Thanks for the honest and extensive review/comparison. I have been flying Peaks since the first version, starting with snowkiting and then foiling more recently. I am very eager to hear your opinions of the Mirabou. How soon do you think you will be able to post a video about it? Hope you heal up soon!
Thank you! Here's a vid I just uploaded that shows the flying characteristics of the 8m in sub 10kts. I should hopefully have another more depth review where I extensively compare it to the Hybrid up within a month or so. th-cam.com/video/_UOe2ORv1D0/w-d-xo.html
After watching your other clips on Peak5 I bought the 2,5 Peak5 for my kid recently. We still have to try it out first time playing on land, in surf & getting aquainted with uplifting power (had a Peter Lynn Hornet 2,5 before that- actually still have- so it's all drag). Spoke before with a couple of instructors and they advised me to by the Peak5, not the Hybrid. I guess their advice confirms your assessment: less easy but more performance, more fun. And there's some learning curve. Since it's meant for kiting/learning on land cutting out the water part, we probably made the right choice. Very curious to try it out, thx.
Excellent review. The hybrid isn't for me either. I'm looking forward for the Marabou 2 review. Please also include the wind range sweet spot compared with the Peak. I find my Peak's 4 have a narrow sweet spot wind range.
Will do! So far I've be able to ride the Gin Marabou2 8m in some gusty overpowered conditions, haven't gotten to push the low end yet. I've been pretty impressed of being able to ride even in 20kts on this wing, the bar pressure is much more progressive and I think there's gonna be a much larger sweet spot in the range than the Peak4.
Agree 100%. Marabou seems less flutter and better designed but it is hard to find anyone who has used both. Sizing and explanation of how to go from inflatable to RAM air / hybrid is missing from the web. Thanks for the great videos 🤙🏽
Your review is very honest and it's true that hybrid doesn't have that pull to get you out of water on a lower end, even with a kiteloop or two. That was my first impression when I tried Hybrid 7.5 on first few sessions but later I've changed my mind. If the wind is low the trick is to do not one or two kiteloops but 4 to 5 it excels in 4th loop and it can pull you on foil easily. Basically I can start it from 10+kn and I'm 100kg on SAB 800cm² wing , 90 cm mast, 99cm board. It needs a bit of practice. However if wind drops it will safely body drag out of water.
That may work indeed but the wing is still very underpowered and with my riding style and less dynamic handling, I choose the Marabou2 way over the Hybrid.
Good review as comparison to Peak. Me-Intermediate foiler and just got 7.5 Hybrid my first Foil kite. I absolutely love it. Agreed it flutters a lot, drifts amazing, good high end, effortless relaunch (why I avoided peak) BUT gutless on water starts in light wind (multi down loops to get up). However on 18m lines it moves fast for me. My main reason for getting this is my 9m OR A-Roam was great for foiling 8-15k but once winds got up 15k++ it was just too much kite and I’d go in and get the TT. This 7.5 is so controlled and and forgettable in even 20+ if you don’t want power - let bar out, park and drift! Even got an hour strapless surfboard in 25+ with it and other than extreme flutter you’re never really even getting pulled unless you pull in the bar. Hope to try Peak against this in future.
I'm also a beginner/intermediate foiler and own a 7.5m Hybrid. I also own the peaks for snow kiting. I haven't use the peaks for hydrofoiling since I really need a kite that relaunches. The hybrid is super easy to relaunch. I can also say the 7.5m hybrid doesn't backstall like the peak kite. It has huge depower. I was able to get up on foil with 8 knots of wind and still have 25% left on the depower at about 20 knots of wind. The drift is crazy good. I'm definitly going to look into either the 4 or 6m Gin Marabau kite. I'm curious what their relaunch ability is compared to the hybrid.
Also with the Hybrid, drift launches really easily. I've done it once off of a boat, and once in deep water by just swimming out and sitting on the board, inflating the front of the kite, and letting it drift. The single skin just sticks on the water and you just have to pull the center lines to get it to hot launch out of the water. That was on a 10kn day. It definitly opens the door to foiling anywhere with wind and water. No beach required.
