Kiteforum.com

Any reviews on Park 2014? Looks nice with no pully! How is it unhooked, what about the slack?

john a wrote:Any reviews on Park 2014? Looks nice with no pully! How is it unhooked, what about the slack?

+1.

I'm in for a kite that allows me for a mix of wave, which i'm just starting, and freeride (boosting and hang-time being what i look for). North Dice is the other alternative.

I know the two things are quite mutually exclusively, and obviously willing to accept compromises.

Any input?

I just got a 9 m park

Don't know when I'll get to try though. Season wrapping up in so Cal

My have to wait till my Costa Rica trip in Jan

Max

Its very very nice.

Super stable in ultra gusty spots. I have not tried it unhooked, but loving it for wave riding...its fast and solid. There are a few notable differences. The way it loops and especially how it completes the loops. Very very predictable and with more power. Turns faster with even pull.
I have yet to ride it on a TT..there wasn't enough wind...but the nuclear gusts was easily absorbed.

I've ridden most of the Parks but disliked them on one aspect. I found them to be unpredictable in their turns. At the end of a turn when waveriding it would have first almost no power and than a sudden powerspike which would pull me of the rail. Something you can get used to but not naturally. There are way more linear and predictable kites in this aspect. The 2014 seems to have overcome this, let's see..

xray wrote:There are way more linear and predictable kites in this aspect. The 2014 seems to have overcome this, let's see..

I think they have, but I have not ridden it unhooked. That said, I've also liked the previous versions of the kite.

I picked up my 2014 Parks a little over a week ago (7m, 9m, 12m). I have been riding Parks beginning 2011 and loved every one of them. I ride only directionals, both straps and strap-less.

I found the 9m and 7m a joy to ride right out of the bag. The 12m needs to be pumped up very hard or it will flutter on the tailing edge when running hard upwind. All of the kites are strong and pull smooth, and turn fast. I live and play in da Gorge so I had a chance to ride all three kites in a weeks time. The 7m has incredible range, I love 7m with the 20m line, wouldn't bother with the 24s. The 9m is golden (my money kite), the 12m, well it is a big kite, it pulls and pulls again. I don't ride a 12m much. If you drive it hard it will work great, fast turning and drifts as long you want to ride it downwind, it just won't fall out of the sky. Just make sure you pump it up hard.

Didn't really get a chance to relaunch, but I never found Parks hard to relaunch.

As I said I live and play in the Hood River area. Home of gusty, strong winds with fast swells. The Parks are right at home here. Sucking up the gusts and making lemonade out of them. If I sound like a pimp, sorry, I pay retail for my kites and have the choice of several great brands here. I have demoed most the major brands and I like them all. BUT I love the Parks.

Cheers,
Nik

What about the new bar? I heard that it has a softer, more comfortable grip. Also, the bar doesn't come with a sliding stopper. Is this true? That would suck without having a sliding stopper.

I want them....

Xray it took me a bit to get the knack of drifting the park when riding waves but once you've got it it's sweet. Powered turns haven't been an issue for me.

I had a short ride on a demo 2014 and was happy enough that i'll be trading at least 1 kite up to the new model this season.