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Gong kites reviews and tests

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Erik de Berik
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Style: Wave, Foil, Freeride
Gear: Duotone Neo 6
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Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby Erik de Berik » Fri Aug 09, 2019 7:44 am

Just bought and received the 10.2 Unik, sounds grazy or maybe a bit foolish but I bought this kite because I really like Gong’s philosophy and what they did after the past years so I thought, well …. for this price and theyr return policy let’s give it a shot.
I flew a lot of kite brands over the last 16 years and a lot of boards, at the moment I fly Duotone Neo`s because they fit me the most, most of the time I’m doing waveriding on strapless directionals here on the Northsee coastline in The Netherlands with lots of downwinders in any direction. After so many years I can say about myself that I can feel if a kite doing it`s job or not, so below my summary of The Gong Unik 10.2. (I flew the Unik with the Duotone Click bar with the Y split on lowest position)

Update 1: I bought the Unik 9 and 6.8 as well

The bag:
High quality and comfortable bag with enough space and a very good zipper, 2 holes with straps on each side for the bar and pump, some big brands have way less good bags than this one, the only thing what should be convenient is a small extra pocket with zipper or velcro for your spareparts or belongings.
9/10

The kite:
Came nicely packed and sealed in a box in 5 working days, well done!

The kite is beautifully and tightly finished and looks great in the entire wind window without hardly any fluttering.

2 drawbacks I could find:
The rubber tube from the leading edge to the strut, pumping is difficult here, you have to move the small tube to let the air through it, not a big problem but you want the kite to be pumped up in one go without staggering, I solved this by cutting 2 cm’s of the black rubber tube, 2 min work.
+
The 2 Ronstan rolling pulley’s are a bit out of time, they do what they have to do but I prefer the Ronstan Shock blocks sliding pulley’s, much cleaner and most likely we will see this in the 2020 models.

Update 1: I changed them for Ronstan shock blocks slider pulley's, only 2 grams.
Update 2: Till now after a couple of sessions no signs of wear and tear at the lines from the Ronstan Shock block sliding pulley's :thumb:

The 10.2 is a powerful kite and light, it is faster than my NEO 9 and drifts perfectly. (difficult to say this but It`s true)
This UNIK can do it all and I think Gong has put down a very good product here, which is certainly not inferior to the more famous brands.
I will give more updates after a number of downwinders as also how this machine will fly on the foil, let’s see how this outstanding one-strutter behaves in overpowered conditions and how de wind dump is (High end) Low end is powerfull!

Update 1: The top end has been reached quickly and the indicated parameters on the Gong website correspond, in my opinion, with reality.
Update 2: Recently made a powerful downwinder, half of which I was heavily overpowered, the kite tends to fly over you on top but does not fall down.
Still controllable but not recommended for wave riding in overpowered conditions.
Update 3: This kite fly`s perfect on foil, very easy to control and it just floats there in the sky , this kite rocks !!!

To the Gong team:
You nailed it with this one!
But, shorten the rubber tube by 2 cm, sliding pulley’s instead of rolling pulley’s and an extra compartment in the bag that you can close with a zipper or velcro for your spareparts and/or belongings.

8/10
Pricewise 10/10
(I give it an 8 because I have no comparison one strutters material but that will certainly follow)
Gong Unik 9.jpg







Last edited by Erik de Berik on Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:24 pm, edited 14 times in total.
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flying doctor
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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby flying doctor » Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:21 am

Thanks for your comprehensive review and vids Erik, some solid strapless riding there!

I've been eying this kite as well for low wind foiling and SB riding so good to hear you're satisfied, I'm looking forward to hearing your experiences on foil.

What is your weight?

I have 2019 pivot 9m, Slash 7 and 5. The pivot is OK as a light wind SB kite but not an ideal foil kite.
I weigh 78kg myself so was wondering if the 10.2 would be a good size as my largest kite or that a 12,9 would be better, any thoughts on that?

Also: have you tried the Gong strutless for comparisons?
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Erik de Berik
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Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:25 am
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Local Beach: Netherlands coastline
Favorite Beaches: Scheveningen, Ijmuiden, Wijk aan Zee, Brouwersdam, Castricum, Ter Heijde, Cumbuco , Prea, Tatajuba, Vietnam, Thailand for foil.
Style: Wave, Foil, Freeride
Gear: Duotone Neo 6
Duotone Session
Appletree Klokhouse 6.0
Kauper Falcon 11m
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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby Erik de Berik » Fri Aug 09, 2019 9:56 am

flying doctor wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:21 am
Thanks for your comprehensive review and vids Erik, some solid strapless riding there!

I've been eying this kite as well for low wind foiling and SB riding so good to hear you're satisfied, I'm looking forward to hearing your experiences on foil.

What is your weight?

I have 2019 pivot 9m, Slash 7 and 5. The pivot is OK as a light wind SB kite but not an ideal foil kite.
I weigh 78kg myself so was wondering if the 10.2 would be a good size as my largest kite or that a 12,9 would be better, any thoughts on that?

