Mike

Wow! I said a Widow Maker would be a nice B-Day present and used my b-day & time. I'm pretty .... OH WOW!!! Thanks so much Kent and a big CONGRATS on the beautiful addition to your family and wishes for a very Happy Holiday Season to you all - Mike Happy Dance

I love my Freestylist's, I have both the standard & UL now & wouldn't give them up for anything. When I don't seem to be clicking with other kites I can always reach for my Freestylist and I will have fun, they (or me) like to play on the ground, they respond well to aggressive inputs when your in that mood and they do well a lighter touch too for a slower floaty style. The standard takes a bit of wind to work well so I was surprised how little wind the UL can actually fly in, although I have a harder time with some of the few tricks I can do but I haven't tried it with the weight, that would probably help. It has a bit of oversteer but not unmanageable and the standard experiences a bit of wingtip shudder above 12 mph. I'd love to reframe mine in Nitro's, I think the aggressive style I like to use with this kite would come alive with a set of Nitro's. I would recommend it, there are other good choices for less $$$ but they are not the hand built in the USA quality your getting from Heads Up & Skyburner with the Freestylist.

What a great contest Ken and our best wishes to you all. That list of prizes pretty much matches my own wish list and in the same order. So I'll have to go with my Birthday since a Widowmaker would be one sweet Birthday present. December 8 5:15 PM

Been almost a year since the last Kitelines upload. Not being pushy, I know things can get hectic for everybody, but sure looking foreward to completing the electronic collection. Hope your still online to complete it someday.

Going by time out of the bag I guess I would have to say Duals, next would be SLK's. 3rd? hmmmm.... If Flexifoils are considered power kites they probably would finish 3rd as they come out in high winds. 4th would be quads, I luv'em but I like to dance them to amplified music, headphones don't do the same for me. 5th - Fighters, again I totally enjoy them, the comraderee & competition but with nobody local flying them they quickly become boring without a proper target, somebody to razz and the laughs. Fighters would rate 1st if we had an active group here, most smile for the buck.

Try Heads Up Kites, the team of Pam Kirk and Mike Dennis have been producing sails for various top designers for years with outstanding craftsmanship that is second to none. Just check out Jon Trennopohls Skyburner line, the Delta Drive is an awesome kite to behold for its design and workmanship while the more then reasonably priced new Freestylist gives nothing away in the workmanship department just using a simpler to execute design. If your design accomodates it Heads Up uses "Flat Fell Seams" (not taped) which are much stronger, cleaner and harder to make, covered leading edge connectors, reinforced trailing edges and all the latest buzzwords. It seems that once your pattern is in inventory they will produce sails as demand warrants since many of the Skyburner models are produced when ordered. I believe you complete the framing not Heads Up but that should be no problem. And to top all that off they are based and produced in the USA, San Deigo. AND they are kiteflyers as well, Pam Kirk was a member of Team Top of the Line alongside Don Tabor the father of sportkites, the legendary flyer and innovator Ron Reich, and no less accomplished Eric Streed who were the World Champions many many years during the developement of the sport.

Nicolas, I don't mean to confuse you even more then you already are but I'm not sure why you have set your options only for a 1.5 or a Blast, the others may have unwittingly given you a third option that I think you should seriously consider. You state that you enjoy a strong pulling kite and that seems to make you lean towards the Blast, but many forum members seem to be concerned that the Blast may not a good learning kite or have a wide enough wind window for an only choice in Rev's. Well why not give the original Rev 1 with the SLE a good look, as AudioRob stated it has a good pull, especially in winds of 15-25 MPH. It also has the best precision and good but not radically fast speeds, with an operating wind range of 3-25 MPH which would seem to quiet the others concerns over the Blast. It's a middle ground choice for you and maybe that's what your looking for or need at this point. I have an original Rev 1 and love it, I also have a Rev 2 and love it for simply dancing with the wind because of it's speed and light feel on the lines and find the Rev 1.5 to be a nice middle ground between between these two. Maybe you would find the Rev 1 a nice middle ground between the lighter pulling 1.5 and the less accurate and limited Blast.