Not a full review, just reflections from a long day on the new S3.
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Nice review and thanks for posting.
What personally are you going to use long term? Ozone PR V2 or BRM S3?
Well, I can’t make that decision without riding the PRv2 but if I were to make a blind guess based on my v1 experience vs the S3:
I imagine a split 2 sail quiver. I would use the 2.4m PRv2 when its wild in the Gorge and I need awesome upwind but at a slower more controlled pace through the steep bumps. I would match it with a 3.4m BRM S3 so that when the bumps are smaller I can use the full speed/power of the S3.
Again, that’s without trying the PRv2.
I pre-ordered the 2.4 and 3.6 PRv2 and my buddy got the 2.7 and 3.4 S3 so I’ll be comparing the similar sizes and will finalize my choice in a month or so I expect.
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“ use the 2.4m PRv2 when its wild in the Gorge and I need awesome upwind but at a slower more controlled pace through the steep bumps. I would match it with a 3.4m BRM S3 so that when the bumps are smaller I can use the full speed/power of the S3”
i like your thinking there B. Revert to handling-oriented traditional-bar rigged wing when things get hectic.
Bit off-topic, but seen anyone out Hatch on 3m Takoon Cloud on big days? very tempting budget solution for rare strong wind days here, thinking that with reasonable foil choice and some deft harness work could make it work in 20 to 30+ knots
It makes sense in my head. Last year I only had a few days on the 2.4m where it was maxed out to a not fun experience but I was always able to limp home without stressing. The Ozone team did say they don’t recommend skipping sizes but if I really found myself stressing over the 3.6 to 2.4 PRv2 gap the 3.4 S3 to 2.4 PRv2 gap would be very doable based on my one day of experience with the S3.
It’s extremely rare for me to ride the Hatch so I don’t know what’s popular there. I like spending less money, but every parawing I’ve tried that was more affordable has not functioned well when overpowered and needing upwind.
The idea of mixing a quiver with shovel bars and normal bars sounds rather annoying.
Great review Wouzel ! The majority of it match the feeling of my first ride on the S3 4.2m.
If I can add, here’s a follow up after my first ride on the S3 4,2m.
For a first ride, it was a bit more cerebral then I anticipated. The performance of the parawing is definitly there but I’m going to need some time to fully unlock it.
- Upwindability was supersonic. I don’t think that the angle are as much as with an inflatable wing but they we’re great nonetheless. The major thing is it goes upwind fast!! You crank the bar and it goes even faster.
- The D-handle is good and intuitive while hooked-in or riding with two hands. The ergonomic of the unhooked toeside riding was way better than with a bar. But I founded out that I’m going to need one more session to adjust to the D-Handle while holding it with one hand in certain situation like going from the knees to standing up on the board or when I’m hooking in.
- I’m going to need a few session to develop a system for packing it. I’m not sure what’s the best way. Grabbing the front two bridal and don’t mess with the nylon rod or grabbing all the frontline.
- I don’t know if its the canopy material, the shape of it or the coating but I tought the parawing was kinda sticking to the water when touching it. The relaunch was not good. Plus, two time, the wind dropped to 12-14 knots with some rain and I couldn’t keep the wing in the air. But anyway, it seems that the rain really impact its flying performance. My buddy was flying his 4m Gong Neutra with 54 g canopy allright. I could not with my superlight s3. I just heard Greg talking on the Foilrat podcast about using the red line to keep the wing aloft in less wind, I didn’t tried that.
Anyway, I’m stoked on my purchase !
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I heard this too but am not sure I experienced it with the 3.4? Did the stickiness happen in light wind? Or I wonder if its a bit more related to the larger sizes when launching?
I experienced a bit of the sticking. Learning which bridals to pull helps get it off the water quick. At one point I had my wing completely upside down on the water. I pull the rear lines then switched to pulling the wingtip A line I think, or maybe the wingtip B line and it flipped the wing right over.
Think the recommendation is using the red cross support line connecting the 2 mid lines on leading edge to launch- there for that purpose and apparently brings it right up..
here is my stow method for the s3 5.3m. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqrJlBTK79A
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Do you only grab 1 line or both? Can’t see it
Got to try a friends S3 4.2 this weekend. The D Grip definitely takes some time to adjust to if your experienced and used to a standard bar. The key take away I had other than the things commonly mentioned: upwind performance gains and light bar pressure, was the need to steer the pw off the A lines by twisting the bar. I was a skeptic on the D Grip but after my short demo it won me over and I actually don’t think it would be a easy to manage without it. I had the common experience despite watching all of Greg’s videos of the pw slowly diving to the edge of the window and into the water when taxiing or getting to my feet. The solution was to steer off the A lines by twisting the bar to put more tension on the top A line. This stabilized the pw and kept it out of the water. You can actually steer the pw quite a bit by just twisting the bar. I tried the palm grip that Greg recommended but I think that will take more than once session to gel with. Just grabbing the side of the D Grip handle made for easy taxi runs and getting to my feet. You can move your hand back further on the bar to steer as well, but flying off the A lines is less power and lowers the risk of stalling if the wind is light.
I ordered a 5.3 S3 that night, should have it later this week. Will share more feedback once I get some time on it.
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Had the chance to demo the 777 Hybrid the same week that I demo’d the S3. I did a quick comparison with those two vs my Pocket Rockets. All three are good, but in different ways. Hard to make the wrong choice if you know what you want for your personal riding and area.
