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hi my name is paul and i recently purchased the windmasters splash 4.5m closed cell power kite for a very good price from "torquay kite and windsurf centre" believe it or not in torquay, devon. I use to own a 3.4m2 NPW which got me into power kiting i am into kite boarding now and have come along way , i think anyway. right the kite, it is made from a quality ripstop nylon and shows quality workmanship, it is a closed cell kite and just has two one way air pockets to fill it up which does take a couple of tough pulls on the lines to get it going but once filled it heads of at speed to the top of the window and seems like it just wants to carry on up, i think this kite produces tremendous pull, and float for example my partner was on it the other day and off she went shooting a good couple of meters into the air it was a good job i had hold of her as she is still an intermediate. iv noticed the kite has a tendency to fly back over your head and brakes have to be applied quickly to prevent stall. When comfortably in the window though it pulls at speed and takes me flying on my scrub photon across the field/beach.As a closed cell it is suitable for water and this is where i am still yet to try it out and also on snow. i have just updated my large skimboard with footstaps and fins which when the warm weather returns i shall get on it swiftly. and also we are goin to austria to tie the knot as suvh so there i can try out snow kiting i will update my review as time goes on and the more experience i get with this kite you shall read about it. By : pablo27

Just a quick write-up on the new HQ Neo foilkite. The kite comes in a nice bag, large enough to hold two of them. The kite itself looks really well made. It is designed by a former Ozone designer, although it looks more like a Flysurfer type of kite. It has four valves to let the air in and one zipper on its back to let the air out again when it's time to go home. The valves work alright, the kite has no problem inflating (well, not in the winds I flew it in anyway). The bar looks and feels nice, it has some weight to hold on to, and floaters at the sides. The bar has the two usual safeties: primary (extending the power lines) and secondary (losing the entire kite). The primary safety also has an extension line that goes down though the bar. The idea is probably that you won't have to reach that far to operate the safety, but chances are that you operate is by accident now, so HQ advices on removing the extension line when jumping. I removed it, because I didn't see an added use for it. This kite is supposed to be a crossover kite. Because of the valves the kite is water relaunchable and can be used on both land and water. I only got to use it on land, so I can't comment on the wet aspects. I flew the kite in strong winds, ranging from 18 to 25 knots, so I had a great change to fly it in its sweet spot! As I said: in these winds the kite had no problem whatsoever inflating. I didn't have to even gave it a gentle tug to get it airborne: just releasing the bar was enough to send it on its way up. Landing was a different story. Getting it down was not a problem; keeping it there was. It worked best when I set the trim strap to full power. Any other way had the kite airborne again. Flying the kite is a dream! It does have lift, but it didn't strike me as a freestyle kite. No problem for me, since I'm more a cruising type myself. What is does have is an enormous depower range! It munches gusts for breakfast and when you let the bar out it simply loses all it's power! Because of this I think I could have used an 8.0 or even 10.0 version in this winds (which should give more lift) and still not be overpowered! It is amazingly stable and predictable and I loved flyboarding with it. Because of the depower I never felt out of control. There's not much more I can add to this really; I think it could replace my Access XC 6.0 (it sure beats the Access' depower range), but I have no interest in water based activities. If you do want a foil that you can use on both surfaces, that you can launch and land by yourself and doesn't break the bank then a Neo might be just the kite for you! By : jesse

