Flysurfer Peak 4

[Adventure Logs]

Great News regarding 6m!!!
Interesting how will be with playness and turning joy comparing with 5m? Of course will be a little slower but question is how much noticible slower. It means no Peak5 this year???

Usually when there's a new size available, you are talking another year if not two before the next gen at Flysurfer.

[khaakon]

Great News regarding 6m!!!
Interesting how will be with playness and turning joy comparing with 5m? Of course will be a little slower but question is how much noticible slower. It means no Peak5 this year???

My guess for Flysurfers delay (...?) with a new version of the Peak is also connected to a kind of identity problem.The probably unexpected enthusiasm from you foilsurfers on version 4 means new models should be adapted for use on water, while the Peak was before v4 infamous for beeing nearly useless for kitesurfers. It is in origin a snowkite, and also highly commendable for traction kiting like Buggies and ATBs.

I've had all generations of Peaks, grew up with them you could say, havent flown much else. Never on the water for me, but I am totally grateful for more ppl discovering the Peak. And delivering a lot of insights .

*edit; and btw; the 5m is already closer to 5,5m so the 6m might be 6,66 or.. you know..

[a99]

I understand that flysurfer now has big head ache how to mix demand of peak for hydrofoiling (as bigger part of sales goes now from foilers not snowkites) and snowkiting needs in Peak5. Seems that they need to split this kite in two quite different versions as Peak5 for snowkiters and Jybe5 for foilers (water relaunch please!)

[airsail]

I understand that flysurfer now has big head ache how to mix demand of peak for hydrofoiling (as bigger part of sales goes now from foilers not snowkites) and snowkiting needs in Peak5. Seams that they need to split this kite in two quite different versions as Peak5 for snowkiters and Jybe5 for foilers (water relaunch please!)

If “Jybe5” came to fruition, eg a full water relaunchable Peak 4, can you imagine the value of a secondhand Peak 4.

[Flyboy]

I understand that flysurfer now has big head ache how to mix demand of peak for hydrofoiling (as bigger part of sales goes now from foilers not snowkites) and snowkiting needs in Peak5. Seams that they need to split this kite in two quite different versions as Peak5 for snowkiters and Jybe5 for foilers (water relaunch please!)

If “Jybe5” came to fruition, eg a full water relaunchable Peak 4, can you imagine the value of a secondhand Peak 4.

Well, surely it is possible to produce a "full water relaunchable Peak" ... but inevitably there would be compromises necessary to the characteristics that make the Peak appealing in the first place. IE wouldn't you end up with something more like a regular relaunchable foil?

[Peter_Frank]

I understand that flysurfer now has big head ache how to mix demand of peak for hydrofoiling (as bigger part of sales goes now from foilers not snowkites) and snowkiting needs in Peak5. Seams that they need to split this kite in two quite different versions as Peak5 for snowkiters and Jybe5 for foilers (water relaunch please!)

If “Jybe5” came to fruition, eg a full water relaunchable Peak 4, can you imagine the value of a secondhand Peak 4.

Well, surely it is possible to produce a "full water relaunchable Peak" ... but inevitably there would be compromises necessary to the characteristics that make the Peak appealing in the first place. IE wouldn't you end up with something more like a regular relaunchable foil?

I think you are spot on.

The very reason the Peak4 is so "perfect", is because it is super light, so accelerates like crazy and pulls just as much when flying it up, as when flying it down or horizontal.
It can be packed down superfast as no air inside, nice.
Besides the awesome drift features

These flying characteristics dissapear when they get bigger in size, as now they are heavier and also more draggy, and "other" kites works better now because we want more power, and the agility is lost anyways on all kites when bigger.

How often do you need to water relaunch?
The few times needed, if you make a mistake, it can usually be launched again right away.
Not always, but it can be put on its back to be relaunched again when wind.

If the wind drops to 3 knots, you can still fly or loop and drag yourself ashore (not so with any other kite).
If the wind drops to less than 2 knots it will drop, but now you can not relaunch ANY kite anyways, so a waterrelaunchable one will just be heavier and take a lot longer to pack down in the water.

Peter

[tomtom]

I told you and you didnt believe .

[tomtom]

Anyway... what do we really want from next Peak???

[tomtom]

So relaunch is my least priority.
I want more performance. I think peaks magic comes from they lightness and inertialess. Not from lack of L/D. This we only tolerate because everything else is perfect. Imo more performace not must mean less peak magic. So i vote for higher AR.

[bragnouff]

Anyway... what do we really want from next Peak???

I'd just love a different bag. Still simple, cheap and light, but with just a strap so as to sling it over the shoulder while carrying the foil. Despite being the lightest and smallest kites to carry around, this is the most awkward bag to carry.
And if that light bag could be made of mesh material, it'd be of great use for deep water packdowns, for the once-a-year time that this happens.