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What do you get for your money? Well, you get a well packaged, well made, simple to set up, easy to fly learner kite (L plates are not included). Not only that, but it’s readily stackable. This is a two line kite that is really ideal as an introduction to the sport. How does it fly? To get a decent flight out of the 1.45 you really need wind of at least 10 to 15 mph (minimum). Really the stronger the better. Once launched the kite responds well, being a small kite it is very quick to turn. This tends to result in a hyperactive, exciting and bloody enjoyable flight, with combinations of quick swoops and dives being easy to pull off. Stacking is the easiest thing in the world and provides a little additional pull and makes you’re manoeuvres look and feel even more spectacular. Stacking adds an extra element to the this kite and for very little outlay. The only problem I had with stacking was my inability to solo launch – which is most likely my own fault. The downside of performance occurs in gusty conditions. The light makeup of the kite frequently results in it collapsing in on itself. This tends to happen regardless of the strength of the wind. This is quite frustrating, especially when trying to launch solo and the kite is continually collapsing on itself. A minor remedy for this issue is to remove the black lines that run through the kite for stacking, although I am unsure if this really helped or if it was more of a placebo. Conclusion ? This is a great value for money entry kite, which is fun to fly and easy enough to learn with. I initially got this kite so that my wife could learn to fly without being scared out of her wits or be forced to eat sand. She has enjoyed using it and is becoming less fearful of some of our bigger beasts. The thing I really love about this kite is that due to it’s small size and packaging it is extremely portable and is so quick to set up that you can take it and use it almost anywhere. Would I recommend it – yes, for that price it’s hard to fault Author : squiball

Hello all, I am writing a review on my Radsail R1 mountain board, as you may know the R1 range underwent a design change and 3 emerged from it, the R1, R2 AND R3. Now I bought the R1 because it doesn't weigh much, and its fairly cheap and since I was only a beginner I didn't want to spend too much. Know build quality, I was a bit put down on the quality, the paint work for one is not top class, in fact it could be described as Very poor, but from at distance at least it looks alright. The deck is made from solid maple which for the more experienced boarder or someone who has a Blade or something with the same lift, will not be good because there isn't much flex at all, It would be perfectly fine with a de power kite, which floats about everywhere, but I honestly, the R1 wouldn't survive a fall of more than 6 or 7 feet coming down hard, it just doesn't have the flex. The bindings, now at first I wasn't to keen on bindings like the ones on the R1, but to be honest there not bad, the only issue I have is that they are a little too twisty, I tighten up one of the bolts on one binding and leave the other fairly loose so I don't break my ankles but even though the tightened bolts where very tight, they kept slipping, and that made holding on to the board harder. The grips, The new boards have had a change of grip, instead of the common rubber grip, they used sandpaper and I am perfectly pleased with it, its just as 'grippy' as the rubber ones, if not more. Issues, Although they grip brilliantly, the sand paper will have to be replaced every 6 or 7 months depending on how rough you are with it, if your like me and don't use it too much then they should last at least a year and shouldn't be too hard to replace. One more thing, Radsail say they are easier to clean than conventional rubber grips but they aren't, the mud sticks to it very hard and just wont come off. One more thing and then im wrapping this up, there is no grab handle for mid air advanced tricks, which can be a big issue! In conclusion, the Radsail R1 is the perfect board for a beginner but when you creep into intermediate you may find you need a more flexible board. Value for money, it is only 90 pounds and is very cheap for the performance it gives. Thanks for reading, Peety By : Peety