I have been fly traction kite for about a decade now mostly kiteskiing and buggying. The kites I have been using are a 3.2 c-quad and most recently a quadrifoil Q2004(3.9 sqm). The flysurfer cool is the first bar and depowerable kite that I have flown. I am writing this review after about 12 hours of flying the kite in different situations. As I have read before it seem to take a couple good hours of flying for the this kite to break in. I would never have believed that a kite could get better with repeated flights until I flew the Cool. It has taken me a while to get use to using a control bar but now I would not go back to a tradtional traction kite with handles and no depower. I was a little scared to hook my harnes into the chicken loop but after I while I have ended being scared not being hooked in since just hanging on the bar is full power while pushing the bar forward is depower. The kite depowered will fly farther into the wind window and travel with greater speed. I have had the kite luff only a few times and this was due to gusty erratic mountian windows and have the kite at the edge of the wind window. The more I fly and learn how to handle this kite the less I am seeing it luff. Yesterday I was flying in winds that average about 6-7 miles per hour with 10 mph gusts. I was on a pair of long narrow skis so for those who do not ski I was lacking surface area to float. I 190 pounds and the snow I was on consisted of rotten sugar snow. I was sinking in about 8 inches until I got moving. The wind was on the low side so I had to work the kite through the ski by alternating powering and depowering the kite while turning it. It took a while but once I started to move with some speed I was able to slowly make my way up wind. I was able to carry a relativley modest speed across the wind. Remembering that I weigh a lot and the snow was vary soft I was impressed with the sessision and had a good time. Today I went out to the same field with fat skis only to find the snow with an unbreakable crust on top. Winds were ranging around 8-13 mph with gusts reaching into the low 20s. When the wind was blowing around 8 mph I would get moving and then sheet the kite by pulling in the large yellow tab, this would in sense be the kite pull less but it would increas the speed of the kite. It would not take long until I was reaching speeds that I usaully only see in the moutains while I am on my skis. Once one starts moving with this kite it screams through the sky. I feel that I reached speeds approuching 20-30 mph in relativley light winds. I was able to race vehicles in a quarter mile straight stretch that is next to the field and I was able to out accelate the cars if I was already moving. I would stop after cruising along and be stunned when my wind meter would tell me that the wind was only blowing around 8 mph. When the started to reach into the low teens I sarted to do small jumps with my biggest about 5 ft in the air and float of a couple seconds. I know that this in not a jumping kite but it sure does seem to offer smooth landings. With more jumps under my belt I was able to continue make a small jump, <4ft in height, land and continue sking and make another jump. I checked and the wind was only blowing between 10 and 13mph when I could start making jumps. I live in the Rocky Mountains in an area that always provides a turbulent wind with constant guest and lolls. I day like today I would have had now luck with my other kites because of spordic wind, but with the Cool I could make instant adjustments while flying. If I thought the wind was starting on a gust cycle I would sheat the kite in for less pull and better performance at the edge of the window with faster speed and better upwind performance. When I felt that the winds were constant and I wanted to jump or needed the power I would sheat out. I did pull the saftey release while flying. The wind was gustying and the kite was fully sheated in and I was quickly running out of room in the field due to traveling at a very high rate of speed. I could see the snowing starting to blow over my shoulder as a large gust was about ready to hit so I pulled the release fell to the ground and was drug for a few feet until the kite fully depowered. If I had handles I would have let go and problay had tochase my kite for a mile into trees before it stopped. I am impressed with the Flysurfer Cool and I would highly recommend it for land tractioning. I can not wait for the snow to melt so I can take the kite buggying. I am predicting some very fast buggy runs. By : scott

Flysurfer Cool 9.0m Having flown the Rookie 2 6.0m for about a year, it was time to try the Cool. The bag is a bit dull but it does the job (flying the kite not the bag). As mentioned in other reviews all the lines come pre-attached and all the cells are open. Had a good look at the stiching and all appeared neat and tidy . There is no reinforcements on the openings but there isn’t any on my Rookie 2 and it’s not been a problem. The set up is real easy, no pulleys to worry about it uses rings for the bridle to run through. The line length is 21 metres but you also have the lines from the bar and the bridle which takes it to about 25metres.The cost is £449 I took it down to the local field and set it out (compared to the 6metre it looked a lot bigger). The wind was blowing from about 8mph upwards, pulled the trimmer line in a bit and hooked in. It went up beautifully and gave some nice pull, the bar is 55cm, 5cm bigger than the Rookie but it does feel much bigger. It does seem slow in the turns especially when at the lower end of the wind range, having said that though it really impressed me with the amount of