A forum dedicated to Hydrofoil riders
-
faklord
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 474
- Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:03 pm
- Brand Affiliation: None
-
Has thanked:
35 times
-
Been thanked:
80 times
Postby faklord » Mon Dec 10, 2018 5:15 pm
Hi,
Might be a bit early for this...But...Has anybody on here had any hands on experience with the new Gong Unik
https://gongsupshop.com/epages/box1707. ... N9KITEUNIK ?
Ideally a comparison with the Ultra or even Alpha.
Would also be interested to hear how their new strutless compares with the 2018 model.
-
ap888
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 284
- Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2018 2:24 am
- Local Beach: Zion/K peir/Inver/Goderich
- Favorite Beaches: Good wind/Flat water/Good waves
- Style: Foil/Loops/Big Air/Strapless
- Gear: Ozone Uno V2 4m
North Neo (17) 5m
Cabrinha Drifter (16) 8m
Flysurfer Sonic 2 -11m
Moses
BWS Stallion 5’
CrazyFly Shox Custom 135
Groove Skate
Ride Engine
- Brand Affiliation: HFL
-
Has thanked:
13 times
-
Been thanked:
10 times
Postby ap888 » Mon Dec 10, 2018 10:06 pm
Im probably going single strut for one of my kites later in the season most likely the new GIN Angel or 2019 Naish Boxer not a fan of Airush Dinema (thing) but that’s just me...
-
blancoh2o
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 212
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 11:44 pm
- Gear: Foils and surfboards
- Brand Affiliation: None
- Location: The Gorge, Oregon
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
0
Postby blancoh2o » Tue Dec 11, 2018 1:06 am
Try the Liquid Force Solo before getting some off brand. If you get the V3, make sure to rig them with max rear line tension and move the rear line connection all the way towards the trailing edge. This will make the kite pivot and drift like a surf kite but flies in lighter wind.
-
BWD
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 3849
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 3:37 am
-
Has thanked:
2 times
-
Been thanked:
81 times
Postby BWD » Tue Dec 11, 2018 1:39 am
Ive flown clouds since they came out, and borrowed a solo for a brief session in light wind last year. 17.5, pulled like a truck, turned like an oil tanker, weighed ...plenty. I wonder if it is really lighter than a light multi strut kite. This might matter less in smaller sizes but big deal in 12m and up.
I wouldn’t dismiss the “off” brand until you’ve tried one. It might be good, light and fun, or not. Hard to say without trying. The first cloud was not a perfect kite, but it defined a new class. It was good, newer ones are better. The gong i think is in its 3rd version or so, probably worth a try. That said, it can be a pain to get in touch with far away vendors....
-
Wazza Foil
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 227
- Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 12:15 am
- Local Beach: Hams
- Style: Kite surfing strapless. Foil, SUP and ka
- Gear: lots
- Brand Affiliation: None
-
Has thanked:
8 times
-
Been thanked:
28 times
Postby Wazza Foil » Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:38 am
BWD wrote: ↑Tue Dec 11, 2018 1:39 am
Ive flown clouds since they came out, and borrowed a solo for a brief session in light wind last year. 17.5, pulled like a truck, turned like an oil tanker, weighed ...plenty. I wonder if it is really lighter than a light multi strut kite. This might matter less in smaller sizes but big deal in 12m and up.
I wouldn’t dismiss the “off” brand until you’ve tried one. It might be good, light and fun, or not. Hard to say without trying. The first cloud was not a perfect kite, but it defined a new class. It was good, newer ones are better. The gong i think is in its 3rd version or so, probably worth a try. That said, it can be a pain to get in touch with far away vendors....
I just received a Gong kite into Australia with no issues and prompt responses to my questions, no issues for me.
-
3InletsWindsports
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 424
- Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:52 am
- Local Beach: Shallow Inlet, Corner Inlet, Andersons inlet.
- Favorite Beaches: Shallow Inlet, Point Danger.
- Style: freeride
- Gear: Zeeko
- Brand Affiliation: Zeeko importer in Australia
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
7 times
Postby 3InletsWindsports » Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:38 am
I like people referring to brands as “off”, as opposed to what? The On brands.
And never would I have picked LF as one of the ON brands.
But still the smaller OFF brands do have the problem s of designers less dictated to by the probably non existent marketing department. Less lead time between innovation and production. More focus by the owners on quality control and attention to detail at the Factory ( probably the same factory as the ON brands).
All sounds pretty Off to me. Especially the usually lower price.
