I would go for the Pulse 2. I really enjoyed the 8m and 10m I had here.

A bit more depower and even more stable than the Pulse 1 in really crappy/gusty winds.

Remember - I'm just an average rider (skis/dirtsurfer) so my views may be a bit different than the other guys

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner Of the Pulse and Pulse II what one would you go back to and why ? I haven't had hands on a Pulse II yet but have a feeling the 7m Pulse may be a bit more user / beginner friendly ?

Thanks again Davinch !

I get the feeling we like the same things in a kite. This makes me very intersted in your opinion of the 8m Neo.
I have never had the pleasure of flying a better kite than my 7m pulse. It's almost unthinkable that things get better :dunno:
It sounds like we just may be getting some Neo's way up here I haven't been this interested in a new kite ever? This one has my attention
People in Van are just waking up to the advantages of depower on land so I'm a bit on my own !
Why be NORMAL :bigok:

Just came back from Buggying @ Wildwood with Neo. WOW. HQ definately SHOULD add Neo as buggy engine.

It is a very stable kite. No tip-tuck at all. I took out the safety extension line per HQ recommendation and no accidental release any more. Perfect!

One thing I would like to share with you guys. You know the break line that goes between two control lines? That you use to park the kite on snow or land? I tried reverse launch today (on sand) and it was ok but because of that line in the middle, I couldn't release one control line more than that break line length (because it's holding both control lines together) making the process slow. Without that line, I could pull one line more, making it turn faster, which is essestial in water relaunch.

So, I am taking that line off for water use and save it for snowkiting or landboarding use later.

Great time today for sure. Here are some pics:

pic1

pic2

Only have good things to say about the Neo so far

Easy to launch/land solo, good turning speed and fantastic depower. Now I just need an 11m also

Quote:

Originally posted by DaVinch Only have good things to say about the Neo so far Easy to launch/land solo, good turning speed and fantastic depower. Now I just need an 11m also

Joe

Does it depower like a Pulse2 ?? I had the impressions from what I heard that it's not as much as FS ?

Thanks

I think the amount of depower is similar to that of the Pulse 2.

Also, the safety works very well in big winds (only tried land so far).

Joe

Quote:

Originally posted by buzz Quote: Does it depower like a Pulse2 ?? I had the impressions from what I heard that it's not as much as FS ? Thanks

hi, i am very interested in the neo. I weigh only 135 and love big air and good hangtime. i need a kite that is stable and can go anywhere. is this the kite for me. the 11m seems like the preferred size. Does it really have good lift?
:moon:

Oh ya, and i have a pretty tight buget.

Perhaps the BEST deal you will find is on one of the used Flysurfers people all seem to be selling right now. There are a few in a few price ranges. Also some deals on Peter Lynn arcs have been popping up.

The Neo just came out so buying new is about your only option right now. That said, HQ's price for new is very good!

I am extremely fond of my 7m Pulse. I'm shocked at how cheap they are going. AMAZING bang for buck
While the 7 may be a bit small I was amazed at how well I can do in low winds by taking advantage of the kites speed. I can work a ride out of it in 12mph winds. I haven't run in to too much wind for it yet !

The 7m Pulse and a large fixed bridle make a pretty good, compact 2 kite quiver. You can pick up a big old F.B for $2 - 250 ish ?

If you deal with a Canadian right now you should BOTH come out happy. The exchange rate is insane ! You are getting a 20+% discount on the exchange.

Both of the Guys selling the 7m Pulses are straight up ! Buy with confidence!

thanks bladerunner for the advice. i will check those out. i live in an area where the wind speed is generally light. 7-12.

i have had my eye on the 11m neo. Should i be looking at the FS pulse2 or pulse 12m?

I'm not sure what the cost on the Neo is new ?
Doesn't sound like either of those 7m Pulses will be big enough ! Too bad, they are the real deal when it comes to bang for buck.

With Flysurfer starting out at such a high ( and justfied ) price it seems like the Neo's new price is competetive with the second hand price of the Pulse II's and Psycho III + IV's ?

