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Hi guys
Just seeing if anyone has much experience with zian kites, they're going pretty cheap in my area and being the skeptic I am has got me questioning why however most of the limited reviews seem to say they are as good as any well known brand kite, I'm looking at the 2017 hantu version2.
Any feedback/advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks nige

Nigeinaus520 wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:32 pm

Hi guys
Just seeing if anyone has much experience with zian kites, they're going pretty cheap in my area and being the skeptic I am has got me questioning why however most of the limited reviews seem to say they are as good as any well known brand kite, I'm looking at the 2017 hantu version2.
Any feedback/advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks nige

Personally no experience with them, but a couple of experienced an skilled kitesurfing friends use them to satisfaction. Build quality looks fine as well. If you are not a 'brandwashed' fanboy of some other brand they would probably be value for money...
I could ask my friends for some comments. But they are not active on this forum.

Hey
all the guys I know will only ride big brand kites so I fell in with that mindset, sounds like they are good value for money and have got better over the years, would be great to hear from guys that have been riding them for a while to see how they have stood the test of time.
Thanks for the reply
Nige

They're even better than most well known brands. Aguilla is a very good allrounder, Kima is the wavekite (was a bit slow turning to my taste, but new version fixed that) and Hantu the bridled freestyle, similar to Dice. Maarten van Es used the Hantu on the Red Bull Megaloop Challenge 2015. They were made in the North factory at first, but they have their own factory now. I would say the build quality is just above North.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuYT9EzODaQ

Zian, Gong, Switch and Takoon offer kites at roughly half the price of the major brands.
That said you can pick up last year's model from some major brands for a couple hundred more.
However, there's no guarantee you'll find the size and color or model you want when you need it.
It's really a tough call but if I had to guess the alternative brands are pretty close or equal in build quality which leaves performance as the wild card. I struggle with this dilemma too.

Most of the 'alternative' brands are built better than most of the big brands... And performance wise... don't forget it's Takoon that started with bow-kites. Most of the bigger brands have a longer history in watersports, thus an established reputation and a big distributor network. But smaller brands are often started by people with a lot of experience in the sport too.

'Last year's model' is not an argument. You can buy last years model from the alternative brands too. I got my Legacy V1 2016 14m brand new for 500,-. Outperforms the Vegas at half the price. Hantu outperforms the Dice.

Don't be scared. Small companies can't afford bad quality, whereas the big names can. Just look at Cabrinha not giving a crap about snapping lines, until people started to get hurt Just look at Naish with the octopus system. Slingshot with the crap TE's. F-One with splicing kites and breaking boards. Year after year. Great quality, let's keep buying those

Yeah good points! Pretty keen on giving them a go, performance wise they looked good and everyone seems to speak highly of them, guess I'll give them a go and see for myself!

Nigeinaus520 wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:21 am

Yeah good points! Pretty keen on giving them a go, performance wise they looked good and everyone seems to speak highly of them, guess I'll give them a go and see for myself!

They won't disappoint you And don't forget to give your friends a try on them

I can't say I'm fully unbiased. But I do not work for zian or get sponsored by them. I use them in our kiteschool.

The Kima is great for beginners and a decent wave kite. Very well build! Zian is being used by a lot of schools in tarifa and they have listened to these schools to make the kites last long even when being abused by schools.

The aquila is their freeride kite. Predictable and easy to ride and jump. But honestly I prefer the kima even if I'm not riding waves or teaching.

I have only tried the Hantu in 12m so far. And already I'm willing to say: The Hantu is the best of them all. For freeriding, jumping big, unhooking, and looping. Only not for waveriding.

Great replies guys, thanks for the info/advice, really keen to keep this thread open/updated with how the kites go, it would benefit anyone who wasn't sure on buying one with unbiased advice/info, although Everything zian have said on their website and Facebook seems to be legit! Now all I need is some wind!!!
Thanks nige