Eolo Radsail 2.4m 4 Line Power Kite

This is such a fun kite to fly. It is so fast through the air, and turns very easily. The power is smooth and it is pretty stable even at the edge of the wind window. A complete novice could pick this up and be flying within minutes. In a pretty strong wind this kite will pull you along, and give enough lift for jumps, but all in a very controllable way. Although I want a bigger kite, I am going to keep this because it is so nimble, and is small enough to fly in strong winds.

On value for money, it really can't be beaten. I chose it because it was cheap. I'd never flown a 4 line kite before, so didn't want to blow a load of cash on an unknown quantity. If this is you, buy this kite.

Overall I gave it 8. Here is why, and it has nothing to do with how it flys so long as you realise that a 2.4m kite won't give massive power in lower/medium winds. It is purely based on build that I marked the overall score down a bit. The lines are low quality - they won't stretch, but will tangle more easily than more expensive lines. The better quality lines are easier to untangle too. But just take care when putting it away and you'll be fine.

The rucksack is horribly cheap and nasty - the zip broke after about 10 trips out, and the shoulder straps are held on by the thinnest of plastic fixings. I think mine snapped off after about 3 or 4 trips out. But, its a bag. You put your kite in it and that is it...

The handles are ok, but the foam grips probably won't last too long especially if you wind the lines over them when they are slightly damp. I've had mine 6 months, and there are signs of wear on the grips, but I've given the kite an almighty beasting on a regular basis.

The sail is fine, as are the bridles. I've flown mine maybe 50 times now, and friends have borrowed it too, so it has seen a lot of use, but the sail remains intact - no rips, no tears even after I landed it in an apple tree!

If you want to get into buggying/boarding, this kite is too small and too fast except in pretty strong winds (25mph+).

My 8 stone wife enjoys this and doesn't find it too powerful except in a completely insane winds.

I would gladly recommend this kite to someone looking to get into kiting, but not wanting to spend much money. If you do buy this, don't have high hopes about quality, but know that this will give you a lot of pleasure, and if you get hooked on kiting like me, it will be your backup kite for those scary winds.