Sonic2 vs. R1V2 vs. Speed5...

[MartinRaz]

Looking to buy a new lightwind weapon.

Can you help me decide which one?

Have been kitesurfing for 18 years. Flying Flysurfer kites from 2002 to 2009.
Now with the hydrofoil I am considering foil kites again.

I will not be competing.
Prefer a kite, that handle lowwind really well - but I will not like to swim in. A kite with a range, so I can fly it when the wind picks up a bit.

Which kite should I go for?
Have also been offered Fone V3 - but heard bad things about V2 and V1.
Also been looking at the Aeros Navy 2 - but not easy to find info about it.

Weighing 88kg, should it be the 15m2?

[socommk23]

What "bad things" about the diablo v1? I have these and not a bad word to say about them.

[MartinRaz]

Heard that the 15 m2 bowtie and "make the caramel" often

And that it pulls like a tractor

[socommk23]

All foil kites have the possibility to bowtie, but that comes down to pilot error. No one kite has a tendency to bow tie more than another. Tip tucks maybe (diablo doesn't do this, ozone kites are known for it) but not bowtie. Ime

[Hardwater Kiter]

2nd Socomms opinion on "bad things" that foils do. Ask the people who complain most about bowties and tip curl, how much foil kite experience they had before they bought one of these "problematic" foils.

Of the options you've presented, the Speed is going to be the most user friendly, durable and have better light wind performance than any LEI you've ever flown. The other two options are amazing light wind kites but unless you have expert foil kite handling, they would be a waste of material. Owning a Formula 1 and knowing how to drive one, are different things. And pure bred racing gear, designed with performance in mind, not durability.

You may also want to consider Ozone Chrono V2 for what IMO is the best mix of light wind performance and user friendly. A close second, and good on a budget, would be an older R1V1. Still amazing performance and tough as nails. Can be found used for cheap.

[MartinRaz]

Of the options you've presented, the Speed is going to be the most user friendly, durable and have better light wind performance than any LEI you've ever flown. The other two options are amazing light wind kites but unless you have expert foil kite handling, they would be a waste of material. Owning a Formula 1 and knowing how to drive one, are different things. And pure bred racing gear, designed with performance in mind, not durability.

You may also want to consider Ozone Chrono V2 for what IMO is the best mix of light wind performance and user friendly. A close second, and good on a budget, would be an older R1V1. Still amazing performance and tough as nails. Can be found used for cheap.

Have flown foils a lot, but since I will not be competing, seems best option would be Speed or ChronoV2.

Yes, have seen cheap R1V1 - but heard they stick or suck water - so not easy to relaunch.

Speed 5 seems to be the one then - should I go for 15m2 as lightwind weapon?

[socommk23]

Speed 5 is a very nice kite. The son I s are also very good and a little quicker.

[f2020]

I’m 93 kg. I’ve owned chrono v2 13m and 18m for low end on hydrofoil. I now have the R1V2 15m for low end and its great. The R1V2 15m has more power than the chrono V2 18m while kite looping to water start. It has a wider wind range, more performance and it’s easier to relaunch if it fallls in the water (it has half the air intakes than the chrono v2 so that it takes water more slowly too). Only drawback it’s a bit more technical to launch at first because it fills with air more slowly than the chrono v2 but when you understand how it works it’s ok.

[Kamikuza]

No love for the Sonic 2? I've flown only the 18m but in both 1 and 2. The 2 is more stable and an excellent foil kite, but I prefer the 1 for light wind TT riding. 2 is a little soft, less aggressive and as it's lighter stays in the air with slack lines better. After the Sonic, the Speed 5 felt a bit . . . slow.

[twig]

No love for the Sonic 2? I've flown only the 18m but in both 1 and 2. The 2 is more stable and an excellent foil kite, but I prefer the 1 for light wind TT riding. 2 is a little soft, less aggressive and as it's lighter stays in the air with slack lines better. After the Sonic, the Speed 5 felt a bit . . . slow.

Hi

I just got my 2nd kite the sonic 1 18m for light wind tt riding. Im happy to hear that you prefer the 1 over 2, i just could not afford the 2.
Sonic 1 18 feels solid in the air and has good depower. It has worked very well except one time when i got slacky lines after a jump and the wingtips got tangeld in the bridles. I could have solved the problem by pulling the steeringlines hard, but wasn't pulling hard enough and the tangeld kite pulled me closer to the beach while trying, so i had to release it. Its a really nice kite as long as i learn how to use it properly.
So you think the sonic 1 is faster then the speed 5, is there more reasons for you to shoose sonic1 before speed5? And how is it that sonic1 is more agressive then sonic2 when sonic2 is a faster kite from what ive heard?

Thanks