-
Windigo1
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 937
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 5:57 pm
- Style: Foil foil.. and Old School!
- Gear: Too many to list
- Brand Affiliation: None
-
Has thanked:
63 times
-
Been thanked:
217 times
Postby Windigo1 » Sun Dec 30, 2018 3:22 pm
I have owned a a Solo 12m as well as an Ultra 12m and 15m. I am keeping the Ultras they are amazing I was very disappointed in the Solo. It's as heavy as a 3 strut kite it was the exact same weight as my 3 strut 12M Roca but the Roca and Ultra are so much better. The Roca feels solid even when fully depowered I have had it up to 25 knots you can do big airs and the kite feels reassuring. The Solo was scary when overpowered it would loose steering ability and you had to keep a lot of bar pressure to keep your steering. It wasn't good for foiling either It wouldn't drift nearly as well as the Ultra and it's so much heavier it want's to fall from the sky much sooner when going downwind in very low wind. I also demoed a 17.5 Solo same story. The slowest turning kite ever and you get overpowered in 15 knots. I have a friend who has a 9M Gong strutless and I foiled with him in crazy low wind like 5, 6 knots I was on y 15M Ultra although I'm a lot heavier and he's been foiling for a longer time he was doing incredibly well with that kite. I was amazed. He loves it and he's been kiting for almost 20 years so he's a pretty solid rider.
-
jyka
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 366
- Joined: Sat Aug 10, 2013 7:38 pm
- Kiting since: 2012
- Weight: 85
- Local Beach: laru
- Style: freestyle
- Gear: mixed set
-
Has thanked:
19 times
-
Been thanked:
56 times
Postby jyka » Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:23 pm
I have the previous generation 12m strutless gong and I'm very happy with it. Build quality and everything is at least as good as from the other better known brands.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy another kite from gong. I hope the brand keeps on going and won't raise their pricing
-
Wielandt
- Rare Poster
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 3:33 pm
- Local Beach: Denmark
- Favorite Beaches: Holten
Farø
- Style: HF,
- Gear: Naish Draft, Cabrinha Apollo, Airush Ultra, Storm Voyager, Gong strutless
LFSolo
Moses HF.
- Brand Affiliation: None
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
1 time
Postby Wielandt » Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:50 pm
I’m a foilboarder and have owened and foiled with Gong Strutless 9 and 12, Liquid Force Solo 9 and 12 and Airush Ultra 9 and 12.
IMO Solos are not a light weight kite any way much heavier then the others. I still use a 6.5 m2 Solo for high wind foiling where weight is not that important.
Ultra and Gong strutless feels more or less the same. Both stays in the air in next to no wind are and very nice for foiling. Gongs are harder to handle overpowered.
I’m not satisfied with the build quality of the Ultras. The material is flossing and for some reason both my leading edge tubes
blow up after app. one year. Only used for foiling soo no stress. Maybe Airush just build the blasters to light ? Soo no more Ultra fo me.....
Foiled the new Gong V3 12m struttless for about a month by now. Each frontline have six briddles connected to the leading edge. It’s gives more kite control in powered condition and is fantastic to fly. Love the new Gong and look foreword to get the 8m when Gong gets them in stock.
Last year I bought a Gong with 3 struts. It did not work for me and Gong took it back and returned what I had paid for it. I can recommend Gong kites and their super customer service.
-
nothing2seehere
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 1682
- Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2014 3:25 pm
- Kiting since: 2012
- Weight: 72
- Local Beach: Calshot, Hayling, Meon - Southcoast UK
- Gear: Duotone Rebel, Evo SLS, Flysurfer Soul/Peak, Ocean rodeo jester, Airush Ultra, shinn boards
- Brand Affiliation: None
-
Has thanked:
205 times
-
Been thanked:
297 times
Postby nothing2seehere » Mon Dec 31, 2018 10:40 am
Are you able to compare the differences between the v2 and v3 gong strutless kites? Is there much of a difference? Are they pretty much the same just with a few tweaks that you have to have a few hours on one to notice the differences? Mainly asking because there are a couple of v2 strutless kites locally that I may get a chance to have a try on and I'd rather have a go first after trying a storm strutless kite and finding it not right for me.
Asking because its a big price premium for the single strut over the strutless and sure the single strut will probably be a better travel kite because its more versatile with a twin tip but I don't do all that many holidays and its not that hard to stick another kite in the back of the car
Return to “Hydrofoil”