Well well stated Feyd.
Enough on the old graphic, time to move on.
A new kite that takes the best of the previous ones and is the best yet.
I simply cannot wait to get mine.
:wee:

I'm not complaining, I thought the statement was funny. I agree with you when it comes to how the kite flies is more inportant than how it looks. Most of my quiver is white bottom skin kites

I think the thing that will be missed is the face on the kite that helped the kite achieve such a cult following. (for lack of a better phrase) When I first got into the sport I took one look at the P15 and HAD to have one, hell I STILL want a P15 but I think for me at least its because of the top skin graphic. I've flown a P15 a couple of times and it is one sweet kite. I'm sure the P2 is much better in the air than the P1. Let's face it, PL would not release a sequel to such an iconic kite if it were not improved. I'm sure once I have the opportunity to put one in the sky, the graphic will not be an issue. I just wish PL had taken a little more from the first graphic, thats all

as Pokite said "Original with those screamin lines coupled with the cool Phantom skull lends itself to being like a banshee." Thats the way I look at the Phantom but giving it more consideration (trying to be open minded for once lol) Would a true phantom ever let its face be seen? Screw it, I'm looking to deep into this....bring on the ripstop!

Feyd like I said. I am sure it is an awesome kite.:bigok: And yes it is either Oprah or Opera! OOOps I misspelled it. Read my posts I do it a lot I just prefer the graphics of the PH1 I hope to fly the PH2 some time. And by then I'm sure this whole thing will be in the past.

I personally prefer sporty geometrics over cartoony characters.

What the P1 had going for it was the bold, bright color contrasted against black on a sleek, cutting profile.
It just looked basdaȿş!
Of course, when flying it, all you're seeing is a bland, bobbing, white rectangle!

The Rasta 8.3 R1 I was thrashing around this evening was the completely (and literally!) reverse situation.
The simple red, yellow, green pattern and black logo on the outside...meh:yawn:
But the diffused, glowing, reverse colors behind the sharp green end points on the flyer's side...very, VERY cool! :bouncy:
Really, it is one of the coolest effects I've ever seen on any kind of kite (including most "pretty," "arty" & custom" single line kites).


PL should put the sheer white underside on all the kites they don't want to budget a bottom design for! :bigok:

Quote:

Originally posted by Soma I can't help seeing dark eyes and fangs instead of an X, :D João

It's like the Phantom's Revenge...







"twentytwelve.the.legendary.phantom.twinskin.returns.ready.to.rumble"

Quote:

Originally posted by rocfighter And yes it is either Oprah or Opera!

Well the cats out of the bag on who the new celebrity team rider is for Peter Lynn; it's the Phantom of the Oprah!

Well...wouldn't THAT scare a few Plovers away! :evil:
(or render them infertile?)

Quote:

Well the cats out of the bag on who the new celebrity team rider is for Peter Lynn; it's the Phantom of the Oprah!

There's the mash-up we needed. Awesome!

Philip

My god that eye of her's under the mask really creeps me out.:o

Now that she's officially been released here's that vid I made with the 12m.

The winds were not great, I was underpowered and should have been on the 15m but I was playing with the Drift and didn't want to be completely lit. Wind was a little punch but not bad.

http://youtu.be/-W8uMHJdEaE

Underpowered you say.... :duh: well it definitely hauls the mail !!!

**edit** or should I say hauls the male... :wee:

I never once thought, "gee that kite looks like a dog!" (Meaning, it really doesn't matter what it looks like, does it?)

I couldn't quite get a bead on your power settings but noticed you were running with the bar all the way out, not really up against a lowered stopper either. I guess you were trimmed way out and thus powered up with the bar out?

Also odd with an arc to be able to run with your hand on top. I usually find myself pulling against autozenith on other arcs.

Kite looks fine. Yes, it could've had more of a face on it, but I'd really rather talk about how well it performs after I've been flying it than how cool I look hooked into it.

