Jhana said..
I took the 5.5 Hybrid for a foil I found it to be really amazing to loop, it can loop considerably quicker and tighter than the Peak. The power you get is really smooth, I thought to myself this is almost cheating this kite is so easy to foil with. Big loops small loops, it was smooth as. There was no surge of power which can throw you off a foil which you can get with inflatable kites . It goes upwind really well and it is very responsive with very little bar pressure, which is nice because I have a sore elbow. Gusts are no problem and it is really easy to depower and glide.

I also did a Downwinder with the 7.5 hybrid and a surfboard, I was a little under powered compared to my mate on an 8m Reo, I purposely dropped the kite in small waves and it relaunched immediately, amazing, it gave me confidence knowing you can get the kite up quickly before the next set comes through. I did have to loop the kite to create some power sometimes however the kite was easy to whip around and manouvre, I was using 20m lines. The Hybrid doesn't have a lot of lift, but it does have amazing drift, just sheet out a little when you are on the wave and there is no pull from the kite. The Hybrid also went upwind very well on the surfboard even better than the Peak which surprised me.

To get the equivalent size in an inflatable kite you multiply the Peak5 size by about 1.5, so a 6m Peak5 is equivalent to a 9m inflatable kite.

For the Hybrid you would say its a 1:1 ratio 5.5 Hybrid is equal to a 5.5 to 6m inflatable kite approximately.

The launch is easy and the bridles have been shortened considerably compared to the Peak5, the kite also kept its shape on gybes and the wing tips did not collapse. The Hybrid does not flutter as much as the Peak5.

If I was to teach anyone how to loop I would use a Hybrid simply because it is so smooth and easy and takes the fear out of being launched.

I fly Peak kites for foiling and Downwinders and I have put in my order for a Hybrid.