42 replies to this topic

[HedgeWarden]

One more vote for Kent's suggestion. That benefits everyone, and does not tarnish the Revolution reputation for quality.

[Mike]

I say, first, mark it as a factory second. Then do both selling and giving away. Give some to the dealers who you know will demo them, and the rest could be sold at a discount.

[jimfielder]

Send'm to the Will it Blend guy!

[beach]

Send'm to the Will it Blend guy!
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=fLreo24WYeQ

You are crazy Jim but funny for sure my friend...... Ben

[antman]

selling them for 250 is a great idea.yea the might have a flaw or too but they are kites.rev kites at that and it could be a good chance for someone that doesnt have alot of cash to enjoy what we do every day .. why not let someone who doesnt have 600 to 1000 or more have a chance to have a 1 of a kind ..dont look at this as a kite building screw up. look at it as a way to get some fliers to have a custom rev at a low cost....SELL THEM no kite shall be tossed away

[awindofchange]

The Pro's sell for 340.00.

[Jeepster]

Thanks for asking Ben ...

1) If Barry's signature is on the kite, then he gets a veto vote on what ever you do. When folks have asked me if a Pro is really worth the money, my response is "When a craftsman signs his work, it's worth it." Please don't dilute that expression of pride.

2) Others might notice the problems, without knowing the back story, and assume the flaking will happen with all Rev kites. Thus, the kites need to be clearly marked as "different" than normal.

3) I like the idea of "donating" them to individuals you see in your travels ... kids who show an interest in kiting and help you out at festivals. Clubs and stores that focus on bring new fliers into the family should also be considered.

4) Sell them? Sorry Ben, but that doesn't feel right ... especially a Pro. I know they're functionally correct, but it just doesn't feel like something a company who prides themselves on quality does.

Cheers,
Tom

[Jynx]

If not tossing them... (which I think is a waste of time, materials, etc. - Recycle/Reuse) I think it only right that they are clearly marked "Demo" or something similar!

[REVflyer]

I'd buy a black center Pro with the logo that eventually flakes off, . . . who cares after that first flight, on their first Revolution. It's not a flaw, it's marked as my own! See all that abrasion?, well I put that there with my flailing style over concrete seawalls and asphalt parking lots. You too can learn to fly outrageously (like me) and currently at a reduced price.

Rev could offer those printer's error sails as a "trade-in/demo" on the skin only. Who wouldn't like a brand new crispy sail on their pros?

Naturally our local kite club (WoW) could use a complimentary demo model for lessons as well. (lightest weight frame, full sail please,... we'd never use a vented sail locally!)

Run an auction on pairs of flawed kites and makes some new fliers out of all those Rev widows around the world.

A visual flaw almost doesn't count, I wouldn't think these sails should be destroyed. If the flight dynamics were compromised though, that is a whole different matter!

The paint, ink, coating, whatever,.... flakes off on the masterpiece kites too, some of those sold at $900. The dragons were sold with this effect in place before they were folded up and shipped the first time!

Sell 'em all Ben, if you can. I just bought two new Pros (shipped last week) or I'd be leaving a message on the office machine instead of typing this right now!

[O2bkytn]

I would weigh in with antman on this topic.

I have a very early rev that I love, but not crazy about the color (faded hot pink and blue).

On a very limited income, and would dearly love to own a Pro.
Anyone who happened to notice any sort of minor printing flaws would get a complete explanation and the handles for a bit.

[Aerochic]

I'd say do half and half since there are 15 of them. Use half for trainers, and sell the other half. I would make sure to mark them as seconds though. We don't need to give the Rev haters any solid backing.

[bartman]

Were they custom pros? If they are then I say destroy them. Part of the joy of having a custom pro is knowing that the odds of a duplicate out there are more remote thereby giving the buyer a one-of-a-kind experience. To find a sub-standard duplicate out there somewhere cheapens that experience for the person who did pay a premium for a custom.

Otherwise, demo them.

Don't sell them.

Bart

[SkyPuppet]

I also believe if they are custom-order 'Pros they should be destroyed. Bart's explanation above says it all.
EDIT - I also believe Bazzer should have the say on what to do with them. I also think they would make good contest prizes.


