Epic Renegade Infinity
TESTED: Infinity
AVAILABLE SIZES: Only one size available, actual size is top secret
TESTED IN: San Diego and Central California, 8-15 knots, small waves
FROM THE MANUFACTURER:
Take the rulebook and throw it away! The Renegade Infinity is changing what you know about kiting in light winds and is setting the benchmark for others to follow. The Renegade Infinity is the newest addition to the Renegade line and is dedicated to riders looking to up their game in winds between 7 and 18 knots. In this range you’ll no longer have to work the kite to keep it in the air. We developed the Renegade Infinity so that you will enjoy more sessions than ever before. Everyone will appreciate the snappy turning performance of this kite. That’s right – we created a kite that pulls like most 18 meter kites but flies with characteristics common to 12 or 13 meter kites. You can now have a kite that pulls well in very light winds, but responds like a smaller kite. For the first time, the best of both worlds exists! Try one today and never be stuck on the beach again.
THE KITEBOARDER REPORT:
Out of the Box: Epic has not disclosed the actual size of the Infinity, so we were curious to see just how large it is. When compared to other large kites, our best guess puts the size at around 15m. The Epic Infinity is a three-strut one-pump kite with a compact front bridle and direct rear line attachments. The front bridle features one stainless steel ring per side (used instead of a pulley) and the rear line attachment point is adjustable to change the turning speed of the kite. The construction on the Infinity looks to be more lightweight than the smaller Renegades, but the high wear areas still show reinforcement.
The Renegade Infinity uses the same Epic XTEND bar as the rest of the Epic kites. It features a push away quick release with integrated swivel, above bar depower strap, adjustable stopper, and is adjustable from 45-55cm. This bar also features a molded grip and is clearly labeled “Wrong Way” on the back side of the bar.
On the Water: The Renegade Infinity has light-medium bar pressure and turns quickly for a large kite. The power delivery is very smooth and the Infinity holds its power well through turns. This kite has a grunty feel to it and it does generate a lot of power, but the low end is not the best of the different light wind kites we’ve tested. The Infinity sits back in the window and has surprisingly good jumping performance for a kite of this size. The canopy remained very stable on the Infinity, even when depowered. When unhooked on the Infinity, we found it to be prone to back stalling unless you give it a few inches of depower before you unhook. Testing the relaunch ability of large kites in light wind always makes us nervous, but we were able to relaunch the Infinity in about 12 knots of wind with no problems.
PROS:
- The Epic Infinity turns fast when compared to other large light wind specific kites.
- The Infinity offers good jumping performance, even in light wind.
CONS:
- Not the best low end power when compared to some other light wind specific kites, but it is a smaller kite compared to most other light wind kites.
- The front bridle showed wear on the section where the rings slide. According to Epic, this kite had seen a lot of action (it was the only demo kite available) before it reached us.
THE VERDICT:
The Epic Infinity might not have the lowest low-end power of light wind kites on the market, but it’s definitely not a kite for simply going back and forth in light wind. It turns fast enough to work well in the waves and has surprisingly good jumping performance for such a large kite. It’s stable, delivers smooth power, and can greatly expand your ridable wind range if you don’t currently have a light wind kite. Basically, if you want a fast turning light wind kite that allows you to do more than mow the lawn, take a look at the Infinity.
TIPS:
- Give this kite a few inches of depower before you unhook to help prevent it from back stalling.
- To get the fastest turning from the Infinity, you really have to turn the bar hard. Remember, this is a large kite and it takes larger inputs from the bar.
TESTER COMMENT:
“I’ve been hearing tons about these new light wind kites and to finally experience one was pretty amazing. Wave riding was surprisingly fun as the Infinity turned far faster than I expected. The Infinity turned a slack day at the beach into one hell of a kite session.” ”“Mitch Icard, 185 lbs., Surf Kiter