Brief:
In an effort to mimic the success of Estes' E2X® line, Quest has developed the Quick-Kit line that is similar in build. One of their venerable kits, the Tracer, has undergone a transformation to this new format. Comparisons to Estes' Mach 12 are unavoidable.

Construction:
In addition to the new lower section, the kit is composed of the standard T25 plastic nose cone and 9¾ inches of T25 paper tube. The Quick-Kit unit is comprised of two plastic halves that wrap around a standard length paper 18 mm motor tube. Twelve inch lengths of ~250# Kevlar® and Quest's round shock cord elastic and their standard 16 inch plastic parachute round out the component list.

The Quick-Kit fin/motor mount is similar to Estes Quick-Change system, with fins that slide into slots and a cap for motor retention. Like the Mach 12, the fins have a double tab arrangement, and can be reversed (I've done that to one in the photo). My stability simulations show that doing so on all four fins would be OK with a B motor but wouldn't be a good idea with a C, though one or two should be alright. Unlike the Estes set-up, the fins are retained by a ring separate from the motor retention cap. The motor mount is a tube with two tiny slots near the top that are supposed to fit into tabs on the inside of each of the bottom fuselage halves. One of the tabs, though, is on the dimple for the shock cord mount, and the tube must be cut away to fit it properly. Failing to do so will result in a tight fit for Quest motors and an impossible one for Estes.

Other than that, the bird went together quickly and easily. Were the fit gaff to be fixed in future kits, the rocket would indeed assemble in 15 to 45 minutes as advertised. The parachute was especially nice, having been precut, including the shroud lines and their mounting holes, and those awful plastic tabs have been replaced with more traditional, if square, reinforcing stickers. The 16 inch unit will bring this bird down really slowly, though, a smaller 'chute might be in order.

Finishing:
The fin retaining ring and motor retention cap were black in my kit, not red as shown on the box art, but I left them that way as they fit the overall color scheme. The decal was printed on opaque paper and was not properly registered, but it was die cut to the proper size, unlike that for the Quest Sprint. The body tube is an off-white, so it doesn't match the decal and nose cone too well, I should've painted it. The included display stand is a loose fit in the motor tube and can go together wrong if you're not careful, but is a nice touch, especially for such an inexpensive kit.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
Despite her lower weight and diameter than the Mach 12, this bird still won't fly over 200 feet on an A motor, and the recommended A6-4 would eject very late. The A8-3 works, but the motor mount prevents the use of a standard 13->18 mm adapter, so the A10-3, which might work, too, can't be used. She does do well on the B and C motors, my simulations say the B4-4, B6-4 and C6-5 are very good choices.

Quest recommends three squares of their wadding for T25-based models, but being conservative, I'd recommend five, or four squares (a full sheet) of Estes brand. They and the parachute pack quite easily into the one inch diameter tube, and Estes motors fit superbly in the Quick-Kit mount. I was concerned that with only about ¼ inch sticking out the back that they would be difficult to remove after flight, but I was able to do so while wearing gloves.

Her first three flights were in high winds, high enough that the launch was called just a half hour after her last effort. She left the pad first on a B6-4, wobbling a little until the motor burned out. She didn't weathercock, but the winds were probably the reason she deployed a little past apogee. The parachute failed to open, though she landed in tall grass and no damage was done. I switched out the uncooperative Quest 'chute with a 1"x15" LDPE streamer and flew her next on an A8-3. The flight was short, the streamer came out past apogee and she hit the road, popping off two fins. There was some damage to the fin tabs, but not enough to prevent her from being reassembled for her third go. That was on a B4-4 with all four fins reversed, and she performed about as she had on the B6; a little wiggle off the pad with deployment just past apogee. The streamer brought her down about as far away as the unfurled parachute had, and with no damage this time, her first perfect effort.

Recovery:
While I wouldn't recommend the streamer approach, switching, as I will, to a 12 inch LDPE parachute should provide for a slow enough recovery to prevent damage to the new Tracer. The loose fit of the fins (and boost wiggles) might be improved by gluing them permanently into their mounting slots, but that would prevent switching them around. Despite the poor flying conditions, fast recovery and a hard impact, my Tracer is ready to fly again with no repairs, and looks to be a pretty durable bird.

Flight Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:
Quest's 'chutes and decals still need improvement, but the Quick-Kit system has gone a long way toward making the Tracer a Mach 12 killer, and it even edges out this competitor in some respects. While the Estes kit is still better overall, its a much closer call now, and I'd recommend the Tracer as a viable alternative.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5