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(Taken from r-sky forum) 
Nirvana Standard
At first some of the newest French kites entering the market had a different feel in precision-freestyle department. The first few flights on a early model (earth tones) left me with mixed emotions..Considering I was not used the unique feel of the kite first hand.
But with time, the kites feedback on lines, and inputs become second nature. The Nirvana is a kite that has the capacity to do most anything in the book, and even some tricks thats not even practically performed at this time..(new freestyle moves)..
This is a kite you can grow with, from the Novice to the most advanced fliers as well.
Many keep a sharp eye out for a new entry in the freestyle category. A kite that is well rounded in the precise flying (precision) as well as its freestyle capabilities & trickability capability. Some kites needs exact inputs & near precise set-up to accomplish advanced freestyle tricks, but this kite is very forgiving and does not require intricate small inputs. Not big inputs either, but a nice medium between the two.
The Nirvana is a very well rounded kite IMHO. Offering the ability to be flown by the recreational flyer, to the accomplished competitor as well.
"Richard Debray" & "Roger of R-Sky as well as many other R-Sky fliers showed just some of the kites potential on the R-Sky Nirvana CD. This inspired many fliers all over the world to push the envelope a bit in the precision as well as freestyle aspect of kite flying.
An impressive aspect of the Nirvana is its speed control. As the wind begins to pick up a bit, the ability to control its forward speed & stall the kites to perform freestyle maneuvers is realatively impressive. Precision wise the kite tracks very well and tending is cut down to a minimum, allowing nice cornering and and good feedback from the kite.
A key to get the most from the kite is as with most others is time spent getting to learn inputs needed to get the results you are looking for with the kite. The kite is very capable, but you have to be willing to get the feel for flying the kite to really excel with it.
Many French fliers on the video's I've watched are doing some very impressive flying to say the least. I thought possibly the kite is not stock like the one you purchase. But after owning one a while I'd say it is with the exception possibly of the Debray bridle option. The kite comes equipped with a turbo bridle.
The Nirvana newest generation comes with a weight installed (ballast) inside the spine from R-Sky. I flew the kites a while and decided to try adding and additional 10 grams to the kites lower spine area using the R-Sky weight system (Ballast). Additional weight makes the kite even more pitch friendly when performing many of the latest tricks and does not hinder its flight capabilities much at all. But rather enhances capabilities on pitch based tricks.
Construction:
Seams are nicely sewn with high attention paid to details such as Mylar reinforcements were needed (high stress area). Graphics are superbly eye catching I've had many compliments from even non kiting enthusiasts on the kites graphic lay out..I patuculary like the color combinations on the Nirvana, the pinstripe is another nice added touch as well on the cosmetic side of things.
The newer generation Nirvana, comes with a nicely made tapered kite bag. R-Sky offers many useful, accessories for use with their kites. It's always nice to have spares when needed. Colored C-Clips are a nice touch, ballast system with two individual weights (optional accessory) utilizing two connector that slide on each weight. I was glad to see the internal spine weight offered in the newest offering (stock option), but most prefer to order the extra ballast for use with the kite. I also purchased the wind absorbers (brakes) for use when the wind picks up a bit, to make the kite more managable in these conditions on the higher end of its wind rating.
Ground Work:Recoveries
Ground work on the Nirvana is very good indeed. Sleeping Beauty-Cartwheel for recovery-Pop Up-Dead Launch-all very satisfactory on the kite. I rarely ever do a Dead Launch because of the stress put on the kites bridle & wear & tear. Fade Launches are a breeze on the Nirvana as well, when you find yourself face down with the kite. Rising fades are simply done with minimal tending.
When flying in a well maintained grass area, tip wraps are easy to untangle while the kites on the ground, saving you the long shameless walk we are all familiar with. Recoveries are very good as well.
Flight Characteristics: To Many Tricks To List
There are a few moves you can put in categories:
Fade Based Good stability in a fade, rising fades are easly accomplished from a fade launch..Some tending nessecary but minimal to say the least..Stable in a fade with practice.
Flic Flac:
The kite Flic Flacs very well, you can do nice slow graceful ones as well as fast furious one were you find yourself sort of just slapping down on the straps a bit. the kite looks to transitions very quickly.
Back Spin
The kite requires very little set up to initiate the backspin. Another one associated with the Backspin reversal is the Backspin Cascade, the kite shows good stability in this move and transistion smooth & cleanly with nice agility.
