Potential safety issue with Epic Renegade kites

[nikalaitzian]

It took sometime to perfect but I think Dimitri has a winner here.

Pete, you should seriously go out of the Epic bubble more often and see other brand's stuff. I've been riding my kites on the completely stock Naish bar since that whole circus with trimmers has started and to date it has given me zero issues. I find it very simple and effective, even that "below-the-bar trimmer" that everybody (who never used one) are so anal about is working like a charm and is a lot easier to use than D's 4G trimmer which requires 2 hands to be operated. On 3G it was already requiring 2 hands sometimes to get a hold of the trimmer - can't even imagine what mr.D was thinking with 4G when he placed it even further. The other day I was also really surprised by how heavy Epic's bar it-self is, untwisting after a loop felt like swining a piece of a 2X4 in comparison to my other Naish and F-one bars.

If I was to get a new bar to use with Epics - I'd seriously give the new Switch Controller II a shot:
http://switchkites.com/controller2.html



Looks sweet, clean and finally comes with a single-front-line safety. Best part - it's cheaper than any other "standard" 4-lines options to date and by any means better than "any-G" Epic's bar.

Now Pete, what's up with the chicken loop fetish? Seriously? Do you actually get pleasure from yanking your primary safety on a daily basis? It surely looks so from all that 4-g-chicken-loop pimping you're making for mr.D. I won't speak for others, but me - personally - i ride because I like other things than fiddling with the safety... B.t.w. Naish's chicken loop - IMHO - is still the simplest and most compact i've seen to date. I know that it works, I give it a wash from time to time and that's where any thoughts about it end for me. Don't see any reasons to be running around the forum and pimping it though...

This video is dedicated to alex so he can shout his mouth...In case you dont know that kite really excist..and if you are man enough (which i really doubt) this is a renegade kite you can ask a sorry to Dimitri.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=c ... pp=desktop

Dude, you should seriously ease up on smoking hairs from Dimitri's arse as you seem to have issues thinking straight. Just a thought.

This is how much i trust Dimitris kites...

http://youtu.be/WsHMBHKpPKk

(the bar was the one with the old BLADE CL)

P.S. i have own f-ones before Epic..the kites then was piece of shit and as for the bars totaly dangerous without o-shit handle and the mini 5th system unable to flag the kite...but now the company has make a lot of progress ... like Epic....but what do you know .... you just another romance sailing kiter ...... PUSSY !!!

[L0KI]

I have both bar systems here, one chicken loop release is so much better than the other, there is no comparison.
One is comfortable in my hands and is super easy to put back together in deep water, the other is not.
And as Laughingman Pete pointed out, one is shorter than the other, I hate long chicken loops.
I would like to point out, that at one time, Pete was skeptical of the Epic kites and bars.
He has said that he demoed various gear for a couple of YEARS before making a change.
My guess would be that he likes the gear and pimping has nothing to do with it.
On the other hand, the author of this Epic hating thread has been scoffed at by 33 non Epic owning forum members for 18 pages.
.

[Flysurf77]

Hi there,

I thought I had nothing to say about this stupid whinning thread from Alexeyga as I d rather be riding than reading this crap.............. till today.
I am a school owner and have been using EPIC kites( among other brands) since the first Generation few years ago and using over 40 EPIC kites since.

Never had to complain about the gear and never had to ask about Warranty as nothing wrong never happened............till a couple of months ago.
One of our Renegade 13m 3G from the past season, that we already used quite a lot( and I should actually say ABUSED) for teaching, ripped by the zipper of the LE. Very weird place to rip.

So we contacted Dimitri by email and got an answer in the very next hour. Dimitri told me it would take some time to send it to the factory and back and offered to pay for the repair so we could keep using this kite right away!
Really appreciated it and repaired it.

A week ago the same kite ripped on the seams of the LE, an other weird location to rip.
I contacted Dimitri again with pictures and serial number of the kite and few days later got the answer from EPICKITES:

Hello XXXXX,
I just got an email from the factory giving me the green light to send you a new RENEGADE 13 LTD (V2) as a warranty. And you can also keep the old one you have and repair it. But you will be responsible for shipping it to XXXXXX.
So get in touch with Helen so she can arrange to ship you a RENEGADE 13 LTD (V2).

THAT WHAT I CALL A GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!

And YES, I ll have to pay for the shipping of the kite, and YES I find it completely normal.

BTW, the kites are awesome, strong built and I love the new 4G Bar.
Keep on with the good work and don t pay attention to those whinning loosers that like the Forum better than the actual sport!
M.