The Marabou2 relauches just as well as the Hybrid but just a little differently. The Marabou2 is much easier to reverse launch. I haven't tried to drift launch it but it should work just as well. You should try foil with the Peaks, just stay close to shore. They really are great for hydrofoiling.
The Hybrid needs a lot of wind to really work well since they don’t produce very much power. At 82kgs riding the Sabfoil 633(around 1100-1200) I can get up and going around 18kts when the conditions are right. I’m pretty skilled on the hydrofoil though so your results may vary.
As a Peak user this is very usefull. I'll keep my Peaks then and just get a Kauper Falcon 13m for low wind (people who claim they can relaunch a large Peak in low wind are lying)
Yea I agree, I've never had any luck relauching a Peak. If you can get your hands on a Gin Marabou2 to demo, Id recommend checking them out. Very Peak like.
@@tom-foilit’s actually my best kite so far as well. I don’t use hybrid any longer. I also don’t like going in super light days any longer and my hybrid is a 9 m and ufo is a 5 m so I chose to use a 5 m every time. Now I want to try 3m hybrid
Thanks for the honest and extensive review/comparison. I have been flying Peaks since the first version, starting with snowkiting and then foiling more recently. I am very eager to hear your opinions of the Mirabou. How soon do you think you will be able to post a video about it? Hope you heal up soon!
Thank you! Here's a vid I just uploaded that shows the flying characteristics of the 8m in sub 10kts. I should hopefully have another more depth review where I extensively compare it to the Hybrid up within a month or so.
th-cam.com/video/_UOe2ORv1D0/w-d-xo.html
After watching your other clips on Peak5 I bought the 2,5 Peak5 for my kid recently. We still have to try it out first time playing on land, in surf & getting aquainted with uplifting power (had a Peter Lynn Hornet 2,5 before that- actually still have- so it's all drag). Spoke before with a couple of instructors and they advised me to by the Peak5, not the Hybrid. I guess their advice confirms your assessment: less easy but more performance, more fun. And there's some learning curve. Since it's meant for kiting/learning on land cutting out the water part, we probably made the right choice. Very curious to try it out, thx.
Great review...thanks for the effort.
Really excellent review. Very nice, just continue like that😊
Thank you!
Excellent review. The hybrid isn't for me either. I'm looking forward for the Marabou 2 review. Please also include the wind range sweet spot compared with the Peak. I find my Peak's 4 have a narrow sweet spot wind range.
Will do! So far I've be able to ride the Gin Marabou2 8m in some gusty overpowered conditions, haven't gotten to push the low end yet. I've been pretty impressed of being able to ride even in 20kts on this wing, the bar pressure is much more progressive and I think there's gonna be a much larger sweet spot in the range than the Peak4.
Agree 100%. Marabou seems less flutter and better designed but it is hard to find anyone who has used both. Sizing and explanation of how to go from inflatable to RAM air / hybrid is missing from the web. Thanks for the great videos 🤙🏽
Your review is very honest and it's true that hybrid doesn't have that pull to get you out of water on a lower end, even with a kiteloop or two. That was my first impression when I tried Hybrid 7.5 on first few sessions but later I've changed my mind. If the wind is low the trick is to do not one or two kiteloops but 4 to 5 it excels in 4th loop and it can pull you on foil easily. Basically I can start it from 10+kn and I'm 100kg on SAB 800cm² wing , 90 cm mast, 99cm board. It needs a bit of practice. However if wind drops it will safely body drag out of water.
That may work indeed but the wing is still very underpowered and with my riding style and less dynamic handling, I choose the Marabou2 way over the Hybrid.
