Level One Genesis EVO Options

[staff]

Level One Genesis EVO first impression.

The weather finally cooperated enough to get some time in on the EVO today.
Winds were 5mph with gusts to 10 with passing rain showers.

The EVO, with the exception of the color scheme and the addition of some Mylar, has the basic same appearence as the Genesis. It sports a 3 point bridle with adjustments at the upper tow point and at the center tee. There are four solid brass weights attatched to the P300 spine via small black tie wraps, two at the nose and two at the tail. I didn't remove them to weigh them but my guess would be 3 grams each. The tie wraps were interesting in the fact that you can slide the weights up and down the spine to position them however you like your weight distribution. My first inclination was to remove the nose weight and attatch them to the tail but decided to fly the kite factory stock. I did change things around a bit during the session which I will describe as I go.

It took a few minutes to warm up to the EVO but probably more due to the fact that the only flying I have done recently was team practice and just a few minutes flying a Sea Devil two weeks ago. Without a doubt the EVO is still a Genesis, well mannered, predictable and carves nice straight lines and combo turns are definitly the way to go on this kite as quick pull and push turns had a bounce on the exit. I wasn't feeling a whole lot of difference between the two except for the fact it has a lighter pull than the standard and to be honest, it wasn't doing anything for me. I went through a bridle adjustment and loosened the leach line and almost immediately put it back. The Mylar combination with a slack sail is too spongey and loses too much response for my taste and on top of that, it sounds terrible and I like loose sails. It wasn't until I got the sail more into the wind that this kite really came to life.

I have always been of the mind set that tail weight and nose weight offset each other but today I learned why Level One does this, dynamics... The EVO backspins like the house before it lands on the wicked witch of the west and will rotate multiple times with one pull. It rolls up quicker than the standard and with the new tie wrap Prism style line catchers, you rarely miss, multiple roll ups are simple and the kite flies extremely well when wrapped. Un-wrapping is a spectacular affair and it feels so confident that I was un-wrapping a couple of feet off the ground to two point stabs. Fades and turtles lock into position but the fade, with the nose weight, needed tending. With that said, the EVO loves to be on it's back, JL's, Lewis, Rolling Susans and Kombo's are a joy to execute and back in the day, the K2000 was called the executioner probably because it looked like a big blade rotating to its target, the EVO looks way cool in the K2000 rotation and is extremely predictable and telgraphs the landing.

Insanes were a bit sketchy but not too bad, cascades are a half axel affair but quick and nimble with no altitude loss in steady wind but tended to over rotate when the wind dropped off which goes back to those dynamics, line tending again solved the problem. Comete's on the standard Genesis seemed hard to do and were slow and bulky, not here! Wicked fast and easy to do and very forgiving on the starting position.

I moved the nose weights as far down as they would slide before hitting the strapping tape about 3 inches above the center tee. The obvious effects were on the rollups and fades making both way much better.The speed of the rollup was amazing and the fade was stakeable. It also cleaned up the cascades but it took the speed and dazzle out of the backspins and the comete's. I put one of the weights all the way back to the nose and left one about midway between the nose and CT and this turned out to be an excellent setup for my style of flying without a whole lot of compromise on any one thing.

The fly session was only a couple of hours long but I am looking forward to spending some more time on the EVO. I am also anxious to get this in the hands of a Level One Geek for more input but I have a feeling that if you are a fan of Level One, this is going to be a must have kite.

[hiflistorr]

Thanks for the time and thought put into the review Scott. Sounds cool 8)

[staff]

Thanks for the time and thought put into the review Scott. Sounds cool 8)

Speak of the devil... You need to fly this thing Lance! Can you make it over some time and give it a whirl?

[hiflistorr]

Speak of the devil... You need to fly this thing Lance! Can you make it over some time and give it a whirl?

YES I DO! Perhaps I could slip over one these Sundays weather and winds permitting. Just think the days are just starting to get longer. :wink:

[audioRob]

The insane is the main reason I decided to not just get another genesis...

Lance Id like to know your opinion on that particular trick and the l/r insane and rolling cascade

[Yeblack]

Hello, my name is Oscar and I from Spain. I bought a Genesis Std an UL and I want to know if I can do an upgrade to my Genesis to have a EVO version. Perhaps the sail is imposible to changes but the weights and the spine...

Well, I am worried reading that the Standar version doesn´t do "cometes" and "insannes" well.
Scott could you put a "table" with the differents between the two versions (EVO and Std)?
What is the best setup for both versions (Std and UL). Thanks a lot and sorry for my english.

[audioRob]

The standard does awesome comete's, I dont know why anyone would say otherwise... personal preferences though.

The insane I never could get the genesis to do properly, let alone anything related (snap lazy, rolling cascade, insane l/r)

[240zron]

Nice review Scott,

Have any pics of the kite? I went to Level ones site, And did not see anything on it.

[staff]

The standard does awesome comete's, I dont know why anyone would say otherwise... personal preferences though.

The insane I never could get the genesis to do properly, let alone anything related (snap lazy, rolling cascade, insane l/r)

I guess it lies where you learned it. I learned on and prefer a smaller kite so the Gen was never really my style of kite to begin with. My personal preference is I like the EVO better than the Standard because it does the tricks faster but I will leave the conclusions to those that are really in the know. Lance will have it as soon as he can come over and pick it up.

[staff]

Nice review Scott,

Have any pics of the kite? I went to Level ones site, And did not see anything on it.

Yep... will have some posted here later tomorrow...

[staff]

Hello, my name is Oscar and I from Spain. I bought a Genesis Std an UL and I want to know if I can do an upgrade to my Genesis to have a EVO version. Perhaps the sail is imposible to changes but the weights and the spine...

Well, I am worried reading that the Standar version doesn´t do "cometes" and "insannes" well.
Scott could you put a "table" with the differents between the two versions (EVO and Std)?
What is the best setup for both versions (Std and UL). Thanks a lot and sorry for my english.

Welcome Oscar, do not worry about your English... if it's about kites it's close enough.

I will get specs on the EVO for you but Lance, Audio Rob and 240zron are the better authority on these kites.

Guys... can you help him out?

[audioRob]

I just put together an "evo" of my own, but the sail I think will make a huge difference.

Mylar controls airflow differently and has a very different weight distribution.

Best thing to do on the genesis for MOST modern tricks is move the weight to the tail, and even add more. It is a fine kite, very (eerily) similiar to the nirvana and it will do anything the nirvana will do when setup similiarly.

[hiflistorr]

I will get specs on the EVO for you but Lance, Audio Rob and 240zron are the better authority on these kites.

Guys... can you help him out?

I am not a comete expert by any means but I have seen them done on the Genesis no problem.

Now as for insanes the Genesis will do them but the rotation is sort of slow but you may speed them up by briskly walking backwards. There are a number of kites that will do this trick better however IMO.

Also if you watch the Standard Genesis video on this web page you will notice a rolling cascade at the 4:20 mark. I think that may subdue any concerns you have on some of the tricks that concern you Oscar.[]

http://www.levelonekites.com/deutsch/frame...elonekites.html

[staff]

follow the link to a couple of pics of the entire kite. It is in the L.O. Thread.

http://www.thekiteshoppe.com/phpBB2/viewto...00&start=10

[Yeblack]

Thanks a lot for your help! I watch the video and the pics... great fluorescent green in the EVO!!! I will tried a new setup adding more weight to the tail and moving the nose weights, Audiorob.

I hope tell you more things about my new kites.
Thanks again.