home
welcome
kite reviews
kiting terminology
coping with wind
Beaufort wind scale
kiting dangers
UK kite stores
US kite stores
UK Festivals
kite fest photos
design & plans

Buggying
how to buggy
buggy: first lesson
buggy tricks guide
buggy photos
tandem buggying
kite buggy e-list

Power Kiting
kite jumping
kite surfing
kite skiing

Flexifoils
stacking Flexis
Flexi launching
spar maintenance

Misc
kiting links
KiteAstrophy
kite fest photos
the kite bag
sky surfer
sanibel 18
holder 14
aquaria
guitars
about me

Kéops - Kites Unlimited (Pierre Marzin)

Build/Design
The build quality is indeed high. Original sail pattern and graphic on a well proportioned kite makes n overall pleasing aesthetic. The finishing details are excellent and, unusually for a "team" kite, it comes fitted with a snag line. The bridle is sleeved Dyneema but the markings could do to be heavier.

Bridle adjustment
The 4 points bridle has adjustment possible on all legs. Factory setting is a little light. The heavier settings make square corners much better whilst retaining full trick-ability. The 4 legs give great stall and slide control. Needed quite a bit of setting up to fly well first time.

Maneuverability
This kite seems to have quite the fullest potential any full-sized sport kite I've tried. Although cut away heavily along the trailing edge, the deep billow, long keel and tip paddles give it rock steady racking. It is medium forward speed, fast and slow turn possible, maybe with a little tendency to oversteer. Where it really scores is the radical freestyle area : axle take off? flatspin ? leading edge and relievers ? No problem. I get a double axel out of it and more.

Team potential
This kite has the classic ingredients of a good team kite medium speed; straight tracking: medium to strong pull (it definitely gives you mere feel; good visually. The build and finish quality are great and it looks tough enough to take the punishment full team season can give your kite. Given its huge range of maneuverability we may soon see team and radical freestyle flying combining in previously unimagined ways.

Verdict
Although Keeps may not have the "classic car" appeal of a Radical, it is much the most interesting precision/team kite I've flown. What does work is its capacity for doing all that is asked of it and leave you feeling there is still more to be had.