I received a Sonic 15 & 18 a couple weeks ago, but persistent rain has kept them grounded. I had the first chance to try the 15 on Saturday. Before, I tell you about the kite, a bit about me. I buy my own kites. I currently own Speed 4 Lotus in 12, 15, & 21 sizes. I also have owned Ozone Chrono Kites in 18 & 15. I also have an Ozone Zephyr. I weigh 170 Lbs and I have been kiting for 15 years.
First, the only thing I don't like is the black color. Don't get me wrong it looks great, it is just going to be a bit tough to keep it looking clean.
Things I like before flying:
1. A port on the TE for inflating and deflating the kite (something the Chrono is sadly lacking).
2. Stiff bridle lines that resist tangling (the biggest problem with the Chrono IMHO).
3. Infinity 3 Race Bar - very light, should be awesome for travel.
4. The Sonic is manufactured with Deluxe fabric. I prefer the feel of this fabric to the Lotus fabric. The Lotus fabric may be lighter, but I don't like the plasticky feel of the Lotus material.
Inflation - The kite is a little more difficult to inflate than a Speed 4, but inflates more rapidly than the Chrono.
Range - I flew the kite in its upper wind range. I was impressed with the depower, it is definitely better than the Chrono and I would say equivalent to the Speed 4 Lotus.
Turning - like the Chrono, the kite tends to pivot more than arc in turns. The kite feels precise in the turns. The kite has a huge AR, so while it turns relatively quickly, it still is a very long kite to turn. It is so long that some of my friends thought I was going out on a much bigger kite.
Boosting - this kite has crazy amounts of lift. You can feel it in the bar, just sheet in and up you go. Very similar to the Chrono, perhaps even a bit more. This kite will lift you to ridiculous heights and leave you wondering when your board is going to touch down again. Landings were butter soft even after boosting high. However, a couple times I got sloppy, and like the Chrono it will punish you if you are not precise. The reason is that you have so much power on tap. The Speed 4 is the kind of kite that you might let a relative newbie try. Not so with the Sonic, there is so much raw power on tap.
Handling gusty conditions - the Chrono lacks some range and it will hammer you in big gusts. The Sonic has just as much power on tap, but is more forgiving due to the greater depower. The Speed has less power and is more forgiving. Keep in mind that the Speed is still a very powerful kite, I am just expressing these in relative terms.
I am impressed with the Sonic, as can't wait to try the other sizes. This kite fits the bill for old school big air boosting and rocketing upwind. I haven't tried it on the snow, but I suspect it will be excellent for snowkiting as well.