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Gaastra G-SPOT IS IT Really GOOD

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headhunter
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Postby headhunter » Mon Sep 09, 2002 3:13 pm

I want to bus this kite now.....ppl say the relauch is not too good, but how about everything else....

Thanks

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Mr Jo Macdonald
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Postby Mr Jo Macdonald » Mon Sep 09, 2002 6:53 pm

From personnal experience I can guarantee that the G-Spot can be
explosive stuff in the right hands.

Oh, you mean the kite, check this out.

You have seen this haven't you: http://www.gaastrakites.com/gspot.htm

Check this out for user's review:

http://www.kite-surf.com/userreviews/in ... prungpunkt

they do tend to be a bit "Wow I just spent 3 grand on my new kite and am I
happy" but it'll give you an idea of how the kite does.

From the shape of the kite I'd say it has the same carbon batton as the GXS,
this batton holds the wing wider open, I'm sure Cory Roesler knows what he's
doing but personally I wouldn't want a batten in the middle of my leading edge,
sounds like something that can break, puncture bladder etc, but that's just my
opinion.

I have seen a test of the GXS, higher AR than the G-spot, in Kiteboard Italia
and they seemed to like it, said it got going at around 12 knots but performed
better in more wind, it was a 14 so sounds ok.

The best idea is to try and find a school or Gaastra test centre where you can
try one.

Anyway look around because especially now with all the new? 2003 kites coming
out (often the same kite as the 2002 model just a bit more stronger/heavier,
etc) you'll find great deals on 2002 kites, new/almost-new kites 4 half price,
go for it.

On the other hand maybe you should just get the G-spot for the name, then when
you're sitting round the campfire in the evening after a mythical day, engaged
in that idle banter with your kitemates of what everyone's riding, and your
mates are riding Toros and Fuels and Supertypes and Naishes, you'll be the only
one riding the g-spot.

Have fun.
Jo

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Postby Guest » Sun Nov 10, 2002 8:14 pm

G-Spot are on sale in Germany for less than 600EUR (G-Spot15.5).

So this makes them very interesting.

Any idea about:
.build quality
.good or bad bladders
.low end performance for a 65kgs on 180cm TT

Eddy

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Stefan
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Postby Stefan » Sun Nov 10, 2002 9:52 pm

Re-launch on 2002 G-spot is easy(turtles faster than any kite I've flown), its the GXS that is super difficult. 15.5 needs decent wind, its a fairly heavy kite. Kite has tons of power, likes to sit low in the window and flies best with slack rear lines. I like any of the smaller G spots better than the 15.5 but if you fly where there is steady wind could be a good buy. Best of luck

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mede
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Postby mede » Mon Nov 11, 2002 2:08 pm

hi,

this season,i had the g-spot 15.5:

the kite has

* nice handling, good performance for intermediate kite
* decent finish

but PAY ATTENTION:
some series of the G-Spot have bladders that crumble away after some sessions. it just gets punctured here and there and there, without apparent reasons.

i finally contacted the gaastra importer and he confirmed that they missed the composition of the material mix for the bladders. they would replace it for free, but gaastra was not able to deliver for monthes. so finally i changed my G-spot against a GXR paying a certain amount on top, as, without bladder, i couldnt (of course) use the kite. though now, i have a new kite, i wasnt very happy to not have my kite half of the summer.

in this sense, CHECK VEEEEEEEERY CAREFULLY IF THE G-SPOT YOU WANT TO BUY HAS ALREADY A NEW BLADDER OR NOT.

kind regards

mede

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Postby andré » Mon Nov 11, 2002 4:24 pm

hi,

you have to look at http://www.kitesurfing-kiel.de

there you can find at the "KItes" Topic some userreviews for different kites! G-Spot 15,5 and 10 are tested!

in german only!

greetz andré

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Postby Guest » Tue Nov 12, 2002 1:41 pm

did someone else have the same experiences with the bladder durability like mede had?

what did you do about it?

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Postby Guest » Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:10 pm

After I had some lessons I bought myself a 10m2 G-Spot. I've had it since May, and, as I am learning, it has crashed a number of times. It has been on pebble beaches a lot and when I had to walk back upwind with kite in hand(as I am only just learning to kite upwind) it was dragged on concrete as well.

With all this mild 'abuse' I've only had one puncture in the bladder and that was in the tips from dragging on the ground. Easily repaired and I've now wound the bladder in both tips in kevlar cloth so it will never puncture there again. Never noticed anything wrong with bladders.

Question: when storing the kite I leave all struts inflated is that good/bad/doesn't matter?

I've also extended the lines with 8m so to give me more time to let the kite fly without needing to steer. This made a lot of difference to me as I could concentrate more on getting on the board and staying there.

Mind you I do not have much experience with other kites but I am happy with it, it is well built and I don't see the batten in the leading edge break easily, it's a nice touch and seems to do the job. Relaunch is okay as well.

Just my penny's worth,
Ernst


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