pull and lift it generated. Once on my board it had me zipping along in winds less than 10 mph but I did need to work it abit, pulling the kite to the zenith and powered up and up you go, very nice and floaty. It’s a very nice all round kite you can cruise with ease or go for jumps or tricks (once jumps sorted hope to try a trick or two). The wind just started to pick up to about 20 mph and with the trimmer nearly all the way out I was getting involuntarily lifted of the ground which was very unnerving, pulling in the trimmer sorted it. I am a light weight but will be checking the forcasts very carefully for gusty conditions. With the summer winds this should hopefully be less of a problem. Have now tried in various conditions and this kite fly’s really well in all but really gusty conditions. I have just got back from some snowkiting in Iceland, the majority of other guys on the trip were on Ozone’s, just me and one other on Flysurfer’s. Both the Cool and the Rookie 2 performed brilliantly. Having the space on the glacier really enables you to get upwind and explore the kites fully, unfortunately I didn’t have a GPS with me to check the speed but I wasn’t hanging about. The kites were exposed to some extreme conditions and they came through with no problems at all. One point to note, it got really windy at one point which meant the kite wouldn’t sit still on the snow using the safety but neither would the Ozones’ – that’s life I guess when winds change suddenly. I’m glad I bought the kite, I looked at the HQ Montana in comparison but this was a lot more expensive and uses pulleys like the Frenzy, I did consider the Sabre but was told of the new one coming out later in the year and also how it doesn’t really like inland conditions, there was one on the trip to Iceland and it didn’t fly well in these conditions, don’t know why but I’m glad I didn’t have one. I like the simple set up of the Cool, no pulleys just unpack and go and you can adjust the trimmer strap on the go which really sold it for me. It may be cheap for a depowerable kite but you really are getting a lot of kite for your money, if you get the chance give one a try. Author : redwine

These are water relaunchable foils, with sealed valves which stop water and anything else getting in. All sizes are nearly semicircular in shape, made from fairly thin ripstop, with a full crossover bridle. I have only flown them on a bar with a three line set up, two power lines to the fron and a single killer on the brakes. A large bar is used and the break line is kept fairly slack. Inflating. The kites all need manual (pump) inflation, until they are virtually full they fly like a carrier bag, and are comp[letely rubbish. I bought mine second hand a very cheaplybecause people said they were awful and would fly. Once inflated though, the change in character. They have a thick profile need a huge volume of air for their size. Flying. Once up and flying they are normally well behaved kites, very stable with a constant pull throughout the window. Very lifty and strong pulling for the size. The 3.6 is slightly stronger than my 4m Blade II. Flight is very straight with the bar flat and responds to input very easily. A big bar is needed as these are quite big kites, a crossover might help but has not been tried. Landing. Pulling the brake line causes the kite to reverse and land very very neatly on its trailing edge and ready for action. Relaunching from this position is very simple with the kite taking off. Speed can be controlled with the brakes limitting pull until ready. If unside down the breaks will reverse the kite easily for relaunch both on and off water. If the kite lands leading edge first it very quickly rolls over and relaunches which can catch unawares, but the brakes will keep that under controlled. Downside. Gusts this is normally no problem as the kite rides gust well, but if the kite luffs it has a tendency to fold drop unpowered into the middle of the widow and power up violently. As long as tension is kept on the lines this shouldn't happen. Upside. Body dragging throught the surf with these is brilliant fun, you can dump them in the water and they relaunch 100% of the time. They are good for beginning to mountain board, slow stable and strong pulling. Leaving alone. These need staking down with a good pull on the brakes, They then sit quite happily fully inflated for ages. A short fly for top up the air and bang they are off again All in all a bit quirky, but a good kite. My youngest daughter flies the smallest and apart from the inflation time prefers it to here 2.1 little devil. By : Tele Player

