I have been lucky enough to buy this kite brand new with a really big discount. Originally the kite cost around £850 brand new RTF. A lot of money as you know. However, the kite is hand made in France so considering that other kites are a bit cheaper and all made in China/Asia where the labor cost is much cheaper, you finally think that this is a really good deal for this price considering that you will be able to fly it for a few years if you look after it. The kite RTF comes in a really simple stuff bag with a compression strap, a bar with 25m lines waxed, stretched and packed in a nice zip bag.

The first thing that you will notice the first time that you unfold the kite is how big it is, then you will wonder how you will manage to fold it back in such a small bag! Actually, this is piece of cake this is even easier than packing a frenzy (in my opinion thought) the reason being that the Kevlar trailing edge make it really easy when folding the kite as you use it as a support when folding the kite. Construction: I would say that the construction is just spotless, I would not even be able to do any bad comment, I still have not found anything bad as regard it. Lines are stitched, the pulleys are the same pulley used on paraglider which mean that they are really light and will not fail while you have got the kite as they have got to answer some strength criteria! The leading edge is covered with gaze so that fresh snow just can not stuck itself in the cells. Flying the kite mainly on land now a day (grass/sand) I have not had any problem yet, but did not crashed it badly neither! As regard the kite in general, this is just the light wind monster. I fly it either on 25m or 35m lines according to the wind speed. I am able to fly the kite without any problem from 7/8 knots if the wind is regular on 35 m lines and can hold it up to 20 knots in regular wind on 25m lines.

Of course as you can expect you will not be able to jump before a 12 knots (I am 85 kilos) but will have a lot of fun sailing around and doing power slides, manuals and other ollies and transitions. This kite in my opinion is reserved for its size to experienced rider as you will have to pilot it in order to use is potential as much as possible especially in low winds as you will have to generate power to start moving. A kite of this size being quiet slow compared to smaller size will require a lot of anticipation that skilled flyers will only have. But once you know how to do this, you will just having wonderful days at your local when nobody can fly!

In winds from 12 knots, the Hybrid Ultra Core 12m start to generate an incredible amount of power and speed. I am basically impressed. Compared with my 9.5m frenzy 04 which flies on a 65 cm bar, my 12m Hybrid Ultra Core goes faster on a 55 cm bar. This kite would just be the perfect weapon for free riding hills in light to moderates winds. This is just incredible how confident you feel even thought the kite is a beast of power. The bar pressure is not as light as on smaller size kite but you are still able to hold it in one hand comfortably and grab the board whilst in the air! Jumping with this kite does require a few go as you will find that you need a different approach compared to other foil or inflatable kites. I have found that heading upwind as much as possible and then sending the kite opposite your direction and sending it back in top of your head as soon as you feel the full power was the best things to do to get some air! Once in the air just start to send the kite slowly as it is a big size and just feel how floatty it is! I really understand why some of the Air Evolution guys use there kites as gliders!

To conclude, if you can afford to buy one of those, just go for it, but keep in mind that you will need a lot of experience to fly a 12m and that you might not like flying it at all considering that it is an advanced rider kite only! So make sure that you fly one before as you would do with any other kites! Note that this kite is not a gusty wind kite at all because of its size.