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I tried hard to make the S3 3.4 work today, but it was too light for it to even fly. Ended up using a 3.5 m2 wing instead, and had a wonderful “full power” day. Was still a bit exhausting to get going most of the time, but it was super fun to ride while already flying. I guess my point is - if you remember the times when parawinging was sold as something where you just take a PW with the same size as your wing, and you are good to go… In reality it’s quite a bit more nuanced. I have now found there are big differences in how well the different parawings behave in our super light (and gusty) winds. Some brands/models fly amazing in light winds (like the original BRM Maliko for example), and some just need a lot more wind to even fly. In our conditions my Ka’a 4.2 does not get me going any sooner than the Maliko 2.9, and sadly I must say the same about the S3 3.4 as well. The Maliko 2.9 just flies so easily, and this allows you to launch the PW, wait for the proper gust to come, and then get going while that super short-lived gust hits. I realise it must be specific to our conditions, and that the majority of the people who parawing just do it with way stronger/better wind.
So, no PW action in today’s clip, sadly, just another amazing full power day with a 3.5 m2 wing.
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Thanks for the tips 321-foiler, I haven’t tought of that, I will definately try on my next session !
For what it’s worth, here’s my take away after a few session on the 4,2 m.
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For the stashaway, I ended up using the same method as my Maliko. When I can get the apparant wind to go down (in fast wave or light wind), I stow using all of the front lines because it gather all the leading edge cleanly. If I’m super lit, I use the front two’s and dont take my time to gather all the batten.
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I’ve riden my S3 4,2m and my Quest 3m back to back in 25-30 knots and collapsing using the front two’s was easier on the S3 compare with the Quest. Even tho the Quest have shorter line , have a dedicated collapsing line and that I was way over the S3 range. In the end, it do not matter a lot but it show how easy it is to collapse the S3.
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I did not compare it back to back with my 4m Maliko but I too suspect that the Maliko was easier to keep in the air in light wind. The S3 need constant input with one hand on the bar and one hand on the red line.
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The red line on the front line really help with relaunching and managing light wind. I founded out that you really need a light upward pull of the red line. Not toward the bar.
The more I ride the S3, the easiest it get and the more you can get out of the parawing.
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thanks for your feedback. I ride Quest 3/4/5, how would you compare them to the S3 in terms of range (low/high)? How was the high end of the 4,2 in 25-30 knots?
Its hard to compare because I don’t have much experience with both and they are not the same size. But on first impressions, the S3 have the better range and a MUCH bigger sweetspot. Maybe I’m not good enough but I found that the low end on the Quest is not that good and like to be flown in the upper end of its range.
The 4,2 m was pulling hard and going fast in 30 knots but it was managable with a harness and the wing never fluttered. The jibe we’re a bit hectic tho. I’m 85 kg and always loved to ride overpowered in my kite days. That probably helped!
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I posted my first impressions on the 5.3 over on SeaBreeze but figured it would be good to share here as well for those not on both forums.
I got my first session in on my 5.3 S3 yesterday. Honestly surprised there is not more hype. It is everything it was billed to be. If you read Greg’s description of the benefits of the design change they are all real and not marketing hype.
It was a typical Florida light wind day, 10-12 with very occasional gusts to 13. No whitecaps to be seen. I was on my neutral mid length and Unifoil Evo 205. The starts were so easy due to getting so much back with each pump. It’s very direct and unlike any pw I have pumped before. Much closer to a wing. It’s deceptive how much power it can generate because the bar pressure is so light.
Once on foil the fun really starts. The S3 feels more like kite foiling than a pw. It builds apparent wind so fast and just accelerates upwind. I think it’s pretty accurate to compare it to the early days of kiting when we transitioned from low aspect kites like the early Wipika designs to higher aspect kites that actually went upwind well. Less fighting the pw to go upwind and more the S3 just pulling you upwind if that makes sense. Picture Eliot Loboe cranking hard on a pickle fork vs modern Kiters cruising upwind on a surfboard if that helps.
I did a bunch of hooked in riding too using the new vertical stash belt, extended hook and mono line and man I am sold. I was a purest who wanted a clean bar and only used a string fellow hook before this but that mono line disappears on the bar. And when hooked it it’s so balanced you could go hands free and it just wants to accelerate upwind. Pulling in on the back of the handle is like stepping on the gas.
It jibes well for a higher aspect pw once you understand how it likes to be handled. I did not need to do down loops or any fancy tricks. I made sure to get it started before I made the transition to avoid it getting locked in going the original direction. It was actually trippy because I didn’t realize how light the wind was on my first couple of jibes, assumed it had filled in because the apparent wind had me going really fast, yet the pw was falling out of the sky if I was not careful in my transition to keep tension (standard light wind pw problem)
It sails dw great too and turns really nicely. I was a skeptic of the D Handle but I am a big fan now. The light bar pressure is such a game changer and it was the primary reason I bought the S3. I have been having issues with numbness in my hands after pw sessions(over 50 problems) and after and hour and a half session I had no fatigue in my hands. Pretty nuts honestly. I think it was less load than a wing.
I did not have any issues with handling, learned on my demo session on the 4.2 that twisting the handle to steer off the A lines was key to keeping control while taxing and getting to your feet. I can comfortably do my normal start with the pw positioned low in the window. No need to keep it overhead.
I am very happy and listed my current quiver including my beloved Maliko 5.1 as soon as I got home. I don’t think everyone will embrace the new design so I expect mixed reviews but for me this is a big upgrade over current pw designs on the market.
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