Prologue Well I am sorry it has taken me this long to write a review of the Pulse. I have had the Pulse pretty much since they were first released in this county after pre-ordering a 7m 2 months before release. I then ordered a 13m and had to wait another 2 months while the orders before mine cleared, wow this is a popular kite! I wish I could say I would be writing this review if the weather was windy but it would be a lie! Introduction I purchased both my kites from Sven at Oceonside.co.uk I have always found his help in-valuable when dealing with my other FS kites and always like to return the favor by buying my new gear through him. I originally ordered a 7m Pulse to replace my devil of a Pyscho2 7m, I always found it too much for me in high winds and I wanted something more sedate. After a few flights I enjoyed the lack of hassle when re-launching and it's friendly nature so I decided to order a 13m to replace my Speed 10m, little did I know it would be 2 months before I saw her! Flysurfer kites have always been more powerful than there LEI equivalents, the Speed was the pinnacle of this development. The pulse is a step down however still maintains the tradition; The 7m is the equivalent of a 7m to a 10.5m LEI where as the 13m is the equivalent of a 13 to 19.5m lei. Back Ground The Pulse was designed to be the successor to the Extacy, although a successful kite; many people found the larger size slightly lacking in power and performance. Both the Extacy and Pulse were designed as beginner to intermediate or wave riding kites. However the pulse has a trick up its sleeve, the pulse has a new bridle system which allows for bow like de-power (high de-power). The Pulse colour schemes change in each size which is helpful as it gives an indication as to what other people are flying, these are: * 5m - Blue * 7m - Red * 10m – Yellow / Orange (due to high demand yellow fabric ran out) * 13m - Blue The graphics on the pulse remind me a lot of the old style kites and is a welcome return, the simple design looks excellent. The pulse also come as standard like all Flysurfer kites with a 6 month free repair, this offer always puts me at ease because it means any damage I manage to cause to the kite will be reparable. This to me shows that Flysurfer believe in their products! Technical Data The Bag Flysurfer bags have always been a good design for those of you which don't know they are designed to accommodate 2 average sized kites and a board or two on the outside. I can easily fit a Pulse 7 and 13m + 4.9m Blade in the bag with a Flydoor on the outside (it is getting heavy at this point). To get this mass of kit in the bag, the bags have an expanded front which zips closed; this zip is prevented from damaging kites by a flap of material. The bag also has meshed areas to allow air to get to the kites. Personally I would rather the bags didn't have this as they only seem to manage to dump sand around the house and get me in trouble! Overall the quality of the bags is very high, I recently moved out of my uni house and used my spare pulse bag to carry my lecture notes when I got home I weighed it with a fish scale and found it weighed over 20kgs. These bags are made to last!! Bar and Lines The bar area on the pulse has gone through quite a significant redesign. The bar itself is carbon wrapped in colour coded neoprene and is very similar to older generation Flysurfers. The difference comes in the leader lines and safety, gone is the blue leash line, what you now get is a 5th line which when pulled folds the kite in half where it floats down with very little pull, ready for re-launch. You also get 'Oh Sh*t Handles' these handles can also be used as a safety however, when used in high wind can cause the LCLs at the kite to break. The 'Oh Sh*t Handles' are however, excellent at flagging the kite out at the end of a session. The trimmer has also massively increased in size to cope with the longer de-power line, full de-power is available through the bar travel the trimmer is only there for unhooked moves, I often find it use full though to change trimmer setting in low wind to prevent over sheeting. The line lengths which come as standard are 21m, this is changeable in increments of 3m from 21 down to 0m. This is excellent for both wave riding and changing wind conditions and further increases the wind range of the kite. Forces on the bar are also changeable through the WAC line. This line allows the steering forces to be changed from hard to soft in increments of 6 steps this allows the kite to be modified to anyone preferences my personal preference is full soft on the 13m and standard for the 7m. Another thing you will notice is that French safety standards have started being introduced. On the chicken loop there are weight recommendations for the safe usage of the kite, this is due to the safety being designed to rupture if put through excessive load. On my Speed I once had the safety clip release when landing the kite this sent the kite flying down the beach; since then I have never used the standard leash instead I have modified the clip with a climbing Crab, as a runaway kite is a very dangerous thing. The pull the pulse generates when on safety is minimal though so I find it hard to believe the clip would open however using the crab removes