Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

For all foil kite riders
tomtom
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1693
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2002 1:00 am
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 218 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby tomtom » Fri Oct 05, 2018 9:57 pm

It looks like a hell of kite! I know exactly what you talking about "feeling of having a "weight" at the end of your steering lines" this is where foils are much better than LEIs. Im very sorry that this kite is so exotic, expensive and hard to buy. Its BRM Cloud of foil kites :)

I was putting high hopes in FS Soul - but its not wave riding kite at all. Its TT boosting kite. It will rip you from board in every single turn.

gl
Medium Poster
Posts: 156
Joined: Sat May 31, 2008 1:44 am
Kiting since: 1999
Gear: Flysurfer Peak 4 8 and 11, Concept Air Smart, Water Smart, Pulsion, Firefly and Wave kites. Slingshot foil boards and foils, North Nugget
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 15 times
Been thanked: 43 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby gl » Fri Oct 05, 2018 10:16 pm

Not once did the kite pull me off of the strapless board. Even when I dove it hard as gust hit (and it was very gusty) I was never pulled off. This is all on the first usage in trying conditions. No significant surging in the gusts, just more power which I could easily dump by sheeting out. I drift launched it in waist deep water and messed it up. The kite end up on it's nose partially inflated and I still had no trouble launching. It just did not want to stay in the water. Another big plus in 30 knots I felt totally safe while foiling. Not once even when I messed up did I get a big pull.

tomtom
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1693
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2002 1:00 am
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 218 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby tomtom » Sat Oct 06, 2018 12:09 am

Then we are from different planet. The sheeting out just doesnt work while sending /ie redirect kite to other side/ The more you sheet out the more the faster it flyes and harder it pulls. Soul doesn't luff like lei - so once you send it you have no control over power.

gl
Medium Poster
Posts: 156
Joined: Sat May 31, 2008 1:44 am
Kiting since: 1999
Gear: Flysurfer Peak 4 8 and 11, Concept Air Smart, Water Smart, Pulsion, Firefly and Wave kites. Slingshot foil boards and foils, North Nugget
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 15 times
Been thanked: 43 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby gl » Sat Oct 06, 2018 12:52 am

Obviously when I dive the kite through the power zone the power will increase but what I found is if I sheet out as it's going through the power even though the power has gone up it does not go up much. Where as my Flysurfer Speed 4 10 if I dive it through the power Zone even if I sheet out the power goes up quite a bit. I'm not a kite designer so I have no idea why they are so different but it is one of the reasons why I like Concept Air Smart kites for higher winds. I find it much safer if I have control of the power. I am not just talking about the 3-meter kite, the same thing happens on my 8.5 as well. Having said that the larger the kite the more the power goes up even sheeted out. But it is still much less.

kitexpert
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1409
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 11:20 pm
Gear: many kites, also diy
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 136 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby kitexpert » Sun Oct 07, 2018 5:56 pm

Speed4 is a kite of quite high performance, simple low aspect kite like Wave is not. However for some uses low performance kite can be better because it is easier/more pleasant to use.

AR and airfoil shape are the most important things to kite behavior. It is interesting to see hfs giving an opportunity to kite models which are not so refined or ambitious by their design.

stefFZ
Medium Poster
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:20 am
Style: Strapless surfing
Gear: Concept Air Waves & Pulsions. Still a couple of Flysurfers P4.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby stefFZ » Mon Oct 08, 2018 2:35 am

kitexpert wrote:
Sun Oct 07, 2018 5:56 pm
Speed4 is a kite of quite high performance, simple low aspect kite like Wave is not. However for some uses low performance kite can be better because it is easier/more pleasant to use.

AR and airfoil shape are the most important things to kite behavior. It is interesting to see hfs giving an opportunity to kite models which are not so refined or ambitious by their design.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

stefFZ
Medium Poster
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:20 am
Style: Strapless surfing
Gear: Concept Air Waves & Pulsions. Still a couple of Flysurfers P4.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby stefFZ » Wed Oct 10, 2018 5:20 pm

FYI, there is a Wave 3m for sale on our forum if someone is interested:

http://www.lesfoilz.com/phpBB3/viewtopi ... =18&t=4210

Image

Tested (several sessions) and measured wind range (rider 76 kg on ketos Wave XL): 20 knots to 45 knots (gusts). 20 knots is when the kite starts to be "usable" and in 45 gusts, the kite pulls but there is nothing to be anxious about (on an hydrofoil).

