Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Airush Varial X

Forum for kitesurfers
knyfe
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 618
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2003 7:29 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 75 times

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby knyfe » Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:57 pm

The background is much more interesting !!! AND better looking for sure. G

User avatar
marlboroughman
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3368
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:12 pm
Style: Oldschool
Gear: Naish
Brand Affiliation: Make Kiting Great Again!
Location: CubaKiteLessons.com
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Contact:

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby marlboroughman » Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:57 pm

I didn't try it but it is bad news for me. I had Vapor I and still have II and III and those were the best kites on the market for what I want to do. I knew this day would come. The vapors were not selling well so they bastardized them. I don't blame Airush just the stupid trends. My favorite is 10 m Vapor III. Sits back lots of power in the turns but still has depower. Junks you up like C but floats in the jumps. Perfect for kite loops. f***, if worse comes to worse I will start copying them and making them myself. I am in fixing business so no problem but fuuuck every kite is a stupid freeride kite now.

User avatar
droffats
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 814
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:39 am
Style: Freeride, Hdrofoil, Waves, Big Air
Gear: Ozone, Ocean Rodeo, Cabrinha, Mystic
Brand Affiliation: www.adventurekiteboarding.com
Location: Kite Shop
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 68 times
Contact:

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby droffats » Sun Nov 20, 2011 6:02 am

This is the Varial X Race 15m in basically, no wind. Under 10 mph for sure. Maybe even down to 5mph. It's a slog, but you see the kite and it's turning etc.



I hope to get out on the 9m and 12m Varial X soon.

- Droffats

Schmidy
Medium Poster
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:21 am
Brand Affiliation: Airush
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby Schmidy » Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:39 am

Hi Marlboroughman,

I am picking up what you're putting down. Unfortunately, peoples preferences and tastes change year after year. But not to worry! there still is a lot of what you described about your Vapors in the Varial X. The guys in the UK who are big Vapor fans, like you, feel at home with the Varial X. I wouldn't consider this as a "set it and forget it" freeride kite, it loves to be moved, loops and jumped.

Cheers
Schmidy :thumb:
marlboroughman wrote:I didn't try it but it is bad news for me. I had Vapor I and still have II and III and those were the best kites on the market for what I want to do. I knew this day would come. The vapors were not selling well so they bastardized them. I don't blame Airush just the stupid trends. My favorite is 10 m Vapor III. Sits back lots of power in the turns but still has depower. Junks you up like C but floats in the jumps. Perfect for kite loops. f***, if worse comes to worse I will start copying them and making them myself. I am in fixing business so no problem but fuuuck every kite is a stupid freeride kite now.

User avatar
Kyle_F
Frequent Poster
Posts: 337
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:39 pm
Style: All-around
Gear: Airush
Brand Affiliation: Airush
Location: Maui, USA -Airush-
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby Kyle_F » Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:45 pm

BigZ wrote:Kyle_F,

Since you have experience with both could you elaborate more on Lithium vs. VX for waves, especially for onshore/cross onshore winds and small, mushy waves.

Thanks
Kyle_F wrote:Yo kite252,

I agree. The Varial X is a really fun kite. I havent been on the 12 much but I am really loving the 9. I normally ride the Lithiums in waves most days but I am really starting to like the float you can get on the VX. I'm really liking it in onshore waves or just playing around strapless.

Get the 9!
Hey BigZ,

I would pick the Varial X for dead onshore wave conditions. It has a really good forward speed that keeps up well with the faster breaking, all over the place waves you typically get in onshore winds. Also, when you go to the top of the wave to air things out, the Varial has a very positive hang that makes it a bit easier to transition back into the wave face. The drift help this kite keep good position.I find my self grabbing for the VX when the waves are flat since it has a great responsive feel and good hang for tricks or twin tip riding.

On the flip side, I would pick the Lithium for most other conditions. In side-on and sideshore conditons the Lithium has a very nice and tight turn. It makes it easier to keep the kite downwind of you keeping you powered down the line. This also makes downlooping smooth and easy if you are throwing that into your turns. This kite is simple to understand and stable. There is alot to be said about a comfortable kite in the surf. This one just doesnt lack performance. Another plus is the near automatic re-launch.This has saved me from a pounding many times in larger surf.

