I saw when the Peak 2 was released that Flysurfer was advertising it as having more lift and some light freestyle potential, but since their initial release video I've yet to see anyone leave the ground with one.

Obviously there are tons of proper freestyle kites and the Peak 2 is never going to compete with them, but is it actually reasonable to do any freestyle with one?

i don't see why not. as long as keep smooth to finish. running luff may be trouble. soon as get my hands on one i will let you know.

i'm sure somebody on here has boosted one.

front range jeff, he had one , ithink? several others as well now that i think about

There are plenty of videos on YouTube of guys boosting with peak 1 and 2. Maybe not 20' high but plenty of videos at decent height

If boosting is main goal than probably better options available but you can still get air easily. I buggy and longboard but I've gotten air plenty of times static.

Links? I searched for stuff like "peak freestyle" and couldn't find anyone doing anything more than riding back and forth.

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

If boosting is main goal than probably better options available but you can still get air easily. I buggy and longboard but I've gotten air plenty of times static.

bingo , they pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1hfhTQPyiU

I found this in 2 seconds. skip to 1:18

Another thing to remember is Peaks are advertised at beginners and having tons of depow on tap. People that buy Peaks are usually not looking to boost big. Doesn't mean they can't boost, but the number of people boosting on them is limited due to not being the boosting type of individual for lack of better word

Quote: Originally posted by windrider1

cat got your tongue?

Must have just had the wrong keywords, thanks!

The Peak is obviously not a freestyle kite, but if I were to get one I'd like to know it's at least possible to do more than just move along the ground. I'm still very much a beginner so the extent of any freestyle I'm likely to try soon would be small jumps and maybe some backrolls.

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

Quote: Originally posted by windrider1   cat got your tongue?

I bet he got hit by that bug that deletes your text if you use symbols like apostrophes. The post originally said something about peaks and freestyle in the same sentence.

I'm thinking about peaks recently because of a recent landboarding session I had to end because the winds turned terrifying. Started out struggling to keep my 12m Cronix in the air, then put it away when I could tell the gusts were getting ready to carry me to someone's roof. I put up my 8m Speed 4 only to find the gusts had gotten even stronger. After testing the wind strength (read being thrown 5' sideways), I decided I call it a day since I didn't have anything I felt comfortable taking out in those conditions.

Having something that would stay in the air in the lulls and not kill me in the gusts sounds really nice. How does the Peak handle really shifty weather? I know my Speed 4 was struggling in these winds. The kite would be at the edge, then the wind would shift, kite would backstall, then suddenly open up with a lot of power.

The Peak 2 9m hucks nice. Especially in semi-op'd riding. Hucks like other low lift kites, kind words and with different timing it seems. It doesn't Huck easy as more freeride types would be surprisingly good IMO. Not that I'm much of a hucker.

Actually, the jumping peak vids do take a little more looking, but like I said, usually peak buyers aren't big boosters so you do have to look a little harder.

Have you tried out your speed?

edit: nevermind :D I posted as your were posting

Would a 9m Peak 2 simultaneously have a better low end than my 8m Speed 4 and also be more forgiving when I'm pushing the top end?

I'm starting to think I need another kite.

peak and freestyle should not be in the same sentence. peaks do not handle gusty shifty conditions well despite what others may say. expect heavy vibrating lines, lots of fluttering of the canopy and the occasional half collapse of the kite when depowered before it then up powers up and scares the crap out of ya..

Yeah I would definitely take the advice from the guy that briefly owned a 4 meter instead of the rest of the world.

ideally when winds pick up u should step down to the smallest kite that will give u the power u need and that's your safest bet. speeds are lift monsters and scary when the wind picks up, u need a smaller low lift kite like an apex or ozone access for those type of conditions but ironically u can still jump with them when the wind picks up just not like a speed.

there is no rest of the world buddy just u and may 2 or 3 people raving about peaks. most people already figured out its not that great of a kite, infact has lots of issues. .

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

Yeah I would definitely take the advice from the guy that briefly owned a 4 meter instead of the rest of the world.

Boosting is definitely possible, have yet to try it on mine. Found a video with someone boosting in fairly light winds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPMKmZDuFrs (Skip to 0:26).

Also, check this one out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kRbZKPPVx4

Obivously not the best for getting air but doable!

The 8m Speed 4 was supposed to be my high wind kite, but these gusts were too much. I figure a Peak 2 could be a good kite for the days where I wouldn't want much lift. Ideally it would also work before my 8m Speed 4, but I'm still interested even if it doesn't so long as the bottom end is at least similar.

a 9m peak would be equivalent to like an 11m speed, so good low end but top end will be a lot less than an 8m speed.

Not surprised. I was hoping it's greater range meant it could beat my 8m Speed on the top and bottom end. It might be the 6m Peak 2 that I want then.

