Peter Lynn Phantom 12M & 15M

We bought a set of the Phantoms pretty much as soon as they were launched, we started with the 12 and 15 metre versions and added the 6/9/18 metre versions over the next couple of months.

This is a short look at the 12 metre ... my personal favorite kite!!

The Peter Lynn statistics for this kite are..(for land use) Wind range 10 to 25(ish) Knots, an aspect ratio of 6.5 and a projected are of 7.6 metres.

This equates to LOADS of smiles and a lovely kite to use.

the Phantom is another of the Peter Lynn twinskins.... a long and venerable line of kites that have evolved over the last few years.... the phantom is the first sold specifically for land-boarding.

Ok... you get back from work and there it is, the kite you ordered just the other day.... what do you get?

A really well made rucksack with a nice phantom logo jumps straight out at you.. this unzips around the base allowing the kite to be carried with Spars till inserted... or... to carry more than just a kite in the bag.

Mine has had 3 kites, snacks for the day, cameras and pads all in the one pack. The external straps are there to hold two bars and lines and you can strap a board to it as well.

Getting inside the pack you will find a clear bag with the folding spars in... take this opportunity to gently chamfer the edges of the spars, then seal them with a smear of clear nail varnish... if you don't LONG and painful carbon fibre splinters feature highly in your future!! I bought mine Ready to fly... this means I got a natty Peter Lynn bar and line set too. I opted for the "old" style bar rather than the Zero 4 bar... just feels happier in my hands, no other reason. Once the lines are on the bar and the safety ring system is fitted you are ready for the first unrolling of the lilo of fun!

At this point I should say.. THIS is where people get all whiney about Arc kites "they take ages to set up" "They are hard to launch!", "they are hard to land!".... ALL of this is true to start with, but untrue after just a short acclimatisation period.

The Phantom varies from earlier Arcs in having an adjustable interior strap... this changes the attitude and tension of the arc shape giving more or less power/depower and gust handling depending on it's postion... we have taken to leaving it alone and just setting it in the middle... there are so many other variables that can affect it we choose not to fanny about with it too much.

It has also been said that the Peter Lynn product isn't made to the same exacting standards as say... Ozone or Flysurfer. Superficially this is true... there is no double taping or hidden seams, some of the stitching can look a little "haphazard" and sometimes the seams look "wrong".

WAIT until you tree your kite, or it lands on a tin can, or a dog gets it.. or any one of the zillions of things that can damage our favorite toys....repairs are VERY easy to do yourself OR cheap to get done by a sail maker/kite repair loft for just these reasons... I like that in a kite, I know that panels will be unpicked and new ones stitched in and my Phantom will still work as well as, and look as good as everyone Else's!!

Set up of the Phantom is just like the video says!!

BEWARE though the under inflated kite!! It does need to be quite well inflated to take off well and not "clap" its tips and fall back to earth.

We launch on maximum depower, hooked in with a hand ready to go for the (superb) safety system if required... just float i above your head and let it finish filling up... Once it is ready, and it is VERY obvious when that is, simply get on your board and go play!!

I should point out here that I am desperately poo at landboarding... but I love it and continue practising... My son on the other hand is doing ALL sorts of wondrous tricks with my kites (so I know it's me not the toys fault!)

When we got the Phantoms He was doing a few jumps and progressing well on his Frenzy (see my earlier review) He started using the Phantoms and came on in leaps and bounds... he is doing huge rotations, unhooked moves, foot outs and getting amazing air time with the Arcs!

I injured myself wake boarding shortly after getting the Phantoms.. As I have felt able to start landboarding again the 12m Phantom has helped me every step of the way, it is so confidence inspiring it is untrue We fly in a very gusty spot and the Phantom is in the air when others can only dream of flying!!

NO luffing or over flying... if it does over fly there is no drama, just wait while it comes gently back around you.... very different behavior to some kites.

Static flying isn't really what these kites are about.. you can just play with them but really, it is wasting the kites potential. Static jumps? Oh yes... just send the kite up to 12 o'clock fro 9 or three and hold on, the sheer speed of the kite will take you up, help it along with a teak of the bar and a straightening of the knees and you can choose how high you go!!

My direct boarding experience of the kite has been on beach and grass and in winds from 10mph upto 25mph... it has never been anything other than a totally intuitive kite to fly, it tells you when to give the bar a tweak to speed the kite up or slow it down, whether to sine it to generate power or just leave it pulling like a train at two o'clock.

This is something to behold!

Set the kite and let apparent wind take effect.... you really believe that it will just accelerate forever!! AWESOME! After flying an Arc for a while you will judge stability in a whole new way, you can have a sandwich, nip for a wee, have a quick lie down, all without having to land the lilo!!

I have mentioned the safety system a few times now, perhaps I should round off my review with this and landing the beast.

If it all gets a bit much and you need to have the kite depowered and on the floor, simply pull the red strap on the chicken loop.... the kite goes onto just one line as the bar shoots up toward the kite (DO remember to let go of the bar when activating the safety!!) the power goes instantly and the worst you will have to deal with is some twisted lines... to get to your kite just keep tension on the safety line and it will stay on the floor, no sudden re-powers and bouncing around!!

As you may have gathered, I am quite a fan of the Arc, Phantoms in particular, and will continue with then for the foreseeable future!

I do still have bridled foils, just not many of them!!

By : adamski