JimmyRyder wrote: I am still debating which I should buy next for myself:
1) 10 or 12m ENVY compared to 9 or 12m SOLO ?!
2) 15m ENVY or 15.5m SOLO ?!
edt wrote:JimmyRyder wrote: I am still debating which I should buy next for myself:
1) 10.5m or 12m ENVY compared to 9 or 12m SOLO ?!
2) 15m ENVY or 15.5m SOLO ?!
2014 envy is a completely different kite this year direct connection no pulleys no more wingtip wraps split strut I am so stoked, and of course the max flow they had that for a few years now. Do not compare the 2013 envy to the 2014 envy if you haven't tried it yet, it is a completely different (and I think way better) kite.
kssnw wrote:Was able to try out the 12m Solo today in lightish but gusty Hood River conditions. Wind had a lot of south in it which makes the wind even more gusty than normal. I was thoroughly impressed with the kite. I switched to 2014 Envys this year (7,9,12) so that's my benchmark. I have loved the Envys. My interest in the Solo is mainly for river swell and ocean waves. Just strapless riding so no big jumps, loops, megaloops.
I had read some of the reviews so far, so was concerned about the flutter, ability to relaunch but stoked about the increased power, upwind ability, slimdown profile and the potential for wave riding and compact for travel.
Pumped up the kite, launched, and went straight upwind to the White Salmon bridge in one tack (while 13m and 14m kites were having difficulty holding position). I would not have done this on my 12m Envy. So the power is impressive. It does have flutter, but I guess this is expected with only one strut. It did not always flutter, and when it did the kite never deformed or compromised its flight. The kite turned quickly for its size. What I was most excited about was the steady pull of the kite across the window, making it much easier to stay perfectly on the face of a wave (small windchop today).
It was gusty and holey today and the Solo fit the bill for those conditions. The kite has great low end grunt. I would say that the Envy has better high end. But, then again it might just be time to get a smaller kite. I briefly took out a 9m Solo, but it was too light and not as much fun. I went back out on the 12m and had a great time.
I hope to try out the smaller sizes next in higher winds and hopefully some legit waves. I've heard the kite performs well (even better) in the small sizes but I must see for myself. So far so good for the SOLO! Very impressive kite with some real potential for wave riding!
I'm 190 lbs. I have thought about adding a 14 or 15m to my quiver for a super lightwind kite, but now I think I won't have to go any further than a 12m Solo (and will probably replace my 12m Envy).
John Doe wrote:I may be one of the few that has ridden one, I believe it was a prototype of one a few months ago. A couple caveats; #1 I'm not associated with LF in any way, #2 I'm not a big tech-gear guy-I don't get too into all the bells & whistles etc., #3 I have been kiting since the beginning of the sport so I somewhat know gear-waves well.
I was on Maui & was chatting with Julien about kites. He came in on his kite later & said, "here, try it & tell me what you think of it". I went out on the 6.5m in pretty light winds, most others were out on 9's or bigger. I rode it for about 20 minutes on a Cabrinha Wave board. The thing worked great, smooth power, smooth everything, quick turning. It did seem to have a lot of power for a 6.5m for sure. Sheeting in brought smooth powering up. I have some Cabrinha's & another brand or 2, compared to them the thing was noticeably smooth all around. It had medium to light bar pressure.
Julien had it rigged so that the throw on the bar was pretty close to your body. Meaning your arm isn't fully extended when you completely depower the kite. I like having my arm out all the way, reaching for the bar at max depower. Clearly this is rider preference.
Some of the strutless kites I saw did have relaunching problems. I saw one guy give up trying to relaunch a strutless, swam to it & flipped it over. Then he got it back up in the air.
That's my review in a nutshell. I was impressed with Julien as he seemed genuinely interested in what the average Joe had to say about his creation. He asked me about all my other gear, why I bought it, what I liked, anything I didn't like & all that. Fun day.
JD
tobikites wrote:JimmyRyder - not sure if you already decided, but it sounds like the 15.5 solo would fit your bill really well for those light wind days. I would definitely go with that over the NRG or envy in that size.
At your other range I would be somewhat split and would make it dependent on your riding style. My standard kite in San Francisco is the 10.5 Envy and I love it. I am out on my regular twin tip when others on 12s and 14s struggle to stay upwind. I can also take it out when most ride their 9s. The kite just has an incredible range.
So, looking at your original question, I would almost recommend to go with a 10.5 envy and 15.5 solo if you want to have just 2 kites and cover a large wind range