The Tsuru ("soo-roo") was created to fulfill a wide range of roles. From solo days at the park, to flying with new friends as part of a pick-up team at a festival, the sky's no limit.

I don't consider the Tsuru a trick kite but a 'performance kite'. It was conceived and crafted with the mid-level to advanced flyer, pairs, and teams in mind. A major goal was to gear the kite towards the kind of flying we do for a crowd at festivals because I believe strongly that flying for and with other people is the way to stay enthused and grow kiting.

I was happy with the progression of the Tsuru over its first several months of development, but it was a last-minute change, on the eve of a road trip, that put it over the top. I added a little three-dimensional shaping to the sail, which brought out what folks used to call the 'Blue Moon feel'. I'd lost track of that characteristic a bit over the years, but it's back, in a big way.