Photo by John Chilese.
The 70’s were a time of great music. Not just during the 70’s but even now, 30+ years later. Why? It is not just that so many of us who lived during the 70’s are still around. There is something special about the music. When I first flew the Mongoose, it was like discovering an old friend. It was like sitting in a restaurant and suddenly hearing an old favorite tune playing. Words that were hidden away in the old brain rise up and spring out as if never forgotten.
That is how it felt flying the Mongoose. Sparks of kite joy long forgotten came rushing back. Suddenly I didn’t want to pop Jacob’s ladders, but snap square corners, side slide across the window, and watch straight line tracking- as if it was on rails. Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve flown something that tracked as well as the Mongoose. I had forgotten how much fun straight lines could be. Though the winds were bumpy, the Mongoose cut nice cleans lines like a knife slicing through butter.
Now before you tune me out, the Mongoose is NOT an “Old School” kite. It will trick with the best of them, but more on that later. That first time out with the kite I came to two very important conclusions. First, as I reflected on all the kite fliers I’ve met, it is my opinion there are far more kiters that enjoy old school flying than those gifted at performing the modern tricks. I believe old school is like 70’s music, classics that don’t go out of style. It’s time to not be ashamed of enjoying old school flying. The second revelation I had was that most of the modern tricks are not kite specific. Meaning, that I have a bag full of kites that will comete, yo-fade, etc. but just not in my hands. However, I have nothing in my kite bag that will track like the Mongoose. In fact it will track just as well in a beginner’s hand. It’s in the kite!
After interacting with Ken McNeill I am even more convinced of the above statement. Ken has been designing kites for over 20 years. His name is recognized throughout the kiting world. He shared that as he began to work on designing a new kite he wanted to do two things. First he wanted to create something new, something that wouldn’t be compared to the extensive lineup of all his other creations. Second the primary audience he was trying to please was himself. “Keep it simple, keep it clean, and the rest will fall into place”. What a great concept! Ken was after that which would put a smile on his face. Isn’t that why most of us go out to the field? Flying the Mongoose reminded me, that it is okay if I never learn to comete. Ahhh, but the good news is that Mongoose can actually comete and so much more!
If this is going to be considered an actual review I should give you lots of details of construction, handling and etc. Yet anyone that has ever owned a Blue Moon Kite knows they are all handmade by Ken and of exceptional quality! A careful inspection of two sails, (a standard and UL) confirms not only the quality but his consistency as well. You will not find any missed stitching on his kites. The nose caps are neat and clean as well, with no loose or frayed edges to catch a line. The same goes for the entire leading edges.
The kite uses a weight system that Ken developed that gives the pilot a wide range of options. It involves brass bushings that weigh 5 grams each, that can be added to the spine to suit the pilot’s style. I used 1, 2, & 3 on the standard and enjoyed each setting in various winds. Three made rollups go a little faster but flatspins were not as flat for me. On the UL I fluctuated between 1 & 2. The last area I want to talk about regarding construction is the bridle. Both kites have a three point bridle. In Ken’s words, he prefers to stick with a standard bridle and make tweaks to performance via sail design. Adjustments can be made by moving the tow point up or down slightly based on wind conditions. However, I flew both the standard and UL in a wide range of wind conditions and never felt the need to adjust the bridle.
Now on to the heart of the matter- how does the kite handle? As I reflect on several sessions with a standard and UL version one word comes to mind – Consistent! Light winds, heavy winds, bumpy winds – it didn’t matter. The kite performs marvelously through the wind window. As great as it is in precision it doesn’t loose a beat when it comes to tricks. It excels at side slides and flat spins! It’s been a long time since I have flown a kite that could I could pop 720’s & 900’s with. Coin slot after coin slot, over and over again – anywhere in the wind window. Even when the wind is up, the kite is easy to stall and then pop tricks.
The modern tricks are all there as well, though due to the size of the kite, especially its height – 42.5” – one needs to discover the proper amount of slack needed to do Jacob’s ladders and wap-do-waps. Tricks like the Taz machine required a few steps to make sure the kite had enough slack to fully rotate. You can see videos of just how well it can be tricked by Devin at the Blue Moon Kites.
When the UL arrived I was amazed at how easily it handled winds shifting from 1 mph to 10 mph. I was even more impressed by its smoothness and believe it tracks even better than the standard. For me the only challenge I had with it was rollups. Currently I have not found the right technique, though many others have. Though it is a full size kite it feels very light on the lines. The first day I had it out I got to compare it to a UL version of another “designer” kite about the same wing span. Though that kite is also an excellent kite to me it felt heavy and touchy on the lines compared to the UL Mongoose.
There is much more that could be said about these two versions of the Mongoose. There was so much more that I wanted to experiment with on both. Isn’t that the sign of an excellent kite? One that makes you want to linger on the field just a little bit longer, one that makes you want to slip out of work a little bit sooner. Long lines or short lines; with weights or without; it was always a joy to fly. Consistent.
Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you to Bob Merchant of Amarillo, TX who provided the kite used for this review :thumbup_tb:
-Glen