SpokeyDoke said..

Svendson said..

The pump hose compatibility issue Hadou mentions on the v2 is real

Can you explain this a bit and what if any suggestions there are to address it?

Some pump hoses don't have a big enough diameter deep enough to lock onto the inflation port. My ocean rodeo pump hose is like this, I can get it on if I line it up and wiggle juuust right. Solutions are modify the hose end (grind out a bit of material), modify the inflation port on the wing by shortening it, or use a different hose. Not a deal breaker at all but good to be aware of and check at home. Pump issues have to be one of the most frustrating reasons to lose a session.

I have heard of issues with their pumps too. I have ordered a Takoon pump for when I go to Europe, I hope the hose can take my Fone adapters... Will find out in a month.

So its been a bit of a PITA trying to get my wings from Takoon...apparently Customs and Border Patrol for the US has put a hold on the package at the Fedex main hub in Memphis, and wants me to file my tax ID# (social security number) as the importer.

Fedex says that its because of the value of the package (a 6M and a 4M wing).

I really don't like that info. floating around, and am not so happy about either the hold or the sensitive info request.

I've ordered gear from foreign countries before and never had this issue...anyone else?

Some of my friends in the uk have ordered direct from gong in France.
The vat is taken of the purchase price when ordering online then once it's arrived to a depot in the uk they have been contacted and charged vat plus a small import tax and delivery charge.I'm not sure what personal Id /info was require but I couldn't believe how well priced the foils are ! Pretty much half the price of the leading brands .

Velocicraptor said..

randomfoiler said..

Velocicraptor said..
Any impressions from people who have tried this wing? Looks pretty compelling - particularly for the price and particularly for sizes that might not get a ton of use. Looking for hands on reviews or feedback.

this guy is a big fan and does good reviews. You might have seen that one already:

Yes thank you. Saw that and did my best to decipher the language gap. I think he might be affiliated with the brand as well.

Things are moving so fast in wing design that if these lower priced wings can get me to 90%-95% of the performance of a wing priced twice as much, its a pretty compelling option. Particularly if it is only going to last a season.

I didn't have an issue paying up for a premium kite that I could use for 3 years, but the combination of (a) fast paced evolution of the equipment and (b) lack of durability, makes it harder for me to stomach the premium priced gear in winging. All that said, I'm still considering an aluula 5m though!

I have a couple of Allula wings. 1 of them I've had over 50 days on. The airframe has maintained almost all of its stiffness-still far beyond a dacron wing.
The canopy is getting a bit worn, not real bad but it is clearly showing wear. That said, i spoke to a local sailing loft and the figured they could sew on an entirely new canopy with the best materials, for about $300 Canadian. Seems like a pretty solid option.

Other Dacron wings I've used were bagged right out in 25 days or less. I think there is a case to be made for buying an allula wing and keeping it for a couple or more years.
everyone talks about how much the wings have changed...I personally think they have just gotten more refined, other than a few total failures of design(Gen1 SS, Duotone, etc)
I picked up a 6m Gen1 WASP to use the other day, and it was great!
Point is, at this point there shouldn't be any complete game changers that make a wing obsolete in a year(although some will say so)

Handle mod for my V2's.
Hate grabbing air :) , plus i think i can get a harness line that is not so wide and tangly now.
35 eur at a kite repair local guy.