Hardwater Kiting Peak 2 Early Impressions.

The new PEAK2 (PK2) is considerably different yet obviously very similar to the PEAK1 (PK1). The biggest changes year over the original PK1 are a new bar system, higher aspect ratio, lower projected area, and less bridles and expanded depower and a lighter wing.

At Hardwaterkiter.com we've had a few opportunities over the last few weeks to get out on the PK2. All of have been light wind sessions and on a mix of soft and firm surface conditions with 3 riders. Molly @140, Paul @160 and Chris@ 200 lbs. All the testers are experienced foil flyers with a minimum of 12 years snowkiting experience.

First, about the new bar: Initially I was skeptical of the new bar system and I loved the bar system on the on the PK1 because it was extremely simple, light and functional. From a pure touring kite point of view it was very good and fit nicely in the overall design philosophy of the PK1. Sure there were reports of "bar bite" or stiffness on the center line while steering and sheeting. but most would agree that much of it went away with usage. Many remarked that a stopper ball would be a nice addition as you generally ride the Peaks sheeted in. There was no trim system on the PK1 and really there didn't seem to be a need.

The new bar is a variation of Flysurfer's Infinity bar. It's much more like any other bar that you would find on most kites. It has a longer depower throw than the PK1 bar and now has a micro clam cleat trim system. It now has a simple stopper ball as well as floats.

The bar width is also adjustable as are the leaders under the floats, to adjust and find tune the steering. As a result the overall weight of the bar is more than the PK1 bar and also bulkier which may put some purist touring/backcountry PK1 devotees (myself included) off but for overall fun factor and performance enhancement, it's really a great set up.

The new bar allows for fine tuning the throw and depower on the fly without stopping to do it by either our pigtail additions or the FR/Tour adjust that came on the PK1. The trim works great, a little stiff under load but not difficult. As with the PK1 the amount of depower untrimmed is as much as most people will ever need. However in an emergency or for taking a break the fully trimmed the PK2 in moderate to light winds is dead. No power, hardly any steering.

This new kite has depower to spare and our feeling .

The stopper ball is simple, works well under load and seems to have just the right amount of push through.

The new bar system really broadens the usable range of the PK2. Until we get some high wind days we won't know exactly how much but we think it will be considerable. As we stated in our PK1 review the Peak in our opinion covers the wind range of about 2 traditional depower foils. In experienced hands the PEAK2, based on what we've seen so far, will cover more. Maybe even, dare I say, 3 traditional depows. We need another test session in high winds to know for sure.

And here is where we say again, as in our last PEAK 1 long term review, to those who find this hard to believe we assure you nobody understands until they get the PEAK in their hands.

My initial feeling was this bar is as much an effort to appeal to a broader user spectrum as much as a performance enhancement but I was wrong. The new bar really adds a level of performance that allows the PEAK2 to blur the lines between "Touring" and "Rip around free ride kite". It retains all the properties that make it a great backcountry kite but now offers performance that makes anyone say "wow!". For advanced foil users the new bar will allow for real fine tuning the power/depower range of the kite on the fly and the ability to customize it to your style or need.

Flight characteristics.

Upwind: The PK2 is .2 higher AR (aspect ratio) than the PK1. Although the .2 difference doesn't seem much the difference is striking in appearance to anyone used to the PK1. A few of our customers who purchased the PK2 4m this season remarked how it seemed as big as last year's PK1. We actually felt the same and decided to take a picture to show how close in size they appear.

The 4m is actually wider wingtip to wingtip than the Peak 1 6m. But this is only AR, not projected area and not a true illustration of the size of the kite or power available in a given kite.

As expected the new AR allows the Peak2 to go up wind noticeably better but until we get the PK1 and PK2 out in a side by side comparison we won't know how much better. The time I spent on the 12m PK2 it seemed to go upwind extremely well but I couldn't figure out if it was the AR or the amount of power the kite could produce that I could then translate to forward motion. The surface I was on was perfect for setting an edge and in deeper snow I may have been pulled off edge a little thus reducing my upwind ability.

