Tica 2020, a review

[TubaKite]

Skyburner promised beauty and performance, and they delivered. The Tica 2020 is visually appealing and masterfully built, but the performance is even more spectacular. I've had my Tica out 3 times now.

The first time was in low and bumpy winds (0-2mph), better suited to the Pro Dancer SUL or Zephyr. I struggled to keep the Tica airborne, but it was possible to to get it to fly, just with a lot of effort.

The second time out was in high and gusty winds (15-30mph) that my Silver Fox 2.5 Vented excelled in. I was stupid to take the Tica out in those winds, but it handled gusts well enough and (luckily) didn't explode.

My third time out with the Tica was the proverbial ticket! Winds were low and smooth (2-6mph), and blowing in just the right direction for my partially treey field. This is where the Tica came to life. Straight line tracking and 2D flight we're smooth and predictable, while 3D flight was far more graceful than anything I've been able to achieve in any of my other kites. Axels, which I can do with maybe a 30% success rate on any other wing in my collection, looked like they were being done by a seasoned pro. Ground recoveries are excellent on the Tica as well. Cartwheels are effortless, pop-ups are predictable, and even the dreaded belly-down-nose-in dead man's position is recoverable. My only criticism of the Tica, is that it is hard to get it to lay on it's back or do a back flip. This is more than likely do to my limited experience, but I'm thinking a little more weight at the tail might improve this. I will be experimenting the next time I have it out.

If you've been considering buying the Tica 2020, just do it. You won't be disappointed.

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using KiteLife mobile app

 

 

[mebeatee]

Ya can't go wrong with a Skyburner!!! Glad to see them back....

Yours is in one of my fav colour scheme's......but that black SF vented is real nice!!!!

bt

[Breezin]

I've had my Mind Trick vented for close to 2 years now. Most technical kite I have and on any given day Taz and Rollups are hard to come by. In a stall the Hydra and Nighthawk back flip almost without thought. Pretty easy to front flip too. MT needs the nose to be canted abit to one side or the other. Still difficult when stalled and works best when kite is moving. Sometimes I can hit when fully powered in 15. It's more by feel and I still don't get how I'm doing it. Kite sits very deep in the turtle making it's release points unlike any of my others. Doubt it and the Tica have much in common but try the back flips with some movement and tilt in the nose. Might also be a 2 popper kite. Another way I try to catch the groove on the MT is throw slack from horizontal. As nose tilts up there is enough momentum to keep the kite moving thru the turtle. Catch lots of tip wraps though. Crank the kite back the other way and you'll get out of them. 2 wraps suck but 1 leads to some pretty fun stuff. DO NOT let the kite spin to the ground. Drop a line if you have to cause LE repairs suck. Got cocky a few weeks ago doing that on my Psycho in 20+ mph and the sudden sag to the left kinda broke my heart. Cool that you've had the Tica in it's max range. How a kite handles the gusties always grabs my attention. Anyone else been flying a Tica in fast cycling winds?

[TubaKite]

Breezin, I find a lot of what your describing about your Mind Trick applies to the Tica as well. It is much easier to get the Tica onto it's back when using forward momentum as opposed to from a stall or off the ground. But once I get it back, it sits back very deep and makes for almost effortless back spins.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using KiteLife mobile app

[BobL]

just ordered a pair of Ticas, should get them in a month, i hope.  i chose a simple color scheme to sort of match my other pair of Skyburners, but also to mimic the native birds, mainly eagles and vultures.

[TubaKite]

Looks like a nice color scheme! You're gonna love em'! Very interested to hear how the UL handles.

 

 

[BobL]

june of this year marked a year for me in this sport/hobby/addiction and i ordered a pair of custom Skyburner Ticas to celebrate...see post above...well they arrived mid september and i have been flying them at least a few times a week since.  most days the UL is now the first kite out, taking the place of my Widow Maker UL Pro, unless the winds get below 2.   at roughly10.5 oz and with a bigger sail area the Tica UL is a like a bigger, slower version of the 8.5 oz WMP UL.  for me slow is good as my main interest is learning freestyle flying and having a little extra time plus a bigger visual helps a lot.

the Tica Standard is more of the same...slow and stable when you want/need it to be and unstable/tricky/fast when you're ready.  i've reached the point where i'm practicing the basic tricks... axels,spins,fades,turtles,etc but still lots of cleaning up, beautifying needed and just beginning to put the tricks together into routines.  these kites have pin pointed my problem with the fade...when going from an axel to flare to fade my timing was a little early or late and this was obvious on 40' lines...after a bit of practice on the shorter lines i went back to 80' and was doing better. ive found that tweaking the bridal and/or the standoffs helps too on the fade and turtle.

i really like my design and colors...recently i was practicing kickturns and cascades when i noticed some vultures circling overhead probly thinking a black goose was in its death throes below them. if they're out fishing or scavenging they will usually cruise over to check my kite out. near misses or collisions are a little more common than i would prefer. the only color change i would make is maybe a light grey for the black bird panels on the ultralight as i recently grabbed the UL by mistake and launched it instead of the Standard in 12 mph gusts. both kites have a cool birdlike, highpitched whistle on fast passes and a respectable buzz when loaded up.

i want to add a big thankyou to all the Skyburner people involved for great kites and service...Jon and Marieann Trennepohl, owners and Devon Cobleigh-Morrison, designer...whats next guys? hint hint

 

[mebeatee]

Gorgeous kites!!!!

I hear ya re the birds and have similar experiences...I have a (real) JS Neptune the eagles like to check out. They have been cool about it and have "stayed away" and I usually fly it to poke fun at the fisherfolks during fishing season as they stand around with nothing on the end of their lines...lol. I used to have a couple of grey fade Buena Vista Sonic and Catalyst's, however I had to sell them because every time I flew them the seagulls would go crazy....only those two. I was going to get another Mamba as the panel layouts can easily look like a bird, but decided against it. I am after all flying on their turf so to speak....

What's next you ask.....B(uy) M(ore) K(ites)...hint hint!!!!

bt

[BobL]

thankyou...they are gorgeous, and they are a dream to fly, they cut through the air in their own special way like a hot knife through butter...my two Widow Maker Pros have that same sensation...must be a Skyburner trait...

on the subject of B(uying) M(ore) K(ites)...my total so far this year is 10, 4 new and 6 used, all boutique-ish freestylers...whew it feels good to confess!