mdpminc - 14-5-2011 at 10:02 AM
Is 2008 Pulse2 12m any good for a beginner kitesurfer and intermediate snow kiter ?
Any comments on these, both positive and negative please.
B-Roc - 14-5-2011 at 10:45 AM
I don't surf but I had a 6m P2 for landboarding and skiing and sold it recently. I did not like dealing with the whole air mattress thing but if
you're used to PLs I suppose you are used to that. I found theh P2 to be fast and powerful for its size. Excellent low end range but too fast and
punchy in the upper end of its limit to be enjoyable. Bar pressure is very light. Kite tends to backstall which may be great on the water but was
not appreciated while landboarding at speed over firm terrain.
Its a nicely made kite for sure it just wasn't something I could connect with. Anchoring them in high wind can be a challenge (I added a landing line
but I don't know if that would be problematic in the surf as it could get wet and possibly bind the leaders when twisted.
manitoulinkiter1 - 14-5-2011 at 12:00 PM
Hey
I have one and use it in Sudbury Ont.
I've only used it in the winter for snow kiting, never tried on water yet.
I'm used to inflatables so for winter time the set up is nice, no pumping.
I've never tried it in the water yet because the bridle will get tangled where I ride. I intend to try it this summer though because it does have nice
low end. I should be able to ride it in around 18 km/h winds on water.
I find I am over powered in the winter around 35-40 km/h I weigh 160 lbs. The biggest draw back for me is it doesn't handle the gusty wind to well.
That's compared to inflatables like North Vegas, Carbrihna Contras and Slinshot Revs.
In gusty wind I find it pulls me off my edge or falls back in the lulls and collapses.
I do use it a lot though and it jumps huge with nice floaty landings.
John
erratic winds - 14-5-2011 at 12:04 PM
I would only recommend LEI's to a beginner kitesurfer, due to ease of relaunch.(there is somewhat of a time limit on relaunching a closed-cell foil,
at least in my experience, I have seen people who had to roll em up and swim in, while I have been able to flail around like a wounded tuna for twenty
minutes until I got the LEI back up).
But once you keep the kite out of the water on most sessions, the pulse is a lovely kite. I do second the comment that FS's seem punchy at the top of
their wind-range, but I believe that is the trade-off for such good low-end.