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Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

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Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby alexrider » Sat Sep 17, 2011 11:41 pm

Quote of the day:
"Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument"
Samuel Johnson, referring to PMU.

As far as foil kites are concerned, prejudice can be removed "by field experience" with open minded riders, as the following review of various sized Flysurfer kites demonstrates. Lance of Kite Republic recently moved to Thailand, which is known for light winds prevalence compared to his native Australia. Since he didn't want the wind conditions cut his number of days on the water, and having heard of the reputation Flysurfer kites as the kings of light winds, he naturally wanted to check for himself if their fame was deserved. Two or three days of tests in conditions varying from 5 to 30 knots convinced him not only they were unquestionably the best low wind kites on the planet, but to his surprise also fantastic kites in nuking conditions. Many urban legends about ram air were busted in the process.

PS: in the meanwhile Lance has "flown" the Speed3 Deluxe 21; there will soon be an addition to this review.

Having been kiting for about 9 years now and working in the industry for about 7, I thought I had flown all there was to fly. After trying everything out there, I was happily riding Torch’s 7,10 & 14 meters. I had flown a different brand of ‘foils” several years earlier and didn't think I was missing anything.

Upon moving to Thailand from Melbourne, I was getting frustrated with all the perfect days where I could ‘almost’ kite. Or stay up wind but that was it. My local spot doubles as a paragliding spot and I’d watch them enviously in sub-10 knot conditions, generating tons of safe and steady lift/power. Even in gusts and lulls.

I had the opportunity recently to try a few different Flysurfer kites and I was surprised. Apart from the logical conclusion that they are in a league of there own in sub-10 knot conditions. I was surprised at how sophisticated they where. For example, I thought that my Torch could ‘soak-up’ gust’s with its 5th line far better than any 4-line kite, tube or foil. Wrong. I’m not exactly sure how, but it just works. Better than any kite I can remember flying, even ‘easy’ kite’s made by major brands. I was also surprised when I started flying up wind, getting speed, power and able to generate lots of lift.

But for me the moment of truth was when I started to un-hook on the 15m Speed3 and again I was surprised. With just a little bit of de-powering I was happily un-hooking. It took a little getting used to, but in not long I was the only one riding (except for a dude on a race board) and was having a blast. Even as the wind briefly picked up to15-20knots I de-powered a little more and kept going for KGB’s and other passes till dark. Every time I crashed it and there where quite a few, I had it out of the water faster than my Torch.

The next day I got to take out the 10m Speed2 in some 15 to gusting over 25 knots (briefly over 30 knots) stormy, choppy/wavy shifty conditions, straight after riding my 10 m Torch and the best words to describe it are probably stable, powerful, easy and really forgiving in the gust’s. Again it took a few moments to get used to the differences. But once you do, it will make your inflatable seem more like a toy than a sophisticated flying ‘wing’. Again crashing, re launching, crashing, re launching, crashing with no problems. Even when I dumped it right in the face of a respectable sized wave, it would have re-launched if it hadn’t taken me ages to get to the bar in the waves and got some lines tangled around the bar(a problem with any kite while un-hooked not riding suicide in waves). Even so it washed ashore, I emptied the water out and had it back in the air in 10 minutes and dry in another 5.

The following day we got the really stormy conditions, gusting to over 30 knots and big messy waves. First my 7m Torch then time for the 6m and 8m Phycho4’s. Wow, de-power, big boosting, fast, safe and easy . It wasn’t the day for unhooking but it just made it a fun day. I put it down a few times when fronts would come through and it would get wet and windy. But after every front I launched myself, easily.

On both the Speed3’s and the Phycho4’s I was really impressed how the kites would never collapse or do anything funny whatsoever, even when they are looped. I mean paragliders do loops on their foils and trust their lives to it. You also so don’t need to work the kite as much once you get going.

Nothing is perfect and I was intimidated when I saw the pulley system, but I haven't had any issues. It just seams to stay out of the way. It could be said the chicken loop could be a bit bigger for un-hooking, but this is not really a problem. There’s also the fact that they are a bit slower than some inflatable kites. But again I have had no problem wave riding, looping or boosting bigger than usual and with much more stability when you give the kites the proper input.

You combine all of this with things like a much smaller pack size, faster set up, no pump, no leaking valves, no soft bladders in cold water, a longer life, great performance and things start to look really good. You can even unpack and launch one from the water, how cool is that?

As soon as you mention that you might want to try one, your friends might look at you a bit strange and tell you it will sink and all sorts of things, but none have flown one. I can almost promise you that riding Flysurfers, could almost double your days on the water and if you try one, you will like it. I did.

The Serial Apostate


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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby PBKiteboarding » Wed May 01, 2013 3:08 am

Nice Review and Shots! Put up a vid if you have one... looks like some great Stuff.

We love m too!!... Just on my 12m today...
Will make a Video on 8m Speed 4 Soon....!
We're having a blast on these Kites! and teaching some new Customers for Spring!

Paul
www.PBKiteboarding.com

Nice Review... I like Video Reviews too really shows the Action...
Seasons LEI Rider too...

Here I am on my Ozone C4



Here on my Speed 3 12m...! Getting some air...


Some Mangoves:


Ah the Sunset Session! and some Glass!


Me and a Customer Cruising... Me on 12m him on 15m So much Fun!


Ah Man the Summer Lifesaver Video 21m and Flyrace...
I think I would have quit Kiteboarding if I didn't have this Power! 12days in a row in August when we never were able to
kite before! Now we look forward to Summer! Bring it on!



