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MYLAR TRAILING EDGE
Mylar capping has been sewn through the entire trailing edge of the kite. It adds a stiffness to the back of the kite, creating an aerodynamically clean taught trailing edge.
CROSS PORT VENTING
Each rib has cross port vents which are small throughlet channels allowing air to move between the cells to inflate the Blade V with optimum consistency. When the kite turns fast or on initial inflation to launch, as soon as there is some air in the kite it spreads through the kite evenly and as quickly as possible. Construction Features SAND CHANNEL. Since 2005, Flexifoil has incorporated a sand channel into
the back of the wing, an area where sand and debris can run down to the wingtips to be released through evacuation points opened and closed with a Velcro fastening. The large forces that transfer into the kites ribs are taken with Dacron® reinforcements on the highly loaded A & B tabs to strengthen aerofoil and transfer the loads through the tabs deep into the wing to stop them ripping out. Years of trial and
error have lead to this rip proof construction and we also add reinforcements in the centre of kite on the bottom skin where bridles create maximum force as the kite is turned.
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The Blade V is the unrivalled jumping fixed power kite. With the Blade V you will jump higher than ever, and experience the raw
power that only this kite can generate, giving pure exhilaration every time you fly the kite. The all new design pushes more raw power and lift, into a legendary powerful canopy, giving all air junkies the ultimate weapon.
The Blade V’s high aspect ratio, swept plan form creates a fast crisp turn rate, which combined with a monstrously powerful aerofoil creates insane lift and float, yet it retains the stability loved by all Blade flyers. The kite’s thin profile is fast and efficient. This efficiency is aided by a high cell count coupled with internal V ribs to support the profile. These V ribs also reduce the amount of bridle, which minimise the drag in the kite, whilst keeping the wing shape smooth and aerodynamically efficient.
Flyers of the Blade IV will notice that the Blade V kite turns faster and holds the power better through the turn. You will sense that the kite is very reactive to control inputs and has a more powerful feel giving longer higher floating jumps. Stability is rock solid, giving the confidence to boost huge air's.
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BUILD QUALITY
Flexifoil kites have a renowned build quality and the Blade V is no different. Made from Sora® High Tenacity Ripstop, the Blade V
has a great balance between high tear strength for the minimum weight, extremely low porosity and super resilience to mechanical
wear. It has been built to withstand all the scrapes on the beaches you can throw at it.For the rib cells, where the high power of the kite is transferred into the kites rigging we use High Tenacity Chikara – this stronger, slightly heavier material keeps the fast aerofoil shape stable when under the high loads created by the Blade V, and we have large cell wall reinforcements on the ribs to prevent cell blow outs.
HIGH CELL COUNT
Ram air kites are built in a cellular style, with ribs to shape the aerofoil connecting a top skin and bottom skin. The more cells,
the more accurately the aerofoils shape is created. The Blade V has a thin aerofoil design and is made up of 30 cells. Compared to the average 15 of an intermediate kite, the extra cells keep the aerofoil shape accurately defined, making it very fast and powerful.
LEADING EDGE GAUzE
Flexifoil Ram Air Kites pioneered and continue to use Leading Edge Gauze as standard over our inlets. This gives our kites the ability to have a relatively large vent size for excellent stability, yet maintains a clean entry shape to the foil for performance. This clean LE gives a range of peak performance characteristics over both low and high angles of attack, enabling good inflation. This gives you great handling characteristics and clean aerodynamic lines with the great blend of stability and high performance you expect from flexifoil.
V-RIBS
Minimal Bridling and V-Ribs go together to increase performance. External Bridling – transfers the load from all aerodynamic forces through the flying lines into the pilot’s hands to support the kite as well as possible. The more support via bridle lines you put into the kite, the more it supports the canopy. The Blade V is balanced between getting the best possible support and reducing the drag as much as possible. Following on from Blade III & IV we have once again removed a bridle on every other rib and inserted the V-Ribs on the Blade V. This moves the support internally to equally spread the resulting forces evenly and maintain maximum kite formation whilst keeping good aerodynamic form.
PRE-STRETCHED UNSLEEVED DYNEEMA BRIDLE
The bridle material for the Blade V is pre-stretched unsleeved Dyneema® which gives the kite’s bridle superb high strength and low stretch properties. The kite retains its shape in the sky even in strong wind conditions. The bridles have a thinner diameter than the sleeved bridle lines to reduce parasitic drag and increase the speed. We prestretch every metre of bridle line in our factory to ensure that the constructionalstretch is taken out of the line, so your kite remains in factory trim throughout its life. Dyneema®, a modern high modulus polyethelene is weight for weight, stronger than steel with better abrasion resistance than carbon steel. The Blade V has Dyneema®
bridling with a 100kg breaking strain, so your kite will slice through the air with huge support and minimal drag.
HAND CRAFTED, HAND FINISHED AND HAND CHECkED
Flexifoil uses CNC kite panel cutters for incredible high accuracy and high tolerance components compared to traditional cutting methods used by lower quality manufacturers. Once the panels have been cut they are then sewn together by highly skilled kite craftspeople and then finally hand checked for stringent quality control.
SAND CHANNEL
Since 2005, Flexifoil has incorporated a sand channel into the back of the wing, an area where sand and debris can run down to the wingtips to be released through evacuation points opened and closed with a Velcro fastening