Have flown both kites at least in 3 sessions each in light to gusty wind in the 11 to 18 knots range, here are a few details.
Both kites have in common the lightness of the Aluula construction and rigidity and the lower swing weight/inertia greatly benefits the handling and responsiveness. These kites remarkably generate power on the upstroke and feel very efficient. Both fly in less wind that you be tempted to go out and have a large wind range, more on that below.
The feel of the kites is however quite different and are very in line with the announced objectives of their design. In essence the Flite is categorized as a light wind weapon and the Roam a maneuver tool. Wich one is less specific ? See the pictures for some of the differences in strut size & outline.
The Flite feels like a powerfull kite and is best at getting you going on the marginal side of the wind range. The power sensation carries over trough to top speed and delivers awesome hang time. In the gusts although the generous throw allows to compensate I had to adjust the trim more often to remain confortable. Use of a click bar would be beneficial.
At first feel the Roam is quite less powerfull but offers all thats needed to get my 200 pounds going with ease. The Roam is more manoeuvrable & faster flying and will easily generate all the pull you need. Once at speed the kite profile just feels efficient and very comfortable. I am convinced you can ride longer sessions with the Roam, it’s less demanding. It handles gusts and a higher wind range with more comfort.
The Flite handles like an exeptional 14 m kite, the Roam in comparison feels (almost) like a toy compared to other kites, easily 2m smaller in size. Because of the sweet handling & comfort I felt the Roam could jump as high as the Flite but the hang time is much better with the Flite. The Roam down loops (& loops) so nicely (fast and foreseeable) it allows you to keep your speed through transitions which is a critical point at 14m wind speeds.
In conclusion I felt the Flite to be an efficient but more specialised early planing and extended hang time kite. The Roam felt like a verry fun & sweet crossover. It’s a balanced kite kite that will fill all the needs for performance freeriding TT riders.
In all honesty I was charmed by the Roam’s broad performance it’s just so so sweet, but then again I prefer good handling to marginal wind lawn mowing. Guaranteed the 14m Roam will make you reconsider the experience of riding that kite size in + 12 knots. It did for me who had essentially given up using my 14m Enduro v1. This would be even more the case for liter weight riders.
A big thank’s to the 30 Noeud shop in Montreal for lending me a kite to do the comparison. By the way the 12m Roam is also an outstanding all around kite for free-ride twintipping. I would gladly dare try it for some light wind wave ridding in side to side-on conditions.
Good winds,
