A Midsummer Tale: HQ4 Empulse
Haven’t really sat down yet to do a comprehensive review of the Empulse, but let me just share a story from a recent trip to Lake McConaughy that I think highlights some of its virtues. Picture the following:
You arrive at the beach (or should I say, inland lake) – winds appear to be blowing in the teens. You throw out the 13m Empulse knowing that winds are forecast to get stronger. A few riders are already on the water, twin-tippers typically on 14m kites or larger. You unwind your lines, lay out the kite, throw some sand on the trailing edge – boom – you are ready to launch. Up comes the kite, and out you go. You’ve got a light-wind board available but opt not to take it, instead reaching for your 138: plenty of power here. With a quick power stroke you’re off to the races, do a quick line check – everything looks good – then set a course upwind. And upwind you go. And go, and go, leaving the growing gaggle of kiters near the beach for an undisturbed patch of lake with your name on it.
With lots of room downwind, the real fun begins: you start practicing jumps and transitions, try some jumps to your weak side – crash and burn – McConaughy is pressure fed into every orifice of your body, willing or not. This sort of self-flagellation never gets old. The struggle is real but the last concern is your kite – it just kind of sits there waiting for you to dust off and get back up. You're glad it doesn't automatically start heading for the water when you eat it, because you've done a lot of that. Oh, look at that island down at the end of the lake – let’s go check it out. Off you go exploring a few miles of shoreline before returning.
As is often the case for inland kiting – winds are pretty variable – sometimes gusting into the 20’s, other times lulling to a point of being un-rideable. No worries – your kite is rock solid and going nowhere. You watch the distant beach where waves of kites cycle on and off the water in sync with the faltering winds. You are one of the very few that stay out the whole time, never too worried. In the extreme lulls you take a seat in the water and wait it out – your kite however feels solid overhead as you gently weave it and wait for the next thermal to cycle through. There it is – and off you go again, chasing and hopping some small waves before heading in - for no other reason other than you’ve been out for 2 hours and you need to drink something other than lake water.
That’s what an Empulse session looks like, and it’s a lot of fun. The efficiency of the kite allows you to quickly track upwind and get away from the crowds, where you can practice tricks and easily work upwind again. The easy-going nature of the kite allows you to focus on progressing your skills with minimal attention required to what the kite is doing. The light bar pressure reduces fatigue, extending your sessions. There is a sense of security with the kite: as the winds gust or increase to the top of its stated window, you never really feel jittery or overwhelmed. Flying at the top of the wind range unlocks the real lift potential of the kite, but it always feels controlled. Light winds are just as un-problematic, since the kite's light weight keeps it manageable down to a slight breeze. This is a kite made that's made for peace of mind and progression – I think that best sums it up. In all the best ways possible.
Haven’t really sat down yet to do a comprehensive review of the Empulse, but let me just share a story from a recent trip to Lake McConaughy that I think highlights some of its virtues. Picture the following:
You arrive at the beach (or should I say, inland lake) – winds appear to be blowing in the teens. You throw out the 13m Empulse knowing that winds are forecast to get stronger. A few riders are already on the water, twin-tippers typically on 14m kites or larger. You unwind your lines, lay out the kite, throw some sand on the trailing edge – boom – you are ready to launch. Up comes the kite, and out you go. You’ve got a light-wind board available but opt not to take it, instead reaching for your 138: plenty of power here. With a quick power stroke you’re off to the races, do a quick line check – everything looks good – then set a course upwind. And upwind you go. And go, and go, leaving the growing gaggle of kiters near the beach for an undisturbed patch of lake with your name on it.
With lots of room downwind, the real fun begins: you start practicing jumps and transitions, try some jumps to your weak side – crash and burn – McConaughy is pressure fed into every orifice of your body, willing or not. This sort of self-flagellation never gets old. The struggle is real but the last concern is your kite – it just kind of sits there waiting for you to dust off and get back up. You're glad it doesn't automatically start heading for the water when you eat it, because you've done a lot of that. Oh, look at that island down at the end of the lake – let’s go check it out. Off you go exploring a few miles of shoreline before returning.
As is often the case for inland kiting – winds are pretty variable – sometimes gusting into the 20’s, other times lulling to a point of being un-rideable. No worries – your kite is rock solid and going nowhere. You watch the distant beach where waves of kites cycle on and off the water in sync with the faltering winds. You are one of the very few that stay out the whole time, never too worried. In the extreme lulls you take a seat in the water and wait it out – your kite however feels solid overhead as you gently weave it and wait for the next thermal to cycle through. There it is – and off you go again, chasing and hopping some small waves before heading in - for no other reason other than you’ve been out for 2 hours and you need to drink something other than lake water.
That’s what an Empulse session looks like, and it’s a lot of fun. The efficiency of the kite allows you to quickly track upwind and get away from the crowds, where you can practice tricks and easily work upwind again. The easy-going nature of the kite allows you to focus on progressing your skills with minimal attention required to what the kite is doing. The light bar pressure reduces fatigue, extending your sessions. There is a sense of security with the kite: as the winds gust or increase to the top of its stated window, you never really feel jittery or overwhelmed. Flying at the top of the wind range unlocks the real lift potential of the kite, but it always feels controlled. Light winds are just as un-problematic, since the kite's light weight keeps it manageable down to a slight breeze. This is a kite made that's made for peace of mind and progression – I think that best sums it up. In all the best ways possible.