I have this, both a differentiator and kind of a show piece, the frameless elephant, direct from CN, of course.
The good thing about frameless is that it comes in a small package. Depending on how you fold it, it can easily fit into any bag. And, there is no rod to figure out. A good change for this shipment includes the 3D kites with 10 spars or more. So, you can just hook up and fly.
Yes, you can just hook it up and fly. Contrary to popular believes, frameless kites actually takes very little wind to fly (but not this one). In fact, those on the right are some examples of kites that are used as "lifters" - to pull large large line laundry - and can stay very strong and stable even in light wind conditions. The design are often dull so that it do not distract from the "creatures" that hang on the line. These are fixtures in every kite festival. Of course, you can choose to fly them on their own.
This elephant, however, has this added design element, which is what attracted me to it in the first place - the elephant trunk.Upon unpacking, you just have to sort through the mess of lines attached to the kite. This is common among "soft" kites, be sure to spend some time packing them nicely. I lost count of how many strands there are. Together, they form your tow line. Not sure they are not tangled or your sail will not open fully. Tie all the lines together near the end securely. You can either hook a ring at this knot to form your bridle or have some allowance for another knot, which is what I did for this kite.
Before you throw the kite down wind, be prepared to work.
You can hand launch this kite; bundle all the lines together in one hand (an easy way to do this is to slide your hand from the knot down). Walk into the wind and slide your hand towards the bridle again. Then release the line. The sails should catch fairly easily and start to pull on the line. Alternatively, you can place the kite on the floor with all the lines facing up, not the other way. Walk away releasing some lines and pull it up from there. You should also see the sail catch and the kite extended to its full glory.
Initially, the kite will start to rise gently. You will start to feel the pull but maintain tension at this point. In order for this elephant to take off, the trunk need to be filled. You will visually see it bloated up as it rise. Once this happens, hang on tight. The pull on your line will increase tremendously. Make sure you have a good grip on your reel handle as the kite will start to "order" lines very aggressively (I got cut a few times). At no time should you try to pull the line with your naked hands. You'll live to regret.
The elephant will start to climb up, shaking it trunk. It really draws a lot of attention. The one thing that still puzzles me is that it doesn't shoot vertically up when you hold the line. Instead, it will rise to a point where it threatens to collapse totally. Is it the tow line adjustment or the zip at the end of the trunk? I'm still not sure. I cannot get it fly high over a short distance (yeah, I admit, to show off). Like the giant octopus, it seems contented to hover around a low altitude, climbing gradually as you release more lines. That means the trunk is always hanging down. This is nice.
BUT, this kite actually has another print on it that suggest that the trunk should be horizontal. I saw it when I tried to throw the kite overhead at launch. It has a complete different appearance. Does any one know what adjustments I need to make to achieve this? Again, all the online pictures don't help.
I have to stress that the pull on this line is incredible. It is work just to hang on. Keep it in your hands for fear of line snapping. In the air, it will hang so long as there are air in the trunk. I've not managed to totally collapse the sail yet - touch wood. The decline is gradual, as far as I see, resulting from wind changes. You've time to react. Pull on your reel to re-inflate the trunk and it should stay in the air. Its not hard to fly this baby at all. A sure fire will to see a complete collapse is you to slack the line too much. You can try but it's hard for this baby.
Because of its strength, be prepared to sweat it out, and plan for some time, to reel it back. Yes, the ladies need help here and I too find it tough, much stronger than a good delta. Perhaps, this is the reason they are used as lifers (I don't have a nice line laundry or dare to try to do this with the elephant yet). The faster you want it back, the harder the kite will pull.
This is definitely a crowd pleaser and "signature". You'll hear kids running up the Barrage scream its name. And, its bright orange color make it visibly day and night. I get to know some regulars because of this kite. Put one in your bag, though I've not seen it sold here.
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