Gong strutless v2

[RichR2]

I'm looking to buy a 12m strutless/single strut kite so looking for some reviews of the latest offerings. There's been a storm voyager 4 thread but has anyone tried the new gong v2. What's the bottom end like and does the optional centre batten make a difference. Thanks

[kiterocky]

U can find many rrd emotion 12m 17 m used.. They sell more than gong or other.. 3 4 500 euro.. They are Perfect for foil... 17m u can foil in 5 6 7 kt no problem

[FrederikS]

Also Storm makes a few good struttless kites in sizes 12 and 15. Really nice for foiling and playing around in light winds, good turning speed and pull for their size.

[Dwight]

I have the V1 Gong strutless. All the sizes have about 1m better low end. So 12m is like 13m. 9m like 10m low end.

They stay in the air in way less wind that wave kite of same size. They feel like a feather in your hands. After awhile, going back to any strutted kite feels heavy and hard work at the bar.

The only negatives are relaunching when water gets strapped between canopy and leading edge in real light wind.

I don't have the batten option, so can't comment on that.

[jonysan]

Lots of Foiling Videos on the GONG website, including videos of the GONG strutless kites , and how to insert batten. you can ask questions in English on the GONG forum, someone will give you the answer you need, and the boss Patrice will also very likely reply.

[RichR2]

Thanks for the help, I'll have a look at the gong forum. Been looking for a used storm voyager 3 but have only come across one for sale in the last 3 months and I was beaten to it, so starting to look at new options....unless someone reading this has one for sale

[Ramkiter]

This one for sale on FB in Portugal: https://www.facebook.com/groups/283893 ... 9608809314

[RichR2]

Thanks, I had seen that one but unfortunately it's a 15 and I'm after a 12m

[Peter_Frank]

Thanks, I had seen that one but unfortunately it's a 15 and I'm after a 12m

Yeah, I am with you on this one - I have tried one strut and strutless light kites many times, and compared the 12 and 15 ranges, and found no advantages whatsoever with a 15, only disadvantages

The 15 will very fast begin to feel too powered when not riding "normal", also slower and when riding halfwind toeside you will get overpowered and feel unable to turn it as fast as a 12 (eventhough they turn quite fast most of them)

For freeriding/freestyle hydrofoil that is...

If you are somewhat more than average weight, of course the 15 is the choice, otherwise (IMO) it does not really make sense, and havent really found I could start earlier.
Even if I could, the small tad is not worth the disadvantages.
For beginners approaching lighter winds, or if using really fast or small wings, the 15 will work too of course - but most riding these wings use foil kites, but all usually bigger wings in this windrange.

Where they really work, is for other boards than foilboards - here the 15, and for some even bigger, can excel i many situations yes and the raw power is needed here.

So if used not solely for hydrofoiling, a 15 m2 could make the best sense too.

Just my preferences - I know we all differ hugely on this one

PF

[Pedro Marcos]

This one for sale on FB in Portugal: https://www.facebook.com/groups/283893 ... 9608809314

Kite from a friend of mine, it was used 1 single time, its like new. In this V4 model you need the 15m to get going early, the kite doesnt have grunt as the V3 models, and its quite easy to deepower while riding. I would say this 15m V4 starts at the same time of the 12m V3, holds about the same wind, but have better upwind angles and fly faster, also, turns slower.