All in all, they are both exceptionally good kites. I could imagine you would be happy with either depending on your style and conditions.

I hope that helps!

eree
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1261
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:49 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: shallow sea
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby eree » Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:30 pm

so how difficult was to wright it on the airush.com: low profile, high AR, speedy kie, suitable for flat water and riders under 75kg?

User avatar
droffats
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 814
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:39 am
Style: Freeride, Hdrofoil, Waves, Big Air
Gear: Ozone, Ocean Rodeo, Cabrinha, Mystic
Brand Affiliation: www.adventurekiteboarding.com
Location: Kite Shop
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 68 times
Contact:

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby droffats » Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:58 am

The 9m gave me some love on Friday.



- Droffats

www.kiteboardmilwaukee.com

fuel
Medium Poster
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:05 am
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby fuel » Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:57 pm

marlboroughman wrote:I didn't try it but it is bad news for me. I had Vapor I and still have II and III and those were the best kites on the market for what I want to do. I knew this day would come. The vapors were not selling well so they bastardized them. I don't blame Airush just the stupid trends. My favorite is 10 m Vapor III. Sits back lots of power in the turns but still has depower. Junks you up like C but floats in the jumps. Perfect for kite loops. f***, if worse comes to worse I will start copying them and making them myself. I am in fixing business so no problem but fuuuck every kite is a stupid freeride kite now.
Hi

I agree with your view and for me the Vapor I 7m is still the top dog. I recently rode a 9m Razor 2012 and it blew me away. You just got to try it. Direct and fast turning with surprisingly good depower (I thought very close to the 10m VIII). It felt more like the Vapor I than the Vapor III and Vapor X and nothing like the Generator, a kite which I thought was slow. Anyway, it was so good that I bought a 5.5m (waves and high-wind) and 9m to go with the VI 7m. The 9m replaces my 10m VIII but it was touch and go whether or not I was going to replace it.

I'm hoping to demo a 7m Razor sometime soon which I suspect may end up being better than the 7m VI. Final quiver will be 5.5, 7 and 9m Razors. If you like the older Vapors then I think you should move to the Razor platform rather than the others.

s29feb
Frequent Poster
Posts: 343
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2006 6:55 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby s29feb » Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:00 am

marlboroughman wrote:I didn't try it but it is bad news for me. I had Vapor I and still have II and III and those were the best kites on the market for what I want to do. I knew this day would come. The vapors were not selling well so they bastardized them. I don't blame Airush just the stupid trends. My favorite is 10 m Vapor III. Sits back lots of power in the turns but still has depower. Junks you up like C but floats in the jumps. Perfect for kite loops. f***, if worse comes to worse I will start copying them and making them myself. I am in fixing business so no problem but fuuuck every kite is a stupid freeride kite now.

Dude try the Razor - it has a surprising amount of depower and reminds me of the Vapor 1's I had.... but better. I came off hybrid C kite this year onto them and I use them for everything from unhooking to old school and with half decent technique they will reward you with some serious height and hang but with an amazing amount of feedback and predictability. It is the most stable solid and in ways safe kite I have ever flown - if you know how to edge and don't need the supposed 100% depower then they rock :cool2:

Schmidy
Medium Poster
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:21 am
Brand Affiliation: Airush
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Airush Varial X

Postby Schmidy » Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:31 am

Good point S29feb and fuel!

Marlboroughman, maybe you simply outgrown the Vapor style/model/feel. Definitely consider the Razor c-kite. It might be what you have been longing for!

Cheers
Schmidy :thumb:


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Abaltasis, alekbelia, BillyGoatGruff, Bing [Bot], bshmng, decay, gl, grigorib, jjm, joop, Manxman, RagingGrandpa, Regis-de-giens, Vivo3d, Windwarrior, Xtream, y2kBug and 418 guests