What's the deal with this kite? Saw a guy ripping on one the other day. The bugger weighs nearly 90 kilos and was out with me on a 10m, no probs. it seems to do everything really well. And yet I hear nothing about them and see few of them over here. Smoke riders what's the deal, why? Thinking of recommending to my youngest brother. Interested in thoughts on those that ride or have ridden them....

It seems to have a mix of every Type of DNA out there. I just thought they were a grunt machine, think I was horribly wrong. Why are they so scarce on the water then? Not much change since 2010 though I heard.

Westozzy,

It's fantastic, a real one kite quiver, very tuneable slow and grungy or fast as you like. Had one through Late 08 and 09. Massive wind range, read the reviews in kiteworld, kitesurfing and ikitesurf mags all rate and voted their top kite I think 2 yrs running.

Not sure why they aren't in oz much but lots in other places.

Mike

Yeh we get more ozone, north, Airush, slingshot, Naish and cabrinha here, not sure why there are not more in water. So what do you fly now?

I have flown them and they are quite a good all-rounder but knowing how you like your kites you won't enjoy it - nothing wrong with it but you are a 'flyer' and not a 'dragger'

To each his own when it comes to kites...I for one love Wainman Hawaii.

It puzzles me that there aren't more on the water. I think many riders associate them only with wave riding, but I find it's a total "all-around" kite.

Range is incredible...I have only a 2 kite quiver.
Simple yet complex...some call Wainman Hawaii's the "iPhone of Kites"
I call them " The Led Zeppelin of Kites".

Seaplus

This kite has an impressive performance....

but.....

It has serious problems on the bladder... They leak in the valve, and they are very hard to fix.

I had problems more than once, and I saw many people having this kind of problem.

So, if you wanna risk, good luck!!

Cheers

Andre

I wish they had more gear out there too. Particularly their wave boards look awesome. I was hoping to pick one up that was 1-year-old or a used one, called Wainman & they said they don't have any last years. You can't find 1 used Wainman board, not 1 on ebay, ikitesurf or here??? Plenty of Slingy's & Cab's. Since my price range is $400-500 for a used board, I have to look at the Slingy's now.

I think it'd be a better business model to put more gear out there so more people could get on it. Even if you have to blow some of it out at the end of the year.

Replacing a valve is hard to fix? Cut old valve out...peel backing off new valve...stick it on.

And I've owned other kite brands and had to replace their valves too.

I bought and rode a smoke (9m) and rabbit (7m) for nearly a year. I really wanted to like them, but I didn't.

I've owned Wipikas, Cabrinhas, SS Fuels, Fleixfoils, Waroos, Naish, Takoons. I like to go fast and jump. My Wainman review:

Pro: They are super depower and very quick turning. Easy to launch and land. Very safe. They like a lot of wind, so eat up the gusts and almost make them fun. Upwind is ok when powered.

Cons: Top speed is low. Jumps are very low, even super overpowered they are low and lame. Underpowered they are pretty boring. Actually they are pretty boring when powered up. The first version of the bar sucks. But my mate has the new one and it looks much better.

Conclusion: I think they are brilliant for gusty overpowered conditions. Really good for intermediate kiters looking to do some nice tricks. No good for busting big air or big tricks.

They are low aspect kites with a very flat profile which is unusual. Usually a low aspect kite is grunty, but this isn't, so it takes a while to get dialed in. Easy to kiteloop, but because the jumps are low, you need to be quick.

I've since moved onto Flexifoil Ions and Ozone Edges, these are much better for me. I'm now looking at saving up for a Vegas or Torch. The new C kites are starting to look good for gusty locations.

Hope that helps.

[edit]

Oh yeah. The bar pressure is HUGE. I came from Waroos to Wainman and my arms were shattered for days after riding the Waimans. It's like going back to a 2 line kite (like the old Wipika 2 lines kites ) I hated the bar pressure, but I think that is a personal thing. I don't have big strong arms.

You have many ways of setting up the kite, i go big on my wainman kites, even in the low range i have loads of fun with them, i have them trimmed to perfection and set up the way i like it. Weird you would say they are lame.... most fun i have had on a kite is the 9m Smoke, That thing is somthing else.. The bar pressure to me seems fine, like i said set it up how you want it, you want pressure then do it, if you dont tthen change it. You sure you know how it was set when you tried this kite kjorn, or have you even touched a wainman kite the way you talk about it!!!
And the valve problem some talk about, i live in a very humid place, valves come of every kite i have ever seen here, and i have fixed them all, did not have a problem fixing the valve, just take it out and glue it back on the inside of the bladder, not to difficult!!!

Each to their own when picking a kite you like, i prefer Wainman, and like i said my favorite kite is the smoke, to bad there are not more floating around, the word has to get out, and when it does watch out!!! hahaha!

have fun, be safe and GO BIG!

Guero