Prop Swap - 5" Edition

[French]

Every week it seems there is a new 5" miniquad prop released, and it seems I may have an addiction to the hype train. I keep telling myself I need to settle in on one prop consistently, but I guess I'm still looking for the nirvana of great grip, decent power, and durability.

Needless to say, I was wondering if anyone else wanted to maybe start our own prop swap. Think secret Santa, without the secret. Members could pair up and mail each other a few new props to try out.

Here's my current stash
HQ 5x4.3x3 V1S - trying to make these my new favorite
HQ 5x4x4 V1S - tons of grip with these quad blades, easier to ding with an extra blade
HQ 5x4x3 V1S - very reliable, fairly durable
Gemfan 5051 - have not flown yet. I wonder if there's too much pitch and power for my 2522kv motors. I don't need "rip your face off speed"
Racekraft 5040x3 - these were sent to me on mistake. The profile looks similar to the old reliable HQ 5x4x3, but in a durable PC
Racekraft 5045x3 BN - I love these. Some may say BN are not effecient, but I always got decent flight times from these. They are the most durable by far
Cyclone 5046 - likely the most powerful tri-blades, but very heavy props. Need a torquey motor. They seem to dent, not break.
Azure PC "boomerangs" - first, they just look cool. Second, I really appreciate the mid-throttle power delivery (best in the bunch), but the top end really tapers off. However, they're likely the least durable. They bend at the hub and are tough to bend back. The tips can chip off easily too.





Let me know if anyone is interested.

 

[French]

Doh! Potato!
Could a mod please fix my failed poll

 

[LitterBug]

Have you tried Strix 5x4.5x3? Feeding the addiction.... LOL.

Strix props are my current faves.

I have tried the Gemfan 5051 props on some older 2205 2000kv motors. Really woke that lazy flier up. Not bad props, but not my faves.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[French]

Litterbug, do you want to throw a set of the Strix into the swap?

 

[PsyBorg]

I have been like you (not as bad) but have dipped my toe into the prop pool on occasion. Luckily I had found Dal props early on and stick with them. I usually use the T5045 props for freestyle for the most part. I tried various other props for racing and they simply just heat up the motors with little added speed over standard props I used. I finally jumped on the hype train and tried the Cyclones. Thought I ordered 5045s and got 5046 instead. I rocked those for most of the summer til I ran out. When I ordered a new batch I somehow got the 5050 cyclones so I used them. They warm up the motors when I hit em hard but worse yet the batteries hated them on the heavier Alien frame.

I will stick to the 5046 for the Alien and freestyle as they give crazy punch out power but very smooth and less dirty (Propwash) when doing freestyle. I will for sure be using the 5050 cyclones or even the 5051 Cyclones when I get the 100 mph quad back together. I have pretty much plowed thru all the failed buys I have done so nothing really to contribute to the prop pool. Just thought I would throw my thoughts out on props since there are many being discussed here.

 

[LitterBug]

I used to run the DALPROP 5045 Tri blades up till I found the Strix 5x4.5x3. Let my buddy who flies DalProp at the field try them, and I think he is hooked now too. I have to say that everything that Strix has is purdy darn good stuff without all the hype train. I will throw some in the pot. Who wants some? I think it would be good to have pictures and weights along with each prop in here. I'm a firm believer in keeping rotating mass down.

Cheers,
LitterBug

EDIT: Tried a set of DALPROP 5045 Cyclones today on my Hellbender. Handled good, but didn't have as much punch as I remember it having. Weight for a set of 4 is 20 grams which is 1G more than a set of Strix. Should have done back to back autotune and flight testing. I may be confusing the performance of my AWK210 to the Hellbender204. Awk is 100g heavier, but has much better motors.

 

[French]

I just got a set of Gemfan 5152 biblades in light blue that I'll gladly give to a good home.

If anyone is interested in trying out any of the props I listed above, let me know.

 

[French]

Anyone want some props to try out?

 

[Liam B]

Anyone want some props to try out?

Sure! Have you tried the Emax Avans yet? I have a set but haven’t tried em yet.

 

[PsyBorg]

Just got a new batch of props in with my last battery order to try 5s on Taz. I picked up some 5050C two blade Dal Cyclones and some 5050 Emax Avan two blade to try. So far I ran the two blade Dals with both 4s and 5s. Nice jump in speed not much change in handling from tri blade props that I can tell and I was hitting full speed 180s to try n make em shake. Been pretty much raining too much to do any real runs yet.

When I switched to 5s I started getting osd fails and video black outs so I stopped hammering the throttle til I can work that all out. I did notice some shaking starting after ~60% throttle on the 5s where there was none on the 4s with same props at all. So I will assume that 5s will require a whole different tune.

I got around to trying 5040 King Kongs that were given to me from one of the quad box months a while back. No umph at all. I don't see how people fly 5040's all the time. I guess they are more interested in longer flights then performance. A lot of the widescreen warriors seem to love them. I guess the illusion of speed from superview impresses them.

 

[French]

Liam, I have not tried the Avans yet, but would be interested in it. Out of all the random of props I sent you with the Win5 frame, do you have any favorites?

Bill, it seems most people that want to go fast live around the 5ish pitch mark (5050, 5152, etc.). Also the Dal Cyclone 5046. I’ve heard others really like the new Dal 5050s. As I told Liam, the Avans are interesting. Especially if you’re running the emax motors they are designed for like you both are (I believe). The only possible negative I’ve heard about them is the potential lack of durability.