any chance of the buckle not clipping together (due to sand or something else) and also allows me to use the leash as a suicide leash in the future. The Kite First thing you will notice about the canopy is the low aspect ratio and the thickness of the canopy. This low aspect ratio and thickness gives the kite incredible grunt and allows very quick, tight turning. Another point worthy of notice is the design of the new deflation zip. The normal FS design is to have one or two small zips on the leading edge; the pulse has a massive zip on the upper surface. This new zip is a big improvement when packing away. The speed of pack up at the end of a session is now even quicker; just to rub it in to the LEI riders when it starts raining Construction of the canopy like all flysurfer is second to none; the quality of stitching and fabric is something other company's should take notice of. When the deflation zip is open the complexity of the internal structure of the kite shows that a lot of craftsmanship has gone into each kite. As with previous flysurfers Jetflaps are still present although it is obvious again slight modification have been carried out on them. There are two inlet valves present on the leading edge and 4 over pressure valves. Jetflaps are a clever patented design by flysurfer. It is common knowledge in aerodynamics that the stall is simply the airflow separating from the wing. During a back stall (occurs through sheeting in too far, or over flying) the stall begins at the trailing edge, jetflaps work like blown flaps on an aircraft, as the stall begins and flow starts to separate, air is blown through the jetflaps conditioning the flow on the trailing part of the wing and equalizing the pressure. All this allows for; higher angles of attack to be reached before back stall begins and a more stable kite. What Flysurfer say: "The JetFlap optimizes and stabilizes the current around the wing. In the high angle-of-incidence range, there is no flow separation thanks to the JetFlap" Setting up Setting up a flysurfer is a real strong point of these kites, the 5th line can sometimes complicate things if you not careful when packing away but overall it's a doddle. When I first started using flysurfers I had some difficulty with tangles however, once you have the method for packing away sorted it's no longer a problem. Set up and packing away takes around 2 mins. Launching and Landing There are two methods of launching the Pulse both require either a weight or sand and a small amount of pre-inflation, because of the low aspect ratio the pulse inflates very quickly even though it only has two vents on the leading edge. Hot Launch, is launching directly downwind of you this is only suitable for very low winds (sub 10knots). The second option is side launching where a weight is placed on the kite's upwind wingtip with the lines at about 45 degrees to the wind direction, a quick tug and up the kite goes no drags no fuss. The kite only takes a few second to fully inflate once launched and during this time the pull of the kite is significantly reduced, a small amount of pre-inflation before launch helps the kite fill up a lot quicker and gives a bit more control. Landing is a bit of an interesting point with the pulse there are a few options; * The best method is to have an assistant to grab the kite for you and lay the kite on the ground this keeps the lines in good order and is the safest method. * In low wind it is possible to back stall the kite to the ground this is not good idea in higher wind due to the low aspect ratio which means the kite has a great deal of rest pull. * The final method and the only viable method for landing on your own in high wind is to use the FDS. The FDS system puts the kite to the center line which folds the kite like a taco and leaves the kite with very little pull even in high wind. The biggest downside to this system is it can take some time for the kite to come down, the best way to get the kite on the ground quickly is to move towards the kite, removing tension n the line. The FDS leaves the lines with many twists in them however; the kite is still re-launchable from this state. Flying The kites have only really been used for surfing; so far I have clocked 80 to 100hrs on the water with them but have not really used them on land with exception of two short sessions. I have also leant them out to a few friends who fly bows for them to try and also so I could get a fly of some of the new SLEs / Hybrids! The kites are not the fastest through the air however; they make up for this lack of speed in grunt. People who have flown them have been impressed by there grunt and surprised by how they are still good in low wind. My two kite quiver (of a 7m and 13m) gets me out from about 9 knots up to 36knots which is more or less spot on what flysurfer give, at 36knots (40mph) I tend to stop for my own safety as I am not yet at a level where I feel safe at those winds speeds. The 13m