What is it with a peak discussion? No, the Peaks aren't perfect, but what kites are? Please, can we not head down that path AGAIN. I own all four Peak-2s and absolutely love them despite their obvious flaws. I work in the medical field and wth every professional breath juxtapose risk with benefit. Same with kites, you take the good with the bad.

The thing with the Peaks is their lack of spontaneous lift is a really good thing.... If you are a buggy rider. I've been accidentally lofted by all four of my Peaks out of my buggy, at times with so pretty bashed up consequences. I've also purposely boosted myself with skis on my feet.

One of the several things I like about the Peaks is the fact that once you get half way proficient at flying kites on the move you don't need to loft if you don't intend to. It is perfectly possible to leave the ground under control with all four Peak-2s if you are sufficiently powered ( border lined over powered) and you sling the kite back across the wind window. From a seat in the buggy a boost is an OBE and I for one don't want to do it, so Peaks make for great buggy engines IMHO. Tons of DP for safety and peace of mind coupled with plenty of power if y are willing to try and take it. Often I'm not.

Quote: Originally posted by windrider1

there is no rest of the world buddy just u and may 2 or 3 people raving about peaks. most people already figured out its not that great of a kite, infact has lots of issues. . Quote: Originally posted by ssayre   Yeah I would definitely take the advice from the guy that briefly owned a 4 meter instead of the rest of the world.

Lol :D you got me there. Their sales on the p1 were so poor they decided to make a second version with additional sizes. Make no mistake, I'm not touting this kite as a boosting type kite. It is ONE of the best back country touring kites made and coincidentally that was how it was advertised.

Steve it's ok to continue the peak discussion, we've actually used a couple sizes in their intended environment plus it's good entertainment.

Okay first, put your money on the opinions of people who actually own Peaks and use them regularly over a long period of time and accept the kite for what it is. We've been using them in out school quiver since the Peak 1. Our students love them, our guiding clients love them and there are a few here in the forum obviously who love them. It is one of our best sellers and not simply because of the price. The kite delivers what it advertises.

Comparing the 9m Peak to the Lotus 8 is pretty broad. Two different sizes and types. A better comparison would be the 6m Peak but...

The 9 Peak will offer better low end and may offer close to the same top end in the right hands but much of a kites perfomance relies on the pilot's abilty. "The rider makes the kite". Getting the perfomance you are looking for is possible but at the cost of flight quality. In winds where the 8m lotus would be fully depower you could very likely ride the 9m Peak. But the Lotus will ride nicely, a bit sluggish but smooth. The Peak will be flapping like mad and the bar feedback would be pretty awful. The 6m Peak on the other hand would be better. Factory wind range is 3.5- 20kts. (Experienced riders can run it to near 28kts without too much discomfort. ). Considerably broader range than the 8m Lotus.

Another difference to note is the gust handling. On the Lotus, more automatic. The kite handles gusts very well and with little input from the pilot. The Peaks, counter to Wind riders OPINION handle gusts amazingly well. It was designed to ride in Alpine conditions with unstable winds and speeds. But again it requires some active gust management from the rider via sheeting in and out as needed to dump the excess power from the gust.

The Peak is not a lazy rider's kite. It's a great kite, but if you want a wing you can just set and forget, the Peak isn't it.

Feyd, that's about what I figured, glad to have someone confirm it. I'm interested in kites that require some active flying because I figure I'll improve faster the more active I have to be in flying my kite.

Guess I'll start watching for a 6m Peak 2 to show up. Sounds like it could cover me on the land when I see 3x gust factor.

Quote: Originally posted by rofer

Feyd, that's about what I figured, glad to have someone confirm it. I'm interested in kites that require some active flying because I figure I'll improve faster the more active I have to be in flying my kite. Guess I'll start watching for a 6m Peak 2 to show up. Sounds like it could cover me on the land when I see 3x gust factor.

The one downside in gusty/shifty conditions I've found in my experience with the Peak/Peak2 (which isn't a ton of flight time), is large wind shifts (90 degrees), it loses shape and collapses. I'm not going to say this is a design flaw, or a bad thing, but is something of note. At certain snowkite locations in state (and wind directions) we end up getting random gusts that are 90 degrees to prevailing wind and cause a lull after (usually these are from canyons that ended up channeling a gust into a strong burst that lasts for long enough to reach the open where we are (miles away). This can be a pain that isn't experienced with Arcs/LEIs/Closed Cell Foils as they can maintain their shape and ride it out more easily (though you can end up with a snap and jerk in turn).

I wouldn't advise against a Peak, it's a kite that flies like an LEI feel wise, will teach you a lot about bar trim/sheeting and sweet spots, and is extremely rugged. I'm also not saying they don't handle gusts well, just this particular issue (which a few of my local kite spots get) hits the Peak performance wise a lot more than some other choices. Now back to day dreaming of owning all the kites, so we didn't have to choose pro/cons with our $$$