Power Kite Forum

Depower, FB, or Nasa wing

ssayre - 25-7-2014 at 06:11 PM

What do you like to use for buggy use in inland winds? I did a search on here to check if this had been polled before and didn't find anything. So far, I feel the most comfortable being hooked to the arc than hooking in on my fb's, so it has me wondering if I should start building more of a depower quiver. Sorry if this has been brought up before.

hiaguy - 25-7-2014 at 06:21 PM

I love the responsiveness of my fb's, but the local gusts either pull them out of my hands or I have to let go. I'm afraid that the depower-bug may have bitten.

John Holgate - 25-7-2014 at 08:32 PM

The main reason I'm flying the Nasa Star 2's is because of their ability to stay aloft better in lulls (because of their light weight), the fact that they don't accelerate as fast as a foil in the gusts and they're the least lifty kite I've flown. I have never had one do the crumple up/fall back into the powerzone and go pow trick yet. They also are very quick and direct in their steering. Myself and IMK were using them in really gusty conditions a while back where nearly everyone else packed their kites away - except for Norm and his 8m Synergy (I think) - his arc seems very stable in gusty crud. I've found the Nasa Stars more stable and easier to fly in gusty conditions than my HQ Apex (which I've now sold) and my Ozone Access.

Bladerunner - 25-7-2014 at 08:37 PM

Of the 3 I think Nasa wing is most forgiving, Arc is most entertaining and FB is most frustrating.

Depower is a general term and I much prefer my arcs in gusty wind to depower foils.

Closed cell depower foil is just a bit better than open cell but punchy in gusts.

I voted Nasa wing because as I said, it's most forgiving.

P.S. I really like how you set up these threads to help people doing research ! :thumbup:

IMK - 25-7-2014 at 10:36 PM

+1 on the Nasa Star 2 (NS2) and it's excellent ability to handle gusts and lulls. I've never had any issues with upwind performance and speed at inland sites when flying the NS2s. Easy to fly on a bar too.

As far as FB goes I really like my Zebra Z1 on handles for inland conditions. Not as good as the NS2s but still a lot of fun and very workable in 'janky' winds, especially if you like working the brakes rather than just flying off the front lines.

bobalooie57 - 26-7-2014 at 05:44 AM

I also went with NASA wings, but my reason is that they can be flown on short lines, or right off the handles, or as a 2 line on a bar. My best spot has trees/dunes just 40 feet or so from the waterline, so short lines are a must. I've tried my reactors (both the 3.8 and 6.4,model 1) and also my 2M Toxic on my shorter lines(the ones I usually use with the NASA's) and though they can be flown on the short lines, you had better pay attention, a small input can turn into a big mess at the other end, especially in the close quarters I fly in.
I do think that because I fly the NASA's more, I am way more comfortable with them, and if I had the opportunity (space) to fly the foils more often, I would probably be as comfortable with them.

kitemaker4 - 26-7-2014 at 07:37 AM

I agree with everything said about nasa wings. I have been flying them now for a while. I do a lot of inland flying in gusty winds and they have worked well for me.

Susan (npw goddess)

ssayre - 26-7-2014 at 09:11 AM


Quote:

P.S. I really like how you set up these threads to help people doing research ! :thumbup:


Thanks BR, I thought it would be helpful to take a poll and hopefully get feedback from people like you that have flown a wide range of kites and to know what they like in challenging conditions. The turbo bar thread is interesting because it looks like there is virtually no pattern to be able to tell if it would work with a certain kite or not without having a list or trial and error.

soliver - 26-7-2014 at 10:58 AM

Hey... There's no button for "I don't know yet"... Just got my first Depow in the mail today, and it needs tuning/ repair, so it'll be a minute before I can decide.

(Thanks Rob)

I voted FB since I can't speak to anything else

3shot - 26-7-2014 at 05:15 PM

I agree with Spencer. Got to go with FB at the moment. That's most of my quiver. As said all over the PKF, FB is very frustrating at times in janky inland wind. Have yet to put the Venom II up yet. Yes, I am embarrassed of that fact. I look for good things though.

soliver - 26-7-2014 at 07:10 PM

Wow,... it looks like my term "janky" is really catching on... I'm pleased to have made a contribution.

can't wait until I can get the M5 up.

bobsalinas - 27-7-2014 at 11:15 AM

the other type kite not mentioned are LEI's (leading edge inflatables)
They are a little more forgiving in the gusts and more adjustable.
I've used a 7M in 10-15+ and it handled well, only problem is they get beat up on grass and dirt and are spooky and hard to relaunch.
my 5m depower foil (Ozone Frenzy) almost killed me in gusty winds this past Jan.
I'm back to FBs for now while I continue healing up.

ssayre - 27-7-2014 at 11:42 AM

LEI are depowers so anyone that prefers them can vote depower. The depower category would include any and all types of depower kites (except ns2, they should be in the nasa category). I was just trying to keep the polling simple. So far this poll is not suffering from too much participation

Bob, what happened on the frenzy? Did you get lofted?

southpadreburt - 27-7-2014 at 11:59 AM

When talking about depower kites, they are not at all the same. An example is the Ozone Access depower kites are powerful but not lofty and are forgiving in gusty conditions. The Ozone Frenzy is a faster moving kite with a lot of loft making it more critical in gusty conditions. The buggy pilot will need to decide what is acceptable for the conditions and his/her skill level.

ssayre - 27-7-2014 at 12:28 PM

Yes there are many types of depower that vary greatly and it's encouraged to specify which type you like when voting. Very generally speaking, I was trying to get an idea of what people migrate to for inconsistent wind conditions in the buggy.

bobsalinas - 27-7-2014 at 04:32 PM

yes I got lofted up about 10-12 foot and body slammed onto the grass. Compound arm break, fractured T-12 vertebrae and detached left eye retna. I should be back to my normal Wyle coyote self by end of this year. No time to react, kite went up then down in the blink of your eye.
I still love my depower kites.

ssayre - 27-7-2014 at 09:27 PM

Glad to hear you'll make a full recovery. I try to error on the side of being too cautious because I'm always by myself and my spots have almost no one around. That's usually a good thing unless something goes wrong.

jadog - 28-7-2014 at 11:20 AM

So this is a very interesting thread. I was planning on buying a quiver of Reactor's to use with my buggy in our somewhat gusty inland wind. But after ready this, I'm not so sure that's the kite of choice. So it seems like so far the general consensus is to go with a NASA wing for this.

MeatÐriver - 28-7-2014 at 11:34 AM

My 2 Ozone Access have proven invaluable in less than ideal conditions. Won't bite like the frenzy's can and you can fly them very aggressively without worry.

soliver - 28-7-2014 at 04:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by jadog  
So this is a very interesting thread. I was planning on buying a quiver of Reactor's to use with my buggy in our somewhat gusty inland wind. But after ready this, I'm not so sure that's the kite of choice. So it seems like so far the general consensus is to go with a NASA wing for this.


I've got 3 Reactor IIs and they are great inland. Of all the mid-high AR (4.5) buggy kites, I think the Reactors have proven to me to be some of the best... Flew the 3.5m in some really shifty stuff today and it was suuuuuper stable.