Sweet, Predictable flier to build dreams on...

Posted by Sara Torok on 26th Jul 2009

The Dream On was recommended to me as a kite to help “move up” from casual flier into the world of kite ballet & precision competition. So far, it seems like an excellent choice, for me. As you read the review, keep in mind that the reviewer is technically a beginner-intermediate pilot with almost no trick skills.

Assembly: easy; no battens to lose, and minimal adjustment points; in this respect, it is perfect even for a beginner flier. It uses APA rubber connectors, with a sturdy plastic center T for the lower spreader, so it will not disassemble itself in flight. However, it *will* absorb shocks and sometimes disassemble itself just a little bit in a crash, which is far preferable to breaking.

First flight, high wind (20+ mph), flown on 150# 100’ low-stretch Spectra lines: Flew great out of the bag, without bridle adjustments. Nice, clean lines, smooth, crisp turns. Strong pull, but still very smooth & controllable. This kite is NOT a speed demon, but it’s no slouch, either. Did an accidental trick which ended in a wing wrap; I was impressed with how easily it could be recovered from this.

Second flight, moderate wind (12-15 mph), flown on 150# 100’ low-stretch Spectra lines: Very responsive, still with plenty of forward drive. Ran into some trouble with belly landings (followed by the walk of shame); I think this is probably mostly because the kite is still new to me. Tried moving the bridle to a more nose-back attitude and discovered that this has a much bigger affect on how the kite flies than how it lands! The kite became significantly slower and more balletic even with this small, 1/8” inch adjustment.

Third Flight, light wind (3-6 mph), flown on the stock lines that came with the kite: The kite needs considerable adjustment to the bridle and a good deal of walking/movement to keep it flying in the bottom end of the wind range—at least, it does for me! I think this is what earns the kite its intermediate-advanced rating. With the bridle set to factory settings, the kite had a very “mushy” feel in flight—unstable, with slow responses and flying low in the wind window. I thought the stock lineset, shorter and stretchier than what I used in previous flights, just made the situation worse. However, after a couple of bridle adjustments to trim the nose in, it began to regain the crisp feel of first flights. The light wind offered an opportunity for land/launch practice, and it was easy enough to pick up new ways to right the kite after several kinds of landings.

Fourth flight, moderate winds, back on the LaserPro Spectra lines. Tried more aggressive movements; with quick, sharp tugs, I was able to destabilize the wings enough to enter tumbling/rotating type tricks, and was consistently able to recover, though I could not tell you what tricks I was doing!

Bottom line: In moderate winds, this kite is a great flier, even for a beginner. I believe it also is a worthy first competition kite in any discipline for someone with just a little more experience. It is a real pleasure to fly. For me, it flies better on longer, less stretchy lines than the ones that come with the kite.