16 replies to this topic

[badinfluence]

Does anyone know if there is an actual basic listing or post of when and what kites and rods, handles,etc.. were released from Revolution? Can anyone comment on the following to say this is a pretty close list and add to it or remove from it?

- 1988 Neos Omega
- 1989 Revolution I
- 1990 Revolution II
- 1995 Revolution 1.5
- 1998 Revolution 1.5 SLE
- 2006 Revolution I vented
- 2009 REV 1.5 John Barresi_Pro
- 2010 ZEN
- ???? Indoor Rev
- ???? Revolution 1.5 SUL
- 2011 Revolution B2
- ???? Lee Sedgwick Signature
- ???? Rev Blast
- ???? Revolution 1.5 John Barresi Signature

[RevWizard]

Does anyone know if there is an actual basic listing or post of when and what kites and rods, handles,etc.. were released from Revolution? Can anyone comment on the following to say this is a pretty close list and add to it or remove from it?

- 1988 Neos Omega
- 1989 Revolution I
- 1990 Revolution II
- 1995 Revolution 1.5
- 1998 Revolution 1.5 SLE
- 2006 Revolution I vented
- 2009 REV 1.5 John Barresi_Pro
- 2010 ZEN
- ???? Indoor Rev
- ???? Revolution 1.5 SUL
- 2011 Revolution B2
- ???? Lee Sedgwick Signature
- ???? Rev Blast
- ???? Revolution 1.5 John Barresi Signature

Your list Corrected:
- 1988 Neos Omega
- 1989 Revolution I
- 1990 Revolution II
- 1995 Revolution 1.5
- 1998 Revolution 1.5 SLE
- 1996 Revolution I vented
- 2008 REV 1.5 John Barresi_Pro
- 2010 ZEN
- 2001 Indoor Rev
- 1995 Revolution 1.5 SUL (Yes, all the way back to 1995)
- 2011 Revolution B2
- 2002 Lee Sedgwick Signature - (previously called the Rainbow in 1990, apparently designed for Lee, without his signature)
- 1998 Rev Blast
- 2007 Revolution 1.5 John Barresi Signature
There are also quite a number of panel variations that are also key dates.
For the 1.5 alone there have been more that 12 variations of panels including venting variations.


There is no known official list however over the last couple years I have researched this in depth.
If there is sufficient demand, there may be an article, PDF file or something in the future. Please express any interest about this directly to Revolution.

[RevWizard]

I was incorrect on the BLAST introduction date. It was 2001.
The Shockwave and Supersonic were introduced in 1998.

[badinfluence]

Your list Corrected:
- 1988 Neos Omega
- 1989 Revolution I
- 1990 Revolution II
- 1995 Revolution 1.5
- 1998 Revolution 1.5 SLE
- 1996 Revolution I vented
- 2008 REV 1.5 John Barresi_Pro
- 2010 ZEN
- 2001 Indoor Rev
- 1995 Revolution 1.5 SUL (Yes, all the way back to 1995)
- 2011 Revolution B2
- 2002 Lee Sedgwick Signature - (previously called the Rainbow in 1990, apparently designed for Lee, without his signature)
- 1998 Rev Blast
- 2007 Revolution 1.5 John Barresi Signature
There are also quite a number of panel variations that are also key dates.
For the 1.5 alone there have been more that 12 variations of panels including venting variations.


There is no known official list however over the last couple years I have researched this in depth.
If there is sufficient demand, there may be an article, PDF file or something in the future. Please express any interest about this directly to Revolution.

John, Awesome information, I am shocked as i thought the indoor rev was a fairly new release, but it has been out for 10 years! Also the finding out the SUL has been out for over 16 years is a great comparison where to put the Zen in terms of technology. I sure am comng in late in the game. Any idea if that Neos Omega is sort of a "cult classic" still find them around for sale things or is that a not even a possibility? I seen a few pics of one but never for sale.