Please correct me if I'm wrong with that ( or any ) statement .

If I'm on track with the costs and your needs. You may end up having to decide between the 2. With the Neo you will have a new kite with a warranty and a good relationship with an established dealer. With Flysurfer you will get a kite with a proven history. One that arguably has more extra features built in to protect you and your canopy. You will be buying from a trusted seller ( if you buy on here ) but won't have a warranty to fall back on ?

The Neo's may hold a good second hand value if they live up to the hype ! People should end up very interested in picking one up and wiil probably pay a good price for used , for a while at least. I had some crazy idea that the Flysurfers would hold there value a bit better but I was wrong on that point for sure !

This is one time buying new kind of makes sense even from a budget driven need ? I agree that the 11m would probably serve you well !

Neo 11m will launch in 5-6 mph and do real well in 7-12 mph, but the low end requires steady wind, of course. Retail is $1059.00 USD

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner I'm not sure what the cost on the Neo is new ?

$849.00 6 m
$949.00 8 m
$1,059.00 11 m
$1,169.00 14 m

Thanks,

I think that I'm not too far off with the second hand Flysurfer vs. new Neo theory after all ?

Only History will prove if the original second hand value of the Neo is high. I guess that depends on how well it performs !


One of the extras that impressed me with the Flysurfers is the pound rated tear away tabs on the canopy. I would expect that if and when I get a Neo I would pick up a set from Flysurfer or make my own and put them on it.

Thanks for the info. i think the 11m neo is the answer. That is kinda what i thought all along, but just needed to make sure from some more experienced flyers.

This, at least for now is going to be my primary kite. And i have a savings started for it already, hopefully not to much longer.

Angus hooked me and my dad up with one of these and i LOVE it.
took it out today in about 8kts and had an absolute blast boarding and flyin static

Madkite boy- sweet! ya, angus is a great guy. i just got a mystic blazer harness from him. but anyway, how was the lift and hangtime on that 11m neo?

Quote:

Originally posted by T-Bone Madkite boy- sweet! ya, angus is a great guy. i just got a mystic blazer harness from him. but anyway, how was the lift and hangtime on that 11m neo?

in about 10kts standing static and bringing the kite straid overhead then powering up prolly about 4-5ft and about 3-4 seconds... i got a little bit more when i would run and bring it across though... its and absoulute blast :wee:

cool. this is it. i'm saving.

awesome... Enjoy!!:D

some advice please. how to launch in high winds? in the manual it shows a partner holding it up like an lei kite. but i find it possible to get it to this level of pre inflation.

i have the 11m. till now ive been using it to land board in light winds. no problem there just self launching straight into the powerzone. I though i would try it on the water today. I left it across the wind in about 18 knots weighted down for 10 minutes. didnt really inflate much.

my friend held it up as best he could but when he released it went straight into the powerzone and trashed me on a pebble beach. i put it straight back in the bag!!!

i guess not depowering it before launch was one mistake but there must be a way of launching it safely at the edge of the wind window!! but to do this i imagine it must be nearly fully inflated before launch.

also could you put a leash on it in the end? the trumpet was too far away to grab quickly whilst being dragged through the pebbles. if so wheres the best place to attach to? the landing strap?

For launching in high winds, go perpendicular to the wind direction, and launch it sideways, taking it across the window slowly then bring it up. You can do this without it being fully inflated. In fact, it might work better that way as it will not be powered up as much. I tend to launch things straight downwind, but I turn them very very quickly to keep from getting lofted. You will need to find the system that works best for you. The sideways launch is what most people do in high winds. If you do this slowly and carefully, it can be a very safe way to launch a big kite in high winds.

thanks man. thats what we tried but it just nailed me. do u do that on your own or with assistance? i guess i'll just practise it somewhere a bit softer! i find that if its sideways with little pre inflation it doesnt really do much when you pull on the bar. just stays on the ground!

