Best GP 2012 c-kite Review

[john a]

I have tested the GP now for some sessions both at home and in Tarifa, here is my impression so far:
Just to make it clear I´m not a very good newschool rider, but i do manage some passes and everything to blind/ wrapped, different kind of loops, and some basic old school stuff.

I´ve tried the GP in all kind off conditions, underpowered, overpowered, waves, chop and flatwater, stable and gusty wind. First of all I expected this kite to be a handful and scare me a bit, sure it delivers tons of power and will boost you sky high, amazing lift and hangtime, but the depower was way better than I expected. I have bin flying the Team C on good stable days, and the Taboo and Kahoona on other days. It´s so much more friendly than the Team C, really when it was supergusty I could still manage this kite, never to uncomfortable. Even a friend of mine who does old school and just boosts omn snow and not unhooked on water at all, liked the kite.

So the reflex is definitly not a hype! You could both feel and see the effect on the kite.
The barfeel is a bit heavy, but it needs to be that way to be as stable unhoked, and not stear when you are trying a new trick with your kite low. It´s feel like a c-kite, so you have to time your jumo with stearing your bar in a bit different way than on a SLE/delta. It´s actually a fast kite despite of it´s stability. It´s kind of like it will just sit there until you really tells it to move, and then it will move fast, with power in the turn and do what you want.

The loop is really nice, powerfull but not as "it´s going to kill me" as I espected, more like I would wish it to be. You´ll still dear to pull the loop, not like the Team C. It´s a nice powerfull loop, and it will pick you up again afterwards. But sure a bit more of a handful than the rest of the quiver, but not as dangerus as one might expect form a pure competition C.

The unhooked feel of the kite is just amazing, you can of course tune it to suite your own rinding style, but it´s soooo stable. Even the 7 felt more stable than most of the 12 I´ve ever tried, and I try kites as often as I can. I know it sounds too good to be true, but that was the feel of it, just superstable. There is a lot of slack after the pop, in the beginning you will feel quite powered, be course of a bit heavy bar pressure, but it gets so loose after the pop. You´ll find it so much easier to do the pass, and to do it with the kite low and with style. The pop is really powerfull but the slack really helps getting the trick. So I´m looking so much forward to getting more time on this kite, I´m sure it will make me a way better rider.

The bar is really smooth, a nice feel, and every part seem to have bin made with hard use in mind. A huge nice chickenloop, a nice grip, and the cuff is made of hard plastic and seems really durable. Even the chikenloop is made more durable. It´s builded upon the basics of the Redline Performance bar, but a real upgrade. There is a thicker depowerline, and low ware rubber inserts in the hole were it goes thou, to reduce line ware. Even the leash is improved, with a nice padding, a swivel, and a ticker and stronger hook.

To sum it up:
I love this kite, it´s not for everyone, but for those making their passes and are serious about freestyle. It´s the perfect wakestyle kite, and an amazing booster. It´s the best unhooked kite I´ve ever tried! And I would not be surprised if the pros stand in line to sign with Best having tried this kite. Try it, you´ll be supprised!

[zloilyoha]

Ha-ha! I`m totaly disagree with you except boosting jumps - they are realy good with GP.
Tried 11 sq/m though...

[john a]

That´s kind of a weak statement, what exactly do you disagree with? Unhooked stability and line slack? hehe Kind of have to elaborate a bit more with such a statement to be taken seriously and for me to believe you actually tried it (there is not many of them out there yet and seeing your last comment about it when the news was announced I start to doubt it... did you try it in Tarifa... or with the right bar - it needs the right bar!)

[zloilyoha]

First of all - excuse me for my english.

No, not in Tarifa - i rode it in the end of september at russian spot Blaga during Russian Kiteboarding Chempionship. The bar was just like on your pics. It`s very slippery and I also dont like metal insert in the middle of the bar. Best tried to make bar` ends like Cabrinha did but those ribs inside really hurts when arm slippers during the bar pass.
It was too much power in the kite during unhook jumps like it usually happens with bow kites - and i was not overpowered. Tried kiteloops hooked and unhooked - maybe in smaller sizes it will be ok but 11 is not.
For me GP feels more like a "standart" SLE with better feedback.
But boosting jumps were really good; that`s true - nice height and hangtime
And one more thing i liked was safety leash swivel - good solution, hope other companies will do the same way.
I`ve tried few 2012 kites those day: GP, TS, Nirvana, NRG, Envy. Envy was an "event winner"

As for me - i like newschool, wakestyle and all about kiteloops ( hooked and unhooked ) - I`m riding SS Fuels and RPMs, fully stocked with it.
Tried to be unbiassed...

[john a]

Youre kidding me??? To much vodka on the event? hehe does not sound like we tried the same kite... I liked the explosive power in the pop and it got so loose afterwards, was easy to catch the bar again, never to much power. Not like any SLE I have ever tried, and I think I have tried a lot... To me it felt like a proper C. Sounds more like you tried the NXG That one was like you describe. But good thing theres a lot of kites for every taste

[zloilyoha]

But good thing theres a lot of kites for every taste

For sure mate

[cowboy]

. It`s very slippery and I also dont like metal insert in the middle of the bar.

New RP bar which is made of the same materials wasnt slippery at all when I tried it last month.

So you dont like bars with metal inserts (pretty much covers all bars on the market), good job Best have replaced any metal in this area with replaceable Derlin that wears out quicker than the depower rope.

"Derlin is a semi crystalline engineering plastic that is beneficial to engineering applications, and is suited to CNC machining"

[zloilyoha]

So you dont like bars with metal inserts (pretty much covers all bars on the market),

that`s right - Best, North and others. Those insertrs: metal, carbon, smth else is really big trouble for me. All the time when i prepearing to make a pass and put the depower rope between my fingers i have a feeling that bar is slippering from my hands and i starts to compress my arm stronger and this is no good because arm` muscles are tired very quickly - but this is my own problem also as all what i wrote is my humble opinion
For sure - bar preference is very individual thing.
I don`t know what kite will i fly in the future but it will be completed with Slingshot Compstick Control Bar - it`s perfect for me

[sq225917]

@Zloy: I know some guys wrap white zinc oxide tape (climbing tape) around the bar center to make it more grippy for handle passes. You should try it if you ever decide to change bars.

It's actually a real pain in the ass to make a bar with grip all the way up and it's the spot most likely to peel under use so we take the simple route.

[birxi86]

Hi,

what about the girls who like to do some freestyle.. Would you recommend them the GP as well or might it be too powerful?
Thx!