[L0KI]

Alexey - Your kharma load is so heavy, one day it will drown you.
Lighten up and learn to enjoy.
.
.
(Edited for Dr. M)

[Dr Makani]

Thinking out loud what probably a lot of us have on our minds:

This forum has quite a few of these EPIC threads. Most of them end up the same emotional way.
I would have a very hard time showing up with this brand associated with mindset shown here.
I hope the manufacturer won't be too upset if I told him: thanks, but no thanks.

peace

[Dimitri M]

Guys, thank you for your support but again you can't argue with people like that especially the author of this topic. You never going to be right what ever you say. I've learned this from my ex. So the best thing to do is to ignore them and spend more time kiting. Because this is what we are all here for HAVING FUN KITING

[soul19]

Hey Dr Makani,

I am just curious to what brand doesn't have people that try to stir up some issues when they have this perception that they are entitled to free gear? All the brands have customers and critics that have hidden agenda's and try to use these forums to force Kite companies to provide them with their demands. It seems to be par for the course to just rant on here with the hopes that some brand rep will just take the hit to get the OP to go away. Alex has been using this approach and I for one am glad that Dimitri (Epic) hasn't caved in. To label this brand as being unique to this problem is absurd! I would at some point agree that Dimitri can be an easy target as he makes himself available to the general public. To me that is one of this companies advantage over the others out there in that you can voice your opinions on what works or doesn't work for you. Constructive criticism is a valuable tool to any company if that means the end product becomes better from that imput. Dimitri has shown through the years that he does listen to what the riders want and impliments these suggestions into the following models. I could care less to what brand I choose to ride as long as the product provides me with what I am after. To choose a kite brand based off someone like Alex's rant and false claims of a potential hazard (or any of the other people that have done this), would mean that I am allowing these people to influence my choices! That is where I would rather quote your last phrase in "thanks, but no thanks" to these entertaining characters opinions. I am not here to change your opinion Dr M but rather to provide food for thought.... there are so many good kites out there that we shouldn't allow someone else's jaded opinions hinder ou choices! Have fun on what makes you feel that good vibe and forget the rest!

James

The 3G screamer 10m was such a positive experience that I hope you would give it a go! First and only Epic kite that I have used and hands down my favorite kite at this moment. No emotional posters can change that fact for me and it has peaked my interest in trying more from this company. To each his own

James

[Dr Makani]

James,

this forum has multiple threads in regards to EPIC kites. Nearly all of them are ending up in flames. Just reading through this thread halfway through we have dog poop pictures and classic name calling again. On the opposite "Strutless kite in development on Maui" has a whole different tone.
OT's intention might be legit or not - I think it doesn't matter. What matters is that this EPIC crowd jumps in and is burning up any credibility this thread could carry; and yes, this would include brand and his owner/manufacturer, sometimes as victim, sometimes as perpetrator.

Maybe I can bring up another thread about a year ago with Caution Kites. Some TR bozo wrote one of these super awesome reviews, I rolled my eyes writing about it and Paul (owner of Caution kites) wrote a very classy reply giving a very professional (!!) reasoning how things work with and within his company.

I don't need a brand associated with dog poop pictures and pitch fork people. It's appalling to me (and maybe quite a few others?). The credibility of a brand is your core force when it comes to sales. And as a consumer I am entitled to my own opinion ...

So, in a nutshell - I don't care if the OT's claim is legit. I do care however HOW his concern has been addressed.

peace

[JGTR]

THAT WHAT I CALL A GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!

To be fair you use Epic for your schol, you must buy loads of kites and a lot of your students most probably buy Epic after having lessons so if I were you I would expect excellent customer service and any kites that fail prematurely to be replaced no questions asked. After all it's in Epic's interest to keep you sweet.

Bit different for normal kiters, they probably won't get the same level of service, not saying that's wrong but Mr Alex is not in the same situation as you.

[soul19]

Dr Makani,

I do understand your concerns and to address the aspect of the dog feces is the result of the OP and his lack of any class. This isn't the first time that this has been done and is more of an issue with the moderator (Toby) than it should reflect on Epic itself. Nothing stops this individual from turning on any other brand with the same childish behavior and the blame should rest firmly upon his shoulders! I do understand your complaints (or observations... whatever you choose to call them) but just by the example you have given shouldn't reflect on the brand itself. You are free to buy any brand you want but it is hard to see someone make decisions based on emotion when it should be on what is the best product for your money (and no I am not saying that Epic is the brand for you but rather any brand in general). You are more than intitled to your opinion as I am to mine! Take care man and enjoy whatever brand that puts the stoke into your day!

James