Wap Do Wap:
This is a trick I've had good success with as of late, the Nirvana after initiating the fade, the kites very pitch orientated helps doing this trick.
Initiate a fade and gives ample slack a somewhat slap downward with the straps while stepping forward allows the kite to go past the pancake position and continue to the fade position. The kites rolled up and as the nose drops initiating a pop with result in a backspin like rotation.
The Nirvana easily does this trick, balance and how pitch friendly the kite is determines the success of the trick. A quick fly off or after the roation you can return back to the fade position after doing the roation. the Nirvana recovers very well doing this one.
Back Flip-Turtle
the Turtle is the move that allows many Freestyle possibilities, the Nirvana sits nose deep rather quickly allowing solid balance and stability in the Turtle position.
Lazy Susans
When on its back, the nose sits deep which really helps when doing a Lazy Susan based maneuvers. A light tug gives you a nice roation, or if you get your timing correct Multi-Lazies are very doable as well. The kite recovers very well indeed. The kite likes to be on its back and shows how well its balanced & frame geometry shines.
Flap Jack
Flap Jacks are easy pickings for the N...Bit of stress on your LS but very doable.
Axel
After getting used to the needed inputs the Nirvana is capable of fairly slow and realitively flat axels. Momentum here helps as well as allowing ample amount of slack till recovering.
Axel Landing
Nice way to add a bit of flair to your landing. The Nirvana is very well suited to this move as well.
Double Axels
The Nirvana will do Double Axels, quickly shifting before iniating the move,momentum needed as well as slack management for nice rotations. Many times the kite would really flatten out on the last roation so giving slack is a key to avoid a tip wrap here.
Coin Toss:
The kite seems to be a natural for doing coin-toses all varieties. Tips stabs are very impressive also on the Nirvana.
Half Axel
Half axels are easily done on the Nirvana, nice way for a quick transitions to a fade or change in direction.
Cascade
The kite Cascades very well indeed, and transitions quite smoothly doing so. Cascades look nice and can be done slowly or rather quickly. I like a kite than you can relax a bit with while doing Cascades. There's ugly looking ones and there full graceful ones..the N does these with a touch of grace and finesse.
Roll Up Moves-YoYo
The kite seems even with the stock weight system (15 grams internal) to roll up fairly easily. Keeping the hands evenly placed helps, when catching the stoppers. A nice move in my opinion, is to roll the kite up, and gain some altitude and unroll from Multi-Lazies..nice touch..the kite shows a considerable amount of stability while rolled up. The stopper position is critical here, R-Sky's placement seems dead on.
The kites comes with factory installed yo-yo stoppers, R-Sky used a different approach utilizing new stoppers for the Nirvana. They are rigid plastic that holds up much better than using TAPA (Tiny APA connectors)..The latest stoppers and very efficient and durable, offered in 5mm-6mm-7mm soft and hard compounds.
To avoid line snag, R-Sky has implemented a new type of sail clips for the stand-offs as well. A button shape sail attachment replaces the traditional Jaco connector with a O-ring. This allows the lines a chance to slide over the clips instead of the line hanging on them.
Long Term Durability
The kite holds up very well..Many have owned the Nirvana's since their introduction to the United States market, and after countless hours of flying have shown very little wear.
Frame Geometry
On the newest generation of Nirvana's improvements have been made..
The kite feels very good in its wind range, but the UL Nirvana is a must for low wind conditions. It carries over many of the traits of the standard..
If you want a kite thats capable of most any FS tricks take a look at the Nirvana..If you want a full range they offer a SUL-UL-Standard-HW vented models. The Vented (High Wind Kite)is very suitable when the winds pick up.
There's so many things I'd like to do, but I have my limitations. My only limitations is the flier at the end of the lines, not the Nirvana.
Transitions from one position to another, comes quite naturally for the Nirvana. It still is quite forgiving if set-up is not dead on perfect. It absorbs less than perfect inputs and does most everything well. Best of all, it makes a mediocre flyer look even better. And for myself, this is a good thing.. It's nice sometimes to try before you buy, I was lucky enough to have a few friends with an open invitation to try out the kite.
This is just my opinion on the kite, some specs may vary as I offered my personal experience of the ones I've owned.
Final Thought
The kite has a different feel if your not used to flying a French kite. But I connected with the kite very quickly.
R-Sky Specs
http://www.r-sky.com/kites.php?nom=nirvana&version=std
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