tomtom wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:37 am
peak4
Comparing 3m Wave and 3m Peak
They are similar in that both sit relatively deep and are very balanced in weight, resulting in a very pleasing experience riding downwind in waves. From there, they are opposites.
The Peak has a very fun stunt kite flying style and is for example to backstall it very deep into the window and put it right where you want it. For that reason its also easier to get just a little boost of power on a wave. Its just super intuitive and fun to fly. The downside for me on the peak is if the whitewater gets over 50 cm it can grab the lower rear line and turn the kite into the water especially when body dragging. So its easy to keep the peak flying as long as you are out of the waves. And if there is any real wave the chance of relaunch quickly approaches zero. I have sunk and lost a peak riding in waves because I had to let it go as I was rolling it up drifting into the breaking wave would have broken me or the kite. So I absolutely love flying the Peak but swimming is a reality with any kite is more so with a Peak.
The Wave 3m has a funny ABC and no Z bridle. When it backstalls it hardly goes backwards. Also it has active wingtips like Psycho 4. The result is a faster swooping turn when the kite is depowered, but paradoxically slow turning when the bar is sheeted in. You have to loop the kite to get it far into the wind window. There is zero potential for "stunt kite" style riding as you might see with Clouds, Peaks and Hyperlinks. That said the depower is so much smoother. Like the peak, sheeting out kills it. The difference is no flapping and no drama in extremis. The Wave 3m needs a little more wind. I can make the Peak 3m work in 20, the Wave 3m needs 25 in our conditions with current and waves. While Peak is most fun from the bottom to middle of its wind range it seems the Wave gets better with more wind. The peak loses all power but stays in the wind and nicely under control when riding downwind on a wave but it requires active flight. It looks like the quintessential Wave riding experience is to catch a wave and then forget flying the kite. I did not have this experience yet but I can visualize it with the Wave, where as the Peak is always flying. Its not quite but it is slow to fall. Relaunch is not an issue with the Wave. I tried parking it on its ear like an LEI tethered to my car. It automatically relaunched and flew over the zenith to the other side. Then it flew back to the first side, and then when it took off toward zenith again I hit the safety.
For me the ideal kite is something between Peak and Wave. I don't necessarily think partial single skins like Marabou or Firefly have the answer (never flew firefly) but maybe a Wave with turbo or a Z bridle allowing backstall.