djsiryn - 27-7-2015 at 11:04 AM
SO I got to take out my 19m Venom 2 yesterday and all I can say is....WOW! The winds were about 6 to 9mph and I was still able to jump it. I have not
tried it on my atb yet but I plan on trying that this evening. This is my first ARC kite and I am thoroughly impressed! It is just so stable and stays
exactly where I put it, unlike my lei kites that I have to constantly work to keep in position (or in the air). IT also just soaks up the gusts and
the power delivery is very liner and does not have that sudden jerky feeling when the winds are a bit sketchy and rough. The power I can feel more as
a surge than a sudden "SURPRISE" kinda feeling, the power was only there when I wanted it! SO this being my first ARC, I am now contemplating selling
off a few of my current kites to try and fund my next one or a newer one. I AM SOLD on PL kites now!
It does have one blown cell you can see in the pics below. Gonna get that fixed this next week. LOVE THIS KITE <3
Proletariat - 27-7-2015 at 11:35 AM
The arcs are still my favorite kites of all time. I finally had to give up on them because I was so frustrated with setup in inland winds that I
almost walked away from the sport a couple of times. They are stable, easy, reliable and in some cases performant (I'm NOT looking at you, Guerilla
I!).
Anyway, I miss them, and if I ever move to a coast, I'll definitely pick up a 15m Phantom I again . I also had a 19m venom I and it was too much kite for these conditions. Boosting was an exercise in faith (that a
gust wasn't going to send me to the moon). That being said, it was a super fun, floaty kite in steady winds.
You'll love landboarding with it. It flies deep in the window, which makes for some nice clean boosts with very little kite movement. Have fun!
djsiryn - 27-7-2015 at 12:03 PM
I miss living on the coast too. Inland winds are the worst! I either have no wind here or I have ALL OF IT! All within a 10 minute period. LOL!
Launching, I found yesterday was a lesson in patience and perseverance. I kept thinking I was doing something wrong. I tried launching it per the
manual but ended up hot launching instead. The winds were really light and it kept back stalling to the ground. I kept walking it back and forcing it
into the air, but once it completely filled up it flew like a dream and didn't want to come down. I must have walked backwards at least half a block.
:P I used a couple of electric air pumps to pre-inflate it but I think I am going to invest in a rechargeable leaf blower for that job soon when the
winds are light. I think this will be my go to kite from now on. I was surprised at the boosts I was able to do in just 8mph winds and I am not a
light girl by any means.
djsiryn - 27-7-2015 at 01:12 PM
A little video from yesterday. I had forgotten my batteries for my GoPro and the SD card for my camera so all we had was my friends phone and it's
terrible. We call him "Slim Shaky" when he records video... LOL! I'm going to revisit this video when I have all my stuff and better winds. :D The
winds were 6 to 8 mph with the occasional 10 mph gust.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzIBITuTR6M&feature=yout...
robinsonpr - 27-7-2015 at 01:49 PM
Nice to hear it!!!
I'm impressed that it would fly so nicely in that little wind. I've got a 15m Synergy and I don't even bother if the wind is sub 10mph as I really
struggle to get it properly inflated (I don't have a blower). I read once about arcs that "if there ain't enough wind to inflate it, there ain't
enough wind to fly it" (may well have been proletariat ). Seems like a good
general rule to go by, I've really struggled to get it in the air if it doesn't inflate itself.
I've got other kites now that are SO much quicker and easier to get in the air. The 6m Peak is by far my most flown kite for the past 12 months.
But I still have a MASSIVE soft spot for the arcs and I don't think I'll ever sell mine. I have had the 15m Synergy for 6 months and only used it for
traction once, in a buggy, and man, what a kite!
Ground handling is a huge ballache, and like proletariat I've been really frustrated trying to setup in my inland gusty winds. I have lost count of
the times I've had a botched launch because of shifting winds causing havoc trying to get that downwind tip up before the lines get flipped over it.
But once in the air the arcs are sweet (until the lulls!).
I'm glad there is another arcaholic, keep us posted with your experience using it on a board!!
djsiryn - 27-7-2015 at 02:03 PM
Will do! Was going to try boarding today but my winds are 8 to 15 with gusts to 25+ so I think I'm gonna wait for another day. I did have a hell of a
time getting it launched though, so much swearing and frustration. I had to forcefully will it into the air! 4 times I had to walk back to the kite
and untangle the lines once they wrapped around the kite due to shifting winds flipping the kite over and once I had to unravel the kite from it
rolling over a few times. I can't wait to have a steady 15 to 20 to fly it in. Hopefully this next week will be good. San Antonio has some of the most
predictably unpredictable winds of anywhere I have ever lived. :P