Author Topic: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models  (Read 7343 times)

Seattle-Wind

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Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« on: December 24, 2020, 09:10:18 AM »
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=URUSHwrbP9Q

https://www.gong-galaxy.com/en/magazine/news-en/gear-new-wings-range/

Gong continues to innovate with 5 wing models for 2021, including 2 brand-new models. A dedicated freestyle model and surf model. I suppose it won’t be long until all the major brands have a handful of different wing models, like kiteboarding.

surfcowboy

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2020, 09:30:04 AM »
I gotta say, Patrice is aggressive.

I could see picking up a 6m droid or superpower (compact span) for light days here in SoCal. At my size I could fly in 10mph I’ll bet. I gotta borrow a big wing during the next half-assed wind day.

For a smaller wing I’ll still probably look for used 3-4m wings since they are already smaller.

All models lighter and what looks like good materials too. (Ditching the 50 handles, wonder when Naish and others do that too?) Gong has become more than just a Chinese box shop. Especially when you see the facility they’ve invested in in France.

Maybe I’ll even end up keeping my foils long term and just add a carbon mast. 

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2020, 03:11:36 AM »
He mentions doubled dacron in the leading edge. Like Ensis, for increased stiffness.

The F-one strike also has doubled dacron in the middle.

Patrice is killing it.


« Last Edit: December 25, 2020, 03:18:48 AM by Dwight (DW) »

Alysum

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2020, 03:44:28 AM »
Double Dacron to stop the exploding gong wings?  ;D

Wind Runner

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2020, 07:08:11 AM »
Too many choices now... already getting to be specialized where you need a specific wing for a specific discipline... like what killed windsurfing and is hurting kiting. Isn't this deviating from what is so attractive about winging... the simplicity?

Discuss  ;D

Thatspec

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2020, 08:38:04 AM »
Double Dacron to stop the exploding gong wings?  ;D

The original pulse also had double dacron somewhere in the LE. Having had a close look at the inside of the LE on both sides of my 5M (due to both sides exploding), it also may just have been where the LE meets the strut.

Mine exploded at the seam where the batten met the LE on both sides (two separate incidents). There was a reinforcing material along the seams which also tore. Someone here I think suggested a dull needle could be the culprit, tearing fabric fibers instead of piercing cleanly. Airtime reinforced it, I assume the new owner is happy enough. Wing worked well enough when it was inflated and it's always good to brush up on your self rescue technique  ::)

surfcowboy

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2020, 09:07:33 AM »
First, yeah, there were issues early. Just like almost every brand. I’ve got buddies with split Liquid Force Carbon wings, cracked GoFoil masts, loose Naish masts, you name it. We are beta testers. And, I was a pretty shitty human for a chunk of my life. I figured it out (sort of.)

Second, as to the divergence of design, I think we need to remember that no one makes us buy gear. Also, any of these wings at a decent size will do anything a regular human wants to do. I’m not flipping and I don’t care if I can hit 30 knots over water. I do care about dragging a tip or feeling like my arms are getting jerked out of the socket whereas if you’re 6’+ and 25 yrs old, you might want a wide, strong wing. Why not serve both of us? If you want to buy gear, do it. But most of us will have a couple of wings (or even one wing) and do fine at the level we want to go.

If you want to perform at the highest level in each discipline and be able to go out on any day in any conditions then you are buying specific gear, be that surfboards, or bikes, or whatever. I’m not that guy. I’m trying to get the most range out of the least “stuff” and I’m not threatened by the fomo of not owning one of everything for the 3 days a year we have waves and 30mph winds for example.

I’ll bet a 2-3 wing quiver of any design works for 95% of the guys here and the other 5% are somewhat in denial lol.

Board-wise, I’ll bet there’s even less reason for a huge quiver for winging once you dial your favorite size.

My goal for 2021 is to settle into a foil set of 2’s. 2 boards (Wing, that I might SUP,  and Prone, which I hope to also wing when it’s blowing), 2 foil wings/tails, 2 wind wings (to cover 20 mph range from 10mph to 30mph.)

If I travel to more wind I’ll rent or borrow but I could carry all that in a carload and fly it with a little overage fee. We will see how I do lol.

liv2surf

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #7 on: December 25, 2020, 09:49:37 PM »
Too many choices now... already getting to be specialized where you need a specific wing for a specific discipline... like what killed windsurfing and is hurting kiting. Isn't this deviating from what is so attractive about winging... the simplicity?

Discuss  ;D
The simplicity of winging is attractive, but if different equipment proves to be better for different niches of the sport, would we rather use these specialized models (at increased cost) or to use generic equipment that is not optimized for the niche(s) to appease a delusion of simplicity. I guess some brands will sell a one-size fits all solution and other may sell multiple models. I guess a customer will have the choice to chose whether they think the specialty-built stuff is effective and worth the cost (price and cost of specialization) or if they don't 'buy the hype' and/or like the convenience of a 'one size fits all' wing.
5'6 Quatro Wingdrifter Pro 105L; Cabrinha Mantis 3.1m, 4m, 5m and 6m; Axis 1000 (1150, 1020); Project Cedrus 91 cm carbon mast (68 cm fuse, 440/5000 rear); 9'6" CRUZ Surf foil SUP (152L); Chinook Thrust 92 Paddle -- fixed 78" length; 'prone' longboards on the rack, kites in the garage.