But I suspect all these new Peaks will go upwind very well if what we've seen so far is any indication.

Turn Rate: The turn rate on the PEAK 1 was very good we thought. An experienced kiter can make them turn very fast. The PEAK 2, in spite of a higher AR (high AR kites are generally slower turning than low AR due to wider wing and turn radius) the new PEAK 2 turns fast. The 9m PK2 seems to have a turn rate similar or faster than the PK1 6m. The 12m PK2 easily turns as fast as the 9m IMO.

And the 4m PK2, turns like a stunt kite.

This new turn rate not only improves the kite's ability in climbing up hills or jumping but also increases the ability to get the kite to build power in low wind situations. To put the turn rate to the test I switched from the 12m PK2 to the 4m PK2 in winds that were 5-7kts and a firm surface. I was able to ride with the 4m by working the heck out of the kite. And we're talking riding where I'm actually leaning against the pull of the kite, not simply bolt upright scooting around.

It was a lot of work but the fact that I could go from the 12m PEAK2 to the 4m PEAK2 and ride the same conditions says a lot for what the kite can be made to do with its new turn rate.

Depower: As with the PEAK1 the depower on the PEAK2 is seemingly endless. When we were told that it would have more depower than the PK1 we couldn't even imagine what that would be like. We've not had a chance to really test the limits of the depower because we have had light winds every time we've been out on the PEAK2. But we have played with the depower and I actually had the opportunity to really test it on the 12m PK2 in conditions that we feel the PEAK2 offers some of the best benefit and that would be at the ridgeline in a hill climbing situation. When climbing you often run the risk of being overpowered when you get to a ridge due to compression of the wind at the ridgeline. This wind can be much stronger and often requires you to depower your kite to avoid being overpowered or even lofted in a gust. Depending on the ridge and your environment this can be a tense situation even for an experienced kiter. The PEAK2 really shines here. I was able to use the 12m to climb a 30degree incline in 7kts with hardly an effort. At the ridgeline the compression nearly doubled the wind speed and also added considerable gust factor. I trimmed the 12m out maybe 20% and felt completely comfortable on the ridge. Gusts would hit and I would feel it build and simply sheet out. Soon I was flying back and forth on the ridgeline without concern. Not something we get to do here normally. It was an amazing feeling of security to have a kite that can generate the power the 12 does and yet dump that power at will. The depower on all PEAKs is substantial and a huge part of what makes these kites so appealing to both beginner and advanced kiters.

The question this led us too of course is for PEAK1 riders, do they get a similar benefit from adding a trim system to their kites? I've discussed this with a PEAK1 rider in Germany who had put a traditional bar on his kites. He said it was great and I suspect that the PK1 would gain some benefit in performance from a trim system. The bottom line, any PEAK has a ton of depower and the PEAK2 has more than enough for anyone. Obviously not everyone has the opportunity to use their snowkites in the mountains or for climbing. But the same traits that make the PEAK such a great kite for those environments also make it an awesome kite for riding/touring lakes and fields long distance where conditions can change dramatically while you are out. The PEAK minimizes the need for multiple kites in those situations.

The depower flutter that was prevalent in the PK1 has been reduced considerably in the PK2. And the flutter feedback through the bar is considerably less when it is fluttering.

LIGHT WIND: The question everyone wants to know. Is the 12m a light wind kite? To be honest, the 9 and the 12m are both light wind capable kites. Chris Krug at #200 and another tester Paul Morse at #160 were out in 5kts on a firm snow (not glass ice) surface and both were fully powered. The 12m is a joy to fly and works exactly as you would expect any smaller sized PEAK to act. It claws upwind, even in light winds also maintains good grunt on the down wind. As one would expect the 12m performs in light wind like the PEAK1 9m but better.