Hmmmmm,;-)

All I can say is I like my bar a certain way and I set it up accordingly. It works well for my purposes but may not work well for someone else's tastes.

I like good power but a litle backstall comes in handy at times.

Bobby talking about Chris flying with the bar out brings up another interesting point. There are times when I want the kite to run faster and that often means letting the bar out to a point to feel enough pressure but lets the kite get a little further out front and the speed to increase. If I want grunt power I pull in on the bar but it's a feel for what is giving power and what is giving speed. I can pull it in to feel the power but the kite slows down so at the point i pull in i might also start working the kite more. On the dry lake at speed I have it set up so the bar is lightly pulled in just to a comfortable arm position with enough to pull in a little when needed and room to push off the power at the end of the run. (that's also using my own set-up long throw bar). Too often I still see people confusing power and kite speed choking the kites too much especially in light wind hoping to get more power but stopping the kite from speeding up to deliver that power.

Also riding one hand on the bar like Chris was doing in the video, for me on the twinskins I like one hand on the upper side of the bar. It's easier to push a little with an extended arm to keep the kite down and running horizontal. One hand on the bottom side of the bar and you need to pull to keep the kite horizontal and the feel of stabilizing the flight is a little more twitchy with your arm bent and one hand on the bottom half.

there are also times when I'll just have one hand in the middle but it depends on the kite and the tendency to swing upward

Feyd, so the kite turns faster? Not a good trait for a land kite. The last thing we need is a faster turning kite in 40mph winds on the dry lake bed.

How is the power per size of the kite? Are they more efficient, or less efficient than the original? Thanks.

As usual, Mark described things beautifully.

Yes Geo, the kite turns faster if you want and I think it being a good trait or bad trait is relative. I'm used to dealing with it in 35-40mph, cold ,dense, wind and it's fine for me but maybe not for someone else. I like a fast turning kite. I need it because I run at good speeds in relatively tight spaces and sometimes I need to redirect suddenly to shut off power and use the kite for braking.

With the stock bar set up it would have a broader wind range and be less twitchy for sure but I have a good feel for where my wing is and a pretty light touch. (usually)

I change it a bit if my wife or someone else who needs the kite to be more forgiving is going to be on it. Also if I'm flying an F-Arc the setting are different.

Thanks Mark and Feyd. I understand well about finding the optimal power level for a kite relative to current conditions. I've just never seen anyone else have their trim set up so that the running position was with the bar all the way out. I usually set my trim so that the bar runs at a comfortable distance from me, usually at about 75% in. I didn't at all mean that it was wrong or should be different. Just trying to learn from others when I can.

No worries Bob.

I wear a seat harness so the reach is good for me. If I wore a waist harness it would definately be an issue. It is interesting to see bar set ups and how they vary from person to person sometimes.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBobAlso odd with an arc to be able to run with your hand on top. I usually find myself pulling against autozenith on other arcs.

I thought the exact same. I like to ride toeside kitesurfing with one hand on the bar and found it kind of annoying to have to keep tension to prevent the autozenith. I found the Synergy had a strong tendency to autozenith. The Phantom 1 would stay where you put it and the P2 seems to have the same trait. I did not want to try my 9M on the water for fear of bowtie and what the kite did when the lines went slack. What happens with the P2 when the lines go a bit slack? Does it keep the shape or go wet noodle? I really like the red black and white BTW and how the red shows through on the bottom side of the kite. Kind of a more angular venom graphic

I noticed on the PL site the Phantom is not under products for kitesurfing. It does have kitesurfing listed on the infographic.

What do the sizes compare to say a 13M Venom? A 12M or 15M?

I predict an increase in future sales. An anonymous source told me you can get custom color arrangement for a fee, and now they are available in an ultra lightweight material. Thanks VO!

I've already uploaded my own phantom image
for my next kite. :roll:

From Peterlynn.com Phantom page: "The Leading Edge is designed with a one piece Leading Edge, having less stitches, less drag and more strength"

I have noticed the front edge is a lot smoother in the photos of the Phantom II. You can notice dimpling in the segments of the leading edge on older ARCs. Does this give the ARC a bit more rigid structure in your experience Feyd?

