GO

If there is no way possible for you to ever afford a nicer kite, then the pansh kites will at least get you in the air. If at all possible, save up a little more cash and purchase a name brand kite such as Ozone, Peter Lynn, HQ or Flexifoil that will work right out of the bag, have better overall control and performance and will last you for years and years.

IMO

I have owned neos. Blades. North rebels jusy curious.

i have the 3.5 Adam....for the $$ i'm happy w/ it... i don't have the confidence w/ it i have in my other kites...and didn’t think it was terrific at water relaunch...but flys well enough....i think it's zipper will be the weak link...for the record zero lift w/ it

I got a 3m legend as part of a bundle I bought. I flew it once, then put it up for sale. I obviously cant judge the brand from 1 kite, but I would definetly avoid pansh for the near future at least.

Like AWOC said, save up and buy a better brand

Tim

I owned a pansh as my second kite. It was ok to get me comfortable with a 5m kite but it was slow to turn. Otherwise, it was an ok kite. Kite time is too precious to not be able to take it to the limit every time I get to go. I'm not willing to fidget with something less than top tier level kites.

I considered them in the beginning but I thought not much of it from details I could capture from ebay pics. Low attention to details would rarely produce something great. After riding flysurfer/LF/PL/Slingshot I wouldn't buy Pansh.

Pansh is a funny company ? They definately don't go about things like other companies.

They do so many odd things like, not inluding decent instructions, not selling a bar to go with their Blaze II depower kite ( or Aurora yet ? ) , puttiing crazy little zippers on the inside tips of their Aurora, under sell their own dealers ... One odd thing they do that I like is keep all models developed for sale .

Like Kent suggests if you can afford name brand you get something you can be sure is RTF. Pansh appeals to the entry kiter with a very limited budget. Usually on their own. The kites don't always fly straight out of the bag and this can be a big issue if you are green and alone. Pansh is constantly trying to improve. They have come out with better lines, handles, bridles and fabric. Even an attempt to sell RTF with the Flux package and it's semi instructions, killers, sand bag and plastic stake + toy hammer.

I just sold off 2 Pansh kites and made it clear that the person should look at better brands when he can afford it. Still a 3m Blaze and 5m Ace made a nice cheap entry package at the same cost as a quality used3m .

One thing to note about the Pansh family over in China. They don't really do any type of R&D. What this means is that they don't actually produce and/or improve/test their own designs. Instead, they mimic or even copy designs of other manufacturers. Because they don't have to carry the extreme expense of designing or spend months with team riders and employees testing the products in real-world conditions, they are able to sell their productions at the cheapest price possible. This is the reason that they don't sell their kites with control bars - because they don't have the ability in their sewing factory to actually produce a carbon or fiberglass bar, those would have to be purchased from another company which would cost them too much money to bother with. Instead, they profit off of the kite and let the end purchaser "fend-for-themselves" on the cost of the high dollar items such as good quality lines and control options.

I am kinda taken back at times when the forum hammers a known copier of kites like Jonesband but then somewhat supports a factory who makes all of their profit from copying the designs of many other manufacturers. The only real difference is that Jonesband copied the kites color and all which made it obvious what kite he copied, Pansh makes their kites in single skin colors and doesn't spend the extra expense for nice panel designs so it is not easy to know what kite they have copied....but they are still copies based off of other kites.

Just to make this clear, even though they are copying other manufacturers overall designs, this does not mean that they are the same quality in any way. Pansh uses sub-par sewing techniques that are not nearly as durable as other manufacturers, meaning the sails will stretch out more over time and/or even start to separate at the seams. Even the thread used to sew the panels together are sub-par and in many times, not even UV protected and will begin to deteriorate with just a couple months use. The way the tabs are sewn into the sails are not double folded and reinforced, the trailing edges are not double folded and reinforced. The panel is single skin with tucks that the ribs attach to - not individual cut cell panels that are pre-measured and formed to create a specific air profiles and shapes. All of these things cost extra money to do, which is why name brand kites are more expensive and why Pansh can offer at such cheap prices.

