Gaastra GXS 23m3......is it worth to buy?

[ERX]

Hi bros again,
my friend, local Gaastra dealer, offers me these kites for costprice.
Unfortunately I cant find any test summary about them. Is here anybody who can comment Gaastra performance?
Thanks in advance, erx

[ERX]

[Toby]

he knows why he is offering it for the self-cost price....

Many people and myself made the experience with a big tube kite: it doesn't start much earlier than a 16 sqm kite, maybe 2 knts. But therefore it is amost impossible to restart and very slow. The 16sqm is faster therefore you can steer it faster up and down to catch the wind, which makes you going at about the same time.

Get good 16sqm tube or a Flysurfer Mastair 16 sqm, which is IMO the best low wind kite, since it is lighter than the tube kites and faster. And at 7 knts lift is not important...

Toby

[ERX]

Hi Toby,
he is offering any of Gaastra kites for costprice because he wants me to be first who ride them, othervise only Naish, Wipi and Cabrinha are all arund. He becoms nervous since first ones set a rules and this season is last chance to get in a leading sales group.
I have at the moment BT 12.2 and feel that I need more power for light winds because of my 100+kg weight which is ok for windsurfing but not good for kites. I`m uncertain what size I need next up?
Still question: are Gaastra kites competitive?
I checked searchengines: producer of coarse claim them as a cutting edge of performance but cant find any independent opinions.
erx

[Toby]

I didn't hear good things about it.
I didn't test it myself to be sure, but the idea of the batten to give the kite a different shape can't and doesn't work.
If the kite pulls it wants to become a round shape, but the batten is in the way, so constantly the shape is moving and therefore it jellyfishes and doesn't give you an constant pull. I heard the restart is almost impossible, specially with this size it will never work!
The performance is normal, nothing special.
Bigger than a BT 12.2 with surface area of almost 17 sqm?
You will waste your money.....
Last Year I had an ARX 21.5 and I used it about 5 times, where I could have used the 15.5 as well or couldn't ride at all.
Strong forces to steer and very slow.
Ok, the newer kites are faster, but still not much of a difference between 15.5 and 21.5.
So far the only big kite working is the Rhino 22.5 and Flysurfer Mastair 16.0, which is the only kite working well and with a decent handling in light winds.
Have a look at the sizes of all new models this year, specially Naish: the X2 will only be available up to 20 sqm, RRD only up to 19 sqm. This has a reason.....

Toby

[Toby]

I didn't hear good things about it.
I didn't test it myself to be sure, but the idea of the batten to give the kite a different shape can't and doesn't work.
If the kite pulls it wants to become a round shape, but the batten is in the way, so constantly the shape is moving and therefore it jellyfishes and doesn't give you an constant pull. I heard the restart is almost impossible, specially with this size it will never work!
The performance is normal, nothing special.
Bigger than a BT 12.2 with surface area of almost 17 sqm?
You will waste your money.....
Last Year I had an ARX 21.5 and I used it about 5 times, where I could have used the 15.5 as well or couldn't ride at all.
Strong forces to steer and very slow.
Ok, the newer kites are faster, but still not much of a difference between 15.5 and 21.5.
So far the only big kite working is the Rhino 22.5 and Flysurfer Mastair 16.0, which is the only kite working well and with a decent handling in light winds.
Have a look at the sizes of all new models this year, specially Naish: the X2 will only be available up to 20 sqm, RRD only up to 19 sqm, Toro 16 sqm! This has a reason.....

Toby

[ERX]

Good to have forum like this and advice from Toby. God knows how much time and money you have saved for us, thanks! Start your consultance business
We have North Sails dealer as well but so far I haven`t seen any Rhino in the air, just laying in the grass like tent. But if you say Rhino 22.5 works, I will ask about price....unfortunately I expect skyhigh.
From other hand, although we have no representatives of Flysurfer, probably it is better choice, since excelent even wintertime. Things to think about...
erx

[Guest]

Try the f.One Mach1 18.1 as well. haven't flown it yet but my friend says it's the best big kite he's ever used. I've used the 15.1 and it's the best big kite I've flown so far(I'm in Cabarete and we tend to like faster, responsive kites for wave riding and jumping). Don't know about the 22.5 North but the 16m North is a great kite as well, although a little heavier on the touch with a smaller wind window.

Marina

[Guest]

The Gaastra GXS is a extremly good kite! I have tested 16 14 12 and 9. Right now I have 16 and 12.
Toby says that it doesnt work but it do, you have much more power then in a regular tube kite. Up to 12 the leading edge doesnt bend at all, 14 and 16 does bend a little bit but it doesnt harm the performance.

It is actually much easier to waterstart a big gaastra kite then any other because of the straight leading edge - it doesnt fall together at all!

The lift of the 16 is very good - you just fly around like crazy! Love it.
The leading edge is much smaller then on other kites so therefore faster and bigger lift.

Very stable and falls almost never out of the sky - in gusty winds it just moves back, it doesnt fall over.

I wouldnt recommend 23, just to big. Go with 16 - much faster.

[ERX]

...ha, a bit confusing for those who haven`t held any of them in own hands. Unfortunately have no chance to test them before buying...
erx