well ive had this afew months now and its still goin well have been no injuries to kite or me. it was my first kite of this nature and it was great for a first kite and i still use it for my high wind kite when my beamer has me 6ft into the air without me expecting it ( im only a small guy) the packaging i thought the rucksack looked abit big and non-proffesional but you get round it. also the quality of the bag was very bad, because i found that the elastic on the front stretched out and wouldnt go back to its original length, and that within the first few weeks the zip to the front pocket had broken though the main zip works well. An upside to the size is that you can fit a ukulele into the bag. the quality overall its alright but the lines didnt feel that strong but they have held nicely. Although saying this the fabric of the actual kite its self is very good. the looks i think its a good looking kite with the white background and light blue strips i think it works well with the shape that it has (quite thin and long depending on the size). I have also come to the opinion it looks quite graceful in a high wind when its handeling is best the setup i soon found that the control lines were too long which i had to spend a which l had to spend a while sorting out which wasnt so fun but after i did it made such a huge difference to how the kite felt when holding handles, other than this minor problem the rest has been sweet as. the flying part it has problems with launching, in that in a low wind its assent is very slow, even in high winds its not particularly fast and takes some manouvering so that it will go up, because it seems to go through phases of slow and fast as it climbs, it does the same when flying.i have found that it has various power "bands" which makes it quite difficult to predict when actually flying so not hugely great for absolute beginners ( my dad has an ancient 6ft flexifoil so i had some experience on stubborn kites) but once you have got the nack for it its a great kite that can be turned on a pin if you need to (applying an amount of brake) so a good kite which is deffinately worth the money paid for it, but i wouldnt pay much more than i did (£110) By : shinpa

Radsail 145 Specification: Wingspans 145cm, Height 50cm, Nylon rip stop sail. Content: Kite, Lines, Straps, Instruction booklet, Sticker & Plastic bag. Story: I use to kite as a kid every autumn on empty fields after crop has been cut (happy days).My kite was this massive stunt blue block with two wings operating on 2 lines. This was serious workout for kid. So here I gain a great respect for the element. -couple months back on my way to gym I have spot a sail in air. It grasps my attention immediately so when I got back home I did a little old fashioned search on net. After opening Google and typing kite I got multiple options and found lost world (to my) of kiting. After browsing & reading various pages I got to point that I have to try it again. It was fun then, it may be still now. So without any serious budget I brought Radsail 145. It was like waiting for Santa to come and then 3 days later arrived in office. I have opened the package immediately & unfold kite on my desk. There it was stripy wonder. I have doubts about its power but this is just learner or refresher and can be past on others. At least that was the idea. First Flight: Saturday, girlfriend is off the work and there is nothing else to do. I?m ready to go. I have read the instruction couple times so it?s natural just go for it. Set up, pull and there he goes, crash. That was really quick. So again set up, pull and this time no surprise there it is on sky airborne. Little wonder. Its quite fun, be honest its small so is really quick off course depending on the wind. It was great because I fly this in quite a wind. It gave a little pull and also a bit of workout. Only one think is bit odd and that it?s better if u have someone to set up kite. This is just two liners so its difficult to get up once is on ground crashed or whatever. Very easy to fly, enjoyable almost in any wind condition but it has to blow a bit; otherwise it will fold on its self. Kite: Quite well build, comparison to size and price. Colour scheme is only one version: black, bright green, white. Material seems to be durable and I?m sure this will definitely outlive my needs. There is an option stack this kites on top of each other. That may be great fun but I?m not to tempt to do so. It may create bigger pull but that question of interest. Lines: White with colour coded loops on each end for easy set up. They look rather heavy duty compare the size of kite. Actually in low wind they drag the kite to the ground. Straps: What can I say? They could be nicer or perhaps padded or whatever. Actually they are comfortable inaf and also what will you want for 20 old quid. They serve well. Overall: This is great kite for kids or gift idea. It makes easy to understand and master flying in general. I would say that this is a keeper at least for some time. This kite can be enjoyed in conditions when your power kite is too much to handle. Basically this is opening door to kiting as a whole and you will be more likely to progress further to power kiting or just leave on door step. But I have need for more? By : Lhotrien

