New Tech Kites

Dodd · High Flier Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 184

These foils are well designed, well built and very affordable, are designed by buggiers for buggiers, and are well proven foils for all types of traction flying use.

During the R&D Phase of the Ballistics, I was going through my P.A.S.A training course with other future Kite Surf Instructors, and we were using many different ram air foils for the land portion training for kite surfing.

All of the instructors for that paticular class, by the end of the class, preferred the Ballistics on a bar for land training over the others why? Because they were very controllable, very predictable, user friendly, yet powerful with a huge usable window, nice and stable on the edges.

With quad line handles, many of us have found that the Ballisitics are about the most user friendly quad line ram air foils we have ever flown!

Chris, Rob, and myself, all at NTK, have been bugging for a total of i dont know maybe 40 years experience combined.......

Ok so the Ballistics are one of our products, our designs, but in order for us to really be happy selling it, we must first sincerely like the product, use the product, believe in the product , and that we do! Very Happy

The sizes available for the ballistics are

2.2
3.6
4.9
6.3

Any comments?
Dodd

jokers10 · Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 9:49 pm Post subject:

Hey Dodd,
Thanks for the review of the Ballistic. I definately want to get a power kite, but with only a few hours on the Spirit, I am not sure if I am ready. I really like the feel of a strong pulling kite, and I want something that will match my weight. I am about 200 lbs. and the winds are usually between 5 and 20 MPH here. What power kite do you think would best suit me?
_________________
Kitebag:
Big Bang Solar #11
Spirit Quad
Ozone Little Devil 3.0
Novice on duals
Beginner on quads

Dodd · High Flier Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 184

You are ready!

go for at least the 3.6 to begin with. At least.
I can tell you though that soon you have the 4.9 also.
I suggest since you are a quad flier, go with the handles, not the fly bar on your ballistics.

Best of luck to you and please keep us informed of your progress.
Sincerely
Dodd

jokers10 · Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 11:11 am Post subject:

Hey Dodd,
I flew a 2 Meter Blade yesterday. The wind was around 15 with gusts up to 20. It was the best kiting feeling that I have had yet. I cannot get that pull out of my head, and now I am scrounging to find old hobbies to sell, so my wife won't be as mad when I throw down another couple of hundred bucks for another kite. So if you know anyone that wants an old HPI RS4 SS Nitro RC car, or a Piranha G2 Paintball Gun complete with air tank, let me know.
_________________
Kitebag:
Big Bang Solar #11
Spirit Quad
Ozone Little Devil 3.0
Novice on duals
Beginner on quads

Dodd · High Flier Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 184

Feel free to post those items under for sale or trade.

Hope you get into power soon!

Dodd

Chris · Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 10:09 pm Post subject: I'm lovin it

Today I flew with staff of Kitty Hawk Kites in Hatteras and Frisco stores on the beach in Frisco. Blue skies with SW winds 10-20 & 70 degree temps. After conducting a flight school with the Detenator and Techno, I introduced them to power with the 3.6 Burner. A couple of beach going observers asked if they give 'em a go. I demonstrated kite jumping. Anna, who's last name we won't reveal, flew the Burner to feel the pull. She was doing great until a gust came and pulled her head first into the sand. Mindful she was to release the bar, depowering the kite and remaining connected with the safely leash. I had to laugh...the same thing happened to me with a spinoff 18 years ago the first time I flew.

Chris

Sublime1 · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 12:56 pm Post subject: Dude!

As a novice kite mountainboarder, I found there is a big difference in pull and flying charachteristics between a 3m BestKite trainer and the 4.9m Eclipse. The 4.9 has a more sustained pull than the trainer and flys a little slower. Also, getting popped off my board with the 4.9 can be a bit more sketchy in the recovery phase. A couple of months ago I flew the 2.2m Ballistic on South Padre Island in a 28mph wind and got lifted off my feet while being momentarily "distracted". I have always been impressed with the power of these kites.

jokers10 · Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:34 pm Post subject:

Although in my circumstance I was not able to get a ballistic power kite. However I was able to trade my R/C car for an Ozone Little devil 3.0. It is in perfect condition and is a blast to fly. I am definately hooked into power kiting.
_________________
Kitebag:
Big Bang Solar #11
Spirit Quad
Ozone Little Devil 3.0
Novice on duals
Beginner on quads

Rob A · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:36 pm Post subject:

When are more Ballistics expected to be in stock. ???????? We are selling a lot of foils and or trainer kites at the store here.

Rob A · Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 1:09 pm Post subject:

OK I guess no one knows?

Chris · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:57 am Post subject:

They're here!

Sublime1 · Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 7:53 am Post subject:

I have been told that every 3 meter increase in line length has the effect of increaseing the kite 1 sq. meter. So if I increase my line lenght on my 4.9 Eclipse form 25m to 28m I would be flying an equivilent 5.9m kite? Is this true?

action jackson · Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject:

The answer is Yes and No. I find that increase in line length does give you a larger power band.Thus creating more pull, but there are factors of wind Humidity and such that play into the equation also. I would say it is more a rule of thumb but not a true sciene................aj

stryker2

This is a review from a complete beginners point of view, who has never flown a kite before.
Wanting a traction kite as my 1st. kite, I did a little online research and was persuaded to start small and go with quad lines from the get go, so I went ahead and purchased the Ballistics Phoenix 2.2m.

The Phoenix comes in nice black vented back pack with zippered flap and Phoenix logo, big enough to hold a couple of foils and/or field accessories.
Opening the Phoenix for the 1st. time, everything looked well made as well as everything was attached and ready to fly, so naturally I was eager to see what the kite and myself could do. ( I had been reading the basics of how a kite is controlled and I had confidence that I wouldn't encouter too much of a problem. Hey If I can ride a bicycle I shouldn't have a problem right?)

Setting up at the beach was a breeze(no pun intended) (I had a non kiting helper on my 1st.flight to assist me on my 1st.launch)
The wind was an approximate 12 to 15mph, which was perfect for my 1st kiting experience. (Video of my flying progress can be found on Youtube search under "Kite Ballistics Phoenix")

With the Phoenix directly downwind I was ready for a hot launch.
I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I picked up the handles and asked my buddy to raise the foil.
The Phoenix immediatly filled up and lifted straight up. I was careful not to put in any imputs, as I wanted to get the kite high up before learning how to control it and also feel the wind window.

At first I was a little surprised at the amount of pull this little kite has, as well as how controllable it was. "WOW!", is all that was going through my head at the time. In the power zone, this kite is fairly fast and agile and can turn on a dime with push/pull imputs. Within 20 minutes of flying without any crashes, I learned how far I could fly to the edge of the window before it collapses, figure 8's, Loops and Straight Tracking.
I found the break lines great for 2 things.
1. Makes landing anywhere in the window a breeze.
2. Depowering

Since getting the kite, which has been three weeks now, I have been flying almost every day and loving this kite more and more.
This is a very easy kite to fly (don't be intimmidated by quad lines, it's not difficult at all). It flies very well, with moderate pull. In the higher wind range, this kite can scream with strong pull and is an absolute blast to fly. "I WANT MORE!"
I would definitely recommend the Phoenix 2.2 as a 1st. beginner quad line kite or if you just want a smaller foil to tear up the sky with.

I've already got my eye on my next investment to add to my new kite bag and that's the Ballistic 4.9m eclipse.
I'm just a beginner recreational flyer who would like to do a little scudding down at the beach in moderate winds, and I think the 4.9m Eclipse will be perfect for my requirements.

I hope this helps anyone, who is perhaps considering the Phoenix.
Don't wait, BUY IT!......You WON'T be dissapointed.

Steve