Prism Radian (B,I,T,Pr) $$$$ --------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Dean, Dave Butler October 1993 Manufacturer: Prism Designs Inc., Seattle, Wa, U.S.A. Material: 3/4 Oz Ripstop Nylon, 0.9 Mil Mylar laminate Spars: 2200 & 2300 AFC Carbon Battens: 1/8" & 3/32" Fiberglass (carbon optional) Wind Range: 3 - 25 MPH (1.5 - 11 m/s) Span: 8.5 Feet (2.5 m) Height: 28 Inches (0.7 m) Wing Area: 8.7 sq ft (0.8 m2) Wing loading: no battens 1.08; battens 1.27 (Oz/sq ft) 330 388 (g/m2) Type: High aspect ratio, (span sq/area) 8.3 Review: I got mine in December. It is a very interesting kite. First, it has a lot of oversteer (it will easily spin in place). Also, as it it a wide/short kite, you can easily pull it of the air in light wind. Perfect wind for learning the kite is about 10 mph. If you try to learn on a much lighter wind, you will likely feel very clumsy and keep pulling it out of the air (ie: it was very irritating the first time I flew it in low wind). Now as to the adjustment system you ask about. The system of removable battans used to tune for the wind speed is excellent for steady wind, but a little clumsy and irritating for unsteady wind (you're always landing the kite to take one set out, or put one in). As to the bridle adjustments, the concept is simply brilliant. Usually when I want to tune a kite, I expect to spend at least a half hour to get it right. Thus I am less willing to change a bridle and experiment with odd bridle configurations. The Radian though has premeasured knots at the top and bottom of the vertical spine, which hook into a clever latch system. Thus tuning the bridle is a snap (I wish my other kites were this easy to tune). As to what it can do, there too the Radian is unique. By keeping your hands low, snapping your hands down and quickly throwing them up high, the kite will pop over on its back, and float. Another quick jerk and the kite will pop back over on its belly. If you do the first movement well enough, the kite will do a complete backwards summersault, and will roll up in the lines. Thus when you give the kite a strong second jerk it will do a forward summersault and snap it back into position (I've successfully done a two summersault wrap). It also does a tremendous helicopter. You simply get the kite in helicopter position and drag on the downwind line; The weight of the upwind wing will keep it in position. Not only can you drag it sideways, you can almost drag it backwards. It also loves stall spins. It is incredibly easy to dump air with the kite, so it is very easy to stop it near motionless in mid air. In fact it, it is reasonably easy to slam it into a stall spin, and helicopter back the way you came (Making yourself look much more proficient than you really are). Also, in a reasonably strong wind, you can do a severe push/pull turn and it will face almost perpendicular to you and spin like a fast propeller. Caution though, it is extremely difficult to recover from this spin. As to disadvantages, there's the fact that you may well feel uncoordinated for the couple of hours. I would also point out that you'll have to learn a new way of doing a leading edge takeoff (it's nothing like a Phantom, Scorpion, Magnum Opus or anything else I can think of). Frankly, I still haven't figured out how to do one (except by purest accident). Now I know that they are possible as I saw demos last summer, but I haven't figured out how to do it myself. All in all, it is a great kite for doing very radical ballet and trick moves (some like the summersault are not possible on other kites), but not for precision. It's major advantage is that it is so different from other kites, that it will do things other kites cannot, and thus gives delta kiting a whole new dimension to explore (Not that my wife thinks that I need a new dimension to explore ;). March 1993 Dave Butler The Prism Radian is a very well designed and impeccably tailored kite with gussets sewn at all points of strain. Up to eight battens may be used to stiffen and form the sail depending upon wind conditions. The kite is recommended to be flown with all battens removed for light wind conditions; adding battens as the wind increases. I have found that the top spreader may be removed for very light wind conditions to lighten the kite which helps, but, when removed, the kite is very easy to stall and it will fluter to the ground with no chance of recovery. All control motions should be gentle and smooth with the top spreader removed. The kite is designed to be a slient flyer and if any buzz is noticed, enough battens should be added only to quiet the kite so as to maintain the lightest configuration for the wind condition. Except for belly down or very light wind conditions, the kite is easily launched from most any other landing attitude. The kite uses a unique bridle system that allows for quick, repeatable settings for various flight conditions and turning response. The manual that comes with the kite is the best I have seen other than the documentation supplied with the REV I kite. Turns are accurate and fast and spins are beautiful with the kite revolving on one wing tip. It is possible to do enough spins to nearly render the kite uncontrollable because of twisted lines before losing much altitude. I have executed 15 turn spins with less than 10 feet of altitude loss. I would classify the kite as light to moderate pull throughout the wind range. Slides (a nose high sideways slip across the wind window) are easy and controllable. This kite is a lot of fun to fly, easy to adjust for wind conditions, easy to assemble and a real eye catcher because of its beautiful color schemes. This is a kite you will not outgrow. - Jim Dean, October 1993.