As I stated, if Pansh is the only way you can get a power kite and there is no way you could ever afford to get a good quality name brand kite....it will work and at least you can fly something. If you can, please save up and purchase a good quality name brand kite. Not only will you be saving your money in the long run, you will get a kite that will last longer, perform better, and be of much better quality.....and you will be supporting the companies that actually do things to help this community grow by developing new and improved products, sponsoring team riders, sponsoring events and giving reliable customer service and support.

Ok....I will step from my soapbox now.

^^^^ what he said. Kent summed it up beautifully

I've been kiting for a few years and own kites from both ends of the price scale. Pansh sprints and flysurfer speed 3's. The speeds are my everyday kites and i love them for buggy jumping, but i also wanted a couple of race kites to fly for something different. i knew though that the race kites would only get flown a couple of times a year, which is why I went with the pansh sprints. Yes they not as well built and they have some issues, but for a fraction of the price of a big brand kite, they were the right choice for me.

I owned a 2012 ace 3m, flux 4m and legend 5m. Here's my quick and short opinion:

- Handles are lowest quality I've seen for power kites, but they work fine
- The high end lines (Flux) are way better than the low end lines, but fray pretty quickly and are not nearly as high quality as even the HQ lines.
- The low end lines tangle if you look at them funny. Again, though, they work just fine. These are ONLY lines I wind instead of para pack. Both the ace and the legend came with these.
- the kites and bridles are decent quality material and stitching. It's a good idea to check the knots. One came out on me while flying once.
- Its pretty clear they are copies of some older designs. The Flux handled like a newer foil. The legend handled like a sleeping bag (but it was free)
- For my first real power kites, I got to experience 3 different types and sizes of kites for $270. I used them, refined my skill and tastes, sold and traded them for other kites. I just bought a single PL trainer for about the same price and the quality is absolutely better by far. But without flying the Pansh's for 1.5 years, I might not have ever known what I wanted.

They copy foil tech and they're not the highest quality, but they make a better kite than I do, they're inexpensive, they ship fast, and the quality is good enough to get some flying done. I just really got the feeling that their copies tech from yesteryear could be extremely dangerous in larger sizes. I certainly wouldn't buy a really big kite from them and trust it for large air.

Hope that helps.

Quote:

Originally posted by Proletariat . I certainly wouldn't buy a really big kite from them and trust it for large air. Hope that helps.

This applies for the Aurora for sure!

It has not got a beefed up "A" main line and it takes most of the load in jumps.

I trusted my 5m Aces construction jumping ( I am only 150lbs ) but never trusted the older lines or handles. Swapped them out straight away.

Quote:

Originally posted by ProletariatThe legend handled like a sleeping bag.

hmmm.... So the kite I learned to fly on handles like a sleeping bag. I thought It worked pretty well. My 13M venom is faster than it but it it still works fine. It taught me how the wind window worked and how to jump. I've never flew a fixed bridle besides the legend but they look super fast. I haven't flew it much since I got my arc because I like depower jumps much better and I didn't like using a strop.

What size legend, out of curiosity? I found the 5m very slow to turn even with significant brake input, but that was also compared to the flux, ace and hq Beamer, which all turn very fast by comparison.

I remember once years ago having a Pansh Ace 5m and a Flexi Blade IV 4.9 setup right beside each other. The similar profile was unmistakable. Other than the Ace being lifty, there was no possibility for comparison beyond this observation.

I still have a 3.5 Ace that I use at the beach to buggy and it works great but is not the same as the
higher $$$ foils as you will see when you step up to the better motors.

Great info all.

For me, one post hit the nail on the head.

I kite one day a week for as long I can. I do not want to spend this time struggling with a subpar kite.

I bought one of the original 5m Aces that came out before they mass produced them (i think). And it was actually very stable, and a great kite! A Decent amount of air and quick.

I think back then (and maybe still), the kites varied with each one shipped out. Some were great and some were bad. I regret selling my 5m Flying piece of bacon.

Ok...How many of us went right to the website and picked up one of those $99 Ace 5m's that were basically Elevators in the wind a few years ago? Yeah- you forgot about those huh? :frog:

Sure they are bargain basement quality and remember those 1st set of lines they sent?! Holy crap did those keep the Forum hot for a few weeks! I remember one post someone said one line streteched 18 inches more than the other! Ha!

