I got to ride the 14M Thruster powered today for the first time. The only thing I really need to say is that I am now selling my entire quiver so that I can pick up a 12M Thruster immediately and a 16M Thruster as soon as they become available. The kite is that impressive.

I started riding the kite this morning in about 12 knots and I was a bit underpowered but could still ride and then walk back upwind. I demoed it out for a couple of hours so that the locals could take a test run and they all loved the kite, saying they were 'pleasantly surprised'. Let me back up here a minute...

Again, I am 6'6" Tall and weigh 265 LBS. I am an intermediate level kiter and have been stuck on bigger kites in the past flying a 20.5M SS Machine, a 17.5M SS Machine and a 16M SS Octane. Of course the Octane is a quick(er) kite and the Machines are much heavier thus slower than most.

When I finally got the chance to ride the 14M Thruster again, I was in shock literally. It was blowing 18 knots when I first went out and I was nicely powered. The kite was just a SHOCK to me. The speed of this kite is like nothing I have ever flown before, faster than the 13 Ozone Instinct, Cabrinhas, Slingshot Octanes and Fuels, 12M Best Waroos (that is the smallest Waroo I have flown) and even my 7 Meter Fuel and the 8M GK Sonic that I have flown. The boosting was equally impressive as was the kites stability. I would have been on my 17.5 Machine in that wind or even at the top end of my 20.5. But I was LITT UP with the kite fully powered and having a blast! I can't even begin to imagine how fast the 10M and 12M Thrusters are! Relaunching is easy, just like a bow kite and the bar pressure is almost nonexistent. When it picked up to 22 Knots, I had to depower almost fully and could not believe that a 14 Meter kite was pulling someone my size with that much power. I also cannot stress enough how FAST this kite is, how great it boosts, and how little bar pressure it has, it is an ABSOLUTE DREAM to fly, I could have probably flown it in up to 25-27...at my size!

Also, the Clam Cleat rocks! When used correctly, I would say that Eclipse is a contender for the safest bar/safety system on the market if you ask me.

Thank you Chris and Dimitri for making the kite I have been waiting for...

A++++++++++!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks man!!! I am very happy that you like the kite, comments like yours are what helps us work even harder to make the riders happy.

thx for the review. i'm a bit surprised though you would want a 12m, 14m, and 16m. i'm lighter then you (215 lbs), and have decided that i'll never buy a 16m again as i find a 12m only yields me a few less knots in lowend then my 16m, and its alot more fun to fly. don't you think there'd be alot of overlap with all 3 sizes you mention?

These kites are so fast that I want to make sure that I am comfortable riding and not too high or low wind. I want to have fun riding, not be too overpowered or underpowered. Could I get away with 2 Thrusters? Definitely. Do I want to? No. Dimitri says he can fly the 12 in up to 30 and he is 185 lbs soaking wet. I figure that leaves me at 35 at the VERY LEAST at 265 lbs. The 16 will be my light wind kite and I bet I'll be riding in 8 knots for the first time in my life!!! The 14 will just be a bonus for me and just a great all-around kite to have in my quiver. It is definitely unique, like nothing I have ever flown before!

Hello guys,
Very happy that you guys love the kites.
Now you don't need to have so many kites. We decided to make a 16 THRUSTER because of the demand for bigger riders.
now if you are 200 lbs and above I would recomand to get the 16 THURSTER as your light wind and the 12 THRUSTER.
Now if you are 180 lbs and lighter you should have the 14 THRUSTER as your biggest kites.

ahhh.. but Toby (T Dub) just loves to buy him some new stuffs.. his wallet opens more often than Paris Hilton's legs..

I gave the 14m Thruster a whirl yesterday for about 30 min.. its a great kite.. but not for me. I've been on bow kites for so long that as soon as I got really overpowered in a gust and was unable to sheet out a bit to compensate I remembered why I made the switch last year. I'm a much more skilled rider these days but I just love to be more in control of the power in the sail.

Its a great kite.. not knocking it one bit.. just as a bow/sle rider I cant go back.

I cant wait to get my mits on a Chameleon..

Mr. Leighty, I will be closing the wallet (I don't think Paris can shut her legs though ) after selling my 5-kite C quiver and picking up a 3 kite quiver of Thrusters (one of my kites is already sold).

Don't count my girlfriends kites as my purchases though! That's her deal!

Eclipse kites rock!

Hello all,

I am looking for a light wind kite that I can ride comfortably from 10 to 22 knots. I am 70kg, I have a 132x38 board, a D-wave, and 10m extensions lines to increase wind range.
So I hesitate between chameleon 13 and thruster 14.
I like the rough power of C kite and the big wind range of bow kites. But I don't like bow kites which don't have a good power reserve to make tricks with kite low, like raileys.
Is the chameleon a kite with a good power reserve or should I go to the thruster to be sure?

14M Thruster for your needs, DEFINITELY.

In my opinion, the best C style hybrid on the market today. Maybe the only one that is this competent in taking the best aspects of both styles of kites (C's and Bows/SLE's) and leaving out the negatives like relaunchability challenges in C's, lack of forgiveness in C's, Inversion aspect of bows, etc. You just simply have to try one yourself to be able to see how great they really are...I have demoed mine out to at least 20-25 people so far I have not gotten one bad review. They all just comment on how fast the kite is...

Have you tried the chameleon 13?