Takoon Chrono 10m 2010
Reviews / Kites
7,177
At A Glance
The Chrono from Takoon is a new kite in their 2010 line up aimed at the high performance and free ride end of the market. Takoon have been making great kites for years now and they often get overlooked in the UK. The brand was one of the first to work on the bow kite concept and produced the Nova back in 2006. Years later they have been churning out some awesome designs and the Chrono looks to follow in some impressive footsteps. Out of the bag the kite has all the usual Takoon features, one-pump, lightweight build, small struts and an extensive bridle. It also features a flat middle section in the leading edge and there is no centre strut. Instead 6 smaller struts further along the canopy make up the framework. There is reinforcement and padding in stress areas, but this kite is designed to be lightweight and responsive, so you’ll need to treat it with a little respect.
The Bar
The new Diamond Bar from Takoon is very well made with lots of innovative features. The bar differs from the standard TK bar that comes with some of the kites in the range and it certainly has a more quality feel about it. The new winders are softer on the hands for added control and comfort during unhooked loops and there is a simple mini-cleat depower system that stays tidy and works really well. There is an adjustable stopper ball should you wish to use it and the chicken loop fits snugly into the alloy centre hole which makes hooking in and out easy. The chicken loop itself uses a simple Velcro release, which works well and is easy to grab hold of should you need it. The 3D grip feels very comfortable too and should be easy on your hands during those long days on the water.
In the Air
Once you launch the Chrono you can feel how light it is in the sky; it launches effortlessly and is eager to fly in the lightest of airs. Light kites always have a more responsive feel to them too and the Takoon is no slouch when you engage the bar. The pressure is direct yet not too heavy and any input on the bar is quickly turned into movement with the kite. The Chrono has a very aerodynamic shape, the high aspect canopy coupled with the thin leading edge and struts enable it to fly really far forward in the window. This generates a huge amount of lift upwind and you can really feel the kite pulling you forwards and attacking the limits of the window. If you want a high performance race kite then this would certainly provide you with something to give the competition a run for its money! The agility, of course, lends itself to jumping ability, sending the kite back through the window will produce some impressive boost off the water, but the hang time is where the Chrono excels; that flat mid section really helps to keep the rider in the air for big floaty jumps.
For
Lightweight canopy makes for a responsive kite, very fast through the air and can develop a lot of low-end power due to its nimble flying characteristics. Excellent upwind ability. Great bar set up finishes off what is a very well polished product.
Against
Freestyle lovers should steer towards one of the more freestyle orientated kites; unhooked the Chrono lacks a little rider feedback, this is free ride and race machine though, so that is to be expected somewhat.
Overall
The Chrono could turn out to be one of the great race kites of 2010, but if you aren’t a racer it holds some impressive speed, upwind ability and jumping characteristics that should entertain just about anyone!
This review was in Issue 18 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit TakoonRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