Red Headed Stepchild of the kiting world but they seem to be staying around.

Quote:

Originally posted by Proletariat What size legend, out of curiosity? I found the 5m very slow to turn even with significant brake input, but that was also compared to the flux, ace and hq Beamer, which all turn very fast by comparison.

4.5m. I could make it turn on a wing tip useing only the brakes. The legend likes very loose brakes. Letting out the brakes 3 inches or so made the kite about 50% faster and resond to brake inputs better.

I think mine was broken, then.

Naw, what actually probably happened is that I was too new to be any good at using my brakes, so I blame the kite. I realize that happens a lot and I'm just as susceptible as anyone else. But I still maintain that the single-cascade, flying rectangle design is a lot slower to bring around than a) the flux, b) the ace, c) any other 5m or smaller that I've flown (caveat: I have only flown about 15 or so <= 5m kites to date.)

Anywhoo, I'd love to have a go at one today to see if I still feel the same. I kinda wish I hadn't sold it. It was my only pink kite.

...new or used.

....Not from all the cumulative negative feedback I've gotten over the past several years.

Without quoting and giving all the reasons from all the veterens and experts on here who know, tried them, adjusted them and moved away from them...it is clear to me.

They are inferior.

Quote:

Originally posted by awindofchange One thing to note about the Pansh family over in China. They don't really do any type of R&D. What this means is that they don't actually produce and/or improve/test their own designs. Instead, they mimic or even copy designs of other manufacturers. Because they don't have to carry the extreme expense of designing or spend months with team riders and employees testing the products in real-world conditions, they are able to sell their productions at the cheapest price possible. This is the reason that they don't sell their kites with control bars - because they don't have the ability in their sewing factory to actually produce a carbon or fiberglass bar, those would have to be purchased from another company which would cost them too much money to bother with. Instead, they profit off of the kite and let the end purchaser "fend-for-themselves" on the cost of the high dollar items such as good quality lines and control options. I am kinda taken back at times when the forum hammers a known copier of kites like Jonesband but then somewhat supports a factory who makes all of their profit from copying the designs of many other manufacturers. The only real difference is that Jonesband copied the kites color and all which made it obvious what kite he copied, Pansh makes their kites in single skin colors and doesn't spend the extra expense for nice panel designs so it is not easy to know what kite they have copied....but they are still copies based off of other kites. Just to make this clear, even though they are copying other manufacturers overall designs, this does not mean that they are the same quality in any way. Pansh uses sub-par sewing techniques that are not nearly as durable as other manufacturers, meaning the sails will stretch out more over time and/or even start to separate at the seams. Even the thread used to sew the panels together are sub-par and in many times, not even UV protected and will begin to deteriorate with just a couple months use. The way the tabs are sewn into the sails are not double folded and reinforced, the trailing edges are not double folded and reinforced. The panel is single skin with tucks that the ribs attach to - not individual cut cell panels that are pre-measured and formed to create a specific air profiles and shapes. All of these things cost extra money to do, which is why name brand kites are more expensive and why Pansh can offer at such cheap prices. As I stated, if Pansh is the only way you can get a power kite and there is no way you could ever afford to get a good quality name brand kite....it will work and at least you can fly something. If you can, please save up and purchase a good quality name brand kite. Not only will you be saving your money in the long run, you will get a kite that will last longer, perform better, and be of much better quality.....and you will be supporting the companies that actually do things to help this community grow by developing new and improved products, sponsoring team riders, sponsoring events and giving reliable customer service and support. Ok....I will step from my soapbox now.

Ok, Kent's boots just got to big!

Sure we test, Pansh sends protos out for people to fly and give feedback. Kite design aint all that tough, how many times can we invent the wheel.

I also read lots of kite slander, that from a shopkeeper, brave man! This coming from the people that copied a Popeye buggy (badly, poor thread options etc) with consent from Carl .

The sub par sewing, not true. If you ever go and see the factory you will find some of your beloved makes on the cutting tables being sewn....lol

More like supporting kite shops to line pockets. Sadly Pansh sponsors more pilots than any other company. I know for a fact that they sponsor seven pilots on here. No costs, no kites to sell, no targets.

