I've had the 12m and 4m for a bit now, and I'm impressed with how stable they are overhead. But Jiminy-Jillikers, you sure can feel those rings in the mixer. Great physics example of static friction transitioning to sliding friction as you move the bar. A couple of foil sessions with the 4m and one session with the 12m shows the kite needed redirection up, more than I expected with a soft kite. Could this be from the rings inhibiting normal bar correction?
I guess I'll see, as I just replaced the rings on the 12m with Ronson BB blocks. Total weight added over the stock rings and attached line is just 16g more, using Dynaglide. Static flying the 12m today really showed what a difference blocks have over rings; as you would expect, no stickiness when moving the bar. The things a manufacturer will do to save some weight...
FYI, both of these have only been flown on grass. No sand had touched the bridle or rings.
20mph seemed like a sweet spot at the time for the 4m (150lbs, Lift 170), but my impression was tainted by being on a longer mast for the first time, and foiling for the first time at Sherman Island (not my calm bay water I'm used to). Without the friction of the rings, I think control of the kite would be better in higher winds, as 25mph seemed a bit much at the time. Rings will be replaced soon on the 4m.
Seems to me this kite would also be suitable to teach on during low wind times...:
1. No sudden power spikes
2. Slow turning
3. Soft kite
4. Very good low end, so time on the water when nobody else is there. (A lot of the beginner friendly kitespots are crowded nowadays).
Maybe the characteristics specifically relaunch is too different to deliver a wel trained independent kitesurfer but still...
Got some good time on the 4m today, winds were averaging from 15-20mph, with lulls to 12 and gusts to 25. I preferred it at the lower end of today's wind. An interesting aspect of this kind of kite is the flapping of the trailing edge resonates with my lines/bar setup (25m, 44cm bar). I'll try it with a 21m bar setup later on this summer. I'm sure that resonance is affecting my preferred wind range.
The pulley blocks that replaced the rings make control soo much better. When really powered up the kite still drifts down, but it is easier to correct it.
As you can imagine a kite this small can be twitchy. More than a couple of times I got pulled off the board due to over control. But at other times one handed loops can be handy.
Rings/sliders on foils have been tested extensively many years ago, they don't work well. It's quite strange how you can have a designer make such an interesting kite but choose a poor component somewhere. I know LEI riders who would because of something like that refuse the whole kite rather than just change the part.... needless to say foil kites are not their thing.
Rings/sliders on foils have been tested extensively many years ago, they don't work well. It's quite strange how you can have a designer make such an interesting kite but choose a poor component somewhere. I know LEI riders who would because of something like that refuse the whole kite rather than just change the part.... needless to say foil kites are not their thing.
i'm of fan of the kitefinder guys... but that might be the most useless review they've ever done.
it was tuned properly...flies and depowers well.
but my 8m peak4 fulfills the same purpose for me(lightwinds)...but is even smaller and easily packed.
i generally avoid putting kites in water...so being water relaunchable wasnt really worth the extra size to me.
(and frankly i do tend to turn kites over pretty quickly every year....is much easier re-selling a kite that is in like-new condition)
Rings/sliders on foils have been tested extensively many years ago, they don't work well. It's quite strange how you can have a designer make such an interesting kite but choose a poor component somewhere.
Better to wait for the 2020 model then. Hopefully these bugs are fixed then.