Secondly - I'm not the most technically minded person in the world - when people start talking about that side of kite/board design - my eyes usually start to glaze over. So please bear that in mind - this is more just 'what I thought of it' and 'how I got on'
OK
so you tip the kite out and grab the pump. That's when you think - shit, why hasn't someone thought of that before? (the first 3/4 inches of the pump hose is reinforced - you know that bit that always get's kinked when you sling it in the back of your van?)
Next thing you notice is that it's only got 3 struts! Apparently the 12 is the same - 'WTF?' you ask...
Next you notice it's not one-pump - but hey with 3 struts that's not exactly a big deal so you go to pump up the struts and notice that it's got 'HAVE FUN BRO' written on each of them 
The bar is super simple - there's some good pics on the wainman website so probably easiest to just take a look there (http://www.wainmanhawaii.com/node/76)
First session I had was about 15-18 mph (what I'd normally call 12m conditions) with just me and my mate on his 9m bandit. We parked both kites next to each other in the air and you could see the wainman has a much deeper profile.
First few runs had me not only grinning but actually laughing out loud - the kite is just so responsive you actually get stoked just steering it around (sounds bollocks I know - but hey just try it yourself and you'll see what I mean!
). Hunstanton is a flatwater spot 90% of the time - but this day it was northerly with some little 2ft ramps and I just couldn't leave them alone! This kite absolutely begs you to attack everything even closely resembling a wave - it's quick - but not 'stupid quick' - just spot on really and toeside or heelside the turns are hands-down the best I've got out of any kite. If you regularly ride at a wave spot - you'd be insane not to give this kite a shot...When I try a new kite - I've always got a few tricks I always want to 'test-out' on it and the 'Smoke' (as it's called) was sweet on all the basic stuff - so then I tried a few backloop kiteloops - nice! If you pull the end of the bar you get a real easy 'pussy-loop' as it turns quickly at the top of the window - but if you pull near the centre of the bar - you get a mega-meaty loop - I guess it's to do with that 'half-a-ball' shape of it? - I don't know...
Unhooked - it was sweet-as - only really went for raileys - but got a well-good pull through the air - nice! The standard set-up is suicide-style with a small ring attached to your chicken-loop that you clip on to - and there's loads of depower - although you can adjust the stopper down a bit if you think there's too much depower (if you're going to be trying dangles and shit) For those that don't fancy going 'suicide' - there's also a kind of 'mini-5th' option which you thread through the bar and attach to one of the front lines. And if you REALLY want - you can actually clip onto BOTH of those at once - so you're riding suicide with a back up should it go pear shaped (have a look at the pics on the website if that's a bit unclear!
)Relaunch is super easy - again I suppose it's the deeper profile - it just rolls over on it's fat belly laughing at what you just screwed up!
Bridle - it came on the bridle set-up (although it's almost an exaggeration to call it a bridle as it's so ridiculously short and simple) but you can fly it straight 4-line if you want... (haven't tried that yet)
Anyway the wind dropped right off then so we called it a day.
Next day was 22 - 30kts - raining and horrible gusty. I'd been working a night shift and got to the beach just as everyone was coming in. Had a bit of a 'wainman-moment' and decided to do a 6 mile downwinder on me own. It was flat - but still couldn't resist linking carved-turns all the way down getting faster and faster, tighter and tighter -there's no limit on how hard you can crank this kite - only your ability.
Went for a couple of big jumps and while well good - if this is all you're into - there's probably better 'jumping machines' available on the market. Actually stuffed-up a big forward and got well-slammed plus over-cooked a big backloop kiteloop which REALLY hurt and I came off the water feeling a bit down - as I'd been so stoked the day before. But then I chatted to a few windsurfers (who were the only ones out at that stage) and they were complaining about the shitty gusts and I started to cheer up a bit
Now yesterday:
I'd worked another night-shift so didn't get down to the beach till late on - but everyone was super stoked as it had been blowing up to 40mph and sunny! One of my mates had been on the Wainman all day and had had a blast - including landing a huge danglepass - looping it on the way down and riding away perfect 'without getting his feet wet'.
Went down the sailing club and there was only 3 kites left and a gorgeous sunset - so got rigged up and headed out. The wind had now dropped to a steady 18-20 and flat - perfect for trying some freestyle. Without doubt - one of the best sessions of my life. Probably the meatiest F-16's and downloop-raileys I've ever landed and then (what I was most stoked about) - at least 3 FULLY powered forwards - kite parked low and stationary and shitloads of pop. Such a good feeling!!! This kite is sick unhooked. How it can be so good for waves AND unhooked is a bit illogical I admit - and I honestly can't explain it - but in my head I was thinking - OK - Franz Olry must've designed the wave bit and Lou the unhooked bit...
Anyway - I guess I've gone on enough - sorry if I've gone a bit over the top - but I've not been this excited about a kite for a LONG time. Hopefully someone else who's tried it will come on here and back me up so I don't feel such an idiot!!!
