Fractured Axel

I've been flying the NFX for about a year now and have just picked up the Manga so I guess it's time for a review/comparison.



The NFX sport
I stole a quick go of Malte's (Sonnenwind) NFX in Berck and minutes later had one of my own.

Flown with an offshore breeze at a couple of miles an hour it's absolutely awesome, inland you'll have to work flying it in less than 5mph. At about 2m it's a small kite and remains light and flicky in stronger breezes, but can load up and cut corners and track should you want it to (meh).

It's strength is it's ability to float on it's back or in a fade giving you time and confidence to go for that "one more" repetition.Hovering at waist height you can Jacobs Ladders and string combos together endlessly.

Multilazies are laughably easy and the backspin and barrel roll are nicely manageable. It's competent enough at pitch based stuff but not stupid pitchy...you will have to move. The nose pops forward reliably for copters or yofades.

All in all it's a trick monster and doesn't punish poor inputs

Bad points: Axels and flatspins are typically ugly and comets and cascades require careful input.

Construction looks quite nice but on closer inspection you notice c-clips aren't glued, seams not finished and the Centre-T hole cut straight through without even so much as a drop of glue. Spar ends looked rough and of the few we've had down at Purley, none of them have had the same frame specs.The worst offender had one wing larger than the other.

However no-one buys an R-sky as a collectors item and it's how it flies that counts



The Manga
First impressions were that I hated it. It isn't a pimped version of my NFX and doesn't fly like it.The sail profile is different, the spars longer and the bridle set super heavy and loose. Not at all what I was expecting or wanted.

After a while though I started to connect with it and found that it had greatly improved 540s, slots and axels, an awesome backspin cascade and even better JL combinations.

The Manga appears to suffer from the same sewing issues as the Sport and I've noticed they've done away with hot cutting altogether and now nibble at the dacron instead...it's a labourious method but makes each one a unique and special item.

What I can't live with is the lack of drive and shocking Level-7esque oversteer. Strangely it'll power up and track cleanly, then have you pumping and stomping backwards the next second. After some bridle modding it's flying quite nicely but has lost some of that lazy feel that was so nice.

If you've tried the NFX and liked it, don't expect the Manga to be similar. It's wonderful and appalling in equal measure.


My opinion only YMMV

Glad I didn't buy one. Thanks for saving me from another R-Sky moment.

Still wouldn't mind an N-FX. Just a shame they're not going to last long enough to reach the second hand market.

...a Bensonite did offer me cold hard cash for it after just a few minutes flying...granted not much, but offered nonetheless.

Strange that the build is still so poor, my Diablis is really well put together, maybe I got lucky

Still those FX's are a blast to fly and just give some stuff away

Fiction wrote:

I stole a quick go of Malte's (Sonnenwind) NFX in Berck and minutes later had one of my own.

It was my pleasure!
Never saw such a superfast puchase! Right away, right on the beach of Berck (will you be there in April? I still have the yellow NFX and don't get along with it

Fiction wrote:

Construction looks quite nice but on closer inspection you notice...

Yes, it is still R-Sky - I don't get it either!
Good kites poorly made - but nonetheless the build quality has been improved a lot!

Fiction wrote:

It isn't a pimped version of my NFX and doesn't fly like it.The sail profile is different, the spars longer and the bridle set super heavy and loose. Not at all what I was expecting or wanted.

Exactly it is different, sail and leading edge measurements! With these different dimension is has to fly different - even better?

Malte

Fiction wrote:

What I can't live with is the lack of drive and shocking Level-7esque oversteer. Strangely it'll power up and track cleanly, then have you pumping and stomping backwards the next second.

Exactly what I thought ... I was aghast - no drive, heavy set, sluggish
and ludicrously spinny.

I pulled the nose forward by using the top most knot on the bridle pigtail
and this elimated most of the oversteer and gave the kite more drive. In
the brief trial flight I was banging out the tricks - it feels heavier on the
lines and I dunno ... different ... but I think I might grow to like it.

I think the long term solution is to shorten the upper outhaul. I might well
tie a RTG based on on the one I have on my FX and give that a go too.

Fiction wrote:

After some bridle modding it's flying quite nicely but has lost some of that lazy feel that was so nice.

Please share the specifics

-Frazer

Craig wrote:

Strange that the build is still so poor, my Diablis is really well put together, maybe I got lucky

Craig wrote:

Strange that the build is still so poor, my Diablis is really well put together...

Same here. I mean I don't actually like it - at all, but well made none-the-less. I'll be patient yet though. Might gain more affection with use.

Nice write up on the FX's Rob.

Bryan

Sonnenwind wrote:

Fiction wrote:

I stole a quick go of Malte's (Sonnenwind) NFX in Berck and minutes later had one of my own.

It was my pleasure!
Never saw such a superfast puchase! Right away, right on the beach of Berck (will you be there in April? I still have the yellow NFX and don't get along with it

Can't make it this year and don't tempt me

fworley wrote:

Fiction wrote:

After some bridle modding it's flying quite nicely but has lost some of that lazy feel that was so nice.

Please share the specifics

Never!

Almost every time I see a new bridle spec from Roger, it's always too heavy for where I fly. Several of my new R-Sky kites over the years have had that issue that is very simply corrected with a AOA adjustment. Same deal back when I purchased an xt.r new when they were introduced.

I loved the NFX at first, then subsequent sessions didn't go so well and now I'm in love again. I don't always get on so well with 2 meter kites, particularly when I'm spending so much time on larger kites. I've really had to concentrate on inputs. When you're used to yanking on a Nirvana or Next, it's hard to tame down a bit on a smaller kite. I've done so and have found magic again.

I spend a good portion of the day on a beach flying two different NFX's and fairly well had a blast. Here's proof:



I also finally got to try the mini-RT our friend came up with and was very impressed. Need more time to see if it's truly an improvement or just different.

Eventually I'll frame one of these as a LW. That should be interesting.

Fiction wrote:

If you've tried the NFX and liked it, don't expect the Manga to be similar.

Don't you think that this sort of thing should have been mentioned at the point of sale ? The Bilbo. ad. page only pushes it as a reframe, not a completely other kite.

And why is seemingly everyone modding even the vanilla NFX ?

Mike.

Could anyone tell me how is speed of Fx compared say to Frenezy or a Minigem? Thanks

In a bumpy 10mph wind, the Nfx is much more consistent across the window than say a FE.

Thanks Everett, it looks very intersting if can be flown in high winds too.

Fiction wrote:

fworley wrote:

Fiction wrote:

After some bridle modding it's flying quite nicely but has lost some of that lazy feel that was so nice.

Please share the specifics

Never!

I seem to remember it was some pretty fine tuning... like, chop 4 inches out of the upper leg and about six inches out of the inhaul. Give or take an inch. The top leg was shortened until the knot was in line with the bottom spreader and then the inhaul was shortened accordingly.