Best Nemesis HP 10m
I finally took the plunge and bought a Nemi HP after being a C-kite devotee since starting kiteboarding in the heady days of early 2000. My first kite (that I still own) was a Naish AR3 7m two line. I bought a two line as four seemed a bad idea as at the time two was better for line tangles - this is how niave we were.
These were the days where there were no lessons and everything was asking the other bloke on the beach "how do you self launch" etc.
It was loads of near misses, MASSIVE wipeouts, 100 yard catapults and all trial and error.
All this was in Perth, Australia which is a perfect spot to kite.
I then moved onto 4 line C-kites and have owned Gaastra, North, Cabrina and Naish kites. My quiver went from a 4 line11.5m Naish AR5 to Naish X2 12m (pretty much my all-time favourite kite). I also owned Cabrina Black Tips, Naish Aero and Gaastra Phoenix (an excellent light wind kite in its day).
I liked the lift and performance of C-kites, although it was rather hectic at times being lofted, the big stacks and the "go big or go home" nature of early kiteloops with no quick release. I knew guys who flew foils, swore by them, their superior aerodynamics, safety etc; but we weren't convinced! None of the Pro's flew foils and they never seemed to go HUGE, you never saw a guy 60 feet up doing a board off on a foil.....
Then came bows and I thought, great idea - a new, modern approach and about time someone tried something different. But we waited as the early Bows were prone to inverting - I remember seeing a guy on one of the first Crossbows with his kite inverting and that was that - a long walk home.
I had meant to upgrade a couple of years ago and decided to hang off and see which way to go as the tendancy was to go for a 5 line. I had used a mate's North Vegas '07 5th Element kites and wasn't convinced - the 5th line kept catching on rotations and the kite wasn't really any different to my old Naish AR5. Sure the technology has improved, but there didn't seem to be any "real" improvements.
I was quite excited to get my hands on a Best Nemesis HP 10m in early November 2007, so was one of the first to get one. I was on my way to Perth for a holiday and the kite just arrived in time. I had never flown bow kite before, so didn't know what to expect. To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous as didn't know what to expect. I launched in 20 knots and as wasn't aware that you can launch these kites usind other methods, did the old C-kite self-launch method.
I was blown away by the performance - the kite is so amazingly stable, it just sits there. No flutter, no jellyfishing and the there is almost no difference in feel between it and a C-kite when you're cruising.
I was out at Brighton Beach, just south of Scarborough in Perth and the sets were a little over head-high. This is where this kite is amazing!
Going out it's just like your old faithful "C" it pulls better though and turns so fast it'll blow you away. Not too fast though and it's smooth and the power through the turn is smooth too. Coming in, fully powered, drop in and that's when it come into it's own - push back on the bar (not even past the stopper) and the power is killed. You can concentrate on the wave and carve it.
I was seriously stoked - this kite is truely amazing. It has so many different adjustments and the range is increadible. You have 4 different turning speed adjustments: AA (lightning fast), AB, AC, BC (slowest) and 6 different back line lengths for more or less power.
One of the things that amazed me was how much range it has. I went out in 13-14 knots and could kite (Ok loads of sineing and wasn't able to stay upwind), I am 94kg and show me a 10m that will hold me in 14 knots! I had the back lines on the last knot (shortest setting) and it did over-sheet when I pulled back on the bar, so not an ideal setting for "traditional" 4-line feel.
At 25-28 knots I had it set up on the 3rd knot and was a little over-powered, but never hectic and considering this is the mid-setting seems to indicate that I'll comfortably be able to use it over 30 knots, possibly up to 35 at a push.
I also had a flat water session and got some serious jumping in - man is this thing an elevator! Simply pull on the bar as you send it back and you are 25-30 feet up in a second - not hectic though as the float down is so smooth: Awesome... I have just received my 14m so now my quiver is complete and my C-kites are moth food!
Seriously, if you are a beginner, intermediate, cruiser, surf dog or sky pirate - this is the kite for you. It is a tame, stable, flexible and versitile machine that can be as hard as you need it to be if that's your thing. BUY ONE YOU WILL BE DELIGHTED!
I could go on, but need to end sometime!