Also: have you tried the Gong strutless for comparisons?
Hi Flying doctor,
My weight is 100 kg and you can easely switch the 9 Pivot for the 10.2, because of it`s lightness it drifts outstanding as also in the turns it will be the same as the Pivot 9 or maybe better, It,s more lively! (believe me, if this was not the case I will tell honestly that it was a piece of crap)
I`m thinking already to buy the 12.9 instead of my 12 Neo because of lightness (also because of the price offcourse)
In the vids you see some fluttering in the depower zones or loops, I think you can not avoid this for a one or none strutter but the best thing is, you don,t feel it on the bar and it will not stall at all !!
Soon I`ll have overpowered conditions but for now what I can feel this will be my kite instead of the heavier Duotone Neo 9 (Duotone Neo is sweeter than the Unik`, less aggressive) The Unik is more aggressive in powered conditions and that`s what I like.
I have to fly it a bit more to be truly convinced about the quality and strongness of the Unik, Let`s see if I can destroy this machine with really hard top end winds (for the 10.2) with lots of loops and power bottum and top turns, if it holds then this Unik will get my approval.
I`ve never tried The Gong strutless but what I`ve heard from BRM Cloud guys that The Gong v3 strutless is a bit less in performance than the Cloud strutless, but hey ..... the gong is 2/3 cheaper :-)) and easier to get.

Keep you posted, lots of wind on the way next week! (as also for foil, but I dont`t think any issuis here at all)
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Unik 10.2.jpg

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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby flying doctor » Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:47 am

Thanks again Erik, keep us posted!

I live in Amsterdam so I know we'll have a lot of fun the coming days waveriding in high winds, no foiling for a while!
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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby GTC » Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:23 pm

Thanks for the review,

I am interested in a Gong kite but can't decide between de Unik 10.2 or the Strutless 10. Reading at the specs they do pretty much the same.
I want it to foil in 10-15 knots and surf in +15 kt.

Regards!

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Erik de Berik
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Local Beach: Netherlands coastline
Favorite Beaches: Scheveningen, Ijmuiden, Wijk aan Zee, Brouwersdam, Castricum, Ter Heijde, Cumbuco , Prea, Tatajuba, Vietnam, Thailand for foil.
Style: Wave, Foil, Freeride
Gear: Duotone Neo 6
Duotone Session
Appletree Klokhouse 6.0
Kauper Falcon 11m
Kauper Maverick II 5,7,9 m.
Groove skate foilboard
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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby Erik de Berik » Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:43 pm

GTC wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:23 pm
Thanks for the review,

I am interested in a Gong kite but can't decide between de Unik 10.2 or the Strutless 10. Reading at the specs they do pretty much the same.
I want it to foil in 10-15 knots and surf in +15 kt.

Regards!
Hi GTC,
I decided to take the Gong Unik (on the blind) because I want to use it in the surf too, my blind bet went out very well.
For sure this Unik works great in the foil, no stalling or falling downs and easy self relaunch from the water as well from the beach.
If It,s only for foil then I should take the strutless V3 , the lighter the better ;-))

Greetz!

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Erik de Berik
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Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:25 am
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Local Beach: Netherlands coastline
Favorite Beaches: Scheveningen, Ijmuiden, Wijk aan Zee, Brouwersdam, Castricum, Ter Heijde, Cumbuco , Prea, Tatajuba, Vietnam, Thailand for foil.
Style: Wave, Foil, Freeride
Gear: Duotone Neo 6
Duotone Session
Appletree Klokhouse 6.0
Kauper Falcon 11m
Kauper Maverick II 5,7,9 m.
Groove skate foilboard
Foil: Slingshot Phantasm 633
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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby Erik de Berik » Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:44 pm

flying doctor wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:47 am
Thanks again Erik, keep us posted!

I live in Amsterdam so I know we'll have a lot of fun the coming days waveriding in high winds, no foiling for a while!
:thumb:

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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby codifilo » Fri Aug 09, 2019 2:08 pm

GTC wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:23 pm
Thanks for the review,

I am interested in a Gong kite but can't decide between de Unik 10.2 or the Strutless 10. Reading at the specs they do pretty much the same.
I want it to foil in 10-15 knots and surf in +15 kt.

Regards!
If you are going to use the kite more often in less than 10 knots then go the Strutless but if you plan to use it more often in +15 knots then go for the Unik.

As you say your desired bottom low end to foil is 10-15 knots then I'd go for the Unik because it will fly fine in that range and on top of that you'll benefit from better higher wind performance.
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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby alexglebov » Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:40 am

I have 8m Gong strutless V3 and 10m Unik. I use my Slingshot bar in both kites, but I had to add about 10cm extension to the center lines on both kites, otherwise they won't fly. I love my 8m that I use on foil. The Unik for some reason has the tendency to overfly the window and I have to intentionally to back stall it a little to keep it in the window. When the wind is super shifty, like changing direction by 45 degrees, I have a problem to keep it in the air, I know I suppose to keep the kite on the side of the wind window, but even then it nose dives when the wind shifts dramatically. I don't have that problem with V3, because it just drifts back in the window nicely. So if you have crappie winds with a lot of lulls and shifts, I would say V3 is better. Anyway, this is just my observations and I am not anywhere near to experienced kiter yet, only kiting for a 3 years so far. Just curious if anyone has felt that overflying with Unik.

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Erik de Berik
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Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:25 am
Kiting since: 2003
Local Beach: Netherlands coastline
Favorite Beaches: Scheveningen, Ijmuiden, Wijk aan Zee, Brouwersdam, Castricum, Ter Heijde, Cumbuco , Prea, Tatajuba, Vietnam, Thailand for foil.
Style: Wave, Foil, Freeride
Gear: Duotone Neo 6
Duotone Session
Appletree Klokhouse 6.0
Kauper Falcon 11m
Kauper Maverick II 5,7,9 m.
Groove skate foilboard
Foil: Slingshot Phantasm 633
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Has thanked: 11 times
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Re: Gong kites reviews and tests

Postby Erik de Berik » Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:59 pm

Small update:
I changed the 2 rolling Ronstan pulley’s for 2 Ronstan shock blocks, only 2 grams each!
Works like a charm.
10 min work.
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