Review Gaastra Jekyll 2012
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Riding type: | Freeride/Allround |
---|---|
Year: | 2012 |
Brand: | Gaastra |
Size: | 05m, 07m, 08m, 09m, 10.5m, 12m, 14m, 16.5m |
Type: | SLE |
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Kite
High performance 5 strut SLE kite
Designers goals
For five years now, our kite designer Urs and his team have been working on the Jekyll, The impressive result gives speed, power and performance in a high-end kite.
It is not for pro's only but casters to less experienced riders as well. The quick response time combined with direct response to the angular momentum make for a perfect flight companion.
Bar
The new bar system X from Gaastra is designed for precise flight controle and safety. After extensive research and development the whole team tested it for more than a year every day and put every last little tiny detail under the microscope.
features
- auto swivel
- depower adjuster
- compact design
- 4-5 line setup
Windrange Gaastra Jekyll 2012
Gaastra Sneekmovie 2012
Details:
Riding type: | Freeride/Allround |
---|---|
Year: | 2012 |
Brand: | Gaastra |
Size: | 05m, 07m, 08m, 09m, 10.5m, 12m, 14m, 16.5m |
Type: | SLE |
One pump: | Yes |
Bridles: | Yes |
Number of struts: | 5 |
Colours: | Various |
Bar length: | 46cm-52cm |
Line length: | 24m |
Bar: | 4 lines |
Depower: | Clamcleat |
Safety: | Push |
Swivel: | Yes |
Variable bar length: | Yes |
Oh shit handles: | Yes |
Kitetest Gaastra Jekyll 9m 2012
Kite designers goals
For five years now, our kite designer Urs and his team have been working on the Jekyll, The impressive result gives speed, power and performance in a high-end kite.
It is not for pro's only but casters to less experienced riders as well. The quick response time combined with direct response to the angular momentum make for a perfect flight companion.
Test Conditions
Wind: 12/27 knots
Water: flat/chop
Setting: Backline settings standard and setting with shorter backlines (best one)
Detail Photo's
Conclusion
The Gaastra Jekyll is very well balanced kite. It is suitable as an all round kite for performance riders, but can just as well be used by a starting kitesurfer with ambitions. The Jekyll does not have a lot of boost, this in combination with many other good characteristics makes the Jekyll very suitable as an entry level kite.
But there is more to the Jekyll, we found it to be a good wave kite also. It is quick, reacts fast, can be totally depowered and drifts very well (downwind float). In the high end the Jekyll can give you some big air, but with the lift not being very explosive a bit of timing is required from the rider. But once you are up there you can expect a good glide phase. As said before, the reaction of the kite is good. This allows you to find the best pressure without losing control, there is feedback everywhere.
Being honest, the only thing that we can think of where the Jekyll could use some improvement is the finish, which is quite simple for a kite with so much potential.
Basics
Safety system
With one line safety's, no relaunch possible. Depower safety is good and the bar has no shit handles
Kite re-launch
Total depower
Windrange
Best performance in his high-end
Kite stability
Oldskool
Lift
gradual but brings you esy to a higher level
Low-end
good pressure and reaction edge windwindow. Tip: hold pressure on the steering lines!
High-end
Glide phase
Great in + 20 knots
Wave
Steering with low line tension
good above 16 knots, under 16 knots short depower stroke
Turning circle
Reaction to steering action
great in the whole windwindow
Feedback at edge of wind window
great feedback and control, lower part in the windwindow still good steering reaction
There are 1 reviews on this product:
Kite DOES relauch after use of QR/dropping on one powerline, QR-usage is easy, and so is relaunch. Far better than the RPM for example.
Bigger sizes have 2backline settings, smaller sizes have 2 or 3 settings. For most people 9mtr would be best on standard setting (middle connection)
Maximum speed is pretty high, it's a high aspect-ratio kite.
It is also used for racing and wavekiting.
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