Preview of 8m Speed 4 only video for Winter so far..
Last edited by PBKiteboarding on Wed May 01, 2013 8:12 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby edt » Wed May 01, 2013 3:40 am

come on alex dont troll pumpy. I dont really trust this lance guy for one reason, it sounds like a pc user that just got converted to macintosh and has seen the light. speed3 is a great kite but it really sounds like this guy is writing ad copy for flysurfer.

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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby PBKiteboarding » Wed May 01, 2013 3:56 am

Keep flying them all... Life is short... what's next!
It's fun to know them both "well"...
then go to your vehicle with 2 kites of similar power a foil or lei or whatever
and then your hands grab the kite you want to use for the day...
Like a Weegie board decision...

Hmm what will it be.. Only you will know... if you want to know..
That's Kiteboarding for you... and Life!

Paul
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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby Kamikuza » Wed May 01, 2013 1:17 pm

edt wrote:come on alex dont troll pumpy. I dont really trust this lance guy for one reason, it sounds like a pc user that just got converted to macintosh and has seen the light. speed3 is a great kite but it really sounds like this guy is writing ad copy for flysurfer.
Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:41 am

It's a Lazarus troll :lol:

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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby alexrider » Fri May 03, 2013 9:30 pm

Kamikuza wrote:
edt wrote:come on alex dont troll pumpy. I dont really trust this lance guy for one reason, it sounds like a pc user that just got converted to macintosh and has seen the light. speed3 is a great kite but it really sounds like this guy is writing ad copy for flysurfer.
Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:41 am
It's a Lazarus troll :lol:
It's got to be Lazarus; he is still talking about Macintosh when everybody nowadays refers to Apple and iStuff.
Last edited by alexrider on Fri May 03, 2013 9:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby alexrider » Fri May 03, 2013 9:44 pm

edt wrote:come on alex dont troll pumpy. I dont really trust this lance guy for one reason, it sounds like a pc user that just got converted to macintosh and has seen the light. speed3 is a great kite but it really sounds like this guy is writing ad copy for flysurfer.
The guy was honest when he wrote it.

And I'm going to be honest too.
I am getting rid of my big foils (anyone for grabs for hardly used Sp3 12 and X-19 at crazy price?) for 2 reasons:
- Lost 12 kg in 3 months and planning to lose another 6 (thanks Ted).
- Small FS kites of are plenty fast enough, and handle gusts better than LEIs, whilst the latest big no (or one) strut kites turn fast enough to actually have fun and ride waves in very light winds.
That's the opposite of what everybody who's got both LEI and foils does. :jump:

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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby jrfiol » Sat May 04, 2013 1:23 am

alexrider wrote:
edt wrote:come on alex dont troll pumpy. I dont really trust this lance guy for one reason, it sounds like a pc user that just got converted to macintosh and has seen the light. speed3 is a great kite but it really sounds like this guy is writing ad copy for flysurfer.
The guy was honest when he wrote it.

And I'm going to be honest too.
I am getting rid of my big foils (anyone for grabs for hardly used Sp3 12 and X-19 at crazy price?) for 2 reasons:
- Lost 12 kg in 3 months and planning to lose another 6 (thanks Ted).
- Small FS kites of are plenty fast enough, and handle gusts better than LEIs, whilst the latest big no (or one) strut kites turn fast enough to actually have fun and ride waves in very light winds.
That's the opposite of what everybody who's got both LEI and foils does. :jump:
My english is geting bad, could you futher explainpoint two? Kindest regards

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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby alexrider » Sat May 04, 2013 10:40 pm

jrfiol wrote:
alexrider wrote:....
I am getting rid of my big foils (anyone for grabs for hardly used Sp3 12 and X-19 at crazy price?) for 2 reasons:
- Lost 12 kg in 3 months and planning to lose another 6 (thanks Ted).
- Small FS kites of are plenty fast enough, and handle gusts better than LEIs, whilst the latest big no (or one) strut kites turn fast enough to actually have fun and ride waves in very light winds.
That's the opposite of what everybody who's got both LEI and foils does. :jump:
My english is geting bad, could you futher explainpoint two? Kindest regards
10 m kites or smaller turn fast enough for all practical purposes. Waves, freestyle, whatever. It is a shame so few rider contemplate trying foils, let alone the small ones. In strong winds I generally prefer foils because they absorb gusts better and deliver power much more progressively. When switching from a foil to a tube kite, in gutsy gusty winds you've got the feeling it's all on or all off. Another point is that they relaunch far quicker than tubes, believe it or not.
On the other hand, the larger foils 19+ m, in spite of the fact they get you going and pointing up with minimal wind, because they turn so slow, don't allow you to do much more than lawn mowing back and forth and a bit of wakestyle stuff when the wind picks up a bit. I am really looking forward to try those big strut-less LEI kites; from all the reports so far, they are nearly as good as foils, as light, and unquestionably turn much faster, allowing a more riding styles (waves in particular).
By opting for small foils and large tubes, you haven't got the huge turning speed difference you've got with the classic hybrid quiver consisting of large foil kites and small LEIs.

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Re: Flysurfer kites reviewed by a seasoned LEI rider.

Postby Kamikuza » Sun May 05, 2013 1:06 am

alexrider wrote:because they turn so slow, don't allow you to do much more than lawn mowing back and forth and a bit of wakestyle stuff when the wind picks up a bit.
Depends on your level though, eh? If all you can do is ride back'n'forth and some basic freestyle, then you'll be happy with the sessions the big foils save :)


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