A lot of hype about the epic screamer, maybe not in the insular north and ozone land, but worldwide it is the case. Crew can't stop talking about the insane boost of the screamer!! Don't believe me expand your horizons and read the worldwide forum for a change. So lets compare it to the best boosting kite in the world, how does it measure up boys and girls?

So it may be worth exploring the boost characteristics and potential of these two kites.

Be great if there are those that have used both.

Height
Glide
Hang time (strongly related to the former of course)
Landings, ease of
And ease of boost technique wise would also be useful.

Well I have my money on one of these....overall

Classic comment Lotofwind
Hey Eppo do you have an Epic kite? I have an Edge 11m how about we compare them at the same time and post the results. Where do you usually kite?

NthScb said...
Classic comment Lotofwind
Hey Eppo do you have an Epic kite? I have an Edge 11m how about we compare them at the same time and post the results. Where do you usually kite?

No neither. Just demoed a 13m edge though and have heard the 11m is the sweet size.

Demoing an 11m from west oz tomoz at the pond and catching up with save the whales on his epic, so we should have an idea soon enough ,

Prediction, they will jump very differently.

I have used the Epic Screamers for a year now, they do feel slightly diffrent to some other kites out there but when you try it totally lit (pref the 7 or 9m) then you will feel what all the fuss is about.

That said I have had some great sessions on the 12m also.

Enjoy either way, always good to try new gear.

Well, got on a screamer and an edge today. So not a really informed opinion on one ride.

I do know this...

It was very very naive to ask the question in this post.

They are completely different animals.

Someone said somewhere here the edge is a gentlemans kite for boosting or something like that.

It goes big, everything is smooth, controlled, refined...

The epic rips you off the water and it goes big!

These are only slight ideas, I am not certain yet, maybe someone like Munro can comment, but both go big, how you go big is different though. The edge requires definite technique to get the vertical plane or you will find yourself crankin downwind. The screamer just needs the kite to be sent and a quick aggressive edge of the Board ( maybe some edge riders might be able to do this as well, I'm not there yet). Edge is like floating on air up, and down. The epic literally rips you tearing into the air. It would suite hard core aggressive riders looking for air time.

Once up there though they are pretty similar. The edge may have just a tad more glide given the same variables, but I'm only guessing, the edge may have a slightly more forgiving landing, but again I might be guessing. Technique fixes all.

Different animals that shouldnt be compared. Except they both go big.

There are other technical aspects regarding bar feel, kite positioning etc, but I want more time on each kite to really understand them.

Did I say they both go big....hang on let me write what I should have written...

ha, glad you got to try them both.
I've not tried an edge for a long time so cant really compare.
What I love about the Screamer though is the insane excelleration in the boost...it aint so much smooth just bam and your up there...love it!

What sizes did you try and what were the wind speeds/conditions?

munro said...
The two kites jump completely different even using same style, the edge jumps across the wind giving you longer hang time but the screamer has more vertical lift so if you try to cross the wind you may come unstuck.

The screamer requires the rider to jump vertically up then you turn the kite back the way you have come generating even more lift which leaves you with a longer landing stroke for the softer landing or forward loop the kite to hover before touch down.

I used both the 2013 11m edge and the 2012 12m screamer today in 20 to 25 knots and the edge felt fun, stable, predictable and smooth like how they say driving a ferrari must be like.
The screamer demanded respect and was downright scary but out boosts the edge because of the jumping style required, but can be jumped huge safely and predictably.
I have to admit I never tried adapting this style to the edge but I never felt I needed to.

So Eppo do you want to be comfortable going big or a little on the scared side going huge.

did you pull that trigger on the edge at warp factor 9? 50 kph of board speeed gives you very silly height when you send it.

munro said...
The two kites jump completely different even using same style, the edge jumps across the wind giving you longer hang time but the screamer has more vertical lift so if you try to cross the wind you may come unstuck.

The screamer requires the rider to jump vertically up then you turn the kite back the way you have come generating even more lift which leaves you with a longer landing stroke for the softer landing or forward loop the kite to hover before touch down.

I used both the 2013 11m edge and the 2012 12m screamer today in 20 to 25 knots and the edge felt fun, stable, predictable and smooth like how they say driving a ferrari must be like.
The screamer demanded respect and was downright scary but out boosts the edge because of the jumping style required, but can be jumped huge safely and predictably.
I have to admit I never tried adapting this style to the edge but I never felt I needed to.

So Eppo do you want to be comfortable going big or a little on the scared side going huge.

So there you have it folks. Just to reiterate, Munro is no slouch, been at it since 1999 and a long term edge rider. Seen him ride and would respect his opinion.

and East CC, friends and family call me arrogant, selfish, an intellectual bully and my wife regularly calls me an assehole (so it must be true), but chicken is not one of them!

Was testing the potential, I'm not about to ride to the limits on Munro's or Westoz's demo kites! Been much bigger on my VX (another kite if crew are looking for that silky smooth airush feel in a SLE C style should check out - doesn't have the hangtime nor propbably the jumping potential of these two kites given the same rider in the same conditions), but it was mine!

I think Munro has described the difference really well, the edge is pure class, a ferrari, just a mind blowing wing design. It is smooth and fluid, and in the right conditions, with the right TECHNIQUE, will go higher and longer than most mere mortals would care to go.

The screamer is an aggressive, explosive 'Farq off' machine which takes less technique (read Rusty's description on how the jump an edge), to go big. Add in a good rider with good technique and as I said it will rip your balls of and stuff them in your mouth.

Depends on if you like having your balls in your mouth I suppose. LOL

Ps Very interested now in trying the Screamer 10 LTD, with more C in the profile. Ha and you will all have to read another long gibberish post from me...ha ha sucked in!

No I was at the Pond early yesterday for a session on the 11m edge 2013 from Jason at Westoz.

I then went to secret harbour to catch up with Munro.

(I wanted to catch up with an edge rider, who now has screamers (and also as I said he's had some bloody bad luck lately) - thought i had sent you a PM sorry if I forgot).

I was in the water for 45 minutes or so on the 11m edge - maybe near an hour?, then munro turned up.

I got on his 9m screamer he took the 11m edge out and made it sing.

After a while came in, said thanks, went back to mandurah and went out again by myself for an hour or so alone. Secret squirrel spot.

Yeh big day of kiting...

Glad you had a couple of good sessions man!

Apparently Munro wnet out again on his 12m screamer that would have been good to see.

ps Suppose I should give the 11m edge back to jason, if only he didn't know where I lived!!...