HiHessel wrote:Any comments on the Varial X's freestyle/wakestyle capabilities? I'm finding loads of reviews and vids of it's performance in waves and jumping, but none about freestyle. Would love to hear from some wake or freestyler that rode this kite himself. (Unhooked, slack lines, pop, loops, trimming, bar pressure etc.)
true. The forum is back up and so here is the direct link to the section I referred too.Hessel wrote:The Razor is indeed better for wakestyle, but if the VarialX is more than sufficient for 99% of the riders, it would be nice having the extra range, depower and easier relaunch. (Like the RPM and the Fuel)
Me too, but like others say - if you have side shore then the Lithium and one tent to offer a lot more pull down the line and gives you longer on the rail. The Varial X is INCREDIBLE in onshore though, just sublime. One of those kites that just gels with your riding and you don't have to ever look at it!Kyle_F wrote: I would pick the Varial X for dead onshore wave conditions.
I have experienced this when it is really windy and I'm frankly overpowered. the kite is sitting back on full depower (or close to) and any change in wind direction or your pull on it (through breaking surf) will cause it to surge forward and then drop back. With all things left even it won;t do it, but we are asking a kite to drop a huge proportion of it's normal operating power to accommodate us, and it's falling back in the window a little, so when we wake it up it will surge forward again. Your weight and resistance to the kite in depower situations will also not bring enough tension in the lines to keep it as far forward as heavier riders so you'll find it surges a little more than someone who weighs 20kg extra..windtzu wrote: I know some kites are better (have a different character) in different sizes and wind conditions. I heard the Lithiums below 9 m tend to have even more of this "darting" character. Is this a delta thing?
This is an interesting question, and leads on perfectly from your first.. You are light - and that means you don't really need a lot of power or grunt - especially not when it's windy. You'll find the Varial a joy when it is windy - all lightweights do. It's a flatter kite and sits much further forward with lighter riders bringing less surging, and far more direct positive steering under higher levels of depower. The price you pay for this is light wind power. To get a Varial going well in lightwinds (and they do) you need an efficient enough board that you can build "apparent wind" and you need the skill in order to build speed and hold it.. Conversely the lithium is so easy - you just sheet in and it goes!windtzu wrote:I'm wondering how Varial compares to the Lithium and what's its flying characteristics, especially in the 7 meter size? Does it work in waves well enough compared to the Lithium?
Airush do make a lot of different kites, for this they have to be praised, but you need to know the real word differences between them. It's a complicated subject, and can sometime contradict, but when you get it right your riding comes alive!windtzu wrote:I'm not necessarily committed to using Airush, but already having the bars and knowing from my days windsurfing, it's often better to ride one brand of "sail". It's a familiarity thing.
I'm 158 lbs / 72 kg and primarily freeride - open ocean swell riding, small to medium waves.
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