goes from 9knots and is fun at about 12knots I can hold it to 26knots but switch at about 22knots as the 7m is well powered. Upwind is excellent on both kites, when combined with a flydoor getting upwind is a piece of cake and is sometimes done without even realizing it. I do however; have a lot more fun on my misfit. Turning A major aim in the design and development of the pulse was to improve turning speed from previous kites. I feel that they have achieved this goal, the 7m turns very quickly and the 13m turns quickly for its size. Their low aspect ratios allow both kites to turn well within a wingspan this makes the 13m; a kite which I felt may be too large to be a great kite. Care has to be taken in light wind when steering the kite as it is possible to kill the power of the kite though over steering. When comparing the turning of a foil another important element to take into consideration is the size for size power for example a 13m Pulse develops the equivalent power of an 18 to 19m LEI and turns a fair bit quicker! De-power The De-power of the Pulse was one of the main selling points and something which was pushed very hard by flysurfer's marketing department, it was also something which personally made the pulse a viable alternative to the Speed and the Pyscho2. The de-power on the pulse is more than on any other flysurfer, sheeting the bar fully out gives a huge reduction in power this was demonstrated in a flysurfer video by someone holding the chicken loop with their little finger! It is important to remember that there is a limit to the amount of de-power the Pulse has, just like all other SLEs, Bows and Hybrids; it is not an on off magic switch! With the bar out there will always be some pull, this pull increases as the wind speed increases. Therefore passing the kite through the power zone in moderate to high winds will still result in a body dragging but it won't be as bad as a normal foil. What the Pulse offers is a massive amount of de-power, when the bar is fully sheeted out. It offers a safety net when trying new tricks which allows you progress a lot quicker. Another difference worthy of notice when comparing the Pulse with current SLEs and bows is how the de-power on the pulse is linear. This allows sheeting out during gusts to be more accurately to a point where gusts are no longer felt and makes tricks a lot easier. Stability The Pulse is the most stable Flysurfer I have ever flown, in shifting lumpy winds there is no kite I would rather go out with. The low aspect ratio combined with the high number of cells with increased internal pressure makes this kite a very rigid structure. When a bad gust hits the kite will move foreword however due to the low aspect ratio this is limited and the large de-power range allows the power to be lost with a small movement of the bar, when the gust subsides the kite will just drift back looking at the canopy show little to no affect on the kite shape. When riding it is very rare that gusts are even noticed, overall this makes the pulse an even more friendly kite. Jumping This kite is not targeted at advanced riders, therefore when I purchased the kite I did not expect it to be a jumping machine. The Pulse does however jump…. and jumps well; the additional de-power provides a massive wind range which makes these kites one of the best jumping kites I have owned combine this with the kites low aspect ratio gives tremendous pop, enough to rival a lot of LEIs this makes carving upwind and popping of the water very fun and makes the kite a great wake style kite. In terms of height achieved in a jump, this kite can't compare with the Speed however, in my opinion these kites jump better than the Pyscho2. The 7m Jumps very well at the upper end of the wind range, the speed at which the kite can be sent allows for massive jumps, it is important to pay attention the first few times when directing the 7m as it is very easy to over re-direct. The 13m jumps well for its size as well which surprised me due to its size. The hang time which is available with this kite is silly. This kite is a great kite to learn to jump with due to the kite being more sedate when redirecting it also allows a lot of time to spot your landings. Overall the kite allows for a slower pace during jumps and a better learning platform. Long term quality I have decided to add this section as I have had a few problems with my Pulses. Both my pulses are from relatively early manufacturing batches and as such some of these problems have been fixed in following batches. A few days after receiving my 13m Pulse a problem emerged on foilzone. 