In one of our earlier test sessions, Molly Savard was able to ride with the PEAK2 12m in winds about 6kts in soft wet snow. For comparison Chris had to fly the 18m Chrono to get his extra 60# moving in the same conditions.

Given that the light wind kite category has traditionally been the most expensive category and often the least used kite in one's quiver, we feel that the PEAK2 12m will make a great light wind kite for a lot of riders and actually still get a fair amount of use as a moderate wind kite due to its exceptional depower. Again making the PEAK a phenomenal kite for the money.

Set up and Pack down: The PEAK2 is similar in regards to set up and pack down. Faster than a traditional open cell foil and much faster than an LEI. Launch time, even without rushing, is still around a minute and a half. Pack down seems about the same as the PEAK1 as well although the PEAK2 compresses smaller with the reduction in stiffeners throughout the wing. There is still nothing on the market with the ease of set up and launch of the PEAK2. Ozone is closest with their new "re-ride" system which to some extent minimizes the need to lay out the kite and secure it but still not as fast as the PEAK.

As we said this is not an in depth review, just our early impressions. We obviously didn't go over the technical details, just first flight impressions. We will add observations as we ride the PEAK2's more and as we get feedback from our students and others. In the meantime if you're in New England and want to try the PEAK 2 please look us up.

This review can be read with images at our site.

http://www.hardwaterkiter.com/kite-and-gear-reviews

Excellent review! Makes me wonder now how the gust handling of the new Peak 2 would compare against my Phantom 1's.

Great review, thanks Chris.

The Peak is the only kite that I've flown that comes close to the gust handling of an Arc.

The whole reason Arcs became so popular in my local riding areas is due to the gust handling and depower properties. The Peak possesses probably the same level of gust handling as an Arc but unlike an Arc you have to actively dump the excess power from the gust whereas an Arc acts automatically like suspension on your car. You get hit, it changes shape, you keep going. If it's a really nasty hit you sheet out like any other kite. The Peak, you get hit, feel the power build and sheet out as well but it's pretty much immediate.

As anyone who knows me will tell you I love flying Arcs. They have been my go to kite before I rode Peter Lynn and right up until the Peak came out last season. The Peak easily does 99% of what I want an arc to do but without the headaches of pre-inflation and dealing with them on the ground. The flight quality isn't the same but they are both great in their own right. The Arc is very much a sports car while the Peak is more like a Jeep. :D

But the reality is last season I rode Arcs maybe 3x the whole season. The rest of the time I was on a 6m Peak and occasionally the 9m. After what I've seen the Peak2 do so far I suspect I will not fly my arcs much unless someone wants to try them out. In comparison to the Phantom 1 my money is on the Peak. All the gust handling, more durable, easier to set up and break down, faster turning.

Great review! Tempted to sell my Peak 1 on and pickup a 2 but as a beginner and for the conditions I have I doubt I'd benefit from any of the tweaks. Probably just stick with the 1.

Can I ask a quick question on setup of the Peak on snow when it's fairly windy? Ie windy enough that you can't just lie the kite out on the snow without the fear of it launching itself. How do you secure it while you're getting the lines sorted out and making sure there are no twists? It generally takes me a few walks up and down the lines before I launch, and a few times the kite has got blown about and bridles wrapped around the tip, and I have to start again. I also like to make sure the power lines aren't twisted around each other, thus jeapordising the safety release, which again takes time.

So in a situation where you're touring light and don't have sandbags or similar to weigh the kite down how do you secure it? I tried putting some snow on like I would do with sand on a beach but snow isn't as heavy as sand

Robin, either way, PK1 or PK2 you have an awesome kite. As I've said before the PK2 in no way make the PK1 any less an awesome rig. They are basically to flavors of the same type. :D

As far as securing our kites, generally for us being on lakes mostly we use ice screws. The same you would use for ice climbing. We all carry and recommend two screws, one for your launch site and one on your person in case you need to secure the kite while out riding in an emergency or just to take a break.