After spending a long time reading up on the web I decided that I was going to look for a board that would fit certain criteria 1 Must be able to cope with my weight of 16.5 stone 2 Must be able to be fine tuned 3 Must be able to look nice and not be outgrown quickly 4 Must be able to stay attached to me 5 Must be able to fit my size 13 feet in safely Working with a budget of £200 I was fairly flexible as to which board I could get, I was also looking on eBay for good offers. After trying an Exit board from Argos I decided I would not buy one of those as my toes rubbed on the wheels I was looking at all the brands I could think of, Trampa, MBS, NoSnow, Kheo, Scrub Radsail and so on. I decided to go for Radsail as my kites were also Radsail I forked out the cash of just under £200 and got a brand new Rkb R3 board 2007 model and it looked lovely, The Board itself is nice looking with odd but acceptable city scape artwork on it. Very springy and can bottom out if I jump up and down on the spot, It rides well and flat with no sagging, most important for me it doesn't feel like a diving board. It doesn't come with a handle but I have since bought and fitted without any problems a Maui Magic Mystic foam grab handle that cost me under a tenner Channel trucks giving me the adjustment needed, I found that the egg shocks that came with the board were on the soft side making me look like Elvis at 15+mph, I have since changed them to the hard Scrub ones and I ride fine at speed now with no loss of steering control. They have been through rather deep slat water and have had no end of sand thrown at them now since December and there still as good as new, with no signs of rust on the springs. Wheels are quality as well with good grip on the tyres and reasonable bearings still holding out to the abuse I am giving them. I'm not sure how long the bearings would last if they weren't looked after by liberal helpings of silicone spray lube. Easy enough to replace the bearings so not overly worried, the wheels also fitted well on the axle without a need for washers although there is room for some really thin ones if you want no side play at all. Straps are ratchet bindings instead of Velcro so a lot easier to adjust quickly. I could also adjust my stance slightly on the board as the brackets holding the straps have long elongated bolt holes. The padding on the straps is soft enough not to cause discomfort and grippy enough not to have your feet sliding out unless you want them to. I still have them set slightly loose for those blustery days. Overall opinion of the board. A well priced board for beginner up to expert with all the trimmings you would want apart from the all important handle. At home on land or on the beach with positive feedback from the tyres on grass or sand, even gravel. rides over lumps and bumps very well and responds well to the input of the rider. A great kite board or dh mountain board that I would compare closely with the scrub Paradox, Marks out of 10 I would give it 8/10 Good points - Great at speed - Jumping, turning and abusing all within its stride - Perfect for beginners, and experts. - Inspires confidence Bad points - No grab handle - Soft shocks - Rubbish glue holding the very good grips pealing up slightly as the rubber has come unglued * Full Colour graphics * 90cm Maple and fibreglass reinforced deck giving medium flex but good strength. * Multi position Alloy Channel Trucks with eggs * 8 inch Diamond tread tyres. * Rubber Deck Grip * Stainless steel bolts * Ratchet bindings * Overall Length: 115cm * Weight: 7.5kg By : Teaman

Ok i've had this kite nearly a year now so about time that i did a review so here goes. This was my first power kite and as such didnt want to spend the big bucks on a blade untill i knew i liked the sport. That being said I was very happy with the kite when i first unpacked it. Build was good and i really like the line winding system, it allows me to have the kite up and in the air in mins. When i bought it the guy in the shop told me to wait for less windy day!!! As if that was going to happen!! It took about 15 mins to set eveything up(first time and all). I slowly pulled on the lines and it lifted off with ease. after a few mins getting to know the kite i started to get adventurous and quickly found the power zone!!! WOW It does not matter how many people tell you that power kites are powerful you do not really know wot they mean till you try one. All in all i was very happy with the first flight. My friend had so much fun that he went to buy one two days later. I love this kite. I has a lot of lift and can pick me up in the right winds( im 16 stone by the way) and is loads of fun to scud with. I have since flown my friends beamer2 3.6 which is good fun as well but more sutied to bugging i think. as it pulls more than the radsail but has nowhere near as much lift. But that being said i have used the radsail to buggy with and it worcks fine. It does tend to overfly when you try to parkit over head and does need a bit more wind than say the beamer3.6 but all in all this is a great kite for anyone to get into the sport, and to be honest i would not part with mine. It has given me a few scary moments but thats part of the fun. By : Itchy

