@drsurf:
Thanks and yes this is exactly my point. I am not talking about to somehow survive 40 knts on a hydrofoil, I know that I can do it this with allmost any 5-strut LEI, trainer kites and what ever smaller 5 m².
I am talking about a realy well balanced kite with still good upwind, but maximum drift and reactivity which as I know just a well build single skin as the Peak4 and close to it the Firefly delivers. A kite that brings you upwind in the swell, but becomes as invisible as possible when fully riding the waves downwind, but always stays ready for a pull if needed.
@Huib
have you ever tried a small Peak4 in comparision with your clouds? I don't expect that it comes close but maybe more close than all other not single skin or hybrids could, also had a no struter some years ago. And the benefit of the cloud would be it exist in 2,2 m² even if it is very expensive for that size and as you said hard to get or test in Europe.
But actually as seen in the other topic I also tinkering around on the firefly to see how far upwind I will get it compfortable.
Nice to see there are so many happy with the Peak4 3 m² like me, just can add again the motivation: Try to use it unhooked feeling in waves improves so much more and also for a low wind start while looping it, you may have more success unhooked. I am now just for longer runs upwind hooked. Even unhooked backflips are very nice, already started to do them full flying.