If you are on snow, snow is what you use. You're right it is a lot lighter than sand so as a result for weighting down the wing you need a lot more. Some people will use the sand bag filled with snow, the red bag that comes with your PEAK, while most just use a lot of snow. The trick is to get from the your bar to the kite to secure it and to do so simply flag the kite out, walk the flag out line to the kite and secure the kite with the snow.

For the initial launch we generally walk the lines out (upwind) while the kite is still secured either with a strap or in the bag and then unfold the kite and bury the trailing edge with snow as we unfold it. This will secure the kite in a position where you can walk and inspect your lines. The more shifty your wind, the more snow you need.

There are various methods for using a dead man type anchor. Some require special hardware like a Fluke anchor or something of that flavor. Flukes are nice because they're light, simple and easy to utilize in a hurry if needed. But they won't work in fluffy pow.

Thanks Feyd! And to my embarrassment I did wonder what the red bag that came with the peak was for!!!

Did you get a chance to jump with them? How is the lift and float? Can you jump when powered or only overpowered?

Sadly, didn't really get any jumps in with the winds being as light as they were. Good power for riding but as soon as we'd load up and pop we'd lose airspeed and stall out. We'll get to that when wind allows. Did some short little glides off a hill and it felt good and floaty much like the PK1.

The turn rate will make for a lot easier boosting I think. :P

This kite has really caught my interest now. It seems to become increasingly popular here and there's even a slight chance that I might get to demo one and see what all the fuss is about. Especially the "exceptional" windrange has got me interested.
There are a couple things I'm a little puzzled about, though. I'll just flood you with questions and hope that someone with experience on the Peak2 can enlighten me! :D

- I see the Peak2 doesn't have the usual (infinity?) Flysurfer Bar. What's the real real difference here? It seems to be pretty bare bones. Oh, and they have apparently used a clamcleat adjuster. (Thats a +)

- The bar doesn't have a brake strap. That's always been one of my favorite features and I really miss it on my LEI. Doesn't the Peak stall like ordinary foils? What's the preferred way to land it then?

-Does FLS mean it releases to the FRONT lines?:o I think I need to look for a video on how that works...

-What windrange would the 12m have (80kg,skis). The low end should be great but when does the fun end?

And my main concern. What is the Peak? A touring kite? Or an allround kite? i.e. Is it built to last or just to be light and compact? How does it compare to kites like the Access or Frenzy? Is there a reason to choose it over "conventional" kites if you never put it in its bag anyway?
I'm asking this because I mainly kite at my front door and only loosely fold my kites so the "lightweight & compact" -argument almost sounds like a con to my ears.

Thanks!

FLS = Front line safety
FDS = full depower system (collapses on a fifth line)

Feyd: have they added any reinforcement to the sail where the stiffeners are (to protect from abrasion)?

The PEAK2 infinity bar is essentially the same as the Infinity 2 bar but set up a little different.

It uses a small clam cleat for trimming instead of a strap. (I prefer cleats personally.)

The bar width is easily adjustable.

Otherwise it is very similar to the Infinity 2 bar in functionality.

Some people put crossover brake lines on their PEAKs and love it. As it has a FLS it doesn't seem to be an issue.

Top end on the 12m? We haven't had a chance to find out yet but hope to get some idea later this week. If the PEAK2 performs as well as the PEAK1 I suspect that an experienced kiter will be able to fly a given size well beyond the wind ranges posted by the manufacturer. For example we had the PK1 6m in 30-35kts last season without any issues yet it's recommended top end is 20kts. When I flew the 12m in gusty ridgeline compressing that was maybe 10-12kts max and never felt like I was close to being over powered. I did use it as an opportunity to use the trim and it works great. I feel that for a heavier, experienced kiter on skis the 12m could be very close to a 1 kite quiver. Closest I've ever seen.

