Best Kiteboarding, LLC (www.bestkiteboarding.com) is pleased to announce the Best Hellfish, a kite that improves upon currently available leading edge inflatable designs in all aspects. It is the lightest, best performing and most aerodynamically efficient kite ever produced. It represents a huge leap forward in kite technology, design, and performance. The numerous advances in performance, handling and responsiveness are made possible by the application of Best's design superiority and exclusive use of laminate materials manufactured by Cuben Fiber Corp (www.cubenfiber.com).

“We wanted to design a kite that was better in all aspects; turning speed, responsiveness, light wind performance, stability, jumping, durability, and so on,” said Peter Stiewe, Best’s Kite Designer and Head of Research and Development. “But we were limited by standard kite materials and technology so we started thinking outside the box. When we found Cuben Fiber, we knew right away that we could make a better kite but we never imagined that it would be this good.”

The laminates used in the Hellfish are up to ten times lighter and stronger then traditional kite material. These combined attributes have enabled Best to aggressively design the most aerodynamically refined and best performing kite ever produced.

“I tried the Hellfish and I am very excited about where this new technology will take the sport of kiteboarding,” said Gabe Brown, Editor of Kiteboarding Magazine. “Read all about this ground breaking new development in the June/July issue of Kiteboarding Magazine.”

The leading edge and strut diameters of the Hellfish are up to 70% smaller than a traditional kite which reduces drag, leading to an exponential increase in available power. Even though the inflatable structure is minuscule in comparison to a traditional LEI kite, it has up to five times more torsional rigidity; in fact it has the tensile strength of aluminum.

“We are all hard core kiters here at Best, and the primary motivation behind the Hellfish was that we very selfishly wanted to have more fun kiting,” said Alex Shogren, President & CEO of Best.

“Although traditional kites are still fun to ride, the Hellfish adds a whole new dimension in terms of performance, responsiveness and light wind capability. Not only does the Hellfish break the light wind barrier, it shatters it. Riding powered in 5-8 knots is no longer a dream, as the thinner and stiffer airframe yields far more forward speed and power for any given kite size, so riding in the snow in almost no wind is entirely possible.”

Additionally, the weight of the kite is reduced by up to 70% over traditional designs, increasing the power to weight ratio and aerodynamic efficiency dramatically. The Hellfish is the most responsive, fastest turning, and powerful kite ever created, with less weight to hold it down and a lighter, more rigid structure, it enables Best to write new rules for inflatable kite performance.

“The Hellfish is the best kite I’ve ever flown by a large margin,” said Shannon Best. “It outperforms other kites in all aspects, in fact traditional kites seem doughy, sluggish and slow compared to the Hellfish, but that comparison isn’t really fair. That would be like comparing a Ferrari to a Ford.”

RESPONSIVENESS

Although the Hellfish turns incredibly fast (for example, the 20m Hellfish turns as fast as the 12m Nemesis), its responsiveness is what is most compelling. Steering input by the rider is immediate, there is no lag in the kite and the Hellfish feels like a natural extension of the rider.

POWER

The aerodynamic efficiency of the Hellfish design coupled with the reduced weight yields amazing but controllable power. Kiters can now use a kite 3-5m smaller than they normally would for the wind conditions.

JUMPING & HANG TIME

Because the Hellfish is so responsive, fast and aerodynamically efficient, it jumps higher and hangs longer than any kite ever made. And, even though jumping an extra 5-10 feet higher is incredible, the hang time is more impressive. The Hellfish jumps like a kite 3-5 square meters smaller and hangs like a kite 3-5 square meters larger.

WIND RANGE

The use of Cuben Fiber combined with an advanced aerodynamic design has yielded the best performing, most durable kite on the market today. The Hellfish not only has an increased wind range with amazing low end power, but it has an enlarged “sweet spot” in the range. Traditional kites have a 3-5 knot sweet spot meaning one is perfectly powered in that 3-5 knot wind range. The Hellfish has a 14-20 knot range and an 8-10 knot sweet spot enabling more fun and better performance throughout the range.

LIGHT WIND

Traditionally, large leading edge tube diameters were necessary for big kites in light wind to support the shape of the kite, but the drag created by these huge inflatable structures is immense. This inefficiency yields poor light wind performance, making it impossible to have fun in less then 12 knots. The Hellfish changes light wind kiting. Because of the reduced diameter leading edge and struts, the aerodynamic wing yields more power and less drag making riding powered in 5-8 knots not only achievable but fun. The Hellfish is also the first kite to efficiently harness apparent wind. Once a rider locks the Hellfish in place after the down stroke, there is no need to further sine the kite, the Hellfish innately builds speed and power by drawing on the force of apparent wind.

KITE COLOR

The Hellfish is available in any color as long as it’s chrome. Through Best’s exclusive use of Cuben Fiber laminates, the canopy of the Hellfish looks like polished metal. It is the most visually stunning traction kite ever produced.

PRICING

Even though the laminate material used to create the Hellfish is ten times more expensive then polyester rip-stop and Dacron, The Best Hellfish retails at a price similar to other brands’ traditional kites.

GUARANTEE

Best Kiteboarding is once again pushing the limits for customer satisfaction. The Hellfish comes with an unprecedented $100 guarantee. Within 30 days of a customer receiving the Hellfish, the customer may return it for any reason for a full refund plus $100.

“The $100 guarantee scared the pants off me when Alex told me about the idea,” said Troy Lawson, Best’s Chief Operations Officer. “But once I tried the first prototype, I knew we would never get a single return.”

Lighter, stronger material has enabled Best to push the limits of kite design to achieve unmatched light wind performance, jumping ability, hang time, overall power, and responsiveness. The Hellfish will be available for sale through www.bestkiteboarding.com or through your local Best retailer. More information can be found at www.bestkiteboarding.com

Best Kiteboarding, LLC
Delray Beach, Florida
(561) 243-3737
info@bestkiteboarding.com