I've been using my Radsail 2.4 for a few months now, in most conditions, so I think it's about time I did a review. As my first quad-line kite, I was looking for an entry level, well-built kite that wouldn't break the bank or my neck. I'd already bought a Radsail 145 on ebay, so I returned to the dreaded auction site and parted with just shy of £50 for my new toy. Despite the best efforts of the delivery company, the kite arrived safely from Germany, a short week-and-a-half later. The Basics The Rad comes with its own little two-compartment rucksack - fairly basic and not very big, with that slightly pointless modern rucksack essential of bungee criss-crossing across the front. It also has two very small mesh pouches on the sides - I'm still not sure what these are supposed to be for. Its one redeeming feature is the heavy-duty mesh patch in the base of the bag. This allows sand and moisture to drain out, without you losing your keys or any other small bits you may have in the bag's main pouch. Unfortunately, if you leave the bag lying on the beach, the mesh allows the wind to blow a copious amount of sand into the bag - as I discovered the first time I took it out. The handles supplied with the rad are very unpleasant - at first glance, they look fine, but as soon as you use them you know they are awful. Like the bag, I ditched them very quickly! The handles are smoothly finished aluminium. They have thick, squishy foam padding (one red, one black) which is simply stuck to the metal. I had the distinct impression that the foam would peel off with extended use. The foam stops at the power line leader, which means if you want to fly with your index finger above the leader (who doesn't?) you will get a very cold finger very quickly! As well as this, the leaders are very thick cord - almost rope in fact - and they pass through a small plastic tube through the body of the handle (perhaps to prevent the cord chafing on bare metal?) which protruded slightly from my handles. Together with cold metal and unpadded cord, this little plastic protrusion made flying with the Radsail handles a distinctly painful experience for the fingers. The leaders end in a short length at the back of the handles, with a simple knot, so it would be possible to attach a strop line. There are no staking loops though. The lines came on two winders - power and brake. The lines are all white pre-stretched Dyneema, with a texture that I can only call plastic cheese-wire. The sleeves are all different colours (none of them logical!), and simply knotted on for easy adjustment. Which is just as well, because no two of my lines were the same length, and the brake lines were about a foot shorter than the power lines. After my initial adjustments, the lines have not needed any further tinkering, and I have had no breakages or fraying. The kite does not come with kitekillers or a stake, but does include a sticker (wow!), a promotional DVD, and instructions. The instruction leaflet is actually not bad, with the basics of setup, launching, steering, landing, and the wind window as well as an indication of which kites in the radsail range can be used in which winds. It also includes the usual list of "do not fly next to..." which for a complete beginner is pretty essential. The Kite Finally, on to the kite itself. Made from ripstop nylon with reinforced edges, it seems fairly bombproof - mine has withstood crashes under full power into hard sand, grass, mud, you name it - with only some grubby marks to show for it. All seams are straight and secure. The cells are all open along the leading edge, so any invading sand or grass is easily shake-out-able. It is, however, rather heavy for such a small kite, and rather absorbent. If you land in a puddle be prepared for a very sluggish unhappy kite. The bridle lines are all white, very thick and heavy in comparison to others, and simply knotted. They are prone to occasional twists and tangles, and the lack of colour-coding makes them difficult to sort out, especially if the wind is trying to keep them tangled and whip the kite around while you're trying to untangle them enough to fly. The fact that they meet in the middle does not help the inexperienced untangler. In The Air Putting it all together, the rad will sit happily on its backside while staked. In high winds it has a tendency to bounce, and may attempt to reverse-launch itself if it flips over, so a well-placed bottle of water or other ballast will keep it secure while you stop for a break. Launching is a simple step backwards on the power lines, with a nice easy trip up to the zenith. The kite will pull hard through the power zone, then relax as it approaches zenith. In lighter winds it may be necessary to "see-saw" the kite gently through the launch. In flight, the radsail 2.4 does what you tell it to. Keep it high for some gentle sweeping motions and loops with little pull and no lift, or drop it lower for big powered-up swoops and turns. With a little brake input, the turns are tighter, but too much and the kite loses all momentum. On light wind days, for the rad to fly at all you have to keep it moving constantly. If the wind drops or you apply too much brake, the kite will fall, so keep it well-inflated and always moving. A fun kite to fly in moderate winds, the rad really puts the boot in on high wind days. For traction, I would put its optimum wind range at 15-20mph once you are confident with it. Less than that, you won't move very far or fast, but at higher windspeeds it gets very dangerous, particularly for beginners. The rad does not absorb gusts at all due to its small size, and will jerk and wobble in the air. Similarly, it responds to sudden lulls by losing power instantly. Smooth air is a must for this kite. Landing is trickier than launching, especially in higher winds - for a smooth, controlled landing be ready to "play" the handles and put the brakes on hard, as the kite will try its best to stay in the air. Mine has been known to fold up, then suddenly power up sideways and go into a spin. I often switch my grip lower on the handles for landing, as the kite will pull very hard on the way down through the power zone, and by the time I'm ready to land I'm usually already tired. Most times when I've been overpowered by this kite has been during landing. If I'm very tired, or the kite is threatening to go out of control completely, I either abort the landing and allow the kite to return to zenith before trying again, or simply deploy my kitekillers. Better to let go in a controlled manner than wait until I'm being dragged through the mud. I do not encourage use of kitekillers as a kite-landing measure, however. They are a safety device for use in emergencies. It is very important to learn to land your kite safely in a controlled manner in all conditions. The Final Word The Radsail 2.4 is a traction kite for beginners on a budget. Its bombproof construction lets it withstand all the crashes and general abuse a beginner will inflict on it, while its low pricetag (which is reflected in its performance) ensures its status as an entry-level kite. For the intermediate flyer, the rad is a cheap high-wind traction engine. No match for Busters, Beamers, or Bullets, but will pull a buggy no problem, while generating next to no lift. For an advanced flyer - it's not worth looking at. By : anneski