Dontsink

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #8 on: December 25, 2020, 10:50:21 PM »
Double Dacron to stop the exploding gong wings?  ;D

My Ensis also exploded,before even touching the water.The version with windows, they lowered the inflation pressures after that.

Armstrong had to recall a run of AWings, they were self destroying too.

We are guinea pigs, although i expect this third gen gear to be much more reliable from all manufacturers.

Thatspec

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2020, 02:46:23 AM »
We are beta testers.

That's exactly what Airtime said  :)


My Ensis also exploded,before even touching the water.The version with windows, they lowered the inflation pressures after that.

Armstrong had to recall a run of AWings, they were self destroying too.

We are guinea pigs, although i expect this third gen gear to be much more reliable from all manufacturers.

I would expect better from this generation as well but I won't be the beta tester of new Gong wings again. A really good company would do what Armstrong and (more indirectly) Ensis did, acknowledge there was an issue. Sure, the wing was cheaper but after repairs it was significantly more than if I'd just bought a name brand from a dealer at full retail, plus I had the two lost days and swims. I don't wish those on anybody.

Next post will surely be from Colas defending the brand...

I'm perfectly happy with the vast majority of stuff I've purchased from Gong, even the 5m Pulse actually worked perfectly well.
With as many people as I've seen though having exactly the same issue, I'm guessing there was an issue...


liv2surf

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2020, 09:47:41 AM »
Regarding wing overpumping and exploding. I like the strategy adopted by the 2021 Cabrinha Crosswing X2 which has two inflation points with different inflation pressures for struts (11-12 psi) and  leading edge (6-7 psi).  A bonus is it also deflates efficiently.
5'6 Quatro Wingdrifter Pro 105L; Cabrinha Mantis 3.1m, 4m, 5m and 6m; Axis 1000 (1150, 1020); Project Cedrus 91 cm carbon mast (68 cm fuse, 440/5000 rear); 9'6" CRUZ Surf foil SUP (152L); Chinook Thrust 92 Paddle -- fixed 78" length; 'prone' longboards on the rack, kites in the garage.

peterp

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2020, 10:10:39 AM »
I think Gong is paving the way for the more serious wing companies to come up with more specific designs - and good on them.

Wrt the quality issues, most the first gen wings from established kite companies have stood up pretty well as they have a lifetime of inflatable kite know-how built in to wings. But winging is creating new challenges as we pump and twist the LE's and struts way beyond what happens in most kites.

Exploding LE's is down to poor design, bad stitching, and in some cases, bladder actually rotating and scruffing against the LE and eventually wearing thin and popping.

daswusup

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #12 on: December 26, 2020, 10:27:55 AM »
Why not add a pressure release valve. They come standard on my whitewater raft floors. The idea being that when the floor collides with something hard, it just purges a little instead of popping. Seems like adding this feature to awing could save a catastrophic failure. Your LE may be a bit flacid but probably easier to limp in than swim a big wet hanky in. I have wrecked into my wing a handful of times. Only time one popped was a first gen gong 7M. The pressure release valve also comes in handy when you leave your wing on the hot beach and it expands. The new Gong lineup looks dope. This is where kites are. Different models for different disciplines. If you are looking for winging gear to be simple and one setup does all, you are in the wrong sport. I get the wishful ideology of that but theres just too much going on for that to be the case.

liv2surf

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #13 on: December 26, 2020, 11:13:33 AM »
The new Gong lineup looks dope. This is where kites are. Different models for different disciplines. If you are looking for winging gear to be simple and one setup does all, you are in the wrong sport. I get the wishful ideology of that but theres just too much going on for that to be the case.
For years F'one had only one kite model the F'one Bandit (I rode the first Bandit and continued on the Bandit for about 5 more years). The Bandit was/is a great kite successfully marketed for surf and various other disciplines too. There is beauty to simplicity but also potentially compromises. I started riding a dedicated and dialed in wave kite (Cabrinha Drifter) and really appreciated it's nuanced performance in the waves. It was OK with the foil...but not the best kite for foiling. I agree that wingers dedicated to and obsessed by one discipline will want gear that is dialed in for that discipline surf, freestyle, learning, downwinding, jumping etc.
5'6 Quatro Wingdrifter Pro 105L; Cabrinha Mantis 3.1m, 4m, 5m and 6m; Axis 1000 (1150, 1020); Project Cedrus 91 cm carbon mast (68 cm fuse, 440/5000 rear); 9'6" CRUZ Surf foil SUP (152L); Chinook Thrust 92 Paddle -- fixed 78" length; 'prone' longboards on the rack, kites in the garage.

Fishman

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Re: Gong 2021 Wings Announced - 5 Models
« Reply #14 on: December 26, 2020, 04:23:37 PM »
Looks like all my excuses for not trying the 9m superpower are gone with this new version. Pulled the trigger yesterday and the 9s and 7.5s were sold out shortly after that.

A "Low wind" and a "Easy-fun" wing are the only 2 flavors i'll need, but  nice to see options.

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