[kiteslinger]

rev 2 vented

supersonic

super blast 2-4 and the 4-8

Phase 1 and phase 2 sport kites annnnnnnnnd...

backtracker

[RevWizard]

rev 2 vented

supersonic

super blast 2-4 and the 4-8

Phase 1 and phase 2 sport kites annnnnnnnnd...

backtracker

1996 - rev 2 vented

1998 - supersonic ( same time as the shockwave)

- super blast 2-4 and the 4-8
2003 - Super Blast
about 2004 to 2006(unsure) Power Blast 2-4(previously Super Blast) and Power Blast 4-8

Phase 1 and phase 2 sport kites annnnnnnnnd...
1997 - Advantage Classic Delta (I am unsure but this might also be called Phase 1)
1998 - Phase 2


1997 - backtracker

My detailed history only covers the REV series. I does not cover the Speed or Power Series or the dual line series.

[monkey]

John, Awesome information, I am shocked as i thought the indoor rev was a fairly new release, but it has been out for 10 years! Also the finding out the SUL has been out for over 16 years is a great comparison where to put the Zen in terms of technology. I sure am comng in late in the game. Any idea if that Neos Omega is sort of a "cult classic" still find them around for sale things or is that a not even a possibility? I seen a few pics of one but never for sale.

It's kinda funny, I bought my first Indoor rev when they first came out (and had NASTY NON REV rods in them) and it was likely 5 years before I ever got it inside to fly it.

[RevWizard]

It's kinda funny, I bought my first Indoor rev when they first came out (and had NASTY NON REV rods in them) and it was likely 5 years before I ever got it inside to fly it.

I bought and picked up my first REV INDOOR at Revolution in 2001 just a few months after it was introduced. The colors of mine are white and blue just like the colors of the flag a Bavaria where I lived at the time. I have yet to fly it indoors. I use it outdoors when the wind is at absolute zero. Mine has the thin Revolution rods.

[Kitelife]

I absolutely hated the Indoor Rev until 2006... After watching Scott Weider on his that same year, I spent time on mine and finally figured it out.

It's a different animal, for sure.

[REVflyer]

The backtracker's older than 1997 isn't it?

[Wayne]

The backtracker's older than 1997 isn't it?

Paul,

Seems like that to me also, but I have a poor memory for dates. I can check the paperwork I have for mine tonight. I might even have the sales receipt. One of these days I will get it out and let it get air again.

[RevWizard]

The backtracker's older than 1997 isn't it?

Nope, it was on the market only one year being 1997 and available in 3 color combinations.

[REVflyer]

I tried to learn on that dog, now I can throw it around like we grew-up together. I didn't know the lines could be adjusted, in fact used to take it out to fly in-between building so the wind would "focus" it's intensity on the kite. Five seconds of flight and and hour of untangling. It's hard to believe that thing got me interested in quads. I'd only once before ever seen a REV 1, but they were hugely expensive. What idiot would spent that much money on a stupid kite? Ah! those were the days, waiting for howling winds and freezing my tail-feathers off struggling. At one point I've owned 57 Revs, some even more costly than a brand new backtracker!

I guess I haven't been flying quads as long as I'd thought. My 20th anniversary is still years way!

[RevWizard]

Nope, it was on the market only one year being 1997 and available in 3 color combinations.

For those who never saw a Back Tracker, here is the catalog snip from 1997. Note the typo.

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[stroke survivor]

My first quad!!! Paul is right on the price thing, who would just walk into a shop and plunk down $3-400.00 bucks for a kite they might not like?? Back in the '90s, too, that was a bunch o' cash!! Store down at Lincoln City had Backtrackers on sale for only $59.00, figured if I didn't like it, not a big $ loss! Spent the first day on it untangling lines and crashing and untangling and crashing and...........!!!!! But by the 2nd day I was getting the hang of it! That fall, the store changed ownership and I walked in to find a Rev 1 RTF marked down to a reasonable amount!! Bought it and haven't looked back!!
Gave the tracker to my son as trade material, he got a vented 1.5 out of it
If you can fly a Backtracker, you can fly any of the Revs!!! IMHO!!!

[SkyPuppet]

For those who never saw a Back Tracker, here is the catalog snip from 1997. Note the typo.

So, anyone got the low-down on this BackTracter kite??

[RevWizard]

BT was apparently a shot at the toy market which didn't survive the first year.
In it's original condition, it was terrible to fly.
I was loaned one by a kite shop for a few weeks and didn't like it at all
Some have replaced the flexi fiberglass rods with carbon, thus improving it somewhat.
I don't have much more to say about it.