Gin Shaman 3.1 Review (what’s the best snow kite on the market?)

We’ve flown it all. Every snow kite on the market. This qualifies our team to give a proper review of the Gin Shaman 3.1.

First off - the easiest way to spot an efficient foil kite is to watch it fly and listen to its sound. A kite that flaps is losing effectiveness. A loud kite is the product of inefficiencies. When shopping for a single surface kite watch the videos and listen to the kites music. Or lack there of.

The danger of most single surface foils is that they lack the structural integrity to maintain shape when reaching the neutral zone. This can cause the kite to collapse. Drift into the high power zone. Open. Yanking the rider off their feet and losing control of the situation. This is the deadly cycle of single surface kites and drive the demand for closed cell or inflatables.

The remedy: Shaman 3.1

What Gin engineers did was construct the Shaman 3.1 of more than a single surface. It has engineered bow ties that maintain a double structure through the middle of the kite. They also made both wingtips double layer open celled to give it the maximum amount of structure. This is what prevents the kite from collapsing when going into neutral position. It stays “inflated” during gusty conditions (like a closed cell). The reinforced, solid construction gives it maximum responsiveness. You’ll find the kite sizes 4m - 9m move and feel like an inflatable kite. The 12m will turn slightly slower than a comparable inflatable but faster than any other single surface foil on the market.

The fifth line safety release folds up the kite like a lawn chair. It’ll kill the power like nothing you’ve experienced. This is especially important in gusty conditions or riding to the peak of a mountain.

The single surface means the kite stays in the air. If you can feel the wind on your face you’ll be able to fly it. The strong material is tear resistant. Feel free to smash these kites into the ground as much as you like. The single surface material means the impact dissipates on contact. Its easy to relaunch by either stalling the kite into the air or “popping” the kite up via the middle lines.

Less bridals due to better engineering. The bridals are shorter and have only “three layers” that connect to the kite. This means less mess and easier setup. The color coordinated yellow leading edge bridal makes setup easy. Follow the yellow line and untangling the kite in seconds.

Disadvantage: Due to the extra material in the “bow ties” and “double layer wingtips” it doesn’t pack as small as the peak or explore. Although, it will pack smaller than comparative double layer open cell kites. You can still comfortably pack two kites with bars attached in a standard 45L backpack (with room for harness, avalanche gear, first aid, lunch and a few beers).

All this being said, the Gin Shaman is, without a doubt, the best single surface kite available. The price tag comes in lower than comparative models and the performance is substantially better. Its made of the highest quality material and is long lasting. Its easy to fly and the perfect “everything” kite. See the back country, cruise through powder, do floaty jumps, maintain an aggressive upwind tack and pack multiple kites in a single backpack.

The kite comes with a patch kit, compression strap, kite pouch and a backpack (backpack not good enough for bringing back country but great for storage).