STX 2.1 (Hellfire)

by Cavaliers du Ciel

Specs

History

The STX 2.1 was the 6th kite I purchased based on recommendations from the gwtw forum, and it was also my first "French" kite.  Called the "Hellfire" in Europe, this kite is a 3/4 size French style trick kite that provides a nice balance between precision and performance.

Construction

The construction on the STX 2.1 is first class.  It has an Icarex sail, high end GForce tapered lower spreader, and fine quality craftsmanship throughout.  My kite is in the "Storm" colors, which are really quite beautiful in flight.  Though this kite has been flown extensively in a variety of conditions, it has worn extremely well and has no weak spots in the construction that I have found. 

Tuning

The STX 2.1 requires a little weight to unlock its trick performance.  I started with 10g of weight, but eventually moved up to about 16g of weight before finding a "sweet spot" in terms of trick and precision performance. 

If you purchase the kite new, be sure to check the bridle measurements against the CDC web site recommendations.  Some new users have mentioned slight variations.

I modified my upper spreader and inserted a slightly smaller upper spreader (about 2cm shorter than the stock spreader) to improve yo-yo performance.  With this modification, one pop yo-yo's are more accessible.

I installed a 3 point bridle on the kite (versus the standard turbo bridle) and found it to be more to my taste.  In particular the 3 point bridle seems to handle a little better in light winds, is a little easier to snap stall and handles better in a stall. 

Three Point Bridle Modification:

In Flight

The STX 2.1 is a good balance between precision and tricking.  The STX 2.1 reacts quickly and requires more moderate inputs than a full size kite like the E2 or Nirvana.  However, with a little practice the full range of tricks are accessible.  Axels are straightforward with a standard setup.  The 2.1 easily flips into a snap turtle from which lazy susans and even multilazies are accessible.   The kite is very responsive in the pitch axis, and will easily transition to a fade.  The fade does require a bit of tending, though it is quite stable with practice.  Flic-flacs are smooth with a moderate input. 

Precision is good with the kite and it will fly sharp corners and figures very well if needed.  I did have some problems with low wind and stall performance with the kite with the stock bridle.  It tended to fall off and get a bit mushy at very low speed.  This is a behavior I've noticed with other French kites as well - some seem to have difficulty below a certain wind speed.  The 3 point bridle modification above dramatically improved the near-stall and stall performance for me.  The 3 point provided better performance in low winds (the mod I made allowed for upper outhaul length adjustment which made it much easier to set for differing wind conditions).

I did struggle with this kite when I first purchased it largely due to my low skill level.  I was just beginning to learn most of the basic tricks and the 2.1 reacted a bit too much to my unsophisticated inputs.  However after I made the bridle modification and also mastered many of the basic tricks I have gone back and achieved a new appreciation for this kite.  It still requires smaller inputs than other kites like the Opium and Nirvana which I connected well with, but it also rewards precise control with a beautiful show.  I continue to learn from this kite every time I fly it.

Update: After improving my skill level and flying this kite more aggressively I have gained a new appreciation for it.  It will not do a slow graceful axel with the beauty of a full size Nirvana, but it is an amazing fast trick kite.  One of my favorite tricks on this kite is the backspin - it will backspin from just about any position including a stable fade, and one hard pull can often generate two or even three rotations.  I've easily managed 12 rotations or more backspinning this kite, with the only limiting factor being height above the ground.

Overall Impression

I would place this kite squarely in the 3/4 trick advanced category.  It does require precise inputs and control, but it also rewards the pilot with very precise maneuvers and tricks.  If you like a kite that reacts well to smaller inputs and is very capable of all of the latest tricks, then this might be the kite for you!

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