The low wind capabilities are like starting from nothing and going up. That is the impressive part.
Since we do have winds gusting to 20-25 kts, I am interested in how it behaves beyond its upper wind range. From what I read on the Peter Lynn Himself webpage, the wind range is narrow on single skins, and they supposedly performs badly outside it. So what will they do in too much wind ?

I am getting a 1.0 Uniq Play for fun, and to get a 1st gen single skin kite. Need to go small, as I don't want anything that scares/pulls my son as a 2 meter foil.

Honestly I've seen a good number of kites that will FLY in almost nothing, but what's really important to me would be the USEABLE power in that sub 10kts range.

Upwind of the Quad is not up to par with a current gen. 'normal' foil like the Hornet, simply because it lacks the bottom skin and these first designs are not yet meant to be 'high performance'.

Yes, low wind starts around 2 knots for every kite in the range except the 1m Play, but to get going in a bug you'd need around 6 knots with either the 3.5 or the 4.5 and then it also depends on what you weigh and on what kind of surface you're riding.
I'm a light guy and I was moving (buggy) on hard packed in 5kn with a 3.5 Quad, not fast, but moving.
Flew the 1.5 Quad in 25+ knots and it's power was impressive, still good controls though.

As for what they do in too much wind... they pull you out of your shoes!
Joking of course, stay safe!

Liking those stats mj! I've got a 4.5 Uniq Quad on order from Big Mike. I'm about 200 lbs and will be buggying primarily on grass with extra wide PL tires. From what you are saying I hope to get moving nicely with 7-10 knots. I get that sort of wind a lot where I live, so I'm psyched! :singing:

Good info mj, thanks

Thanks for the info mj!!

I weigh little under 160Lbs and was moving in a standard XR+, had to really work the kite and couldn't really get upwind, so 5kn was the 3.5's absolute minimum for me.
Surface was comparable to Ivanpah but smoother, as in much, much finer grain sandpaper.
(Bardenas Reales desert in the north of Spain, pics on Uniq webpages)

Hey mj, is that another PL proto the boys in Mongolia are using? Looks like a more performance skin.

According to Peter Lynn himself (one of his monthlynewsletters), then it supposedly was difficult to have the single skin behave OK in stronger wind, which is why I wonder what will be so bad when wind increases (apart from pull).

A lot of cells, higher AR, yup, high(er) performance proto.

Standard foils in high windspull hard but still fly relatively smooth, if you take away the bottom skin the kite becomes less smooth in flight.
As in you feel every little bump in the wind and the kite becomes somewhat 'yanky' even in smooth winds.

Is anyone selling Uniq in Canada?

I would love to add the 4.5 to my singleskin quiver but don't feel like throwing my hard earned $CDN at the exchange rate these days.

If you can't find anyone rectifier, I've sent stuff across the border before. Shipping isn't too bad.

I've been a PL dealer here in Ontario since well before the first arcs came out and Vince in Edmonton (horizon kites) is PL dealer and several others I Quebec. Over the last handful of years I think you'll find that most CDN dealers offered the same prices but in CDN so you should get quite a savings. Try sending a note to Vince as he's closest to you or go to the Peter Lynn web site and look at the dealer list to see if anyone is close by to support your local dealer.

Mark

Quote: Originally posted by markite

... support your local dealer.:evil: Mark

Good afternoon. My name is Howard, and I'm a kiteaholic.:D

Quote: Originally posted by -mj-

A lot of cells, higher AR, yup, high(er) performance proto. Standard foils in high windspull hard but still fly relatively smooth, if you take away the bottom skin the kite becomes less smooth in flight. As in you feel every little bump in the wind and the kite becomes somewhat 'yanky' even in smooth winds.

Thanks for the info mj!

I just flew the 1.5m Uniq and the 1.4m BeamerIV. The Beamer really outshines the Uniq. The Beamer flies in less wind. The great advantage I thought the Uniq would have is to require less wind due to less weight. My Peak kites pretty much launch themselves. The Uniq has some strange bond with the Earth that must be broken before it decides to fly even when fully spread and 'filled'. The Beamer has almost twice the angle wind window.
But hey the Uniq has a great bag, great handles and PL quality lines

Quote:

The Beamer really outshines the Uniq. The Beamer flies in less wind. ... The Beamer has almost twice the angle wind window.

Is this the quad-line kite?
If so this is pretty disappointing to hear. This actually sounds like the worst of both worlds. Heavy and a poor window?

Does this mean the claims of more power than an equivalent sized foil are false?

That was the quad line. It does provide lots of power.

Hmm, I guess it's always hard to define "power" in kites. I see you have a NPW5, is that the sort of power it has, big pull with little lift?
Do you feel it has usable power at the sides of the window for buggying, or mostly just big arm-stretching drag?

I am glad I don't plan on buggying with one. I imagine the upwind would be quite a chore.

Yesterday I flew it side by side with the 2.4 NPW5. They had similar pull. The NPW seemed a bit more nimble to control input.

Quote: Originally posted by markite

...........Try sending a note to Vince as he's closest to you or go to the Peter Lynn web site and look at the dealer list to see if anyone is close by to support your local dealer. Mark

Mark,

Thanks for the plug ! BUT.....technically he is now closer to you than me. I had previously announced a pending move back to land of high humidity and thunderstorms (but it's so much more windy here than central Alberta) and am in fact now once again in Welland. Going bricks and mortar again in combination with a cafe in our retail space across from the recreational canal in the downtown. Living in the loft above once again. (Yea no more deadbeat tenants!)

In the midst of renovations so won't have regular retail hours for a few weeks yet, but am virtually here 24/7 in one form or another. Conscious or unconscious. Unfortunately I won't get much kiting time for a while but hope at least to hit a Windrider's club fly to reconnect and of course the Canal Days Festival.

Anyway, like most other dealers I did receive part of the first wave of Uniq Quads and have them available on my website.

Quote: Originally posted by utahtami

I just flew the 1.5m Uniq and the 1.4m BeamerIV. The Beamer really outshines the Uniq. The Beamer flies in less wind. The great advantage I thought the Uniq would have is to require less wind due to less weight. My Peak kites pretty much launch themselves. The Uniq has some strange bond with the Earth that must be broken before it decides to fly even when fully spread and 'filled'. The Beamer has almost twice the angle wind window. But hey the Uniq has a great bag, great handles and PL quality lines

Same answer as in the other thread :o excuse the hijack

Yes the wind window is smaller on these kites compared to 'normal' fixed bridle kites, no-one ever said they would outperform existing powerkites on every level right from the introduction of the first generation.

The other thing, yes the window gets narrower even more when the kite doesn't really gets enough wind, for it to be really effective in the light stuff try putting on lighter flying lines.
You can imagine the weight of the (strong included) lines having quite an impact on a 1.5m single skin which weighs next to nothing.

Have fun with further testing!