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Flysurfer Soul

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Adventure Logs » Sat Jun 02, 2018 11:02 am

A quick summery and more insight now that I've ridden the Soul some more:

Vs Sonic2:
The Soul turns much differently. The Sonic2 pivots more on a wind tip and can do so very quickly but without power. It's not hard to basically stall one side of the wind and make it pivot/loop rapidity numerous times. The Soul turns more in a loop from more of the center of the kite. Even if you reach up and turn by pulling a line stopper, it will loop and always with power. Really nice for low wind launches and I'm hoping once I get my 8m that I will find a foil that will be capable of some kite kiteloop jumps.

The Soul is much more airtight, even compared to a new Sonic2. It will sit on the water longer and differently than the Sonic so it will relaunch much easier. I've only had my Soul out at very low winds (10kts max) and it's amazing how it somehow catches the breeze and will relaunch. I haven't beable to do the one line relaunch like is advertised, but I bet in stronger winds, it's possible.

The depower is much more direct. After a kiteloop/downloop on a Sonic2, I use to be able to let go of the bar so it untwists on its own. I have to watch that with the Soul on the very low end because it has depowered enough to stop me from planning on the water.

Launching is different, more pulling the bar side to side to get the wing tips to fill but still pretty quick. Again this has all be on the low end of the wind range and expect it to be easier with more wind.

I have now about 6 or so hours on the kite both on twin tip and hydrofoil. I have grown to like the kite much more. It allows me to ride my twintip (134) below 10 kts and stay upwind(even though it's more of a battle than on a Sonic2). With the hydrofoil, it allows more mistakes and is much easier to ride downwind without the kite collapsing. The loops are very powerful which is a great tool but I'm still getting use to the sudden power. I don't think it rolls up as nicely as the Sonic2 and I really am disappointed with the new bag from Flysurfer. I have an 8m on preorder and I am planning on trying to Megaloop it which means sore knees in my future.

People are claiming the ability to hydrofoil with the Soul 10m at around 6kts, and I believe it. It's very direct and fast which allows for good hangtime in jumps if you can keep the kite moving.

Let me know what other questions you might have. If you have flown foils exclusively like I have for awhile, it is an adjustment but again, the more I fly it, the better I like it. I still love my Sonic2. It's a fantastic kite and I will most likely get the next gen(if it's named the Sonic3 or Speed6). My opinion still is that the Sonic is still the better large foil kite if you have the skills to get everything out of it but this Soul 15 is slowly changing my mind on that so who knows.

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Tony » Sat Jun 02, 2018 4:11 pm

Nice review AL.
Can you comment more on the Soul with the foil?
I've started foiling recently and it has me thinking of a foil kite for the low end.
Was kind of thinking Soul 10m (or possibly 12m).
Seeing videos and comments it seems it would be a good first foil kite.
On the FS site it is not billed as a Freeride, Freestyle, Lightwind where the Sonics seem to be targeted more to foil riding.
Also seen a comment here about power/de-power of the Soul on the foil not being ideal (can't remember the exact wording).
Maybe the next gen Sonic you refer to?
Hopefully will get to ride one in the next few weeks, trying to coordinate with Ted.
Thanks
Tony

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Adventure Logs » Sat Jun 02, 2018 6:15 pm

I think FS refers to the Sonic more for foiling mostly for speed and unless you are looking into racing your foilboard, it's really not needed. I find going downwind, the Soul is a little easier. It seems to recover a little better and drift better if you foil into the kite going downwind. I think this is due to being more airtight. Also the Soul relaunches easier. With the way the intakes seems to close up once the kite is inflated helps keep water out of the kite and the D profile allows the wind to catch the kite a little better. Almost all of my days are sub 10 kts and it's amazing how I can get the Soul to relaunch in situations where I know the Sonic2 wouldn't beable to. Lastly, once you get use to the more powerful loop, getting up and on foil is easier with the Soul in very light winds. The Soul just creates more power in the loop and with a large foilboard with a lot of surface area, you can get up on foil and go. The depower is much more direct though which can be tricky if you aren't careful. I'm use to be able to let go of the bar to untwist the lines after a loop and you really can't do that with the Soul. It depowers so quickly and I've stopped planning/foiling and I've had to start all over again. Just something to get use to. Also the Soul is a lot of gruntier than the Sonic, kinda like the Speed4 DLX's, which can pull you off the board if you aren't ready for it. I've discovered myself being able to lay back more against the pull to help compensate. I'm still beginner/imediate on the foilboard(I can do transitions but only with the board on the water) and I find myself having to worry less about the kite than when I was using my Sonic2 11m. Just less maintenance on flying it while I concentrate on my board skills. I do miss the lighter bar pressure but it's a fair tradeoff for the ease of use.

Ted's a great guy and I'm sure he'll hook you up on a test ride. I've been (not so) patiently waiting on the smaller Souls to get in so he can send me a 8m. I think that's going to be a damn fun kite in higher winds.

=Jason-

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Tony » Sat Jun 02, 2018 7:25 pm

Thanks for the info Jason!

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby TomW » Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:44 pm

AL,
How's the power delivery along the bar depower stroke? Sounds like you are saying it quickly depowers on short depower stroke?
My foil kite has 55 cm power stroke and it has power the whole time, just less to more, very linear.

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Adventure Logs » Mon Jun 04, 2018 3:16 am

I wouldn’t call the depower stroke short, i would call it more direct or faster. With the Sonic letting go of the bar depowers but not as quickly/suddenly as the Soul. Hard to explain in words but when you completely sheet out, the power immediately drops. Since I’m not use to this, I use the stopper ball to limit how much I can depower on the Soul.

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Toby » Tue Jun 05, 2018 4:25 pm

We love seeing all these #soulsessions kiteboarders all over the world are having! FLYSURFER Kiteboarding rider Fly Fisch his new edit is truly a special one, making us jealous, out alone on the Mediterranean sea, in pure silence, foiling his way around beautiful Talamone Bay in Italy.
Cinematography by: GehrArt
Fly Fisch is supported by:
FLYSURFER Kiteboarding, Moses Hydrofoil, Da Kine, Dirty Dog Eyewear & SK Shapes

https://vimeo.com/273518792

https://vimeo.com/273518792

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby BOEMIX » Mon Jul 02, 2018 3:15 pm

I just have a question to the fortunate FS Soul owners.

Since I have the chance of getting a 15m Soul for a good price I would like to know how it performs in lowend and fairly gusty conditions.

Right now i have a O chrono v2 15m (normal cloth) which gets me riding in 7-8 knots and hanging in 5-6 knots. I'm happy with it in general but if a 10 knot gust hits followed by a 5knot lul or so, it likes a lot to get flipped falling leading edge first (hindenburg?) and you only can prevent that if you backstall it in the right time (impossible for me to do while fighting to bodydrag with the foil) or it's game over.

So the qüestion is how the FS Soul perform in that described situation?

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Nem0 » Mon Jul 02, 2018 4:03 pm

The SOUL is max. stable and has a good drift.
Test it if possible!

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby BOEMIX » Mon Jul 02, 2018 5:48 pm

I actally have been in a test but the wind was just zero.

But I know all the features about the kite cause I had a close inspection in person about it and I saw that Soul also has leading edge battens like Chrono2, that give the kite a very clean shape, but in case of Chrono2, also give her a hindenburg tendency in light-gusty winds.

So asking if somebody have used the Soul in that kind of conditions (5-10 knots unstable wind with small direction changes).


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