Bandit 3 Feedback
Winter is a great time to kite in Seattle and I’ve had at least 30 sessions on the Bandit 3’s since November. They are great kites! Coming from bow kites, Bandit 3’s are really making me a much better rider. The fast speed and quick turning promotes a more active riding style where you have much better feel for the kite position. That said I love the steady pull and the way the kite whips you through turns. I also really appreciate being able to feel where the kite is when jumping.
Kite performance:
– Wind range (my experience)
– 13 M – I’ve ridden this kite in 15 – 25 with no problems. At 200 lbs, I feel that it is a little bit small for a light wind Seattle kite; however, it will be a great light wind Gorge kite
– 10M – a very nice kite. This could easily be a one kite quiver. I’ve ridden it in 18 – gusting to 35. I typically switch to the 7M when you get blowing sand or “liquid wind.”
– 7M – we had a couple of days in SPI where it blew 40 all day. It was unusual to have steady 40 mph winds and the 7M was just fine. I could probably get by with an 8M as my smallest kite.
I’ve also had a lot of interest from local riders and have been letting a number of them take my kites for a spin. We usually swap kites so I’ve ridden many other 2010 kites, and I haven’t found a kite that matches what I’m looking for like the B3.
Jim riding his 10m B3 on Lake Washington on Dec 30th.
