Epic kites and after-sales service

[thierrydehove]

Guys
I just did my first ride with the new Chicken loop and I am very impressed by the quality of the pieces first and it's so easy to set up

I have a school in Anguilla and it's going to change my life here

Great Job Dimitri, soon more tests with stronger winds, it's winter here in Caribbean and he is back

Regarding GoPro, have the same issue, I added some toothpaste but after few hours, the camera is getting so hot, you can not avoid this fog so I do know, my best images will be taken the first hour

[ShaveTheWhales]

Check out that water colour, that will change anyones life

[jakster4]

jackster4 has decided he wants a slower kite that sits further back than his 2010 model 7 & 9 Screamers. In my opinion, the brand that jakster4 has moved to, fly like crappy beginner kites, and I've seen more problems (safety system release and reload in deep water, canopies splitting, valves leaking) than any other kite brand, but that's just my opinion from seeing the kites in my local crew, and I guess does not reflect the worldwide consensus.

Haha crappy beginner kites. Good one

Every brand has issues and problems. No company is perfect. But for me… it’s all the hype and exaggerated statements that has pushed me away. Its all the personal emails being posted, its all the “this is the best of the best of the best” this is the “best bomb proof quality on the planet” and all the little back and forth he gets into with people on the forum -- To me it just seems like immature behavior from the owner of the company.

“So please take a big breath, step back, smile at your wife and do some intense research before posting things that you have no clue” .

D’s intense research => “Don't use this material use this, don't use this thread use this, don't sew it that way because it cost more money and it takes too long”

To me.... thats not intense research.




My 7m screamer leading edge tore open. My 9m screamer crashed in a gust, inverted and the lines ripped the canopy in half. The neoprene material under the foot straps on my board ripped after 2 sessions. During a launch, the safety on the bar released and sent my 14m screamer crashing and rolling into sharp grass and now the kite has so many pinholes its a lost cause -- I changed brands because I wanted a kite that wouldn't fall apart after a few sessions. I wanted a bar with a quick release that I could trust and that wouldn't randomly release leaving me in a dangerous situation.

I have flown many kite brands over the 12 years that I have been riding and I have had more problems with my Epic kites than any other brand. Maybe I just had bad luck, I don't know. But I do know that I gave all the gear a shot and in the end was personally just not happy. The screamers turn fast and boost high, yes. But for me, the quality/reliability was just not there. I am just telling the experience that I actually had using the products, compared to some people on here who haven't even flown an epic kite.

Also the second hand market for Epic gear is absolutely horrendous. I have been trying to sell my 9m and droid board for months with no luck. I will have to lower the price so much it’s almost not even worth selling.

[Dimitri M]

You are right Mr.jakster4 no body is perfect same thing goes with any kite company, car company, TV company, cloth company, computer company and the list goes on….. I never said we are perfect. It's very hard to control production and what comes out of the factory even when I try my best. It is just impossible. From my experience 4% of the product will have few minor problems. And I have seen this with so many kite companies. Remember I used to be a team rider for 5 well known good kite companies so I have a basic idea of what's going on.
Did you ever contacted me concern the problems you had with you EPIC kite, board, Pad?
If you did please email me at dimitri@epickites.com with you real name so we can find your invoice and your past emails concerning the problems you had.
Concerning the resale value of the EPIC product….You must be doing something wrong because I have plenty of customers looking to buy used EPIC products. For example I sold a used OXYGEN V1 board 3 days ago for $405 + shipping. This board has been used at least 30 times.

[tautologies]

If you did please email me at dimitri@epickites.com with you real name so we can find your invoice and your past emails concerning the problems you had.

so you can post the email and his name on a public forum you mean?

[EastCC]

My 9m screamer crashed in a gust, inverted and the lines ripped the canopy in half........................

I have been trying to sell my 9m and droid board for months with no luck. I will have to lower the price so much it’s almost not even worth selling.

Is it the same 9m?

[Flysurf77]

Hey! My 2010 screamer is completely destroyed cause I dropped it in the shore break, the lines are all tangle and now useless cause I didn t take care of it, and I am trying to sell it the same price I bought it 3 years ago but with no success! Any help? ............seriously!?!?

[Dimitri M]

Dimitri M wrote:
If you did please email me at dimitri@epickites.com with you real name so we can find your invoice and your past emails concerning the problems you had.

tautologies wrote:
so you can post the email and his name on a public forum you mean?

Well Mr. tautologies it all depends on him if he wants me to post it or not on the forum. I always ask before posting something for the public to see. And I always hide their names if asked to do so. But in this situation I don't see why post something like that. This is between him and me.
Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with?

[UKSurf]

Also the second hand market for Epic gear is absolutely horrendous. I have been trying to sell my 9m and droid board for months with no luck. I will have to lower the price so much it’s almost not even worth selling.

To be honest you should have factored that in when you purchased them. If you buy a small brand you are going to have give it away when you resell it. The only small brand kite I have ever purchased was the Switch Element and when I sold it on it was at a very cheap price considering it was in very good condition - but I paid next to nothing for it to begin with so was still a pretty good deal for me. (the guy actually phoned me up and asked me if I had any more for sale at that price!) Unless you absolutely love the design of a kite from a small brand or are getting an insane deal you should stick to the larger brands IMO. If I tried to sell a 2010/2011 Epic used kite in the UK I would be lucky to get $200 for it complete.

[Dimitri M]

To be honest with you you should have factored that in when you purchased them. If you buy a small brand you are going to have give it away when you resell it. The only small brand kite I have ever purchased was the Switch Element and when I sold it on it was at a very cheap price considering it was in very good condition - but I paid next to nothing for it to begin with so was still a pretty good deal for me. (the guy actually phoned me up and asked me if I had any more for sale at that price!) Unless you absolutely love the design of a kite from a small brand or are getting an insane deal you should stick to the larger brands IMO. If I tried to sell a 2010/2011 Epic used kite in the UK I would be lucky to get $200 for it complete.

With all due respect Mr.UKSurf, but the resale value of a kite applies also with all the other kite brands out there. For example I just saw a new (2012) 11 meter kite from a very well know brand go for $435 and this is for a new kite, can you imagine how much it would be if it was used. Now it all depends on the seller and how fast he wants to sell his kite or board and how low he wants to go. If you just want to get rid of it and get the new 4G, then some people will try to sell it fast to get some money in order to get the new 4G product. And I know other people will give it away to their friends or keep it so they can trash it in big conditions.
So if you spend time and do some research you will see that the list goes on with very cheap prices on used kites.