2 Pulses had suffered blown cells with rips beginning at the blow out valve and propagating downwards through the whole cell. I rarely check the inside of the kite however, after these reports I checked all my blowout valves; from this I found one end of the stitching on one valve had come apart, only a very thin line of stitching on the cell was preventing the rip propagating down the cell. I quickly rang the UK distributor (Sven @ Oceanside) who's response and service was second to non! He offered to re-stich the kite himself he also explained how I could do it myself. I chose to do it on my own as I didn't want to be without a kite. This has made a valve which now appears stronger than any of the other valves. I also finished all the other valves stitching top and bottom on both the 7m and the13m to prevent this happening again. A lot of feedback was given on this problem on Foilzone,com and Armin the lead designer for Flysurfer gave us his assurance that all future kites would have the blowout valve stitching checked. Another niggle I have had with my pulse is how the deflation zip which is plastic coated metal has begun to rust, it is not obvious however, some orange discoloring has occurred. This is my no means a major problem and I doubt will ever become a major issue. Overall I am very impressed with the quality of the kite, the repair kit provided with the kite is second to none they even included spare bridle parts! I am yet to see a company who has the same customer support which flysurfer has both in terms of after service care and quality of product. Conclusion Overall I am happy with my kites both these have by far exceeded my expectations. The Pulse is the perfect kite for anyone who is not an advanced or competition rider. They will suite anyone getting into the sport and anyone simply looking to progress, without having there ass handed to them all the time. Every Flysurfer is an advance on the previous design, the pulse however, was a jump from the Speed in both turning speed and de-power. All I can say is Flysurfer is showing that they can easily keep up with tube kite design and advance foil kite development. Well done Armin and Team! Author : HippyMchop

I've used both LEI (16m x2) and various flysurfer kites including the psycho1 and warrior. So whats it like? Well out of the bag, its well made, packs down nicely and has afew new features that should increase it longevity such as: 1. blow off valves (Aye Aye!) which should open if you pile it into the water/ground on its front edge, and stop it popping like a paper bag. 2. small loops of bridle that should snap in preference to the insertion points on the kite, so if you do break them they should be easy enough to replace. 3.Reinforced 500lb center line (I snapped the psycho 1 300lb lines at least 3 times) Set up is ok, provided you are used to it. First of all lay out the kite and shake out the bridles, next untangle the control lines. This is more complex than previous FS's in that there are three layers of contol lines. It sort of make sense when you see it but could be a bit of a nightmare if you are not used to bridling. (i.e straight of LEI's). The extra complexity here allows the kites angle of attack to be varied hugely with a very sort range on the depower at the bar. So far I've not had too many problems, except the first time I used it (in 28mph winds, not ideal) and now I'm used to it, it takes me about 5 mins to set up and be off. Take off is ok, I usually self launch at the side of the window. Once had a problem in high wind with too much weight on one end, the kite half inflated then dragged backward without taking off. Had to dump it on the safety. No problems next time with a little more preinflation a fiddle with the wac system (more of this later) and less sand. In the sky, very stable, very fast on the turn, very little tip curl (with the factory wac settings), and very light on the arms. The small degree of imput on the bar includes the power up, overpower/stall as the bar is draw towards you. It does depend on how you have the depower strap pulled, full on the power up range is about 20 cm (i.e very very short. In low winds you fly with no depower stap and the power up range is 0, i.e. the kite flies like a LEI on full depower. Generally I have the depower strap pulled about 1/4 and this gives about 6cm pull on the bar for full power. Pull beyond this the kite will stall and slowly drop backwards. Grunt is great, as is pop, hang time needs a good pilot with hands used to the short power range. I find the kite has a tendancy to drop me out the sky quickly sometimes, othertimes you float down like a feather. I suspect this is related to the inflight piloting. The grunt is great for low wind flying, and the turn speed allows you to Sine like a LEI (unlike the old Psychos). I have had the 10 keeping me upwind with 2m jumps in 12mph wind. Give the kite some wind 15mph-23mph and its heaven on wings. It does fly like a LEI quite alot in that you rely on board edge quite alot to cope with the gusts. JUmps are easy, but the bar system could do with something like the cabrinha power ball to keep consistent power on during flight, because oversheet, undersheet and you is heavier than meeting with Michael Howard. Overpowered it behaves and keeps you on you