New for 2009 is the Best Nemesis featuring Twister Tech. Last year the Nemesis was the performance kitesurfing kite in the Best line up, offering insane jumps and turning speed. The kite was fast, and this year Twister Tech is meant to make it faster, Lord help us!Because the Best Nemesis uses a Cuben Fiber leading edge it allows them to build in this new feature, there are Kevlar strips stitched into the canopy every foot or so. These strips can twist and it is this twisting effect that brings C shape performance to the Nemesis. The bridle is fairly simple and utilises the new VP2 system, which allows for more depower from a shorter stroke of the bar. Looking at the Nemesis you can’t help but notice the thin leading edge; it is tiny. The Cuben Fiber fabric feels very tough and the Kevlar Twist Tech lines make it stand out from the rest.
The Bar
The new Best Nemesis’ bar is really something to pay attention too, one of the best thought out set ups we have seen in a while. It is packed with features, there are landing handles on both front lines allowing you to land the kite safely on your own. Oh Shit handles on the rear lines add extra safety, the chicken loop release is also very easy to activate and to reset. The chicken loop uses male/female shaping to ensure it won’t twist when you unhook and the bar ends are super comfy for kite loop tricks. It really does ooze quality.
In the Air
First impressions with the Nemesis HP are stability; the airframe is super solid in the air, the stiff Cuben Fiber leading edge helping to give it a poised feel. Upwind ability is really something to behold, the thin leading edge really allowing the kite to fly upwind. Something many riders will appreciate especially after wipeouts or those hangtime sessions when you spend more time flying than you do riding along.
Jumping is also something that stands out. For two reasons, first up the HP is quick; lightening quick. If you want to go high you need to go fast and the Nemesis is no slouch. Once cranking at Mach 10 you can throw the kite back through the window with astonishing speed and the result is, as they say, impressive. The kite really rips you off the water and you can almost feel the G’s.
The second reason it impresses is that while you are up there the in-flight entertainment is not short lived. You can swing the kite back and forth to generate extra lift and really stay up in the air for a long time. The HP just goes BIG, period.
Unhooked is also good and, although the kite isn’t designed for freestyle, the bar set up means you can still unhook and throw down at will knowing that everything will be where you left it when you come back to hook in. One word of caution though, this kite isn’t the most forgiving in the book, whilst it delivers excellent feedback to the rider, that rider needs to have his wits about him, with a kite this quick you really need a level of skill to be able to get the most out of it. Experienced riders looking for big thrills should apply here, beginners or the more tentative rider should be looking at the Waroo.
Pros
Fast turning high performance for the adrenalin junky looking for some big air hangtime. Flies upwind and even performs unhooked even though that isn’t in its design brief.
Cons
The HP is not a low cost kite, Best stamped their authority on the market by offering great kites at great prices. The HP is a great kite, but all the extra performance, expensive materials and fittings come at a price.
Overall
Ridiculously quick through the air and back through the window the Nemesis HP will be sure to impress. The bar set up is excellent and the build quality is very impressive. Does the Twister Tech make a difference? Surely a question on most people lips! In our eyes this is a fast kite, the turning is smooth and predictable. You can see Twister Tech on the beach easily; it is harder to notice it when the kite is in the air. But it is there to make the kite more responsive and turn faster. Considering the kite is super responsive and turns on a dime then we would have to say it works!