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Flexifoil Blade III 4.9
Exciting high lift foil all-round traction kite. Available on bar or handles. Increased turn rate compared to the Blade II, but allegedly a little more difficult to fly.
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A Flexifoil Blade III 4.9 review by Kitefan:
I should say a little about me before I add this review I guess. My current flying experience includes beginner to intermediate level land boarding with a Bullet 2.5, a Bullet 3.5, a Blade III 4.9, an Ozone Frenzy 03 9.5 and a Peter Lynn Guerilla 13m. I'm about 11 stone, which is 154lb or 70kg.
The Blade III can be purchased with either bar (fixed, as in there's no de-power) or handles. As a budding land-board enthusiast, and because I already had a set of Flexi handles, I went for the more expensive option and order one with a bar.
As with all Flexifoil kites, the build quality is extremely high. In my limited experience to date, second only to that of Ozone. The standard pack includes kite, rucksack and bar or handles. You need to order your lines separately (though many dealers will throw in lines and delivery for free if you haggle a bit).
I started slow with this kite as I'd heard a lot of people say "watch out, it bites"! I flew it on handles initially and was immediately impressed. It's a beautiful thing to watch a new kite take to the air, and this was no exception. Turn speed seemed fine and the pull was notably more than that of the Bullets I'd flown before. Static flying in 12mph I didn't notice incredible amounts of lift as I'd thought I might… though pendulum jumps proved that the lift was available! In increasing winds, though, the lift became very apparent and I was often lofted a few feet unexpectedly in gustier conditions.
Once going along on the board, the apparent wind-speed makes an incredible difference and you can really hurtle. Upwind progress is good to average, especially in cleaner winds, but a struggle in gusty conditions, when it's easy to get very overpowered.
Once the kite is on a bar, it's a different brute altogether. Yes you have all the benefits a bar can bring, but you have a noticeably reduced turning speed. In gusty conditions this can be a real problem as the kite can easily luff when flown at the edge of the window in a lull, and rapidly head straight to the center of the window. You have to work the bar like a landlord on speed to get it back where you want it! Can be quite a big problem!
In summary. For landboarding/recreational use across its wind range I'd say this kite is excellent, thrilling, dangerous, scary, unstable and great, great fun. Watch out though folks, it bites!!!! Oh, and go for handles! They're cheaper and IMO make the whole thing a bit safer.
Kitefan, 20/02/2004
A Flexifoil Blade III 4.9 review by Th3_W!ZaRd:
Meeting my blade III 4.9 for the first time can only be compared to when you first meet the wife’s parents. I knew I would have to be very
careful and do everything correctly otherwise I could be in trouble!
I had purchased the kite from a fellow kiter and had parted with my money knowing it had been well spent. I gently laid the now well
known Quality Flexifoil ruck sack on the ground and carefully unzipped the sides. The rucksack, as many have said in the past is
almost too nice. I know it shows a sign of quality of the flexifoil brand but maybe a little bit too much attention had been paid to the
packaging. I’m sure many of us would rather have a less comprehensive rucksack and a cheaper kite.
My heart was pounding and my mouth seemed strangely dry! The kite had been Para packed, I promptly staked the handles making
sure that they were very very secure and proceeded to walk the lines out. After unravelling the kite I watched it slowly inflate and then
sit to attention. I walked back to the stake and prepared for my first Blade experience. The kite sat there waiting, almost smiling at me,
beckoning me to pull the lines taught. "Go on I dare you, go on I dare you!!"
Nervously I attach the kite killers, hoping that they will not be required. I unstaked the handles and brought them up in front of me. I have
never attempted a bungee jump or parachute jump but grabbing hold of the neoprene covered handles filled my veins with adrenaline as
I assume it would do prior to jumping out of an aircraft.
I was going to fly this kite in around 8-10 mph winds. A gentle pull of the main lines and the kite slowly rose from the ground and then
accelerated to the zenith where it sat looking down on me as parent would to a naughty child.
I have to say that the lift was noticeable but not unnerving. I had with out noticing, adopted the obligatory blade pose. I.e. looking upwards
with arms out stretched almost as if I was praying to the god of the wind.
After a few moments to accustom myself, I foolishly started to question what all the fuss was about. My 4.5 Bullet had always been my
favourite kite. Being a good buggy kite, stable, predictable and dare I say it, pretty in Flo Orange. The blade appeared to have a similar feel to it.
With this growing air of confidence, I decided to see what this kite could do.
The thing that impressed me immediately was the range in the wind window. The kite would easily pull for almost 180 degrees from left to right.
The power in the centre of the window could only be classed as awesome. The lift was considerably more noticeable than my buggy engine
bullet. I tried a few pendulum type jumps and after a few attempts did manage to get some success. The kite would luff and all out of the sky
but when it did you were not surprised as it had already flown far past where the bullet would have collapsed.
While flying I noticed that my top lip had become stuck to my front teeth. Why? Because the Blade had induced a smile for the last 15 minutes
without me realising. I spent the following hour moving the kite throughout the window, learning to pre judge where and when the blade would
release its fury.
I have had the blade for 3 months now and it's my every day kite. The one I take out of the bag first. As yet I haven’t had that "plough a trench
with my face" scenario but I’m sure it is just a matter of time. Just when I think I have mastered and tamed the legendary Blade it will bite me!
If you have read up about the 4.9 blade in the past you will get the impression that it is a kite that will leave you feeling like you would, if you had
just confronted Mike Tyson and insulted his mother! That can be the case but it can also be an immensely rewarding.
If I was to offer any advice, I would have to say treat this kite with a certain amount of respect but don’t be scared of it. The wrath of the Blade III
will be experienced when you are not expecting it but in time you will get to know when the wind is just a little bit too strong and you will have the
maturity and common sense to leave the blade in the bag and get the bullet out in stead!
Th3_W!ZaRd, 31/08/2004
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