Gaastra NO DEPOWER

[Guest]

I just got of the water; I tried a New 2003 Gaastra....
Man.. They felt like a 2 line kite. There is almost no depower on them.
I still can not believe that they made a kite like this.
Verry dangerous.

Pieter

[Guest]

Was is set up correctly?

[Toby]

which size did you try?

[Guest]

???? if you think that the Gaastra has no Depower, just try the Rhino2 you'll love it

the Gaastras Derpower is ok, but not as good as Airblast, Skoop or MAch1 but better than Rhino2,Rhino,Toro, Arx etc...don't know about X2 hav en't flown it enough...

maybe we could change kites next time toby...I try your x2 with your Bar if you toby and you try my GXR...

maybe the WE :)

Basti

[marina]

I "tested" the 10m GXR against 10mX2 and could ride in lower/higher winds than my friend who is 10lbs lighters than me. New Gaastra doesn't have awesome depower like other kites mentioned, but it certainly is average/above average compared to majority of kites on the market with super boost performance.

Marina

[Hernan]

Airblast and Takoon has long depower range rope. This is because when used with bridles, you have to move the bar twice the distance to get the same depower effect on a non bridled kite.
When you take the bridles off, this long depower is not necessary.
I am a chicken loop rider, but everyday I am more convinced that the kite has a sweet spot triming where it flies best and is better to control the kite by edging and how and where you fly it than making big adjustments to the trim.

[Nik_KiteAntigua]

I aggree with Hernan. I think it is a matter of skill level regarding the depower/chicken loop issue. The critical control factors are edging and where you fly the kite in the wind window.

As my skill has progressed I use less and less travel on the chicken loop. I hardly touch my trim strap at all anymore unless I am really getting overpower and need to get back to the beach to change kites.

Typically a more stable kite will not depower as much becuase it has a deeper foil which means it will handle a wider angle of attack before it stalls/depowers. The flatter foil (higher boost) kites will "turn on/turn off" more readily as the angle of attack that they will fly in is much less(require less bar travel on the chicken loop).

[Sake]

But if you kite very often in gusty condition(like in Western-Europe especially autumn) depower is appreciated VERY much.

My experience: stability is involved but AB2002 has massive depower AND is almost as stable as a Rhino1 only less low-end. Toro is even more stabil as a Rhino1 but still has way better depower. I think it's more a matter of the hard to get combination:
more low-end and lots of depower.

I think best is to get kites with lots of depower ie AB2002(AMP)/Skoop/Mach1(Mach2) and 2 boards. A bigger=wider board gives a MUCH better low-end. Just keep the kite flying. Even the AB2002 11.8 has then a VERY good low-end.

[murdoc]

pieter,

i've heard whole different things about the gaastra.
two very good riders i know changed from mach1 / skoop to the GXR.

which kites did you test against the gaastra, which gaastra did you fly and how was the wind?
which board did u use?

[Guest]

I was out with a GXR 16.5 in low wind conditions and I could surf AND jump - while a Skoop 17.0 rider could surf as well but NOT jump. Board, weight, skills were comparable.

A week ago I experienced the same with the 12.0 in low end conditions. I could surf AND jump, comparable SS rider could only surf.

It was not so much my observation but the observation of the other riders who came to discuss this afterwards.

No depower? Ridiculous! I was out last weekend with the 12.0 during a phase of 7.5 bft - it was ugly but I was still in control.