I bought this kite for my son, well sort of. I don’t have a traction kite yet and thought this would be a good way to introduce us both, and get an idea of the pulling power of these kites without breaking any bones. We fly kites quite often, he had a few inexpensive stunt kites (the ones you can often fined in garden centres) but they loose their appeal. He's been flying these for a while but was rapidly growing out of them. We were always accompanied by other kite flyers with para foils, trouble is they were too big for him, so, I did a little digging and found the Radsail 1.45 for 20 quid, which I thought was an excellent price for a start into power kiting for a 12 year old. I'm trying to convince him that kiting is cool…which it is – till you see somebody else go scudding on their elbows in front of an amused crowd of onlookers... Anyway – review. The kite comes in a small bag with both lines on a single winder, I set the lines out, not the same length, adjusted them and off we went. The nylon material of the kite looks quite flimsy but after countless erm – high speed landings, seems to be holding up very well. I can't really comment on how it compares to other but for the money it's just fine. The kite launches easily and gets to the zenith really quickly. It turns easily and generates a surprising amount of pull in a strong wind. We found that the best way for my son to control it was for him to be kneeling; he has a habit of walking forward when it starts to pull. He was pulled over a number of times, something he finds hilarious – and now wants a bigger kite. Since we’ve been flying it the lines have stretched a tad so a little more adjustment was needed. I think this is a great kite as an introduction for a junior; they are inexpensive and give you a good idea of the potentials of the larger kites. If your offspring decides it’s not for him/her, then it’s only cost you a small amount. I’ve yet to invest in a traction kite for myself but the next few months will see me the proud owner of a 2.4 or 3.0 something or other! Cant wait! Suggestions anybody?

