Reedin MasterModel

Some of our team bumped into the Reedin crew in Cape Town in February, and they were raving about their new kite, the MasterModel. Unfortunately the famed South Easter failed to fill in that week and we were only able to test the kite once, in light wind. Later, in Tarifa, we had the chance to carry on testing one weekend. Looking at the forecast, we figured a 9m would do the trick but sometimes we forget that this is Tarifa… more on that later. When the weekend finally arrived, we picked up the gear and drove straight to the beach. As is our ritual, we avoided looking up any specs beforehand so we could experience the kite with a completely fresh perspective.

When we opened the colorful, spacious bag, we found a high aspect ratio, five-strut kite, stamped with the Brainchild factory signature. What does that actually mean? It points to different materials and construction techniques, including the usual printed and colorful canopy. Speaking of the canopy, it features “Hardflyte,” Brainchild’s signature high-performance material though this time it’s paired with a triple ripstop on the wingtips that feels noticeably softer to the touch. The real star of the show, however, is the leading edge. It utilizes the PROWELD technique, which joins the segments with significantly less material. This proprietary bonding offers substantial weight savings and combined with the polyester ripstop struts, shaves even more grams off the total weight of the kite.

For this first session, most people were riding 7m and 8m kites. Still, it didn’t look too extreme for a 9m, so we decided to give it a go. Within seconds of launching, we immediately recognized the core DNA of the design: it carries that signature light bar pressure and effortless steering that Ralf’s kites are known for, and remember, we were riding in quite powered conditions. The kite is incredibly fast; it honestly feels like you’re riding a kite one size smaller. We went straight for the first jump, and oh boy, the lift is explosive! But it’s not just about the vertical yank; it’s about how easy it is to achieve that height and stay there, as the hangtime is equally remarkable. By the second jump, we were already throwing a loop, and it felt incredibly intuitive. The turns are tight and the pull, even when it didn´t yank with power, is clean and predictable. In fact, it’s so easy to control that it pushed us into trying different loop variations; something we wouldn’t normally attempt in those conditions where the wind was so gusty, but the MasterModel absorbed the hits beautifully. The material isn’t as punishingly rigid as some other premium options on the market, which, in these specific winds, really nailed the balance between feel and performance. One last highlight from that session: the second lift. The downloops are wide and consistent, always giving you that extra boost and setting you down with super smooth landings. Thanks to the gusty wind, we even got caught in a few seemingly endless heli-loops, covering huge distances. We wrapped up the session with big smiles on our faces, already looking forward to getting back out there the next day.

This time, the forecast had picked up even more. When we arrived at the beach, we would have been very happy to rig a 7m but all we had was the 9m. So, it felt like the perfect opportunity to test its high end. We even brought our watch this time, knowing this session had record-breaking potential for us in this spot. On the very first jump, we were already hitting the 25m range! Despite being extremely overpowered, the kite maintained its comfortable bar pressure, smooth handling, and, most importantly, a real sense of control, even with gusts pushing well over 35 knots. For those interested in the numbers, we hit 27.4m, not a PB, but still impressive about how quickly we could extract this performance.

Testing the kite in the unexpected lighter winds in Cape Town, we can also speak for its low-end performance, when our jumps were still impressively high. And the high end certainly feels almost limitless, especially considering what a 7m or 8m could handle.

The Reedin MasterModel offers incredibly easy handling paired with massive performance that is accessible to almost anyone. It boasts a superb high-end, remains comfortable in the punchiest winds and has a huge “sweet spot” during takeoff to send you to the moon. It’s a kite that will likely suit 95% of twintip riders (unhooked freestylers aside) and will put a smile on the face of any rider, regardless of level. For those seeking a dedicated Big Air weapon, this kite should be at the very top of your “must-test” list.