Overview
This kite looks so radical that I just had to get one. Before I get into my review, I hope the following photos will give you a feel for why I wanted to buy one of these kites. The venting is extreme and I was intrigued by the “exhaust pipe” feature.
The Silver Fox Vented
The Exhaust Pipes as viewed from the back of the kite
The Exhaust Pipes as viewed from the front of the kite
The Exhaust pipes – what do they do?
It is difficult to photograph the exgaust pipes properly. The front section of the ‘exhaust pipes’ as viewed from the front of the kite is made from standard mesh fabric as found on many other vented kites. However, the back section (when viewed from the back of the kite) is a fabric tube which inflates in a 3D fashion. The idea is that when the kite is on its back in the fade position the tubes stay inflated. Many vented kites feel sloppy when they are on their backs. The theory is that the inflated tubes give the kite a much more positive feel when it is on its back. They look very inventive and the kite felt very positive and stable when on its back. My flying is nowhere near as competent or advanced as many other flyers using this forum, and it could have been psychological, but I felt the ‘pipes’ did make a difference.
Quality of construction
The whole SF range is very well made. The sail is ripstop polyester (like Icarex) and the frame is a mixture of standard and wrapped carbon spars. The sewing is faultless and even includes features like a stitched fox logo at the top of the sail. I felt this was perhaps a little over the top on the 2.3 SF and the 2.5 UL model where the sail was white and the stitched logo design was not visible in the air. It seems even more over the top on the vented model - black stitching on a black sail! It is a nice touch I guess but perhaps unnecessary. I am being picky here. The kite is very well put together! The only other thing I wonder about is the way the venting has been done. The vented panels are made from ripstop polyester (like Icarex) and then bonded onto a shiny black plastic sheeting before the venting holes have been burnt through. It looks well done, but I wonder how extensively it has been tested by the manufacturers. Will it last over time and be better than standard venting? I have no reason to doubt it. It’s just something new and I suspect it will last well.
The venting
The kite really is at the top end of the quality spectrum. The kite also comes with a heavy duty carry bag.
The kite features everything that a trick flyer would look for in a high end kite. The following are all great features…
Yo-Yo stoppers
Covered leading edges
Adjustable leech line to adjust the sail tension
‘Turbo beads’ bridle system to allow quick conversion between three point and turbo bridle
Pre installed spine weights
Sail reinforced with mylar on the spine, nose and trailing edges to protect against wear during backspins etc
Smooth / flush nose to avoid line catches
The 2.5 SF range features winglets that are not present on the smaller 2.3 model. There is no spar in the wingtip – just a piece of Dacron and mylar reinforcement on the back to keep everything stiff. I’m not sure what effect the winglets have. However, the 2.5 range is definitely more precice (but less nippy) than the smaller 2.3 counterparts.
Flight performance
You can watch a video of the Silver Fox 2.5 Vented in flight on the manufactyurer's website here:
http://www.flyingwingstudio.com/videos/sf/250vtd.wmv
I first tested the kite in medium winds. It flew very nicely but felt quite heavy in the sky. My next flight in quite a strong breeze was superb. The kite was silky smooth and had a great presence at the end of the lines. As the wind ramped up even further I felt it needed air brakes added to slow things down a bit. The kite doesn’t come with any air brakes and it doesn’t really need them – I just personally prefer things to slow down a bit as the wind speed picks up.
I am still learning many tricks by watching the excellent Trick or Treat DVD endlessly. However, I was able to do a full repertoire of fades, yo-yos, axels, cascades etc in heavy winds with this kite. I love it!
It offers good precision with great trick flying ability. As with other kites in the SF range, the SF 2.5 UL comes with the ‘turbo-beads’ system. This essentially allows the flyer to switch between a standard three point bridle and a dynamic bridle by adjusting eight larkshead knots. It takes no more than two minutes to switch between the two bridle options. If I am honest, I couldn’t tell much difference between the two bridle settings on the vented SF.
Availability
You can buy the Silver Fox range at very competitive Sterling prices from a limited range of kite stores in the UK. Martin Baker at the Bristol Kite Store is a very nice chap to deal with (http://www.kitestore.co.uk). He usually has the full Silver Fox range in stock and if he doesn’t have the model or colour you are looking for, he can get one for you usually within 10 days or so.
Overall conclusion
If you are looking for a great high wind full size kite that can deliver great precision and freestyle flying the SF vented is well worth a look. The quality of construction is first class and the flight/trick performance is superb in high winds. It has easily become my favourite high wind kite. The vented SF is the most expensive model in the range. At £135 it is nearly twice the price of the 2.3 standard model. However, I felt it was money well spent and if the Autumn winds start blowing strongly, I think I will be getting a lot of flying time on this kite!