5040s are definitely more of a freestyle pitch, similar to the original glass nylon HQ 5x4x3s that were so popular two years ago. Tri bladed generally give more stability in the curves, but change speed slower than a similar pitched bi blade (because weight). Freestylers love the stability, but don’t want to loose responsiveness, so they generally run just as high of a pitch the motor can still spin quickly. More powerful motors now allow freestylers to fly 46, 48, and 50+ pitches if they want. My theory of racers is that they want thrust first, then responsiveness (to control altitude), then maybe efficiency, and cornerning last. Hence the use of high pitched bi blades.

 

[LitterBug]

My buddy and I recently compared a few different two blade 6" props on our "fast" quads. Sure, I know, not 5" but want to try some of these same props in 5". We tried Quanum 6x4.5 carbon, Gemfan 6x4.5 carbon, and KingKong 6x4. The Quanum and Gemfan carbon props did really well, but the KingKong 6x4 flat RIPPED and sounded awesome at the same time. Would really like to try those in a 5". I've tried the Gemfan 5x4.5 carbon, but they did not behave very well on my frame. Seemed to be out of balance dynamically causing some odd vibrations.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[Liam B]

Liam, I have not tried the Avans yet, but would be interested in it. Out of all the random of props I sent you with the Win5 frame, do you have any favorites?

Bill, it seems most people that want to go fast live around the 5ish pitch mark (5050, 5152, etc.). Also the Dal Cyclone 5046. I’ve heard others really like the new Dal 5050s. As I told Liam, the Avans are interesting. Especially if you’re running the emax motors they are designed for like you both are (I believe). The only possible negative I’ve heard about them is the potential lack of durability.

5040s are definitely more of a freestyle pitch, similar to the original glass nylon HQ 5x4x3s that were so popular two years ago. Tri bladed generally give more stability in the curves, but change speed slower than a similar pitched bi blade (because weight). Freestylers love the stability, but don’t want to loose responsiveness, so they generally run just as high of a pitch the motor can still spin quickly. More powerful motors now allow freestylers to fly 46, 48, and 50+ pitches if they want. My theory of racers is that they want thrust first, then responsiveness (to control altitude), then maybe efficiency, and cornerning last. Hence the use of high pitched bi blades.

I’d have to say the Racekraft props have been the best overall. I like the Gemfan 5051 for low noise and more efficiency, and the HQs are good for power, but the Racekrafts are a nice compromise of both. And they’re very durable.

I’ll let you all know what I think of the Avans. I might throw em on there at the race on Sunday.

 

[PsyBorg]

I dont speak only in terms of speed when comparing props I have used. Like the Gemfans I tried.. they bite well but are way too brittle and I think the fact they are so stiff is why they produce so much oscillation when hard cornering or dead stops. Its not so much prop wash as the material in the prop is flexing and springing back where others flex and return more slowly if that makes any sense to you.

I have not tried HQ props so I cant speak on them. The few King Kongs I have tried were just unresponsive even on low speed try to be smooth freestyle stuff.

I stick with the DALS because they are stiff at the hub where the high angle of attack is for hard punch outs yet they flex and are not so stiff at the edges and act like a shock absorber in very extreme turns or hard stops. They produce less resistance to aid prop wash vibrations so are really easy to tune with. They are also the most durable props I have used so far and as much as I crash doing things low and fast thats a huge plus. Yes they are heavy props but the performance and durability is well worth that trade off when training or every day flying. When / if I ever get to actually race may change what I use for more of an edge in competition but for here at home this is my best combination for how and what I fly.

I have the DAL bi blade cyclone 5050's on Taz now and I have not noticed any change in handling hard turns and dead stops from the tri blades I have been flying.

I have yet to use any of those fancy filters and soft mounting and fad of the moment things to get quads to fly smooth and reliably. It seems to me the more I read the die hard Gemfan users are the ones struggling most with vibrations. That may be simply there are more users then other brands but that to me says a lot to make me look at other props when all other things are equal. I came to that conclusion after seeing so many Alien builds struggling to get tuned where the majority of them are flying Gemfan 5x4x3's in various materials.

Add to that I am never one to jump on any band wagon because others are and I like to try my own ways after doing the necessary research to know what my ideas would be changing. Most times I come out ahead of where the average is by doing so.

 

[French]

Bills, send me your address in a PM. I’ll send you a box of goodies.

 

[French]

Here is the raw & uncut video of me just cruising with the HQ 5x4.8x3 V1Ss. These things are powerful. I was mostly cruising at ~30% throttle (top left of OSD). Over 4:30 flight with more capacity to spare.

It was drizzling and nasty out so no GoPro.

Info on the rig: 525g AUW for this flight; China Hobby Line 4S 1300mah 100C; chameleon frame; Hyperlite V4 2206 2522kv; emax bullet 30A; CL Racing F4; Swift 2; Unify Pro HV; Axii.

 

[French]

Anyone interested in this? I still have a few boxes of props, just sitting around.

 

[sprzout]

Sure! Have you tried the Emax Avans yet? I have a set but haven’t tried em yet.

The Emax Avans remind me of the Racekraft 5045 and 5051 tri blades I tried out. I REALLY liked the Racekraft 5051s; made my Blade Conspiracy snappy and super responsive in the low end. I'd definitely consider them for racing for how they responded - felt like it was solid at quick 90 or 180 degree flat turns. On the freestyle side, however, they weren't as smooth a curve in response. They were stiff, and felt like I was either on or off the throttle with them, and there was no happy medium, so things like powerloops and mattyflips were harder for me to pull off.

The ones I haven't liked were these cheap DALprops that I got a year ago. They're supposed to be "indestructible" blades, with lots of flex to them if you fly into a tree and clip a branch or something; however, they're SUPER spongy and I feel like it makes everything really floaty rather than responsive. Maybe that fits into your style of flight? Great. They weren't for me, unfortunately...