This kitesurfing kite is the 3rd generation of the Kaiman model from Advance. The kite still has its very unique canopy shape that pulls in towards the middle section of the canopy to make the tips wider than the centre, giving the kite a high aspect ratio but keeping the kite stable enough to fly.
Taking the kite out the bag you will notice the kite is well engineered with rows of stitching everywhere, plenty of bumper pads and a big strip of Dacron making up the trailing edge. The kite has a few finishing touches some other brands have always overlooked. One key feature is an extra valve on all of the struts as well as the one pump system to give instant and complete deflation. Another handy design is a kite handle in the middle of the leading edge to make handling of the kite on the beach very easy. The Kaiman works and flies like a 4 line bridled kite, but added just as a safety feature is an extra 5th line to leash the kite out instead of the standard release systems that just fly the kite out on the two front lines.
One of the main changes to the new Kaiman is as new bridal layout to give the kite a better high end, but with out compromising on its high low end. Not forgetting to mention its new graphics, which we think is a huge improvement making the kite look pretty mean in the sky. The kite also came with a nice little tool bag with everything you would need to undertake pretty much any kite repair down the beach.
The Bar
Like their kite, Advance has a unique bar. The chicken loop is pretty special with a large sensitive plastic push away release that’s clean and easy to use but not the most simple to reload. The loop has a full 360 swivel and a rotating 5th line attachment point to make sure any twists and tangles can be removed after spinning the bar. To finish the loop off they have added a suicide attachment point that has been designed to break if you over load it. The bar has a double pull down strap as a power adjustment system that works well and keeps the top half of the bar clean, on the back of this strap there is a extra cleat that the 5th line runs through so once leashed out the 5th line locks in place disabling the kite unless you let the line back out through the cleat manually. This system makes the kite very safe and water pack downs are simple. It also has line adjustment straps on the outside lines on top of both bar floats for fine-tuning the kite when back on the beach. Rear and front kite lines have been finished at different lengths to make up for the length of the bridals on the front of the kite, this can make rigging a little tricky in high winds.
In The AirThe 8.5m is a small kite, so launching it on a windy day is always going to be exciting. We assumed the kite wouldn’t have much low-end power due to the high aspect ration and cutaway canopy. However the kite surprisingly has plenty of grunt and power giving the 8.5m lots of low end. Moving the kite around the sky lets you know you are attached to a high aspect machine, it flies very far forwards and pointing up wind is taken to a whole new level. The Kaiman hacks up wind, which makes regaining ground after jumping easy. Although the kite flies very far forward in the window, the Kaiman never shows signs of wanting to tip forwards and over fly the rider.
The kites wind range is pretty big and holding down this powerful 8.5m is a lot easier then you would expect, pushing the bar away in gusts keeps the kite manageable even in strong winds. It holds plenty of speed and loves to accelerate at any opportunity you give it. Picking up speed and sending the kite back for some lift is loads of fun. It rips you up and sends you sky wards and unlike some boosting machines the Kaiman glides, finding time to stick in grabs and tricks is easy. But like any high boosting kite, make sure you use plenty of front hand on the way down to keep the kite out in front of you. Jumping in high winds is brilliant but not for the faint hearted.
Kitelooping is pretty extreme, the Kaiman lets you know were it is throughout the loop and there is no escaping its powerful turning axis. But in the right hands kiteloops on this 8.5m can be some serious fun keeping any riders adrenalin rushing around their body. Unhooking and getting technical is not one of the Kaiman’s strong points but with enough skill and balls you can use it for new school riding as long as you don’t mind some pretty fast manoeuvres. Re launching is easy with no need to use the 5th line, just grab one end of the bar and pull the kite up and around the wind window.
Pros
The kite makes for a brilliant high wind boosting machine, You can push the bar forwards forcing the kite miles up wind to make ground then let your rail loose and fly.
Cons
Kiteloops will need a pretty confident rider at the bar end to ride out the beast when it unleashes its power. A stopper ball of some sort on the chicken loop would be a good addition to give the arms a rest after flying the kite in mega winds.
Overall
The Kaiman is built and designed to last with plenty of low and high end giving the kite a large wind range. The kite flies up wind and boosts huge with plenty of glide to stick in any freestyle tricks. Kitelooping and any wake style tricks will need an advanced confident rider to keep the kite tamed. The re launch is really easy, unlike the old high aspect machines we were used to riding a few years ago.
For more information go and see your local dealer or visit www.advance-kites.com
Original review from our friends at IKSurfmag