Flysurfer Peak 4

[Nem0]

[Trent hink]

At 230 pounds i suspect the 8 meter will be ok on shorter lines in 18 knots.

I'm about 185 pounds and 15 knots the 8 is ok on the hydrofoil with my big slow wing. At this point i prefer 20m lines.

The thing about this kite is that it is still totally useable when overpowered, it just complains more and more when you get outside of the ideal wind range. (on the hydrofoil i mean).

When overpowered, it flaps and generally looks looks and feels a bit ugly. Control is still decent but it is not as fun and it seems, to me at least, that it is hard on the kite.

I only tried it a couple times with a surfboard or twintip, and once with a borrowed formula-style board. On those trys, i was not really well powered, but just getting close to the overpowered range on my big slow foil.

It works ok, but i would hesitate to suggest that it is ideal.

It could just be that i hate riding that style of pull with those kind of boards.

I'm interested to try it well-powered with a surfboard for downwinders in the surf , but haven't had decent conditons to try that yet.

[drsurf]

After having used my Flysurfer Peak4 3m due to the wind being over 15 knots, me, 65kg and Moses 633 surf foil, the wind was lighter over the last couple of days so time to try the 5m Peak4. I have enjoyed the 3m Peak4 on the 633 more than any other kite so it was time to see if the 5m was just as good.

Couldn't be bothered disconnecting the Flysurfer connect bar with 21m lines from the 3m so I used a Naish bar with 24m lines on the 5m and put in in the air in around 10 knots. It felt grunty and turned with good speed so I walked out with the foil and with one or two flicks I was up and foiling. It felt great and with the lighter wind came smoother water and I could ride some small swell down the beach downwind with the same relaxed style as the 3m. I could even depower to nothing and pump the foil along and the kite just hung in the sky with no hint of falling but ready to respond in an instant when I wanted to turn and go back out. The wind dropped below 10 knots but it made no difference, still had plenty of power and control. It's so easy to foil with the Peak4's that you feel you must be cheating somehow

For those who haven't used a Peak4 it must sound like I've drunk too much of the Peak4 Kool Aid and I may seem biased as I sell Flysurfer kites as well. However yesterday was even lighter wind with the only other person able to comfortably kite was Marco on his 12m Hyperlink Zeeko Spitfire combo. Once again I was up and foiling in 6-10 knots of wind and everything was so smooth and quiet it was virtually a foil meditation session Only came off a couple of times when I hit some weed

I was the only kiter out and when I came in I had thought about giving Marco a go, but had second thoughts as the wind was not getting any stronger. Marco had an additional 20kg over me and the spitfire wasn't a large surface area surf foil. After all he'd been using a twin skin foil kite more than double my 5m. But Marco came to the water and said he'd like a go and so I handed the kite over telling him to flog it all over the sky to get on the foil but doubting that he would get up. However he was up on the foil with a few kite loops and foiled out to sea, then came back down the shore break whipping through quick turns, revelling in the fact that whatever he did the kite would hang in the air and respond instantly when needed. The wind seemed to be getting lighter but the Peak4 never failed Marco and he ripped around for while before coming in with a different look on his face which he followed up with the phrase "gamechanger".

And I guess that was what I was feeling. I have quite a few kites but mainly foil on a surf wing hunting down any wave or swell. The Peak4 enables this in a way no other kite I've tried has. And it seems that once you've tried the Peak4 you look at your existing quiver differently. Because for surf foiling you'll probably never take them out, high or low wind, a Peak4 will change the way you kite. Also save a substantial amount of money, as a Peak4 3m and 5m kite for the average weight foiler will cover from 6-7 knots to over 25knots and cost less than one 10m LEI kite.

Lovin' these light winds, Dave

[Ramkiter]

a Peak4 3m and 5m kite for the average weight foiler will cover from 6-7 knots to over 25knots

Seriously, I can't see a 5m Peak4 working below 10 knots, I have only tested a 4m Peak4 and ordered myself a 5 & 3m on the back of this test, if so I'll be selling my 10m Soul

[elguapo]

i cant get going in 6-7 kts on a 5m peak4

but as long as current is not pushing downwind...8-9 kts is the lower limit i've seen.

[foilholio]

On bigger hydrofoils and lighter riders it should.

[Slappysan]

Seriously, I can't see a 5m Peak4 working below 10 knots, I have only tested a 4m Peak4 and ordered myself a 5 & 3m on the back of this test, if so I'll be selling my 10m Soul

I'm 75 kg / 165 lbs and I can hold ground in 8 knots on the Peak 4 5m with a surf wing, it's not fun until around 10 knots though.

[jumptheshark]

In your opinion, could you jump with a peak 4, or more precisely, could you get enough lift to land softly?

[slowboat]

In your opinion, could you jump with a peak 4, or more precisely, could you get enough lift to land softly?

Definitely. I have a friend who does all kinds of jumps with his foil and 5 meter Peak 4 and lands them nicely.

[jakemoore]

In your opinion, could you jump with a peak 4, or more precisely, could you get enough lift to land softly?

For small strapless jumps yes, but I find it much much easier with LEI kites from 4m to 9m depending on wind.