slaterson19 wrote:Can anyone give me a Naish Park vs. Element breakdown? Have some parks but would love to switch over due to price. I love how the Naish pivot turns and jumps.
Hi,
Posting on forums is something that I personally have not been into. However I find them very informative and humorous at times .
I have been a avid Park flyer for the past two years.
Currently I have a quiver of 6,9,10,12 and ride a mix between both twin tip and surfboard.
My recent trip to Oahu I was fortunate enough to Demo a Element2 9m.
Thanks to a Switch team rider for giving me a chance to try this new kite.
Thought I would show my appreciation by writing up a little review.
I'm always open to trying new gear. So why not see if anything else floats my boat.
First impression was built quality. Wow, these guys don't leave any stone unturned.
It checked out to be just as good as any top brand out there or better.
For the price I would have honestly thought it was going to be B grade quality.
Wind was 14-24 knots, starting off very light with squalls boosting the wind up to mid 20s.
First thing I noticed was how smooth the kite was. From responding to bar input to spilling power when gusts hit
Up wind performance was very noticeable within the first few tacks gauging my self against other riders really made me realize on how effortless it was for me to get up wind.
The Kite was very predictable making the transition from my parks a walk in the Park. I found that the Element had better low end compared to my Parks. The turn was very similar basically splitting hairs. If I wanted a slightly less pivotal turn I could easily obtain this with less bar input.
Regarding bar pressure the two kites are right there next to each other . The Element coming in a wee bit higher but nothing to even worry about. Really liked this as it really gave me a better feel for the kite at all times.
Over all at this stage I was very impressed and all I wanted to know is if the kite jumped.
The wind picked enough to take my twin tip for a quick blast before the wind went dead with the rain.
I pulled the trigger on a few jumps and I have to say this kite is no slouch when it come to air time.
Over all I found the Element to be a much improved Park with better low end and smoother feel over all.
Giving the price Difference and Quality it is now time to find a new home for my Parks.
Thank you Switch for opening my eyes.
Drkiter.