When it is not fully inflated, it is not powerful and can be hot launched into the window. Grab the center lines and pull enough for the leading edge to come up and pre-inflate just for a bit, then launch. It will be like a limp jellyfish with the tips tucking a lot. Move it around a lot left and right until the tips don't tuck and you're done. By then you are safely at the zenith.

I found landing in high winds to be difficult without a helper or a pole. I once flew in winds that built to 20 and I found myself running out of de-power in the buggy so I went to put it down. Popping the safety landed it fine but on the ground I could barely hold my own ground with out being dragged into the dunes. A helper stood behind it, unzipped the zipper and let it fold around her. If alone in wind like that (not a good idea) I would have had to set up my big windsock so I could have let it fold around that.

A leash to the brake handle would have been a good idea, too. Then you could probably land at the edge of the window, dump the whole bar and kill it on the brakes while it rolled into a ball, but that would be a mess.

All good advice here. I gather from you post that you had the kite powered? I ALWAYS make certain the kite is fully depowered (cleat line pulled all the way in) before launching regardless of the wind. It helps to keep you from getting yarded in strong winds and it allows the kite to fly faster in light winds which helps it to inflate more quickly.

I cannot recall a time when my NEOs have been fully inflated on the initial launch. First launch is always "soft". As Acampbell stated above, use the center line to "pump" the kite up through the window. This also prevents you from pulling on the bar which can cause either a back stall or added power at a bad time. There should be very little power from the kite while it is soft. Working it left and right at the zenith will facilitate inflation. Quickly jerking the bar left and right helps mitigate the tip-tuck common in soft launches.

Subsequent lauches with a fully inflated 11m NEO can be sketchy. I try and launch about 45 degrees off the wind. As the kite is lifting I am already turning it to the edge of the window and from there to the zenith. In this configuration, if you do get "snatched" it will be brief as long as you continue to direct the kite to the edge. This is where a helper can in fact hold the kite near the edge like an LEI.

Interesting that you mentioned the inablitly to reach the release. I have always believed that this is a design flaw with this kite/bar that HQ should address. I often wonder how I would reach the release if I were being dragged or if the kite somehow ended up flying at the end of the leash. The short answer is that I would not be able to given its location so far above the bar. I take it that you have removed the secondary release extention? If you bought the kite new, it should have come already attached. This release is easy to get to but the general advice is to remove it to avoid in-advertant or unplanned releases. As I write this, I am considering putting the secondary release back on. I would really like to have the primary release right above the chicken loop where I know I can get to it.

This is a wonderful kite. I had a brilliant time on mine at JIBE in 12 to 14kts. Please do not relegate it to the bag! It is quite manageable in the wind that you described. It is also quite powerful as you have discovered. Practice safe kiting techniques. (Sorry, don't mean to sound preachy)

mg

thanks mg. Have u used it on water ? What do you mean by if the kite ended up on the end of the leash? Mine didnt come with a leash. How is yours configured?

the Neo and other HQ de-powers are offered as "leashless" safety but this is a questionable practice, IMO. I will hook a leash to the brake and harness a' la Ozone.

When I first flew the 8m, the winds were light and the kite would luff and sink. During one of the luffs, the chicken loop dropped off of the hook. When I powered it back up, the bar was jerked out of my hands and the kite took a bit of a free flight. Quite scary actually watching the kite floating toward other beachgoers and houses. Thankfully it dropped in the dunes and other than a foot FULL of sandspurs, no harm was done.

I solicited advice on this forum about the use of a leash with these kites and was severly chastised for having not used it. Since then, I always attach a safety leash to the small figure eight loop just above the chicken loop. The leash does have its own secondary release if the need to completely cut away from the kite has occurred. I'll have to ask Angus about hooking the leash to the brake....I haven't seen it done this way but it sounds safer than what I am doing.

I also moved the donkey dong so it would engage the hook more securely and have not had any more problems with inadvertant un-hookings.

My son and I are just starting our water kiting. We have not used the 11m yet but I am confident it will do fine. We played with the 8m doing body drags and it performed well. Re-launching from the water was very easy.

mg