what makes icone so great?

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[c allen tas]

just looking at rsky stuff and wondered about the price hike with icone. also any word on the nse fifteen?

[zippy8]

just looking at rsky stuff and wondered about the price hike with icone.

Well this past January they announced that production was stopping so maybe it's simply market forces of supply and demand with people needing to lay in some spares to keep their cherished kites flying in the future.

I've had a few kites framed in Icones and they seemed fine, somewhere between everyday Skyshark and pimpin' AeroStuff.

also any word on the nse fifteen?

It's the next kite to save the world.

Mike.

[Michel]

Well this past January they announced that production was stopping [...]

That's right Mike.

But R-SKY is actually working on new Icone spars.

Coming perhaps in 2012...  

[c allen tas]

so is there a hierarchy; skyshark, icone, aerostuff? and why?

[Will S]

For the most part, better response. The spars move back more quickly when flexed than lower modulus carbons.
This really does help when tricking fast or sharply. With less responsive sticks it's easier to get out of sync with the spars and get bad oscillation effects.

The higher modulus carbon is more expensive and these spars are much lower volume production, so they are a good deal more expensive than more generic spars.

For most fliers, it's not worth the extra cost. For those actually flying near the limits of the equipment, it's a good investment.

[zippy8]

For the most part, better response. The spars move back more quickly when flexed than lower modulus carbons.

Are you sure about that ?

Icones and even more so Aerostuff are made to closer tolerances, with "better" materials and appear to have tighter QA than more everyday spars. This is not to dismiss Skyshark, Avia or Dynamic as inferior or imply that others guarantee a better kite but they are nicer bits of equipment.

Personally, I have several kites with Aerostuff spars; not because I am pushing the envelope but because I like nice things and this is how I choose to spend my money. There is pleasure to be had simply in having top gear.

Mike.

[ae]

Zippy, the video returns a file not found 

[zippy8]

Zippy, the video returns a file not found 

Oh you don't know what you're missing 

I'll see about getting it back for the amusement value.

Edit: done.

Mike.

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