ok where to begin? well i guess im talking to three main types of people here excluding of course those sadoes that read every review while they wait for their microwave meal to ping. anyway the three would be: the experienced flyer that is looking for a high wind kite without breaking the bank the small or light weight flyer looking for a traction engine and the complete beginer looking for the first kite and aiming small for saftey. ok to break tradition im going to give you a quick summary at the top of this review instead of the end. i mean why put the summary at the end, youve just herd the whole story surley the summery should be at the start for those impatient people that cant be arsed to read the whole text, ok if you cant be arsed to read through to the end then here it is experienced fliers if its high wind thrills you seek at low cost and your smallest kite is 4m then buy one of these but dont use the lines it comes with. use lines from a larger kite becouse these cotten like lines aint up to much. if your smallest kite is around 6m then buy a 4m dont wast your time here. if you are small or skinny then blow me this is the kite for you because in a good wind this thing can pull my 16.5 stone fat arse along the beach at break neck speed so your meek behind will storm a hundred minutes faster than it would take you to say waldorf salad if you are a small or young beginner then you are in the right area but please seek advice to your weight and sise and get some instruction before you buy but yes this kite will suit you. however if you are a big bloke looking to get into kiting buy a bigger kite and take it out in light wind because after a few flights this thing will bore you. so having baught one which of the above am i ...well none actually i am the experienced flyer that is trying to get his missus involved in the sport so she wont begrudge the time i spend at the beach and so, wasted 90 quid on a kite i will never need and that she will only fly to keep me happy. still cheaper than a month at relate i suppose . so here it is the 2.4 radsail package actually very impressive kite lines, winders, stickers, info, a dvd, handles, and on a sturdy bag, much better than the old pre 2005 bags. i was very happy with it and suprised at the sise for a 2.5 i kind of wished it was mine. setup peice or cake. however the kite needs no adjustment a quick larks head and you are off. within minutes you will be flying this kite round the window and shouting over to your wife "look honey look how much fun it is" while she sunbathes. handling could your wife handle this kite? well yes if she could be arsed she could, and if she cant you can get your 13 year old sun to fly it and pretend you bought it for him instead scoring loads of dad points. i personally found it to fly very smooth and stable and when the wind picks up boy can it pull, just be careful of the lines it comes with they are crap. seriously this is a nice little kite and it will suprise you as to its power without ever becoming uncontrolable the more i tried to convince my wife it was fun the more i found it was conclusion i love it, its cheap but very useable a must for any kite bag and a good introduction to the sport though not an all rounder if you are buying one kite buy a bigger one unbelieveable value for money very sturdy, will last for ever. By : DNash

* I just purchased a Radsail 2.4m as my first traction kite and ive gotta say im lovin it. I got it on ebay for £60 so im well chuffed! * My friend has got a flexifoil bullet kite which i have tried a few times and have found quite difficult to handle, assumably this is for a more advanced user. The radsail is much easier. Ive only so far taken it out in light to moderate winds but have still managed to skud a few metres with it, so am looking forward to the wind picking up a bit so i can test my basic skills out fully. * As for the construction of the kite, i have nothing to really compare it to as it is my first kite. However the fabric seems pretty good and is deffinatly strong enough to take the sand crashes that its had to endure due to my inexperience. The lines are as far, as i can tell, perfectly matched in length, although compared to other kites ive seen on the beach, they do seem to be pretty long. The handles are really comfy (aluminium, with nice foamy padded grips) and seem to be shaped nicely, making the brake lines easy to control for really smooth landings. * The kite comes in in a pretty smart back pack which is the same colours as the kite and includes; a radsail demo DVD (wowing me with the potential of these kites), the things to wrap the lines round (which i find a kinda long and labourious process), some vague instructions, a sticker and some prome leaflets. * The only drawbacks that i can see to this kite are firstly, the instructions are very vague which, along with the lines not being colour coded made my first set up quite a tough task. And secondly the things to wind the lines onto are pretty tricky and take quite a while to do. So my next job is to find out a way to wrap the lines round the handles. * All in all though i can say that i love the kite to bits, maybe because its really a great kite, or maybe because im an easily pleased novice who has never had a kite before so dont know what to look for, but one thing is for certain, this kite has got me hooked. I would be really be interested to hear some experienced kiters views of my review and any handy hints that they might be able to offer me. By : 2shy

This summer I was in Dorset on holiday and I came across a park where there were dozens of people flying kites!! The only flying I have ever done is with a bit of plastic with "sponge bob square pants" on it and a single line with the kids. Having seen all these kites flying together I really wanted to have a go but not knowing anyone with a kite meant that I had to buy my own. As I knew very little about the sport, I didn't want to part with a huge amount of cash for a kite that would sit in the shed. I decided on a Radsail 2.4 after reading other reviews on this site. The kite comes in it's own bag (quality is ok and will do for now but i can't see it lasting very long). In the bag you get everything you need to go straight away...quad handles, lines and of course the kite itself. The handles are not bad and the lines are more than ok for most winds. I was really impressed by the quality of the kite itself, the stitching is very good and the material (which i am not sure what the type is) is good quality all for only 55 quid!! Setting up the kite took a few minutes following the guide on this site and the kite was in the air really quickly. Unfortunately i was quite unimpressed...trying to keep it in the air impossible...there was a fair amount of wind but the area i had chosen meant it swirled and gusted and the kite refused to stay up. After a change of venue and a bit more wind on another day I can say that i can't fault it. As a complete novice i didn't think that on only my second time out i would be able to put the kite anywhere i wanted, figure 8's, reverse launches, jumping..the lot. With stronger lines the kite (with enough wind) will easily pull a board or buggy. I highly recommend this kite. Excellent quality for the price. I can't wait for the Radsail Pro 4.0 i'm getting for christmas..if it's the same quality as the 2.4, I won't go far wrong. By : bazootoo