The Peak 1 was a purebred touring kite no doubt. The Peak2 is more a mix of (tour/all rounder) I'm leaning towards "free tour" as a term to describe it as with the added lift and faster turn rate it is still a kite that has gobs of depow and power in a given size and is still a consummate touring tool for be it on lakes, fields or hills but it also offers some fun factor.
Light weight and compact have advantages beyond touring. General storage when not in use for one but also like all light weight kites it increases the low end performance considerably.

Comparison to the Access or Frenzy. Not really anyway to get an accurate comparison. It's an Apples to Oranges thing much like comparing LEIs to foils. All these kites are awesome for what they are designed to do. The new Access is a great kite, handles gusts amazingly well, has serious amounts of depower and the RE-Ride system works awesome and if used in a certain way can actually knock down the set up time to nearly that of the PEAKs. The Frenzy is the same but obviously a better freestyle performer.

The key features for the PEAKs are the wind range and depower, lack of cells to blow out in a crash and ease of use. It reverse launches better than any kite I've ever flown. The fact that they are made of UL material just makes it even better.

It does backstall like any other foil and that is generally how most people land it. But you can also use the FLS or "ghost land" it if you have an anchor.

As with any new design there's the question of long term durability. As B-Roc points out there has been concern with PEAK1's leading edges getting abraded at the stiffeners. (This has been an issue with other kites BTW not only Peaks) We have been suggesting that owners who might have a tendency to drag the kite leading edge down (especially street kiting) simply reinforce the potential wear areas on the stiffeners with repair tape. It protects the kite and is easily replaced as it wears until you get into the habit of not dragging leading edge down. This year Flysurfer made a clever change in the design by putting the leading edge stiffeners inside the internal supports/cross members. This puts several layers of fabric in between the stiffeners and leading edge and allows the layers to slide across each other instead of causing a stress riser right on the stiffener.

I'm impressed with the PEAK2 so far. Looking forward to more time on it. It is very similar yet very different than the PK1 and I think the PK1 is easily as good a kite still, just different. Almost like two different models in the same design type like the Access and Frenzy. I would argue there is room for both. The PK1 as a pure tour kite, super light, bare bones for a backcountry touring purist and the PK2 as a freetour, light enough but with a bar system and added lift for more playful stuff in the backcountry.

Mind you I'm using "backcountry" as a general description to define kiting any distance that requires self support and can cover a wide variety of conditions in one session. Whether you're 9 miles out in the mountains or 9 miles out on some desolate lake, the benefits are the same.

Thanks for the very detailed explanation, Feyd! :D
I'm looking forward to hear what you have to say about the high-end of the big Peaks.

I'm certainly not looking for a new kite atm , but I'd love to demo the Peak just to see how it flies. It's a pretty different concept but the 2nd version has definitely sparked my interest.

Now I'll just hope that I get the opportunity to demo one...without being "expected" to buy it...
I don't understand why shops can't "rent" their demo kites, I wouldn't mind paying a little to just try out a couple kites. This way I'll never get to try anything before buying it somewhere.:sniff:

This afternoon just tooling around. Tomorrow I'll have edges and things will be a bit more "spirited". :D

http://youtu.be/ntBN-JuwP0U

We rent demos. http://www.hardwaterkiter.com/demo-kite-program.html.

Unfortunately we are required to restrict demos to visiting clients as we have to verify the client's ability to manage the kites safely.

It seems like I see peak resembling a side of Chocorua in background ..? is it? And Lake of same name? Frozen after this warm spell?

So, what is frozen up north? Want to get on lake soon.
Cold is back!

Kite looks so manageable...

It is Lake Chocorua. The ice there now varies from 7" to 3" over near the western swamp. After the rain we lost most of the edge ice so getting on the main plate is tricky but will be easy after tonight I imagine. The are some big fractures from the wind, about 3' wide that will set up as well.

No snow, all glass. Bring an ice screw. :D