Yesterday my new Moonsonz 14m and 17m arriveds.
I couldn't resist to immediately go down to the beach to test them togheter with the LiquidForce Assault2 19m that so far was my very light wind machine.
Conditions of the spot during the review:
Wind: lulls of 6,3 knots (7,25mph) - gusts of 9 knots (10,35mph)
Water: about 80/120cm (31/47inches) of very disordered waves. Very annoyng.
Kites usesd:
LiquidForce Assault2 19m
Wind-X Monsoonz 08 17m
Board:
Custom carbon Fiber 146x49
No one for obvious reasons was in the water. Absolutely no one.
And sincerely I was not even sure if to pump the kites or not as the wind was so light and there were moderate and very disordered waves (thing that I HATE).
But ok I was so excited that I decided to pump them up and give them a try. At first on the sand and then in case inside the water.
After playng for 5 minutes with the Wind-x on the sea I took the decision to try inside the water.
Inside the water results:
Wind-X Monsoonz 17m: After 3/5 minutes undersatnding what was the best way to have the most of the power out of this kite I could go upwind and even more then upwind! I was simply amazed. Seems like this kite doesn't wants to me worked much. You have to work it 2 or 3 times while downwinding. Then you put it there in the right position without moving it and it starts pulling you STRONG. Then it's time to edge edge and edge more to go uuuuuuuup wind! I couldn't belive it. At the same time if you try to work it TOO MUCH seems like this kite lose power. Don't ask me why. That's what was happening. Maybe someone more expert then me could chime in and explain why. And I am referring to the wind speed mentioned above.
LF Assault2 19m: I have been using this kite for some time now. I was very impressed by the light wind capabilities of this kite. I could easily compete and maybe have 5% more of power then the Flysurfer Speed2 15m. but I never went out with so much light wind. But I had to try to compare!
Unfortunally there was no way to go upwind with this kite. I had to keep working it more and more hard to keep going downwind not even fast and to not fall down in the water...no way unfortuanlly...after about 10/15 minutes tryng and tryng more I had to land it...
Detailed review and comparison
KITES BAR and LINES: (Both bars are PULLEY BARS 2:1)
Wind-x Monsoonz: 7,5
LiquidForce Assault2: 9
Bar on the wind-x is easy and enough funtional but: 1) it's white that makes it very easy to get dirty and hard to be cleaned. It could make it looking old and bad after just a few sessions 2) emergency release have to be trimmed a bit to find the right position and be able to release it with not too much effort (and not too few). The way ti come from the factory requires a LOT of effort to be released. Not a big deal. Trimming it requires a few minutes. 3) Lines are not really the best quality. Maybe the worst quality lines I ever saw. Needs to be replaceds asap with q-powerline. 4) Pulleys on the bar are of the BEST quality.
Bar on the LiquidForce Assault 2 is very well done. Emergency release is the best I saw so far. Easy to release with the right effort. Best I ever saw. Lines are of very good quality. Pulleys are of average quality. Both bars have depower below the bar. Both kites have stopper ball.
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KITES QUALITY CONSTRUCTION and FEATURES
Wind-x Monsoonz: 8,5
LiquidForce Assault2: 9
Both kites are made of a very good quality material or at least that's what I can feel with my hands.
Wind-x don't have the ONE PUMP feature that on such a big kite with 7 small bladders and one BIG one would have been REALLY appreciated! Both the kites are nicely done even if the SS kites remains the ones with most attenction to the details.
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KITES STABILITY IN THE AIR WITH LIGHT WIND
Wind-x Monsoonz: 9-
LiquidForce Assault2: 9
Both the kites are pretty stable. With the above mentioned wind the Wind-x had some problems at the very edge of the window. NEVER NEVER bring that kite at the real edge of the window while playng on the beach as it will not be able to turn back and it will fall down no matter what. Probably due to the super flat design. If you are playng on the beach with 6/7knots just make sure to turn it back a little bit before the edge of the window. Both kites had no problem remaining stable at the zenith. But while the LF after about 10/15 seconds started to fall down the Wind-x coudl remain there all the time. Like a floating baloon.
Both kites have total depower. But never totally release the bar of the wind-x with those marginal winds or the kite will fall down in no time. And no way to stop it falling down. It's a matter of 2 seconds. While with the LF assault2 if you totally release the bar the kite will fall down after a bit more of time and more gently.
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KITES POWER IN THE WATER and UPWIND ABILITY with super light winds:
Wind-x Monsoonz: 10
LiquidForce Assault2: 8,5/9
Here is where the Monsoonz REALLY SHINE! I couldn't belive I could go upwind more and more with such marginal winds. I think I have the same power or even a bit more of the well known and very expansive Flysurfer Speed219m. But I will have to test it. I have some friends that have it.
It was incredible how easily I could go upwind with this kite. EVEN when the speed was not so much I could edge a lot. Seems like the kite remains in the middle of the window more then other kites. But I could be wrong. Fact is that with such marginal winds I could go upwind without working the kite other then 2 or 3 times at teh very beginning. Like I wrote before this kite seems to not benefit from working it other then to start. Then it's better to stick it in the right position up there and get pulled!
The LF Assutl2 could NOT pull me upwind with those light winds and barely downwind. With about 8,5/9 knots (without those 6knots lulls) the LF can pull me strong but even going fast in the water it requires much more effort to keep the edge and go upwind.
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KITES TURNING SPEED
Wind-x Monsoonz: 9,5
LiquidForce Assault2: 9
Considering the size of the kite the Wind-x turns pretty quickly. But it really all depends on how much you pull the bar: pull it STRONG and it will turn on itself.
The LF 19m turns slightly slower.
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KITES BAR PRESSURE (pulley bars)
Wind-x Monsoonz: 3
LiquidForce Assault2: 4
Here is where both kites really SUCKS huge camel balls big time.
The LF Assault2 have a very high pressure bar. And if you want to have your kite turn enough quickly you have to pull it hard every time you change direction.
The wind-x monsoonz 17m with pulley bar have the most insane high pressure bar! To make to turns quickly when changing direction you have to pull the bar strong. But belive me the best way to use this kite is with a friend: 3/5 minutes each one. And then change. I go to the gym, weight lifting, and play many other sports. But this bar can kill your arms in no time. And your tendons as well. Maybe the not pulley bar would be a better option. Not sure tho.
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KITES JUMPING ABILITY - height and hand -
Wind-x Monsoonz: 8
LiquidForce Assault2: 7
Both the kites are not for BIG jumps but the wind-x 17m have an incredible hang time. With those marginal winds I could do some small jumps (like 1,5/2 meters jump) but the floating effect of the wind-x is INCREDIBLE. You remain in the air like with a paraglider.
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WATER RELAUNCH with marginal winds
Wind-x Monsoonz: 9,5
LiquidForce Assault2: 10
The LF Assualt2 is the real first kite that I can say IT RELAUNCHES BY ITSELF! Kite falls downin the water? Just wait a few seconds for it to go back to the right poistion. SLIGHTLY and I say SLIGHTLY pull one back line and it will go up in the sky again. NO EFFORT AT ALL. Much much much much better then any other kite I have had or I have (OR rise 08, GK sonic, FS,) no kite can compare I bet!
The wind-x just needs to have one back line pulled for about 10 seconds. Nothing else needs to be done. It will slowly go back standing up and relaunch. And that was with some waves and super light wind!
So far it's all!
What I can say is that I am VERY VERY satisfied and happy of my new wind-x 17m kite!
Just one note to the wind-x guys: PLEASE MAKE IT ONE PUMP! PUMPING 17m of kite and 7 small bladders is a pain in the a**!!
