What kite would you choose?

[kite-4-life]

Since we're pimpin'...I will have the 2008 Freak Dogs at East Beach early Saturday and Sunday morning if anyone wants to try them. They are available for loan during the week with advance notice.
Here's an email I got from the designer Eric Hertsens, when I asked a few simple questiuons about the kite:
{{{Well, since I work with 3 very busy schools and see what happens in 4 others + all the tourist that come kite in Cabarete. We really had the opportunity to learn what NOT to do.
We use 1 st quality fabrics, you can buy these fabrics in different grades of quality and price, they all look the same to the eye, so the consumer does not know. Some companies do take advantage of this.
I do not use marketing gimmicks, like the horrendous one pump system, seen to many tourist wreck their vacation with these.
Then there is the design, I cut my patterns and lay the paneling so that the fabric warp line is oriented in line with the prevailing stresses, now this is a huge CAD job and takes 3 times the proto types and time to get it right. Most other brands just click one time in Surfplan software and have their kite, hence the all have a similar layout, panels oriented front to back whit some design cut that runs trough it. I also use a wide trailing edge Dacron strip on the Trailing edge to help keep the kite one piece after a serious crash.
Our kites will stretch in to shape, they need to be “burned in” for a while, brand new they might have a wrinkle or two but after 30 hr on the water they are completely stretched in to shape.
I am a very busy man, I do all this work myself design, CAD, manufacturing, testing, photo, video, graphics, web, accounting, orders etc and on top I write all my software myself…. It’s me with my Dominican kids and the software that runs the business. Lets put it this way, we are passionately immersed in Kiteboarding and “everything” it entails.
I have to get back to work… working on speeding the ripper so my kids can do double kite loops and on a new board for Ariel so he can spend les time staying up wind in the competition area and do more tricks 

C-ya}}}
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My opinion of the kites:
The 15 has enough low end and turning speed to stay upwind in almost nothing with the right technique.(Lite wind challenge any1?) I will also mention that these kites are well built, with (more than most) dacron and kevlar. It is an ULTRA FLAT bow design, and LE is supported nose to tips with its bridle system. Rear line "loop" w/pulley steers the kite smoothly and quickly from 2 points on the wingtip. Swivel (above CL) for untwisting lines on the fly, and plenty of knots on the leaders for untangling or tuning right at the bar. Front line safety and QR CL, larger oh shit handles, etc..
NO INVERSION/EZ RELAUNCH
Customer service DIRECTLY from the DESIGNER??? PRICELESS
Price point??????(dirt cheap)!!!!!!
COLLEGE CLUBS (and sean) call for special pricing.
MADE and tested in the DR, not China.
Steve (813)389-3683
http://freakdogkites.com/

[Sean B]

Originally Posted by kite-4-life

MADE and tested in the DR, not China.

Imagine that......Yeah I def. saw a bunch of those EH kites while I was out there. Those dominicans rip!

[SandiBottom]

I sailed all Bularoo's last season and they were great...One pump and leading protection...never ripped one or blew out any bladders..worked great....
This year I upgrade to all Best Nemis Hp....they are great kites..relaunching is very easy...none of my other Best relaunch this easy and they have great up wind advantage..the leading edge is so small with the Cuban Fiber that it goes futher up into the window and just flys there...non of my other kites have done this..so it will take you up wind with a noticble difference...But like Scott said earlier..I think nowdays all the 08 kites are pretty good some just are a little better than others..riders preference...ride them and decide...thought I would put in a couple words on the nemisis HP.. It is a great kite I have and rode all sizes....14, 12, 9, 7, good colors and fast turning because it takes less to fly it thru the wind...