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Thanks for the Zen


REVflyer

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I received a replacement Zen a few weeks ago. Man it is such a slick addition to my kite bag! Lolly, Ben, Bazzer and Eliot all had a hand in crafting it to my exact requirements. The darn thing is such a pleasure to fly, because I have expanded the wind range to comfortably use it in double digits and still kept all of that fabulous low-end performance.

It's a 3-D monster too, a killer glide (at least 3-1/2 or 4 times the altitude), axels can be timed with a sun-dial, it rolls up into the string on the ground, unrolls and is just too easy to fly regardless of the conditions. I know why I wore out the first one, this kite gets used and abused as it's almost always the perfect choice for my local conditions.

Anyway, I just got back from Swift Current (Windscape kit fest) and the Zen carried me like a burro once again! When others were not thrilled with the morning's conditions, I was like a kid in a candy store. Sunday was too windy to even assemble it (so basically, they didn't need me at all that day!)

Friday night and Saturday morning though,..... I dragged a full bag stuffed with Revs and only used this one kite! 90 feet of 90#LPG on 15 inch no snags.

Mine isn't stock and the differences in flight/feel/durability/tricking are profound, at least it is exactly what I expected. Other Zen owners are the ones who are surprised.

Again, thank you to all who touched or had a hand in my kite's creation, you are GREAT and so are your efforts!

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You have my mind swimming in curiosity... Baby pictures please.

That's the way I feel about my Stars and Stripes MPS Rev.

I've had it since December, and it gets flight multiple times a day.

It has been my main tool for physical therapy (stroke rehab) and keeping my sanity.

Between my Indoor and S&S, I can fly anytime any where.

When in doubt, go fly a Rev.

Look forward to seeing and hearing more.

Mark

Seattle

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I flew that Zen in the mediocre conditions at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center (a subruban annex of the Air and Space Museum)a couple of weeks ago and it was pretty spectacular.

Bazzer sewed the sail. We knew that...it's a Zen, after all.

Then it was sent to Elliot Shook, masterpiece series artist. He sewed the leading edge, using an old roll of mylar-backed fabric (ripstop? dacron? Honestly not sure. But it's shiny!) that LaMaster's provided.

Then the kite went to Rev, where it was finished.

Of course, the mods don't stop there.

Paul won't fly without magic sticks. So those are on the back.

And Paul likes to swap frames on his kites. This frame is a custom set of the Diamond sticks that Ben was offering a few weeks ago. Stiff, light, strong. And, of course, Paul isn't satisfied with a stock bridle. So there's a Rev 1 French bridle on there.

I don't want to know what Paul spent on this thing. Hell, I don't want to know what he spent shipping it across the country three times! I doubt that it would even be possible for another person to get a matching kite (got your own roll of that bizarre LE sleeve material? Does Ben have any more of the graphite he was using to make that limited run of sticks?)

I just know that I like it. A LOT.

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Customizing is normal in my community (no-wind, 5 months per year) and I am a former kite builder myself. Retail destined products have a material cost/labor point where extra efforts will not increase the purchase price consumers are willing to pay or profit margin for the manufacturer.

For yourself though?,... you'd do anything, buy any supplies or product, use difficult materials, carefully plan your design around powerful graphics. But if you had to make a five dozen of 'em, you'd certainly make compromises, use templates, assembly jigs and repeatable techniques. You'd source only raw materials that fit within a specific price point. Wasting of fabric scraps would not be expected, just as an example.

I have access to several excellent kite builders within my local club and I've been a quad-head for a couple of decades, almost exclusively. I have stolen every idea I ever liked and done a ton of experimenting to determine the proper "feel" on the ends of the lines.

Finally, my wife loves custom jewelry, so I can justify my decadence with the best gal (who also runs the wallet of our household!) This kite was easy to acquire, she showed me some new earrings and I knew she could not refuse her 3rd husband, regardless of the final cost. In fact I should have bought two of them for pairs flying, "HEY you've got 2 ears, it is only fair Sweetie!"

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  • 2 months later...

so, I've put few more hours on the latest Zen and I'm still so incredibly impressed with that darn thing!

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I went down to the Washington Monument (1st sunday fly w/kite-club), arrived early naturally and tried to stand in the shadow of the monument as long as possible, it was HOT and humid! A spectator (Steve Turner from Amherst NY) took 60+ photos and then sent the stuffed-link to 'em this morning. It was a a perfect set of conditions for my Zen. I flew on 90 feet of LPG, 15inch no-snags, sharing the kite whenever I rested. Both the wily veterans and new quad-fliers are amazed by how effortlessly this kite takes flight.

Once again, thanks to all of you who had a hand in crafting it,.... exactly to my outrageous specifications. It's worth every penny!

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  • 2 months later...

The newest Zen is still my favorite kite for November!

First one out & last one put away, unless the conditions are simply too extreme for it to remain assembled. It flies from zip/zero wind to around the flying conditions when most have switched to mid-vent 1.5 Pros, certainly comfortable to double digit wind speeds.

It's unfair to my friends and perfect for relaxing (on long lines ~ early in the morning) when everything is quiet and calm as the sun rises. A special zen moment to be shared with my favorite kite and any witnesses to the antics.

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