Niviuk Peak 5 22
I flew all the peak range from the first edition which had an amazing climb rate, the second was fast for its time, the 3rd no comment…The 4th was easy joyful accessible and a good performance package.
Here is the 5th version with 7 AR and D certification.
The launching of the Peak 5 at 97 all up is really easy for that aspect ratio. It has a moderate rise even in nil wind. And the pilot can easily be controlled overhead.
With my usual X-rated 6 harness, at 97 all up, the Peak 5 has a fast trim! Faster than any D available today with around +1 to +1.5 km/h faster forward speed. Pushing the bar will allow the Peak 5 to reach around the 60 km/h mark with ease.
I have flown that glider in weak, moderate, and turbulent conditions. At trim speed controlling the Peak 5 with B risers in turbulence needs some time to adapt as they seem light and not ‘connective’ as the other 2 liners I have tested.
The B’s are lighter than the Zeolite, OXA3, Zeno, Leopard, Zeolite, Meru.
I’m not an engineer but I can feel that there is some force or pressure moving out to the front of the Peak 5 at trim, and the more I pushed the bar, the more this pressure or force is moving forward, and the less the B lines are in tension.
The B’s control seems to have that light but spring feels, that spread horizontally.
I took my time when I had the chance to fly it, to understand that control. I’m still in the process.
I also felt a bit less pressure toward the tips.
At full bar, the B controls become even more light. The B’s at full bar are a bit floating. I could catch some glider movements, but it seems that the peak 5 energy and pressure keeps the glider well tensioned, and only in big turbulence, I couldn’t manage to feel anything on the B’s. Probably it’s just me, but it does surely have a much different approach than those 2 liners I already tested. But I think that a regularly flying pilot on the Peak 5 will eventually adapt and understand these controls.
The Zeolite for instance moves more in turbulent air. It dances all the time. But the brake authority puts the pilot most of the time in control as if there is some connection between the pilot reactions and the glider. I still didn’t find that connection with the Peak 5 yet…
The brakes were a bit long for my taste. So I shortened them by 5 cm. At full bar, there was still around 10 cm of a free gap. So there was no tension at all on the trailing edge when speed flying.
The turning ability of the Peak 5 in moderate air, is nice. It resembles the Meru in that matter. Direct, agile for a 7 aspect ratio.
In turbulent and strong air, the Peak 5 controls and authority will be slightly diminished, due to that extra power and “dominant feel” on the leading edge. The Peak 5 dynamics within the structure and internal movements are more pronounced than the Zeno, Leopard, Meru, or Oxa3. The Zeno felt more mellow, The Leopard and OXA3 felt more solid and compact, the Meru felt easier to understand. The Peak 5 needs time for adaptation, and will probably be much more user friendly. The Peak 5 I tested is a brand new one that my friend flew it a couple of hours. So maybe the lines could be more in place after +30 hours…I’m trying to cover all the missing links. 
Now for the performance part, I found that the Peak 5 has one of the best glides on all available D’s. The fast trim speed and the efficient leading edge when gliding through the airmass delivers enormous gliding power. I think this is the first D glider I have flown to have that much gliding efficiency!
The climb rate in weak thermals is good, but climbing in strong thermals is really good…The ability to shoot up is really fast! It looks like there was a volcanic explosion underneath, and the debris is going up fast toward you! Really good in surges.
I asked my friend who usually flies 2 liners since they had appeared, IP6, Peak 4, Zeno, Boom 11, XcTracer his opinion, and here are his comments:
Hi Ziad,
Here are my personal feelings after flying the Peak5 22 at 96.5kgs.
I’ve been flying mostly 2 liners since the IP6 ... Peak4, Zeno, Boom11, and Xcracer.
Take off is a non-event for this type of wing, goes up in one piece, good pressure, and very smooth.
I loved the handling, very linear, light, and pure Niviuk feel.
Performance is just crazy, felt at the same level as my Boom11, with an obviously lower top speed. Needs to be tested to be believed.
Trim speed is noticeably higher than other wings, but I was surprised it still has a great feeling working disorganized and wind chopped lift down low.
This wing climbs like nothing else, it bites into thermals and literally jumps up (sometimes jumps up crazy hard 
, But it always translates in lots of altitude gain.)
I had 2 tip collapses in the first 30 minutes but they totally disappeared for the next few hours in the air, even though the air got rougher... wing is very pressurized and solid, no other events but those 2 tip collapses.
Two things I did not like but would adapt to in a few hours:
B’s tension was light at trim speed and got lighter and lighter as I pushed the speed bar... something to get used to.
Not much info through the brakes, which some people like.
Crazy good high performance 2 liner but, in my opinion, needs a seasoned 2 liner pilot.
Cheers,
“Thank you, dear friend, for your honest opinion”
Back in my writings, wingovers are super high! Ears are stable and efficient!
Conclusion:
I’m posting here my personal feel… I think the Peak 5 needs more pilot level than the Peak 4. When flying in turbulent air, I wished for a more connection between pilot and glider ( in terms of adjusting the feedback that comes with the glider in turbulent air).
There’s also the light B controls that I really wished a bit more feel and connection at bar…
Beside that…Its a really super machine! Super glide! , an excellent climb! quite fast and efficient! … If anyone wishes to win races on a D, the Peak 5 is the golden key, but for the emphatic and wholehearted!
Cheers,
Ziad
