New Tech Kites

rboerth

[Reviewers note: If you run across something here which needs to be defined or explained more fully (like, what exactly is involved in competition), just ask. ]

Here's a little different spin on the kite review. I'm someone who has become passionate about competition, and while I still enjoy going out and just messing around, I spend a lot of my flying time specifically doing stuff for kite competitions. My most recent acquisition, a Techno, was bought specifically with competition in mind. I need kites where solid, predictable performance is key. I want a kite that is fun to be sure , but I also need a kite to be rock solid in its handling.

I've been flying the French Connection for many months now, and I'm very comfortable using it for ballet and Tricks Party events, but I've been reluctant to use it for precision. In particular, I've had a hard time getting really crisp handling from the French Connection at the edges of the window, and while I can stall the kite, getting it to hold steady in the nose-up position is challenging. I also was wanting a kite which would be more quick to power up. I need a kite which can stall on a dime, hold it steady, and then hit full speed in a fraction of a second.

My hunch was that the Techno might be better in terms of precision performance. Its smaller size, I thought, might make for a stiffer feel and make it easier to power up. Also the different aspect ratio (while having a smaller wingspan than the FC, the Techno stands 4 inches taller) I thought might make it less pitchy, but more secure in terms of handling (that is, flying straight lines, giving sharp turns, and providing good speed control).

I'm happy to say that most of my hunches proved true. I've spent a number of hours now putting the Techno through the paces of my precision routine. The Techno is one of the few kites I own that make me look forward to spending an afternoon doing geometric figures in the sky. It holds steady lines, is immediately responsive to turn or stall inputs, holds the nose-up position in stalls and slides, and is what I would call a snappy, true precision kite. Even more challenging figures like "Steps down" and "Square Cuts" can be done sharply with this kite (and that is saying a lot).

I'm also pleased with the speed and pull of the kite. Most of my time on the kite thus far has been in gusty, shifting winds that range 10-22 mph. The Techno is what I would call a mid speed kite that gives a solid (but not overwhelming) pull on the lines and which is very consistent in its forward movement even when the winds are constantly changing.

As far as tricks go, the Techno is a capable kite. It is especially adept at giving you full-rotation axels (unlike many kites which have a tendency to fall out of the axel when it is only 3/4 complete). The Techno requires a bit more tending than the French Connection in the trick department, but with appropriate set-ups, inputs, and tending, a full trick repertoire is there (slot machines, 540s, fades, flic flacs, half axels, snappy cascades, lazy susans, and more). But I'd have to say that is is the contol, non-slack-line tricks (stalls, slides, landings) where the Techno is especially impressive.

In terms of construction and appearance, the Techno has much to offer. While it seems that the "Trance" color (red, white, and black) is most popular, I'm more into the psychedelic, Technicolor look myself, and so went for the "Remix" (shades of green, purple, and teal). I must say that, as with the French Connection, pictures really don't do justice to the vibrancy and richness of the fabrics New Tech is using. I love the look of the remix in the sky: It looked especially brilliant the first day out when the sky was gray and the sun was setting: the Remix just seemed to glow with magic against the drab and dimming background.

The P200 frame used in both the French Connection and Techno is durable stuff. It is stiff, but will bend when needed instead of breaking. I have yet to break a P200 stick on any kite, and that now amounts to well over 100 hours and many hard, hard, impacts. I'm not saying P200 is indescructable, but it would have to be massive trauma to cause one of these sticks to fail.

The only construction issues I had were minor. The ferrule for the lower spreaders came unglued (which is an especially minor problem since the rubber center T will hold the ferrule securely so that, in a pinch, you could simply center it on the center T and then slide either lower spreader over it). A little epoxy fixed that problem. And some insignia tape near the nose has lost its stickiness, so I'll be replacing that tape. I was missing wind brakes from my bag: The store where I bought the kite didn't advertise that as part of the Techno package (which comes with lines and straps), but the card on my Techno said it had wind brakes. I'm wondering if initially the wind brakes were part of the kite package, but that more recent Technos are coming without them. Does anybody know anything about this

My next competition is in January, and between now and then, I'm looking forward to logging on many more hours with the Techno as my go-to precision kite. (The French Connection, with its greater trick capability and elegant flight will remain the choice for ballet and Tricks Party.)

I know Dodd and New Tech have been marketing the Techno as a stable kite which is ideal for newer fliers. They are right about this kite being well suited for newbies. Very Happy

But what's especially surprising to me is how the Techno is also a kite that is truly capable of some rigorous precision flying at the hands of someone who has moved beyond beginner status. It's truly a kite for all skill levels.