So to sum up, the main slaggers seem to be kite shop owners and a few wannabe website only I'll order stuff when you pay sort of guys. Seems they are nervous. Pansh has been around a while and seem to be doing way better than most of the other over priced brands.

So don't listen to the kite sheep and wannabe in with the crowd opinions. Try one for your self and make your own mind up.

Just my opinion

:wee::wee:

Kiteboyza, my post is 100% accurate, true and from my own personal experiences with the Pansh products and their factory. I am not sure if you have ever been to China and have seen the Pansh factory, or have seen how they operate. Pansh is a well known kite copier in the industry. As stated above from others who are not shop owners, place a Pansh kite alongside the kite that was copied and you will instantly notice where Pansh got their design from. I have seen with my own eyes the kites that they are continually copying from known manufactures.

Sending a copied kite to a team rider is not R&D. R&D comes from sitting down at a drawing table or computer and physically designing a kite from the ground up, then building your design and then testing it to see if it works. Pansh R&D consists of going to a shop (like mine haha) and purchasing a competitors kite, then taking that back to the factory and deconstructing it, copying the panels and then building it.

And as for shop banter and online wannabe's - I have one of the largest in-stock inventory's of any kite shop, I carry many different brands from all of the top manufacturers and I personally hand test every single product I carry. I have been in the kite business for over 11 years and have been flying all kinds of kites for over 18 years. I have also served as a consultant for the KTAI board of directors (Kite Trade Association International) which Pansh has never offered to be a part of or support. As stated, I have full stock on kites, I do not operate as a "buy before I order". The people who purchase from me and who have been to our store know you are blowing hot air.

As for my Ivanpah buggy. I have never implied or stated anything other than the obvious, that this is produced as a joint venture between myself and Popeye, with his full authorization and cooperation. I have never made any claims that it was my own design and on every buggy that is shipped, it comes with markings on the rear axle that claim "Inspired by Popeye The Welder". I am honored to have Popeye give me his input and knowledge when we were designing the Ivanpah buggy. Popeye's involvement with the Ivanpah buggy was 100% from the very first conception to it's final production design. I know for a fact that Pansh has NEVER obtained such consideration from the kite manufacturers that they continue to copy.

I also take it personally when you make false claims regarding the build quality of the Ivanpah buggy. It is produced to the highest quality standards that Popeye himself would produce. Not sure what you are talking about regarding poor thread options. All threading for the buggy is done on a fully automatic C&C 7 axis machining lathe to .0000001 tolerance and to exact specification for industry standard bolts. All plates are cut on a C&C plasma cutter and the entire buggy is hand formed and tig welded. Your attempt to slander me by making false claims regarding a product I build is very poor taste - and says a lot about your character and dignity as a person.

And my facts on the Pansh kites does not come from me being a "main slagger kite shop owner and wannabe website" It actually comes from personal experiences with the Pansh products. I have ordered in and flown every single model of Pansh kite and the claims I have made about sub-par sewing, single skin top panels, cheap sewing on attachment tabs, poor quality threading, poor quality lines and handles, poor quality bridles that stretch and deform the wing and crappy fabric coatings that flake off are all from my own findings, not generalizations. Being in the industry I make it a priority to fly all kites and brands, not just the ones that I feel are worthy enough for me to carry in my store. This allows me to make knowledgeable comparisons for my customers from first hand experiences. There are many products that I don't carry that I feel are still good products, Jojo makes an excellent foil as does PKD, Cooper and quite a few other brands. Pansh produces a sub-par product that I feel does more damage to our industry than good - for the reasons I stated.

I realize that you are somehow passionate about the Pansh products, probably because they gave them to you free so you could be a sponsored team rider. That is fine, if you like the product then great, your passion and love for these crappy knock-off kites is not the same as what I have experienced. All I ask is that you please try to at least do some homework before you start attacking/slandering someone for their own factual findings.

Kia sells way more cars than Porsche. It must be 'cause they are way more fun to drive.:wink2:
S

P.S. After looking at how Pansh kites fly, would you buy their new speed wing on a three for one special?

:eekdrull:

Good one macboy !!