I can't speak to the option for a super light Arc but I'm sure we all agree it would be pretty sweet.

I know what you guys mean by almost too much Autozenith tendency. The Syn and the Charger both had to be watched a little more closely when on edge and I found I had to do small corrections to keep the kite in position. This kite has less of a tendency and is more like the V2 when on edge.

It's nice.

Does it have more of a rigid structure? That's a tough question. It does seem more rigid visually but I haven't notice a lesser ability to handle gusts which I think would happen if it's more rigid. The leading edge is smoother than previous arcs and the overall profile is comparitively thin.

Sizes compare more like Syns and Chargers. 10m meter Venom would be more like a 12m Phantom 2 in regards to PA and power delivery. The difference is the speed available and turn rate. Though they are essentially the same projected, you can get a lot more out of the available power with the Ph2 IMO. The day I shot that video footage on the 12m I wouldn't have been able to go nearly as well with a 10m V2 even though the projected is about the same.

I'm not clear on Ph2 for water use. I never bothered to ask! It is a "land based" wing but I'm not sure if that means it's not suitable for water. The Scorps were the same idea but there are a few people that ride them on the water all the time. The Phantom 2 holds air 10X better than the Scorp does. I've had her out in the rain and she doesn't get heavy or soak up water, so I don't know why water riding would be an issue.

Unless there is some difference in the construction that meks it more prone to taking on water. I think on the PL site the wheel shows water performance but it shows it in grey.

Not sure what that means:dunno:

Leading Edge...

The PII Performance circle has
"Buggying" rated the same as "Kitesurfing"
and they're both rated two blocks BELOW "Landboarding" and "Snowkiting!" (Odd, considering it's said they were inspired by NABX to make a new Phanny!")




I dunno much about kite construction, but this close up of the vent(?) shows a seam along the leading edge(?)

Feyd, are your observations of the turning aspect of the phantom 2 with the VPC bridle on, or direct connection as the website says is an option?

I have the VPC intact. I really like having a VPC and with my wrist issues I prefer the lighter bar pressure.

That said I would really like to see how she flies sans VPC. I should pull the one off the other 15m and do a side by side comparison shouldn't I?

Chris, if you try it, go with the smaller sizes (6/9) those are the sizes that people doing high speed buggying will want the kites to be tracking solid and not as much turning speed.

I'll have to do the 12m. It's the smallest I have that I have two of.

But I'm very curious about this now.

I ran a 16" pigtail on the back and the front of the VPC on well, the
front with 2" pigtails (just so I could have a knot). All internals
were set at loose.

The wind was 5-15mph and variable about 220 degrees so it was not an
easy condition to test in but still a good one. I was static flying
BTW.

I can say that the lack of VPC makes the kite rock steady on edge.
Almost F-Arc like even in the dirty winds. Very nice.

Turn rate was still very good. I was actually suprised how good and
the bar pressure was not much more if at all higher than at the VPCs
highest setting.

Power seemed a lot higher. Or at least immediate. I would need to
get her out on the ice to know for sure. Back lines looked good and
plenty slack enough that I don't think they were too tight. I think I
have the pigtails pretty close to where I would like them. Hopefully
I'll get her out on the ice tomorrow (if we have any left, it's near
90f right now) and I'll be able to know for sure if she has more
power.

Depower seemed MAYBE slightly less. Steering slowed a lot more in the
non-vpc Ph2 than the vpc equiped one. Still tolerable and faster than
say a Venom 2

Relaunch was about the same.

My opinion at this point is that removing the VPC turns her into
nearly a completely different wing. Not better, not less good, but
definately different. I liked it very much. Like a Venom 2 on steroids almost. It had a very similar feel to earlier Arcs IMO.

I hope to ride it tomorrow. Winds are going to be in the 20's so it
will be a good day to test it out.