I bought this kite as it was on special when I bought the radsail buggy (review to come) so I wasnt expecting much from a 2.4m kite. My first impressions were good, I hadn't bought a kite in 5 years so I don't really know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what arrived. The rucksack was good quality, and when I unpacked it in the kitchen I thought overall great quality... things have obviously changed a bit! I wasn't expecting much from flying it so it sat in the back of the car for a couple of weeks after it initial flight in quite light winds. I found it responsive and easy and thought "well that's a kite I can let friends play with" until I went out in gusty 25mph + conditions. WHAT A REVELATION!!! After being bitch slapped by my beamer I got this out and what a revelation... I was buggying with a 2.4 kite!!! It pulled well, was incredibly predictable and did absolutely everything I asked of it... WELL! I couldnt beleive I had been having problems even getting going with my 5m Peel and here I was flying round with a big s*@t eating grin absolutely ragging down the beach on what I had thought was going to be "a crappy little kite for friends to play with so the Beamer doesn't hurt them!" In conclusion I have to say I absolutely love this little gem of a kite, and am seriously thinking about buying the 5m Radsail Pro! I am a buggier and occasional boarder and it does me fine in the buggy on windier days (Im 13.5 stone) and it does it well. Its a bargain at 60 notes and the quality is great. Its a great great addition to anyone's quiver. By : BlindJP

I have a 1.4 that I got a week ago as a trainer kite. The price can't be beat. Anyways I was pleased with the way it came packaged in a nice neat little pouch. Instructions are terrible, but not really essential even for a complete newbie like me... I learned enough doing basic on line research to fly it. I was disappointed in how well (poorly) it flew in lighter winds. Constantly luffing, crumpling up, lackluster speed, poor response etc. Also when I flew it in higher winds the bridle line attachment loop (same material as the stacking lines broke twice. I replaced it with a 100 lb sleeveed spectra loop. and had no more problems even when it was pulling me off balance in 25-30 knot winds. However I was able to largely cure these problems with a few simple steps... First replace the lines with lighter ones... Like 100lb (50kg) sprectra ones. This helps it get off the ground in light winds and improves response to control inputs. Second remove the stacking lines if you aren't stacking this kite, and if you are consider replacing with heavy duty spectra bits. (see comment above about breaking the loops). Removing the stackers helps the kite fly due to less drag and weight. Finally to improve stability shorten the very end lines on the bridle. These lines which attach to the cloth triangles on each end. Shortening them up improves the stability and reduces the tendency to collapse/luff and wad up. Now you can reliably fly it to the edge of the window without it turning into a bag of washing. It also slightly reduces the power of the kite in high winds.... Try different lengths. I find a small figure 8 knot with about a 3/4" (1.5cm) loop works best. In higher winds its less of an issue and if you don't want the reduced power effects you can undo the knots and let it out. Overall a fun and very fast kite in higher winds. Certainly enough to get me hooked. I want more! By : Rapt

the eolo radsail is a recommended kite for the cheapness. ive had mine for nearly a year now and there not many bad things i can say about it. the material on this kite isnt very good quality, but when in flight it still doesnt sound like a binbag on string. the bridles are satifactory but tangle very easily. I bought this kite off ebay for a £110 and bigger sizes arent much darer. the bad thing about this kite is that its not a very good kite in gusty conditions and it has pulled my on my ass in the past. the lines what you get with the kite are prattically rubbish as they tangle very easy, but the handles are reasonably comfy. this kite has quite alot of lift in windy condition and a fare bit of traction. the bag is poor quality but im not bothered about the rucksack for the amount of money i payed. the bag has to compartments, it has a farely bit compartment to put the kite into and a samller compartment to put your bits and bobs into. But overall i would give this a kite a 5 out 10. ben: age 12 By : benmyster

