The following article is written by John Chilese for GWTW forum. Source . EWF is publishing this with the permission of John. 

 

In August of 2004 I wrote an extremely short review of the Mamba with the key phrase being "Buy One".

In honor of the recent Blue Moon, I have declared June to be Blue Moon Kites Month, celebrated in my Kite Bag.

At the Friday night kite gathering, I flew Mojos and Mamba, but mostly the extraordinary Mamba I received from several Forum members and Kmac a few years ago. Picture chosen because Laurent Moll was the best Mamba flyer I've ever seen.

 

While my VF7 entry might not show it, I am a few years better than last I put in any serious time on the Mamba. My opinion of the Mamba has changed, it is a better kite than the outstanding kite I thought it was.

Build Quality: Ken McNeill (need I say anything more here?)

Pattern Possibilites: With 18 panels in an expanding grid layout, your imagination can run free. And, as I've said before, mine is the 2nd prettiest with Mickey McKays being tops and the Blackbird being 3rd. I do believe mine is the only Mamba to have mylar panels (thanks for the exception to the rules Ken).

Precision/Spin Radius: You can either have good precision with wide tow points or a tight spin radius with close set tow points. Play any tricks you want with the bridle, this is the main point to me. My Mamba came from Ken with a very tight spin radius. So I'll keep the Mojos for flying figures.

Flight Characteristics: The Mamba seems to have a very tightly stretched sail with a leech line so it is quiet at all speeds, extremely responsive and on a good snap turn will make a sound almost like a whip cracking. Laurent Moll, when competing in Steps Down, always easily did the figure and the explosive cracking of the sail against the wind would turn heads. I believe he could have done an extra step in that figure. The Mamba does build up speed very quickly as the wind picks up and the frame would sometimes shudder slightly with winds in the mid-teens. Microscopic hand motions are all that are required to make the kite respond. Make is not the correct word, you don't force a Mamba, you allow the Mamba some freedom to perform.

Tricks: Surprisingly, the Mamba will roll up in a yoyo fairly easily (no weights or yoyo stoppers) and with its close set tow points I would get both lines to set on the upper spreader connectors about 2 out of 3 times, which allowed flight and unroll on command. It's also nice to see a kite roll up without having the little horns sticking up like trainer wheels on a bicycle. Axel take offs would make a bishop kick out a stained glass window in envy. In general, tricks are precise and beautiful, but there is less room for error in setup than many other kites I've flown. Cascades can be done with one or two pops, but the two pop method fits the kites style better. I couldn't get a backspin, even with flattening out the outermost of the 6 standoffs. Maybe others can, but not me.

I'll be flying the Kmac kites all month so the review may be amended. Steve Hall called the Mamba the "Gold Standard". I think he undervalued it. Platinum probably. And, as I said in my super mini review 2 years ago, Buy one.