But, if not custom, I believe they should be sold. I don't understand the logic; they are unfit to sell because of a cosmetic flaw, but we can show them to new pilots and folks who haven't seen a Rev before??? So we're going to show them cosmetically flawed Revs for their first experience??

Kite store owners already buy their inventory at a discount, even if its not much of a discount.... And they already have kites in stock to use as demos...... So Rev should only give them the opportunity to buy these 'Pros, to use as TRAINER kites??? No way. How often do the consumers get the chance at a discounted 'Pro? How often does a customer get the chance to buy a 'Pro, and not have to wait a couple months for it to be made?

If these were any other Rev, I might agree with giving them away as trainers. But these kites were handmade. By the best kite maker in the world. With the best materials. For an amazing company. I just don't see it as being fiscally responsible to not sell these.

[beach]

Okay enough I've made up my mind,,,,,,,, 10 stack for Ben......

[andelscott]

Okay enough I've made up my mind,,,,,,,, 10 stack for Ben......

It's easy to be dispassionate when you haven't got the cash to spend on one (or more) of these kites. So here goes:

• Revolution have funded the materials and labour costs for producing the kites (and any remaking cost);
• The kites are not really 'beginner' grade kites;
• Most fliers would have little concern about the print quality - at a distance (say 120 feet or more) it's not the most important thing;
• If Revolution are worried that print quality would tarnish the brand image, then they might wish to prevent product entering the market;
• If Ben has a healthy marketing budget, then company representatives (i.e. Ben and Joe) could retain them as (advanced) demonstrators for use at kite festivals - targeting Rev pilots (EXP, SLE and 'B' series) who might just be considering their next kite choice.

Whatever happens, please be kind to the kites and let them take to the air - I'm sure they don't want to sit on a dry shelf or wall and fade under artificial lights.

[inventing_man]

Ben   you have message

[kwmf]

Okay enough I've made up my mind,,,,,,,, 10 stack for Ben......

VIDEO !!!!

[Watty]

• The kites are not really 'beginner' grade kites

I would absolutely refute this claim. What better to learn on than the best. I see nothing about the kite that makes it unsuitable for a beginner.

[awindofchange]

I agree with Watty. The only Rev's that I hesitate teaching a newbie on is the Super Sonic/Shockwave and the power blast 4-8. I actually enjoy teaching on the Pro's or standard B-Series models more than on the EXP because they do fly so much nicer.

[HedgeWarden]

Thoughts:

If sold at discount as "seconds", they will certainly eventually be held up as "poor quality workmanship of Revolution" sometime in the future when the background is forgotten. Even if stamped "seconds", I do not think they should be introduced to the general buying public. It will come back to sting the company ... IMHO.

If sold to stores as "Demos", and so stamped, the stores will certainly (at least all the stores I have ever dealt with) explain to new fliers why the kites are "demos", and why the printing is sub-standard. That will only build the buyers' confidence in Revolution standing behind their quality standards - even when it was a supplier that goofed. (And I might get an opportunity to fly a Pro )

As for whether B Pros are suitable for beginners ... I haven't yet had the chance to fly one. But I think the idea that EXP's are better suited to beginners has more to do with the investment needed to learn quad flying skills than the flying qualities of the kites. I'll defer to the shop owners and other more experienced fliers on this point. But, I still have not reached the point where I can really distinguish between an SLE and a B in flying qualities. Most of that, I am sure, is because I have a B full sail, SLE mid-vent, and B full vent. Thus I cannot really compare comparable kites. The SLE mid-vent flies better for me in that in-between wind range than either B kite. (If anyone is offering me a B mid-vent, I will not be so ungracious as to turn down the offer. )

Having returned to sample my original EXP since flying the better kites - yes, the EXP does not perform as well as the B or SLE (or at least I have to adjust to the different responses). But it performs well enough for a beginner to learn without the larger expense of the better kites.

One of my personal experiences: there once was a PC manufacturer who advertised that the "Quality goes in before the name goes on". They actually made decent PCs (and once upon a time, very good radios). I ordered some AT class machines for the company I worked for. When we opened the boxes, the logos fell off the front of the CPU.

Appearances are very important!