Flysurfer Peak 4

[drsurf]

Aside from all variables such as weight, wind conditions and foil type, in my experience the 8m Peak4 will take your usable wind range a few knots lower than the 5m Peak4 which can be the critical difference between having a good foiling session or sitting on the shore complaining. When you are considering wind conditions under 10 knots every knot is critical and the 8m Peak4 will make these conditions usable.

As has been mentioned elsewhere in this forum, even when the wind drops below 5 knots you can still fly your Peak4 kites and body drag back to shore. Other kites are likely to fall and you'll have to swim.

When you consider the 5m Peak4 is similar to an 8-9m LEI, the 8m is similar to a 12m LEI and so will be slower in turns etc. But it will still have the same fantastic drift and get you foiling. When you consider the other light wind alternatives like a large twin skin foil kite which turns even slower and a large LEI kite which is likely to fall and not relaunch, the 8m Peak4 is a no brainer. Sure it's always more fun with a smaller kite in stronger wind but the 8m is worth having for those days when only a larger kite will get you foiling.

And if you're a really heavy person with light winds there are some good reviews on the 13m Peak4 so nobody needs to miss out on a session

My take away from all these comments is to start with a 5m & then, if you love it & want something for a few knots lighter look at an 8m. That would provide you with foiling from, say, 8 knots up to 15 knots plus.

[LeoLeal]

About low end:
I have been rode with this kite for the last 10 session and for me lower than 9.5 knots is not comfortable. You can go but you have to fight to go upwind, for me doesn't worth.

About high end:
Last session I was riding this kite when the wind picked up to something around 17 + knots (estimate) it was so strong that I had to ride full depower with one hand on the bar and the other side that I wasn't hold the bar the wing tip collapsed, I do believe that the line was a little bit slacked. I could undone this easily but it happened more than one time.
So for me the up end of this kite is 16knots (estimate).

[Kiterisland]

Hey peak riders. How does the upwind angle of the peak on hydrofoil compare to a lei on hydrofoil? Are you able to get good angles?any gps pics?

[LeoLeal]

Hey peak riders. How does the upwind angle of the peak on hydrofoil compare to a lei on hydrofoil? Are you able to get good angles?

Kiterisland,

Foil + LEI > Foil + Peak4> wave + LEI> twin tip + LEI.

Switchblade 14m²+ double agent > Peak4 8m² + hover glide H5.

Hobie Cat > Peak4 8m² + hover glide H5.

If your intention is Waveride or freeride this kite is perfect. Race LEI are better.

[wheat]

Kiterisland, You can go upwind plenty on the Peak4. At the top of the range, you can drive nicely upwind but less than LEI. At the low side of the range, there is a point that you are barely staying upwind. It is more fun to play with this lower edge, than go to shore. You loop and fly the kite aggressively, pop up. Then you build speed and create apparent wind riding light. Trying to point "way" upwind at this moment is not possible.

This comes from a new peak4 convert. My home conditions are center of the USA on large inland lakes with gusty wind. If I was on a tt today, I would have wanted a 12 -> 9 ->17. The 4m and foil was a much better option. The pic below is from my first day with a Peak4 9 days ago.

85kg/190lb, 633 foil, 115cm board, 4m Peak4


....Can you host a photo at google photos? I am not succeeding.

GPS link
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4804287000

[joriws]

Hey peak riders. How does the upwind angle of the peak on hydrofoil compare to a lei on hydrofoil? Are you able to get good angles?any gps pics?

Peter_Frank stated on other "peak4 stoked" -thread that Peak4 upwind angles were at least as good as his wave LEIs on HF and there is GPS pic. So it can be put otherway round, it is not worse than LEI and can be even slightly better.

[a99]

About low end:
I have been rode with this kite for the last 10 session and for me lower than 9.5 knots is not comfortable. You can go but you have to fight to go upwind, for me doesn't worth.

About high end:
Last session I was riding this kite when the wind picked up to something around 17 + knots (estimate) it was so strong..
So for me the up end of this kite is 16knots (estimate).

You are talking about 8 or 5 m peak? What is your weight?

[LeoLeal]

About low end:
I have been rode with this kite for the last 10 session and for me lower than 9.5 knots is not comfortable. You can go but you have to fight to go upwind, for me doesn't worth.

About high end:
Last session I was riding this kite when the wind picked up to something around 17 + knots (estimate) it was so strong..
So for me the up end of this kite is 16knots (estimate).

You are talking about 8 or 5 m peak? What is your weight?

8m² and 84kg

[Trent hink]

About low end:
I have been rode with this kite for the last 10 session and for me lower than 9.5 knots is not comfortable. You can go but you have to fight to go upwind, for me doesn't worth.

About high end:
Last session I was riding this kite when the wind picked up to something around 17 + knots (estimate) it was so strong that I had to ride full depower with one hand on the bar and the other side that I wasn't hold the bar the wing tip collapsed, I do believe that the line was a little bit slacked. I could undone this easily but it happened more than one time.
So for me the up end of this kite is 16knots (estimate).

Yep. That's what happens. Did it still fly ok? In my experience the 4 and 5 kept flying just fine, but looked so ugly I could hardly stand it. When I sheeted in the kite regained shape, but it was too much power for me and my hydrofoil (and a bit of chop).

If you see this happening you need to rig a smaller kite or grab a conventional board.

The peak works best right when it barely works. I've had sessions on the 8 where I didn't really feel overpowered, but I got really frustrated, except when I switched to the 5 and it worked awesome. For me, 17 knots yesterday in sea-breeze shore break with the 4 was pure bliss. In my experience, when I was really overpowered on the 4 with the leading edge folding in, the wind was somewhere around 30 knots.

One of my more experienced friends suggested back-stalling the kite to prevent getting overpowered. I can see that actually working, except I am a ham-fisted idiot.

[Jzh_perth]

This is my most recent track with a 5m Peak 4 and Axis 680 (1120cm2) Surf/Sup foil. Wind was apparently 13 knots according to Waterspeed app. No idea where they pull their wind data from. I am about 95kg/ 200lbs.

The Peak is certainly no worse upwind than a low aspect wave LEI - say my BWS Aeneema that I also own. I would also equate the 5m Peak to roughly end 8-9m LEI in power, but the advantage is the Peak will just sit and float in almost no wind where the heavier LEI will struggle to fly especially at the side of the WW. I doubt I could have ridden my 9m Aeneema as easily as my peak on this particular occasion. Wind direction was SSW as you can see based on the tracks. Swell was about 1.5m also from the SW with a heavy shorebreak. I had to drag probably 50m off the beach to find smooth water enabling a waterstart. It’s also quite shallow.

There is a track in here which highlights the best feature of the Peak - I got totally slack lines for 2-3 turns on a wave, kite floating along - a complete sense of freedom and moment of pure surfing. That’s my foiling goal atm. I should probably learn wing dinging or sup foiling...