Trickery Flickery

[John Barresi]

Classic ‪‎freestyle‬ video featuring Andy Preston, Paul Latham, Carl Robertshaw and others flying the Stranger‬, ‪Psycho‬ and ‪Matrix‬ ‪kites‬ from ‪Flexifoil‬...

Three parts:

[Prawnstar]

love it

[Breezin]

I've watched these videos a lot. Entertaining and the instruction is clear and concise on every trick shown. The fun going on is contagious and makes me smile every time . After watching these videos I've read up a bit on the Psycho and the different mods. Steve Tapp loved the kite so much he made his own with different versions of bridles and frames. He never found it's upper wind range having flown in mid 30's.No vents. Think he said Devon tricked the heck out of it in 20 to 25 at the 2013 Grand Haven festival. Got some rereading to do. Maybe someone here saw that.That's Devon though not me 😞. Yesterday winds were a roller coaster. 2 to 3 and came slamming in at 15+. Very bumpy. Was flying pretty aggressively so stayed on the Hydra. Mind Trick vented is so much better when I'm calmer and more calculating.Hitting 22,23 called it a day. Missed my Addiction a lot. Type of day that is perfect for that nut job little kite. Last night thinking about this video and posts on GWTW made a offer on a Psycho. $45.00 + $13.00 shipping has gotten me a Psycho that needs a LS, some bridle tweaks, a little TLC  and 2 never used 100' x 150# LPG line sets. SUPER STOKED . Miss that radical flight of the Addiction. Psycho should fit the bill nicely and then some. If I've done my research correctly this is my 1st project kite and it should never leave. Wear it out and build another while doing so is the plan. P.S. The hairdos leave some thing to be desired though. Proper haircuts consist of hair to the waist with a nice braid down the center of ones back 🤨. Makes me feel very Samson Like LOL.

[Exult]

I also got fascinated by these videos ( https://kitelife.com/forum/topic/3477-trickery-flickery/?do=findComment&comment=62748 , seems to be a double topic btw.). It almost got me to purchase the Elliot Burnout, since at the time it was claimed that it was in the spirit of Psycho (or something like that), I had no similar kites (which is valid still today) and the price was low. Couldn’t find the similarity claim now from the Elliot page when I looked it up and it also looks like the price went up somewhat, +10 EUR to 100 EUR, if I remember the old info correctly. However I found the original (I think) sales pitch in Metropolis Kites site: “If you know the Psycho then you will love the Burnout! Radical trick kite for absolute flying fun.” or the De Paddestoel version “De Elliot Burnout Rood is een All-round en trick vlieger. Hij lijkt qua uiterlijk en vlieggedrag op de Flexifoil Psycho”. I don’t know, I’ve been restraining myself for quite a while, when I need spares the next time I might accidentally happen to order one as well out of curiosity. However I’d like to emphasize that I have not tried the Burnout and have not even read a review of it. 

 

Good luck with your new project @Breezin!

[Breezin]

Never heard of the Burnout. Something to keep in mind. Really excited about the Psycho.This is the kite that will jump start me into building my own kites.The Psycho should be a ongoing project for along time. I think this is one of the 1st modern type tricksters. Maybe it's kites like this that made fliers be able to pinpoint what they wanted a little easier. Meaning that as designs have evolved changing a Zephyr or Widow doesn't make much sense. You'd have to be really, really good to better those kites. The more I fly the Tekken, Mind Trick and Widow Maker the more differences I'm seeing. One is not better than the other. Just different. Lots of possibilities in the Psycho for a newbie to explore.Still don't know much of the why in kite aerodynamics(panel layouts etc).Read a ton but until I actually do it most info hasn't really sunk in. Pretty fair understanding of frames. Sails? People have been tweaking them before written history.Having and working on one of the 1st trick sails to compare to my others should help a lot.My TOTL is so different than my other kites I haven't gained the insight I thought I would when comparing them. I put the TOTL and a Lam next to each other and all I can think is this must be some kinda wicked MIND TRICK 😲. TOTL different beasts  . Okay not completely different 🐪🐫.

[khsidekick]

You have some nice kites now Breezin. Finally had a low wind day here on the coast and got the pleasure of flying the Zephyr. I’d forgotten how well this kite likes to axle and such in light winds. Lately it’s been 10 mph and up, sometimes way up. Lol. Hopefully we get to fly together sometime in the future.


Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app

[Breezin]

Thought about selling my Z after I got the Tekken. Very glad I didn't. Hadn't flown it for awhile but the last few light wind days it's been out. It's easy to forget how smooth the Z is. The Tekken has a more edgy feel for me. I like that a lot but the Z is very comfortable and forgiving. Learning and completing tricks doesn't feel like I'm about to blow things up.Still do though. It's funny how you adjust to different kites. I seem to fly the Z with longer steps, longer pulls with a somewhat bouncy movement. When I'm on it's like gliding around the field. Tekken short quick steps, a lot more wrist movements and I seem to go from stance to stance. Find myself hopping at times. Pretty odd compared to how I fly my other kites. Could be those eyes give me the illusion I'm under attack and must prepare accordingly. Mom and sister live in Granite Falls WA. Visiting them will be a good excuse to go fly on a beach. From here to there going thru Portland instead of Yakima isn't that much difference.From Portland to Vancouver BC besides you and Jack there's about 30 people I know of I'd sure like to fly with. These kites keep showing up. It's like a affliction or something. Got a helluva deal on a Rev 1.5 today. Probably won't learn to fly it though cause now I'm to poor to buy the handles and line set 😢. It never ends does it.

[Wayne Dowler]

I'll pop in with this: The Stranger was among the first "stunt" kites. Have one that I don't fly often, but  is a blast when I do. Son has my Psycho. The Psycho is a 3/4 Stranger, faster and even more maneuverable. The Stranger will do all the tricks singly, but won't do the combos well. The Psycho is just a faster version. Both will almost always recover from the most ridiculous situations. Takes a bit of getting used to - you just wait a second and - voila, you're saved. Learning to wait that second  is the hard part.

After my stroke, I gave the Psycho to my son and got an Alien. Not quite as fast, but pulls a lot less and I can keep up with it better.But the Psycho was the only kite I ever got a double axle out of without trying! I pulled that line and the thing just kept spinning around. It can be a bunch of fun!

[Breezin]

Wayne it sounds like you have the same reaction to the Psycho that I get with the Addiction. Got the kite today and it's in a little better shape than I thought. Solid B. Put the upper spreader in and started giggling. I think this kite is going to be a ton of fun. Thought I was getting  new LPG lines but no. To good to be true. LP competition quad set in really good shape. No complaints but deal went from platinum to gold. Seeing how the sail tensions to the nock might be where Lam, Tim and others got their inspiration. Going to make it like my Tekken and Mind Trick. Hole is pretty big where the bungee goes thru LE  so maybe a grommet. Thinking of doing that to the Sky Sports too.