Warning: This is a kite review. I'm not affiliated with Flexifoil International or Cobra Kites, and I'm not trying to sell anything... so there. STRANGER Manu: Flexifoil International Height: 1.08 m 42.5 in Weight: Carrington 290 gms 10.2 oz Icarex 250 gms 9.5 oz Wing Span: 2.5 m 98.5 in (8ft 2in) Sail type: 5 panel Frame: Carrington - 6mm carbon Icarex - SkyShark Wind range: Carrington - 7-28 kph 4-20 mph Icarex - 4-20 kph 2-15 mph Line Strength (recommended) : 35-65 kg 80-150 lb Line Length (recommended): 25-45 m 75-150 ft Price: Carrington - sumthin' like $140 - $150 (US) Icarex - around the area of $250 (US) Designer: Andy Preston (UK freestyle champ) (Whew! I hope I got everything correct) "Mr. Kidder, you kite is in..." Took a little while to assemble (wing rods, tension leech line, install cheater line) I got the cheaper version (Carrington and 6mm Excel rods - durable FG and carbon blend, stiff enough but heavy). Needs all of 4 MPH. Pulls like a Tracer. The pull becomes slightly dominating around 15 - 20 mph. Most tricks are still possible around up around 15 mph. S L O W compared to a Pro or a XTC, I think even slower than a Tracer. Good tracking. Nice 90 degree push turns. Push-Pull turns are a little wobbly. Suprizingly decent precision characteristics for such a pure-bread freestyle kite. I have trouble with it on the edge sometimes. Hard to do smooth belly launches for me. However, it will do a cool flipping-type belly launch if you pop hard on one line (hard to explain). Nice cartwheels. Does NOT like any herky jerky movements like snap stalls. Good stall characteristics. Nice spin to landing. TIGHT spins, with strong feedback. Slides are bit difficult for me (Andy has no problem with them). The kite has an inate knack for recovering from my poorly executed stunts (provided the kite has enough altitude to do its thing). Remember: "Controlled Uncontrolability." Ok Ok so what does this kite do really well. Two things: Axels and Kills. By Axels I mean the nicest axels of any kite sold in the free world (IMHO). The kite doesn't just do a tight stall/spin. It AXELS baby, with the back of the kite sometimes facing towards you. Mind bending to watch when done correctly. The kite exells at every form of the axel: Coin tosses, wing tip, full, half, quarter, seven eighths, thirteen sixtyfourths, :-), under axel (pop right on left side), spin to axel, and yes even the cascade. For me the cascade is very hard even on my Pro. Cascading with the Stranger is a little easier for me. (Andy does some very nice Cascades in the video; right down to a tip stand.) You hardly need to stall the kite before an axel. Just go for it. If it doesn't work the kite will do some funky thing in the sky for awhile and then come out of it flying again. I think the cheater lines have a lot to do with these wild recoveries. Two different axeling techniques that I've noted: on the right edge; pop the right hand but don't release with the left - the kite will usually do the "back facing you" axel. On the right edge; do more of a long tug (not a pop) with the right and give a big release with the left - the kite will usually do a faster, slightly edge-on, axel. Or I could be wrong about this, it's hard to remember what happens on the field when your having fun. By "Kills" I mean pull both arms behind your back and then throw them forward the kite will INSTANTLY turtle, (nose will pitch up) but only for a second. It ALWAYS recovers from turtles with only a thought. Its great to fly a ground pass, pull my arms back and release the kite to a quick kill, the kite leans back the recovers to a nice stall waiting for your command. You can even do a micro kill, just a quick pull back and push with both arms, then immediatly axel. No need for any spar snapping snap stalls, "killing" the kite is almost as fast, and looks very smooth and natural. By using Kills and Axels in various combinations, I was able to achive a first. I was able to fly for about an hour non-stop (10 mph winds) practicing all kinds of tricks (trying at least), and grounds recoveries, without ever once having to walk out to the kite and fix snarled lines or loose spars. This may not sound like much to you, but it was truly a very enjoyable kiting experience for me. I feel one must fly the Stranger differently that most other kites. At first I was put off by the Stranger. It didn't act like my Pro or any other kite I've flown. Then I learnd that I had to relax and fly the kite smoothly, rather than the forcefull snapping movements I was used to. As Andy says "You want to use movements that are smooth yet aggressive". I'm now sure this is how most kites should be flown, I just never realized it. I look at it as "Me and the kite are flying" not "I'm flying the kite". Two-way communication. It may sound corny, but when the Stranger and I start clicking, it's sort of a Zen thing. This kite has tought me some things that has helped me to fly my Pro better. The Pro and the Stranger are two very different kites, and both are in a tie for my favorite kite. The Stranger makes an inexperienced flyer like me look like I might have a clue. It makes Andy Preston look like a Masters Ballet Champion. Oh yea, he is. - Keith Kidder