chirojoseph wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:44 pm
Anybody know (I think I remember Dwight saying he tried the Mantis but can't tremende in what thread) if the new Mantis still had SEPARATE inflation valves for strut and LE? Or just one conected by the tube?
Interested in the 6.2 (just in case they have different construction for the big sizes)
And if anyone HAS had the luck to try both the X2 and the Mantis... Can they content upon of the HANDLE connection to the Mantis strut seems any more Rigid/firm than the X2 was?
Thanx in advance guys,!
I have size 4 and 6 mantis wings now. Im not going to compare to other wings, since these are my first wings, but to your question, I can confirm that there is only a single valve connected to the LE by a tube. It is a bit slow to dump the air when packing up, but I've found that deflating the strut first then folding/rolling the LE, makes it much easier. I can't compare to the X2, but the handle connection to the strut on the Mantis is somewhat loose (not floppy), but I find it still gives good control. I really like being able to move my hands around and microadjust on the mini booms versus handles.
I feel like the size difference between the 4 and 6 is a little bit bigger than I would have expected from experience with kites, and I might find some times when Im overpowered on the 6 and underpowered on the 4, but hopefully as I progress I can be more efficient at the high and low ends.
As someone else noted, the bag is definitely an afterthought. Packing the 6 into the dinky bag after a long session is a chore. I feel like I need to be rougher on the wing than I would like just to get it packed in there. The leash is nothing fancy, but is comfortable and easy to use.
Overall, I'm really happy with the setup. As a beginner on the wing, I found I could stay upwind fairly easily after 2 sessions. I was also able to pump onto the foil with the 6 at ~13 kts or so. Everything is pretty straightforward and streamlined (3 handles, no windows, single inflation, single strut...), which is less to break or complicate the experience and that attracted me to the product.