The Skate is the speed-riding sail from Niviuk.
Available in 5 sizes:
8 m² – 10 m² – 12 m² – 14 m² – 14 m²
Design
With an elongation of less than 3, the skate is a clearly safe and learning oriented sail.
The 3-line elevators are of good quality. They look stronger on the first generation than on the next.
Trims are easy to handle, even in flight, and are efficient. They give the skate an interesting quilt.
The orders are nice and of good quality, but nothing exceptional. Attachment to the lifts is made via a set of standard magnets. The aging process is quite good and there are no problems on this side.
The fabric used is dominico. Today, after 10 years of marketing the first generation, no porosity or premature wear problems have been found. It is a resistant product.
The lines are sheathed and robust, no detangling or key problems.
Behavior
The skate has 3 flight levels:
The wing is flat. The handling is very efficient and the take-off is fast.
Neutral, classical flight position. Management remains good and it is also easier to keep in touch with the snow
When fully deflected, the dive becomes interesting and maintains good contact with the ground on steeper slopes, but the speed also increases considerably.
The behavior of the Skate remains more or less the same regardless of trimmer settings.
On take-off, the sail inflates well but with a certain tendency to inflate by half-wing (side). On a steep slope, take care of your preparation so as not to be pulled into the slope.
A good time delay, and once above the head, the skate takes care of well.
For speedflyers, taking off on foot will even be quite easy with a reasonable wing load.
The glide isn’t necessarily what we are looking for for a speed-riding wing, but in the end the Skate flies rather well. Nothing exceptional, however, do not hope to make it a hiking wing.
The piloting is not very precise but forgives beginner’s mistakes.
The fifth wheel supports are effective, but it is at the control that you have to act for more dynamic turns. There is a slight delay in the wing’s reaction to the command.
The Skate is like a track, very stable and the curves are progressive.
The dive is not very marked. Same high arms, you’re gonna have to be depressed to find him.
The resource is present but not always secure, as the slight delay in controls does not help. It didn’t seem like a priority for design.
The roll is very contained, almost non-existent compared to other wings.
There has been a clear focus on security.
The speed is controlled, it does not fly very fast but tolerates low speeds well. Ideal if you don’t have a big level of skiing and are in low riding mode!
The pose is easy: we let it arrive, we slow down, it poses slowly, in short, once again the ideal to learn.
Skiing
It is a very pleasant wing to make its first steps (first descents), it allows to ski all types of slopes, quickly and gently.
The Skate forgives beginner’s mistakes, involuntary control or harnesses, ski imbalances…
A real SUV, slow down, but it’s coming through.
Skills
Style
We like
- The quality of this wing
- Safty
- Low speed
- Homogeneous trimmed or depressed behavior
We like less
- Lack of wing character
- Lack of precision in controls
- Lack of resources
- Asymmetric inflation
