Flysurfer Peak 4 Size Recommendation

[lederhosen]

Get the 4 and try if you like it. 4 is the best size and covers most of the range you ask for.

[OzBungy]

I'll jump in on this and ask about the sweet spot size for a 77kg rider. My 8m LEI handles almost anything I can throw at it. I'm thinking about a Peak 4 as a "turn up and go kiting" option.

From my reading the 5m Peak 4 sounds like everybody's happy kite. The 6m Peak is a relatively new release. Any opinions on which of these is a good choice for a first Peak to play with?

[tmcfarla]

I'll jump in on this and ask about the sweet spot size for a 77kg rider. My 8m LEI handles almost anything I can throw at it. I'm thinking about a Peak 4 as a "turn up and go kiting" option.

From my reading the 5m Peak 4 sounds like everybody's happy kite. The 6m Peak is a relatively new release. Any opinions on which of these is a good choice for a first Peak to play with?

I have and like the 5m, but I would describe it as a light wind kite for me (70kg). I would think the 4m would have the most practical value for what you describe. That said, your LEI likely has a much wider comfort zone, so I think you are expecting a lot to have a one-kite quiver, especially with a peak.

[Peter_Frank]

I'll jump in on this and ask about the sweet spot size for a 77kg rider. My 8m LEI handles almost anything I can throw at it. I'm thinking about a Peak 4 as a "turn up and go kiting" option.

From my reading the 5m Peak 4 sounds like everybody's happy kite. The 6m Peak is a relatively new release. Any opinions on which of these is a good choice for a first Peak to play with?

The 6 is a new release, but only the size is new.

Get the 5 m2.

Sweetspot for you if a typical surf wing foil, is 12-13 knots.

The 4 m2 covers the widest range though, more difficult to get used to as more sensitive, but an amazing kite.
Sweetspot 15-16 knots.

Peter

[Flyboy]

I'll jump in on this and ask about the sweet spot size for a 77kg rider. My 8m LEI handles almost anything I can throw at it. I'm thinking about a Peak 4 as a "turn up and go kiting" option.

From my reading the 5m Peak 4 sounds like everybody's happy kite. The 6m Peak is a relatively new release. Any opinions on which of these is a good choice for a first Peak to play with?

It's a good question. IMO the 6m Peak offers significant performance advantages for foiling over its equivalent in an LEI, due primarily to its extremely light weight. So it's a very worthwhile purchase & not a bad place to start. The 4m Peak - which I use in 14 - 20 knots - is used in the kind of conditions that are the most fun & the agility & speed of the 4m is amazing, which is why everyone loves it so much. The 5m is pretty much precisely in-between - so take your choice.

[nothing2seehere]

Useful thread. It sounds like the Peak 4 is best in relatively steady wind then and not so good for those 12-19knot days when its up and down every 10 minutes (I started on a twin tip, went to the surf board, down to a hydrofoil and then decided not to bother changing and just pulled full trim when it picked up again)

Or can you manage gusty days provided you size for the sweet spot at the average wind?

[lederhosen]

Useful thread. It sounds like the Peak 4 is best in relatively steady wind then and not so good for those 12-19knot days when its up and down every 10 minutes (I started on a twin tip, went to the surf board, down to a hydrofoil and then decided not to bother changing and just pulled full trim when it picked up again)

Or can you manage gusty days provided you size for the sweet spot at the average wind?

Peak is the best kites if the gusts come suddenly. If the wind changes slowly in a big range it is one of the worst kites.

[jkrug]

in other words, the peaks are great kites, but each has a very small range. 11-20 for me is 8M Peak, followed by 6M Peak, followed by 6M Uno (in stronger winds i still prefer LEIs for relaunch). I'm 90kg.

[Peter_Frank]

Useful thread. It sounds like the Peak 4 is best in relatively steady wind then and not so good for those 12-19knot days when its up and down every 10 minutes (I started on a twin tip, went to the surf board, down to a hydrofoil and then decided not to bother changing and just pulled full trim when it picked up again)

Or can you manage gusty days provided you size for the sweet spot at the average wind?

Peak is the best kites if the gusts come suddenly. If the wind changes slowly in a big range it is one of the worst kites.

Peaks are incredible in gusty crap and horror winds...

If wind changes slowly in a big range they dont fit well.
But IMO it is not a problem at all, on the contrary:

You ride close to shore usually (if it goes down, and for fun wind swell or waves to play in, or just enjoying the beautiful green/turquoise sea bottom), so one can always go ashore, dump the kite if wind has picked up or dropped, and within a minute, thats all it takes, roll out the lines and set another size up - THAT is not possible with other kites, to change this fast.

True the range is less, but in reality it doesnt matter - just dump the kite on land and take another, and out again - a pleasure.

And you can have a nice small break if you want, or put a camera on the lines, or whatever - its a win win IMO, and you also get better kite skills changing sizes

Something you could not do with LEI's, and slower/more risky with twinskins.

But it depends on your personal way of riding, true, some go out, ride REALLY far out (I dont understand that at all...), and never go ashore untill the end of the session or day.
Then waveride/carving kites superfast to land and setup are probably not for you

Peter

[jumptheshark]

Range is funny discussion point with these kites.

The overall safe wind range is MAHOOSSIVE. Someone just posted about using the 5m in 20 gusting 30 knots That might sound normal size wise to LEI riders, but to peak users its ridiculous. Peak 5m sweet spot is 11-15 knots or 7m LEI equivalent. Try surf foiling with a 7m tube in more than 20 knots let alone gusting 30!

The kites have loads of range, what happens is that you get spoiled by the absolute dexterity that they offer in their sweet spot. It's so good that you start to think of the kites sweet spot as the kites range, but that is definitely not the case. Loads of us have ridden them outside their sweet spot out of necessity. I've done it on all of mine except maybe the 8, but I've only foiled with that once to try it. Rode the 5 overpowered until I got a 4, then rode that overpowered until I got the 3.

above their sweet spot they begin to flap, below, your working the kite. Some people don't mind working a small kite where others would rather have the power to park. Flapping is one of those weird things too. Novices might not like it at all and I'm sure it has turned off a few. With experience, you learn to fly the kite higher with a bit more back line tension and let the kite take more of your weight. Once off the wind it stops all of the flapping anyway, so in most situations, unless its well and truly way above the kites range you can still have a great time riding swell as long as you go back up wind a particular way. With time and experience you learn to limit flapping and should it ramp up so much that you tire of that, as mentioned its a pretty quick swap to a smaller size. Takes me longer to walk to the car and back than it does to land/wrap up and unwrap/launch another. Zero inflate and deflate time.

Most LEI riders will not give that last point much attention, but once your used to it, the very thought of deflating a kite and inflating another is a massive groan!