home
welcome
kite reviews
kiting terminology
coping with wind
Beaufort wind scale
kiting dangers
UK kite stores
US kite stores
UK Festivals
kite fest photos
design & plans

Buggying
how to buggy
buggy: first lesson
buggy tricks guide
buggy photos
tandem buggying
kite buggy e-list

Power Kiting
kite jumping
kite surfing
kite skiing

Flexifoils
stacking Flexis
Flexi launching
spar maintenance

Misc
kiting links
KiteAstrophy
kite fest photos
the kite bag
sky surfer
sanibel 18
holder 14
aquaria
guitars
about me

Box of Tricks (Benson Kites)

The Box of Tricks has got to be my favourite kite. As a beginner it was one of the first kites I was able to perfect the axel on (the Psycho being the first). In fact the very first axel that I did with the BOT ended up being a double axel. Half axels, cascades and flic flacs are a doddle with the BOT. Anyway, below is Andy Wardleys review of the BOT.

THE BOX OF TRICKS (Tim Benson)
Design & Construction
The Box of Tricks followed in the footsteps of the Stranger, delivering the same radical freestyle ability but in a smaller package.

Since then the general trend with trick kites has continued to favour the smaller sizes. The striking black & white box motif continues the theme found in the whole range of Benson trick kites and despite the complexity of design, the quality of construction remains second to none. The sail has Mylar reinforcement points around the spine and stand-offs as well as the usual Dacron patches. The fittings and finishings are all neatly presented.

Wind Range
The standard Box of Tricks performs well in light wind and although the Hi-Mod version is lighter, it only marginally extends the lower wind range of the kite. What this version does offer in an increased sensitivity to command, better acceleration and response in lighter winds within limited the upper wind range. The kite flies fast in stronger wind, but pull is limited and it remains immensely trickable.

In-flight Trickability
I’ve put more hours into flying this kite than all other kites put together and as such, it’s difficult to be independently objective. The Box seems to offer a bit of everything that you could ask for in a trick kite; superbly radical, responsive and well recoverable without sacrificing precision and predictability.

Because the kite is so responsive, snap stalls and stabs are difficult to perfect, requiring accurate and precise control, but these aside, the vast majority of tricks are easily and accurately performed with the Box of Tricks.