Ken Winner has been a hard guy to get a hold of this month. It is springtime in the Gorge, and you have to chase the wind around in order to get on the water. We know he has been testing a lot of prototype kites, everything from C-kites to Bow kites, flat kites, and hybrids. We are excited to see what he delivers for 2007, but Ken is keeping pretty quiet on what to expect.

One thing seems quite sure for 2007, and that is his commitment to the 5th Element. This is still the simplest and safest leash, de-power, and re-launch system out there.

First of all it is simple and proven. It has been on the market for 3 years, and many brands are endorsing it 100%. It works without the need for bridles and pulleys, which add extra parts that can stretch or wear-out. The bars are interchangeable from kite to kite, and even work on last year's kites.

It is also a great leash system that everyone, from beginner to pro, can use without interference. You can spin 20 times in one direction and it still works. There are many new kite designs on the market today that do not even have adequate leash systems, a situation that is unacceptable.

As far as depower goes, once you unhook and let go of the bar, you get more depower than with any other system or kite design. And re-launching is very predictable and easy. No swimming here.

But when we pressed him for more info on new kites, he referred us to kite tester Sky Solbach, who offered some insight into the differences between the 2006 Vegas and Rhino. See his article in the Product section.