He is switching from 3 + 6.5 to 4.5 + 8.5 as he now prefers to ride a directional in winds of 30-40+ instead of an hydrofoil (waves are too close to the shore which is full of rocks and seawalls).

User avatar
Tony
Frequent Poster
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 80 kg
Local Beach: Hatteras Island, NC
Style: Foil
Gear: Delta HA Foils 1280,1050,850,700
Airush Nitros and Duotone Slicks
Appletree Jazz
Bunch of other gear I need to sell
Location: North Carolina - USA
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 28 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Tony » Mon Oct 15, 2018 1:38 pm

I now have a nice new red/yellow 8.5!!
This is my first foil kite so I wanted to take it slow with the first flight.
Flew it on the beach yesterday in light winds, 6-10mph.
I spent some time laying it out and making sure the bridles were laid out correctly, no tangles, etc.
One knot on the fronts and three on the backs.
I set it up for downwind launch and used my 55cm LF Mission bar with 20m lines.
I had full power on the trim and rears connected at the knot closest to the kite for tighter back lines since I was by myself and wanted to have more backstall if needed.
Winds were super light but kite went up without any drama.
Once in the air the kite flew quite easily. Really impressed how responsive the kite was in these light winds. I could loop it without a problem, sheeted in or sheeted out. Looked very solid moving through the air, floats there very nicely. Only issue was if I let it sit static and sheeted way out, but there was very little wind.

** If I'm launching on grass, can I use small sandbags to hold the trailing edge? Can I do an assisted launch at 45deg with something on the tip?

Self landing was a little more of an issue, mostly I think because of my lack of foil experience. There was not quite enough back-line tension to stall the kite with the bar all the way in but was able to grab the rears while my elbows held the bar in and got it to the ground. Then I didn't really know what to do. It was light enough that I got to the kite and secured it but would not want to do this in stronger winds.
** Could use some advice on this or a video on self landing for this kite.
** Do I need to have a brake-handle on my bar to help? There is no stopper so I don't have two hands free to grab rears.

Rolling the kite up was also tougher than I thought. There is a velcro butt deflate closure on the middle of the trailing edge but maybe I needed to pull something out to keep the velcro from closing back up? Need to look at this again. Had trouble getting air out to properly deflate so I could pack up.
** Tips

Can't wait to get this kite out in more wind and really like what I've seen so far. Heading back to the beach this weekend and hoping the winds cooperate.
I appreciate any advice all you foil experts can offer!
Thanks
Tony

User avatar
Nem0
Frequent Poster
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 1:51 pm
Local Beach: rectalcity
Favorite Beaches: Hörnum on the island Sylt (West- and Eastcoast)
Gear: 18m Sonic3 + 12m Soul2 + 8m Sonic4 + 133x42 ZERO-G + Spleene CarbonPro Monsterdoor
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Nem0 » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:40 pm

Tony wrote:
Mon Oct 15, 2018 1:38 pm
Rolling the kite up was also tougher than I thought. There is a velcro butt deflate closure on the middle of the trailing edge but maybe I needed to pull something out to keep the velcro from closing back up? Need to look at this again. Had trouble getting air out to properly deflate so I could pack up.
** Tips

Thanks
Tony
IMG_6362(1).jpg
It looks like this if the deflate vent is open!

User avatar
Nem0
Frequent Poster
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 1:51 pm
Local Beach: rectalcity
Favorite Beaches: Hörnum on the island Sylt (West- and Eastcoast)
Gear: 18m Sonic3 + 12m Soul2 + 8m Sonic4 + 133x42 ZERO-G + Spleene CarbonPro Monsterdoor
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Nem0 » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:48 pm

Good tutorial




Return to “Foil Kites”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 122 guests