Review of the Eolo Radsail 1.45m Power Kite, new 2005 design. This item was placed on order on Friday 21/05/2005 from www.skyblueleisure.co.uk ONLY £19.99!! 1st Post this morning the Kite has arrived and it looks great! The kite is packet into a plastic fronted rip stop bad with a Velcro seal at the top making it easy to get the kite in & out of the bag. Contents of the bag are: 1x Kite 1x Sticker 1x Instruction Book 1x Advert Book (Other Models of Kite) 2x Kite Lines & Spool 2x Hand Straps "About an inch wide and just over 17cm long ". The instructions are in many languages and has been translated, So some parts do not make as much sense but the good pictures do make up for this. The design of the Eolo Radsail 145 is very good I thought for a £20 kite, the stitching is very neat and tidy and the kite its self is made from Rip-Stop Nylon. The kite lines are made from thin nylon cord and have black & red ends, But they do look a bit on the thin side but I am sure these have been tested and are quite suitable for this power of kite. The lines come on a black line winder that makes it very easy and neat to tidy away. The Flight Test: 23mph Winds The un-packing went very well and the kite setup was very easy however I noticed that the black line was about 1 foot longer than the red, This adjusted I started my 1st attempt at ever flying a power kite. The kite was held upright on the ground by a mate, Thanks Leigh! I pulled both of the lines and WOOOOOSH. The kite sawed up over my head with such a pull and hovered there until I was brave enough to pull on the right line very slightly; the kite was very responsive and moved VERY quickly with just the slightest of movement from the handles. I tried a few stunts and turns etc and went great, Moving the kite from side to side generated enormous pull. All in all I think this is a great starter kite, As it not too big and is easy to handle in winds of up to 25mph, The sensitivity however was not to my liking as a beginner I would have liked something a little less responsive just until I got the hang of things but this is something I will have to get used to. Fantastic kite and I am very happy to have it and will be going out again tomorrow if the winds die down a bit. I hope this has been of help to a few people who are looking to buy this kite as a beginner and if you have any questions please e-mail me stevehomer@dsl.pipex.com By : m0kqu

Having received a 3m radsail for Xmas, I was keen to have a go. I am a kite novice and so didn't really know what to expect (my only experience is a couple of goes with someone's 2.5m Flexifoil Bullet. I have recently returned from my first outing with the kite and must say I'm delighted. I have now had one full afternoon with it in winds of around 15-20mph on top of the Sussex downs and have the following comments about it. QUALITY I don't have a lot to compare to. I would say that the bullet I've had a go with seems a bit better put together but for my use that's not really an issue. All the lines seemed to go where they were supposed to fairly easily and nothing (except the zip on the bag supplied with it) has fallen apart yet. VALUE FOR MONEY Seems really good compared to other products. The kite is really good fun and far less money than similarly sized and featured kits from other manufacturers. Perhaps time will tell me that there's a good reason for this but right now I can't imagine paying an extra hundred or more pounds for something that does the same job. POWER way hey! It pulls strongly but fairly flat. I would imagine that it would be good for boarding in the right wind, but I need to improve my flying skills before I can put this to the test. Had lots of fun doing a few jumps and generally playing around with it. Me and my friends ended up on our arses, faces and various other bits but having loads of fun (yes we're in our mid thirties, honest!) STABILITY It's really not hard to fly at all. Seems to be happy to sit up high in the wind window for as long as you want. Also happy to race around and pull like crazy if you so desire. Given that I've only been out with it once, I was impressed by the extent to which my friends and I could get to grips with it. This kite seems a lot easier to handle than a smaller Radsail that I also have (1.4m and rather nippy). EASE OF SETUP No issues here. Next time could be interesting as I packed it away in a hurry (the kids needed the toilet so I had to dash to the pub) and in fairly gusty wind. However, if I can get it rigged up correctly anyone can. On its miaden flight, it only took about 5-10 mins to get flying straight out of the bag. OVERALL RECOMMENDATION It's great. I am looking forward to heading out with it again real soon. By : ranthony