Hey All

I'm currently looking at buying a Pulse 2.
I wanted a kite for the 30 knot range and see the wind range for the Pulse 2 8 meter at 10 to 36 knots.
If that range is correct I would get a lot of use out of it.
It will be used mostly on water at the higher end of the range (30ish knots) and in the snow at the lower end.
I weigh 160 pounds and have several different sized boards for the water. Also I am an intermidiate kiter no pro.
So my question is how realistic is that wind range? Will I get killed using it around 30 knots? I'm not relly interested in flying in winds higher than that at this point. Real wind conditions might be something like 28 to 34 knots. Is that to gusty?
Also in 4 to 6 inches of snow on ice will it work in 10 knots.
Anyone who has used this kite let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance.
John

Hi John

I had a Pulse1 7m for 2 winters and then a Pulse2 8m for 1 winter. Both kites probably have the same top end.

I have used these 2 kites in strong conditions during winter no problem, and I loved them both.

30 knots in winter is strong but feasible. It all depends how chitty the wind is.

10 knots on snow ??? No fun to have for me, but I like to ride powered all the time now. But if you get ice spots then it's another thing. Speed come fast on ice.

Last winter I had the Pulse2 8m + P4 10m and the outlaw 10m too on demo. So most time I was on the P4 anyway, but a few times on the Pu2 8.

On the water Pulse2 8m is the perfect size for 30 knots, but I had a bad experience this spring in OBX. The wind was very gusty and the Pulse got a lull, deinflated, fall back in the powerzone, inflated again and then I went superman on 20 feet. Fortunately I was in 3 feet deep water so no hurt.

May be an ARC is the better solution for these winds, but I never tried. But now I have decided to fly tubes when the wind is above 20 knots on the water. Below that I still prefer Flysurfer. So now I have 2 North Rebel 8m and 11m for those conditions.

As for the winter coming I will probably get another foil that size because on snow I much prefer foils, and safety on land is different than water IMO. On hard pack snow in 30 knots I feel safer with a foil then.

My choice will depend if I can have demos from the shop or not, so I might have an outlaw, or I try to get a P4 8m as my high end kite, and speed3 for low end. I personally prefer the P4 over the Pu2 now.

hope this help

Hey dennis

Honestly don't know if that helps or not.
Are you saying the Pulse 2 isn't that good in gusts?
I fly all kinds of inflatables and for the most part feel comfortable with their gust absorbing abilities.
That is what I want to hear though, I hate spending that kind of money and either wrecking the kite or hating it.
Just gives me more to think about.

Thanks John

I wouldn't say the Pulse2 8m is bad in gusts

But it's not as good as a modern tube such as for example the North Rebel 8m 2009 or Cabrinha SB4 8m 2009 (just to name these as I have tried them recently)

Better than a Speed2 or Psycho3, but I hesitate between a Psycho4. I think the more C shape of a P4 and its greater depower helps to be better than the pulse2 but some other riders may think differently since it has lower aspect ratio and will sit more in the wind window.

As for me, the only concern I have compared to the tube is I am not sure I want to ride a tube on snow.