U-Turn Oxigen Pro 4M

Having started my buggy career with a 2.1 and 4.5 Little Devil I eventually found them a tad slow, it took a while and I learnt alot flying them but I started to look for something a bit faster. Not just faster but more agile.

I eventually bought a 5m and 7.8m Oxigen standard and had great fun flying them but soon realised that their design didn't work so well in the heavier fabric and bridle offered in the standard model. What made me realise this?

Buying the 4m Pro.

The difference between the two models lies solely in the materials used. The Pro has a lighter, waterproof Porsche Marine fabric and a kevlar as opposed to dyneema bridle (both sleeved). They are identical in dimensions otherwise.

The Oxigen is an 'intermediate' kite, by this I guess we mean its not a race kite like the Razor, Raptor, Century or Nitro - providing major upwind performance but with an uncanny ability to overfly in gusty conditions. It's also not in the same mould as the LD, Samurai, Chimera or Yoz - all kites that are really stable but slower in their performance ( the Yoz turns fast but doesn't penetrate upwind as well - My opinion Yoz owners may differ buit I have flown one or two, well two actually).

So how does the OxiPro perform? First impression on launching is of a very stiff kite due to the extensive internal bracing. Once in the air there's no wobbling a la Bullet. It sits nicely and turns really fast on the brakes. This is attributed to the two outer brake bridle points which are attached via a metal ring to the single bridle line. Applying tension causes the wing tip to fold inwards (same as the Mac Bego) in the turn.

The agility of the 3.2 and 4m kites is astounding. They turn on their wingtips. On the up-turn it is essential to hold the kite back or you may overfly, down-turning solves this problem and powered up turns with the Oxigen are major fun!!

The kite requires tension to remain inflated and needs to be kept moving downwind. It responds well to gusts where it just tends to speed up not overfly, however rapid changes in wind velocity can induce luffs but it rarely bowties. This is where its 'intermediate' label rises from. Otherwise it would be perfect but not quite a race winner. This is where the Pro v Standard argument is won, the lighter kite (particularly in the larger sizes) just flys better at the bottom end of its wind range.

For me the kite provides a challenge to get the best out of it but it will also allow you to have a steady day with few surprises in stable winds. Just depends on how you work it and the conditions.

As an aside these kites are well-lifty when at the top end of their wind range, some of my best (arrrgh) jumps have been with the 5m. Overpowered in the buggy has been interesting in the turn but the kites agility has (mainly) prevented OBE's.

I really would recommend these kites to someone not into racing but wanting to get the best speed they can without the 'instability' of a race kite.

By : Chris B