I think KevinTheKiter needs some VIAGRA, or even better, get a SCREAMER kite so you can get up higher then normal

This is what happens when you are on a SCREAMER (best drug ever).

What a fantastic shot! How close to the beach?

That's brilliant Dimitri. It's like Slingshot showing me a picture of the guy jumping over the pier and claiming I can do it on the Fuel if I just buy the kite. We all know you can kite, you've been lucky enough to have over a decade of living at the beach and kiting more than most people ever will be able to, so with all respect that picture means shit. Suggesting I need viagra is as ludicrous as your bikini advert and your claims about your kites.

Shame you don't actually answer any of my points. Try this one, why do Epic fold over the canopy material instead of using higher priced dacron on hard wearing areas like almost every decent company?

You only have one point, it would seem....you need so desperately to get it across you created a second identity to do it, so it must be extremely important to you.
For some reason, you think you won the lottery on being observant, or being right, or making a point that matters on this trailing edge design detail.
I think almost everybody here is well aware of the construction details of the Epic kites.
Epic design and construction details are explained clearly in many videos on the Epic website.
If anybody is even slightly in the dark about the Epic kites design concepts, construction details, and flying characteristics there is hours of video to make perfectly clear what the kites and the company/owner are all about.
Many here have owned lots of other kite brands and are familiar with their construction details and choose to fly Epic, I believe they must know what they like.
There are a number of companies that do not have a full Dacron trailing edge in their design.
There are kites that are built heavier..Ocean Rodeo for instance...and kites that are not...I think most folks (other than you) agree that most kites these days are built pretty well.
My last 2012 quiver (Brand B) did not have that Dacron strip you value so highly, my 2010 kites (Brand O) did. The kites without the Dacron trailing edge flew much better than the kites that did, a design issue not a construction issue.
As everyone here likely knows, the Epic kites have a Dacron panel that starts at the tips and tapers to the first strut tip along the trailing edge. As an owner of four Epic kites currently, I see very nice construction details that work well with the overall design and the kites perform beautifully. Since there have been zero issues with 2010, 2011 and 3G Epic kites falling apart, they must be meeting the demands of their customers. The company is growing rapidly and the kites are getting great reviews in magazines and at the beach. The owner constantly asks for constructive feedback and has made many changes based on that feedback.
As for the Kevin character, few want to listen to a person on a mission that has nothing to do with improving the product or helping in any way. You and a few others here are not received well because you came solely to tear things down.
As for your kite of choice (or the brand you said you settled for, for financial reasons) there are definitely things about the kite that could be better, the bridle design for instance. They are not great jumping kites, and they are a bit short on low end grunt, in my opinion. But they serve their designed purpose and have a fan base that likes what they do.
And since I don't own one, I don't waste mine and others time on the Slingshot threads talking about the things I don't like about them..
You wanna know why?
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER TO PEOPLE THAT WANT AN RPM WHAT I THINK.
I NEVER OWNED ONE SO MY OPINION IS OF LITTLE VALUE.

Agree....

If you don't care then why compose a lengthy response to my previous post? Fact is the kites are good but not great, the quality is average not 10/10 and if the kites are so well thought of then why are the resale values so low especially given the high price for a brand new one? I believe I also raised more than one point about the kite and the bar, not just the poor quality of the trailing edge.

As for my identity. My name is Kevin and I live in the North of England, I don't imagine I will ever run into you Old and Broken (I doubt that is your name) so I don't feel any need to disguise my identity, I just don't choose to share it fully on the internet with people like you (who seem a little unbalanced).

Pip pip.

I finally tried my new Screamer 12m today. Expectations were high (thanks to this thread) - some are met, some not.

Background: I was mostly riding Cabrinha Switchblades. Got Screamer because I wanted something faster and higher jumping.

- Main thing - jumps! It was OK (4m at most) but not that much better or easier than Cabrinha. Maybe wind was not cooperating - it was 10 to 15 knots. Will try it in higher winds when I get a chance. A little disappointed. Am I doing something wrong?

- Speed. Definitely faster than Cabrinha.I flew Swithblade 9m yesterday - Screamer 12m felt faster today. Also reacts to the bar immediately - no rubbery feeling of Cabrinha. Nice!

- Power. A little on the lower side, but I hope it has a higher upper range

- Depower / power-up - works really well, just as Cabrinha. Gusts - no problem, almost don't notice them.

- Relaunch, There was a very light wind closer to the shore. I couldn't relaunch the Screamer there without an assistance. Also during a lull my kite went down with slack lines, then got flipped and inverted/twisted. I was ready to swim to shore when somehow it miraculously untangled! I'm not happy that it inverted. but it is nice that it came back on its own!

Jumps - They jump far different to switchblades!! trimming them correctly can make it far easier to gain more height, also try sheeting out more as you send the kite, with the switchy's you can just power the kite the whole way up, but I find that on the screamers you have to milk them a tad more. More work but more rewards!! Definitely jump far higher on a screamer and EASIER then on a switchy of the same size. In 15 knots on a 12m I would be able to reach around 6-8m but I am a featherweight. Dont know why you would expect much more if you weigh more then 150 lbs.

Power - Can only compare the 2011 10m switchy to the 2012 LTD and the power is similar if not a tad more on the switchblade. The difference is there is no way in hell I would be out at my weight in conditions gusting over 30 knots... where as I will happily trim my kite down (on the centers) and know that it will still respond when needed. Having said that I will drop it if it starts gusting higher then 35-38 say.

Relaunch - Relaunch in light conditions can be very tricky!! Definitely would not recommend this as a first kite as is written in the description, learn advanced relaunching techniques and you should be able to water relaunch in conditions of around 10 knots.

These kites are very similar to C kites in that slack can be produced readily! watch for slack lines and dont hold it above your head without flying the thing.

They are amazing kites, but you need to respect them!!

The three angriest, axe-grindingest, and most obnoxious tossers in the kite forum world all come from there. Can only conclude that the north of England must be a miserable crap-hole.

Nothing wrong with North of England, it's a great place with great people and the best real ale in the world
Not sure what is wrong with the others on here. But you will always find nasty little idiots being brave from behind their key boards on forums. I doubt very much if they no what they are talking about and just enjoy being nasty and rude. I saw a TV programme on it, it was very interesting as most people that do this kind of thing are never who you think they would be.

Anyway what these people don't realise is that by behaving in such a manner they will scare off kite companies and other related business for fear of getting this kind of un-warranted abuse. Which in the end hurts the forum and effects every one on here.

Sad really.

Paul