Good review as comparison to Peak. Me-Intermediate foiler and just got 7.5 Hybrid my first Foil kite. I absolutely love it. Agreed it flutters a lot, drifts amazing, good high end, effortless relaunch (why I avoided peak) BUT gutless on water starts in light wind (multi down loops to get up). However on 18m lines it moves fast for me. My main reason for getting this is my 9m OR A-Roam was great for foiling 8-15k but once winds got up 15k++ it was just too much kite and I’d go in and get the TT. This 7.5 is so controlled and and forgettable in even 20+ if you don’t want power - let bar out, park and drift! Even got an hour strapless surfboard in 25+ with it and other than extreme flutter you’re never really even getting pulled unless you pull in the bar. Hope to try Peak against this in future.
Try looping in a horizonal oval, keeping the Hybrid low in the loop. Should help give it a little more grunt to get you up on foiling.
I really enjoyed your review.
I'm also a beginner/intermediate foiler and own a 7.5m Hybrid. I also own the peaks for snow kiting. I haven't use the peaks for hydrofoiling since I really need a kite that relaunches. The hybrid is super easy to relaunch. I can also say the 7.5m hybrid doesn't backstall like the peak kite. It has huge depower. I was able to get up on foil with 8 knots of wind and still have 25% left on the depower at about 20 knots of wind. The drift is crazy good. I'm definitly going to look into either the 4 or 6m Gin Marabau kite. I'm curious what their relaunch ability is compared to the hybrid.
Also with the Hybrid, drift launches really easily. I've done it once off of a boat, and once in deep water by just swimming out and sitting on the board, inflating the front of the kite, and letting it drift. The single skin just sticks on the water and you just have to pull the center lines to get it to hot launch out of the water. That was on a 10kn day. It definitly opens the door to foiling anywhere with wind and water. No beach required.
The Marabou2 relauches just as well as the Hybrid but just a little differently. The Marabou2 is much easier to reverse launch. I haven't tried to drift launch it but it should work just as well.
You should try foil with the Peaks, just stay close to shore. They really are great for hydrofoiling.
@@adventure-logs I really enjoy your videos by the way. Your kite control behind a foil is inspiring. :D
Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words.
Which foil size are you riding with the 2,5 hybrid ...how many knotes???
The Hybrid needs a lot of wind to really work well since they don’t produce very much power. At 82kgs riding the Sabfoil 633(around 1100-1200) I can get up and going around 18kts when the conditions are right. I’m pretty skilled on the hydrofoil though so your results may vary.
Here’s a more recent video of mine really pushing the low wind range of the 2.5m
th-cam.com/video/QwWrOPegBJk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ct4DQN1U8PM8qw5e
Thank you for the Information....great Videos from you. Time to come back to Mexiko. Nice greetings from austria..alex
what an amazing spot, where is that spot?
That's Isla Blanca park which is the south tip of South Padre Island.
Hybrid is good for kids. I think they are gonna love it:)
There already was a kid specific foil in the Flysurfer line up. Didn't realize how much of a demand there is for children in kiteboarding
thx for the honest review
Anytime. I really strive hard to be as honest and thorough as possible with my gear reviews.
Has the Flysurfer Hybrid taken over the role of the Flysurfer Viron?
They are still currently selling the Viron so i don't know but it would make sense eventually.
As a Peak user this is very usefull. I'll keep my Peaks then and just get a Kauper Falcon 13m for low wind (people who claim they can relaunch a large Peak in low wind are lying)
Yea I agree, I've never had any luck relauching a Peak. If you can get your hands on a Gin Marabou2 to demo, Id recommend checking them out. Very Peak like.
UFO sucks big time. I have a 9.5 hybrid and 5m ufo and ufo is for sale
Yea i'm not a fan of the inflatables. I just think the shape of the Hybrid is so strange that "UFO" would have been a good name for it lol
@@adventure-logs the problem with ufo is I thought it would be similar but faster kite but its not
Curious to know what you didn't like about the UFO 5m as it's my favorite kite of all time.
@@tom-foilit’s actually my best kite so far as well. I don’t use hybrid any longer. I also don’t like going in super light days any longer and my hybrid is a 9 m and ufo is a 5 m so I chose to use a 5 m every time. Now I want to try 3m hybrid