Wainman Hawaii Gypsy 6.25m 2013
Reviews / Kites
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At A Glance
The Gypsy has been in the Wainman Hawaii line-up for a while now, and it is worth mentioning that every size in the line-up is different. Not just in a scaled up or scaled down way, the team look at each size, what is expected of it and then design the kite around that formula. They always stick to the low aspect 3-strut design that Wainman Hawaii are famous for however, the Gypsy is a very different kite to the Smoke for instance. Out of the bag the kite looks fantastic, especially in its new 2.0 White Edition guise. This kite is pimp with a capital P.I.M.P! The gold reinforcements finish off the look stunningly and the graphics make it stand out in the crowd. The kite comes with a multitude of set-up options and can be flown on the very short bridle, or as a direct connection on the front lines.
The Bar
The Carrot Bar is a fantastic piece of kit, so simple, very effective and it feels great in the hands. The depower line is encased in plastic to prevent wear; the floats are integrated into the winders. The chicken loop is easy to grab and release and very simple to put back together on the water. Safety is taken care of with a single front line safety system. For the depower there is an above the bar clam cleat set-up that works very well and is easy to reach.
In The Air
We mentioned the multitude of set-up options earlier, and these are important. You have to fly this kite on the right settings to get the best out of it. Our factory default wasn’t the best set-up by far, and it took some tweaking to get it flying right. We found it flew best with the rear lines right on the wingtips and set on the shortest setting. Once set up correctly, we started to appreciate the Gypsy for what it is, a stable kite with gust eating tendencies. It turns fairly quickly, but unlike some kites that spin on their axis the Gypsy has a much wider turning circle. This takes some getting used to, especially when waveriding and kite looping. The loops this kite does are a little crazy and not for the feint hearted. If you want to get above your kite then this is the machine that will make it easy for you, but the landing is up to you, - radical would be a good work to describe looping on the Gypsy. In the waves it prefers to be parked and drifted down the wave, it hangs in the air beautifully, no doubt helped by the low aspect ratio, allowing you to get on with the business of shredding. Once you are dialled into the turning speed then the jumps can be huge and the unique canopy shape lends itself to some serious float on the way down. It’s not a kite for beginners, and if you haven’t flown a Wainman Hawaii kite before then be prepared to take a few moments to get used to it. If you already love Wainman Hawaii then you will love this kite when the wind is howling.
Overall
Take care to set it up right and you’ll be rewarded with a stable kite that will eat up the gustiest of conditions. Park it on the wave or send it into a crazy kiteloop, the choice is yours and it will thrill at every turn…
Videos
This review was in Issue 36 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit Wainman HawaiiRelated
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!
