Got me my new 2005 Nemi the other day in good time for a lovly little session in upto 27 mph in the UK.....
What can I say !
out of the bag, things look alot neater than last year (if possible)...the bag itself is one brilliant little piece of stitching, new zips new pockets 2 straps and new much better graphics.
First things first, the struts are fully and expertly profiled having more rings sewn into the base of the strut to give a more exact profile I would imagine....
All the valves have stopper balls too including the LE and with an 8m in cold weather, they were appreciated ! needless to say they worked brilliantly. Even down to the vavle base being bigger and easy to squeeze the air out in 3 degrees C.
The canopy has these much heared of triangluated panels that make the kite look really really nice. the single colour really highlights the engineering of the kite which has a definate and strong appeal to me. The more I look the more I like !
In addition to that the logo's are 100,000 times better ! A nice understated with intent look really suits.
The LE connectors are the same but the TE are loops making it 50% kook proof and if you look at the colours of you lines its fully kook proof.
The LE itself is a hell of alot thinner and when pumped up she is as rigid as any kite I have had the pleasure to launch and land. The LE has also got these attachment points that are about 40 cm appart....must be either for the ASS or something in the pipeline ? who knows, in short its a 5th Line position.
Once in the air, the first thing you notice is how light she feels on the bar compared to last years nemi's. Dont get me wrong, there is bar pressure there and plenty enough to feel the kite anywhere it is in the window, just not so much as to tire you out at all. the sheeting range has improved ad infinitum. Plenty of space on the depower line and depower response is instant...Zero lag.
Stability wise it continues to be the most stable thing aside from an S ARC I have ever flown, last years nemis had loads of punch in them and this little number proves that the punch has been refined into a powerband. no sudden bar jerks or power spikes, just smooth power that ramps up the more you put into flying or powering the kite...Very very Impressed.
She flies forward in the window, not at the edge but quite forward and upwind was easy as with my Mach 2's but more positive on the bar. The kite hold masses of power for pop and rails loading moves too boot.
Turning wise - Excellent, finally a kite that wont spank you in high winds due to being too fast. I flew her on a 55 cm swivel bar and she was not to sketchy and fast, just stable , predictable and exactly where you expect her to be when you have comleted your move almost begging to do it again - Bloody perfect. Oh yeah ! Turning......sorry got carried away !
The turning circle is tight with nice smooth power through the turn...my first half hour on the water was spent riding up the waves and smacking them hard with a downturn transition....the kite behaved flawlessly and responded very very quickly to the bar, turned a nice tight circle and it flew fast through the window generating nice power for the carve and exit.
The wind lulled for a while so I took the opportunity to put her overhead and try to luff her using only the bar - I could not. Sat overhead beautifully all the time.
Later the wind picked up so I was able to jump her....Big result here....Hang time on an 8 meter ? loads of it, it was the first thing that hit me, secondwas that she is LOTS easier to jump than last years models. no need to put loads in to get loads out....this kite boosts with the best of em...goes well high and floaty !!! oh so floaty....You'd think they took a lesson from takoon !
Anyway, cant think of much else to write so I'm off now.....Got to tell you tho, that is one HELL of a kite.