toes with the grunt kicking in the gusts and (on one occasion ripping me off the board for a 20m downwind power belly slide!) Relaunch is the best I've seen, either release and retrive the bar, or pull on one of the side lines and the kite should flip up and off. Only in light winds (like the 12mph I was in) get the kite wet, and its going nowhere. Safety, again excellent, (this is why I have FS), chicken loop relase- and pull stop system works reliabley and well. Also kite dump if ness available. I generally surf alone and find the FS are very good for self launch self land (better than the X2) Overall, great, Im really pleased, it has some drawbacks, the short power range on the bar, Also I've noticed some wear on the lines that pass through the pulleys and the kite is only 20x used. By : sheff

After my good lady has now decided my old Beamer II 3.6m is officially hers (not sure how!) I decided to go out and get a similar sized kite but now thanks to using a friends massive Frenzy, get a depower. Due to the fact I've got (or have access to) bigger, performance kites - I decided on a Flysurfer Cool 4.0m as my latest aquisition. Looking on this board, I noticed a cerain Manx-man selling said kite at a reasonable price and after a few ' complications' with our friendly postal service (my end), the new old kite turned up at my local post office! Right on with the review... The Bag Old racekites cliche, but you don't fly the bag and all that. However was pleasantly surprised with the great quality and enormous size of the rucksack. It will comfortably house 2 kites and control gear and has no zips or anything which is likely to snag the kite material lines. Control Gear Colour coded, well stretched (well it is second hand) lines and basic depower control configuration. It doesn't have all the safety features the more expensive Ozone kites may have, but not overly concerned considering it's only 4m. Overall happy with it! The Kite Soft 4.0m, royal blue and white (great colours being a Birmingham City fan!!) No reinforcement to openings but generally very well constucted, quality bit of kit. Bridles After having a mare with the Frenzy's pulleys and general Heath Robinson construction (!), suprised to see a very simple arrangement that is very beginner friendly. First Flight Rubbish Second Flight Went out on winds between 15-20mph (according to skylinkweather). Messed around with the trimmer for two minutes then first proper flight. Straight up to the zenith, no overflying at all, and gently pulling me up. Great so far - a very simple friendly kite. Dipped into the power and the fun began, not massive Blade type antics, but smooth pulls and power-up jumps. Due to it's predictable behaviour, was able to fly it for over an hour without tiring and it didn't luff (seriously) once. Decided this was my high end wind kite straightaway (considering I don't go flying in >25mph winds). Overall Not a thrills and spills kite in this size but a great introduction to very well made depower kites. Now to save up for the limited edition FS Speed!!! By : davekermito

Well what can I say.............Well quite a lot actually. I bought this kite second hand off a great guy and the kite and bag was near enough brand new. I paid £362 kite only which is a silly price for such a fantastic piece of kit. My first impressions where thank god the bag is as nice as my Guerilla. There were a couple of differences, better pockets and a nice hole for the spars plus a much nicer inner bag but the downside was that unlike my G2 the whole kite with spars fitted didnt fit in the outer bag. The spars dont seem as strong as the G2 either but we will see how they go. The kite quality looks great just like my G2 and the enhancements are small but brilliant. - Launch assist, so simply but anyone who has owned a PL kite will tell you its annoying when the kite is flapping and the lines go underneath so you have to go back to the kite and try again. All they have done is stick a little bit of velcro on each tip where you secure the lines, brilliant. When you walk back, the tension pulls the lines out of the velcro and up she goes, simple. - Inflation zips, again simply but how much better it is. My G2 has a zip in the middle of which your supposed to be able to walk away whilst it inflates itself, not the case because as soon as it gets slighty inflated it closes the hole hence you have to stand holding the hole open. The Venom has a zip on each tip which means where you put the sand to weigh it down that also keeps the kite from closing the hole hence setup your bar, come back and kite inflated. Plus because the holes are on the leading edge it makes a more efficient job of filling the kite. - In kite power adjuster, Im not sold on this one yet. It does change the kite a bit but i havent noticed that much benefit at the moment, maybe gimmick maybe me?? - Smaller cells, I can not tell you the difference this makes. The kite has a much better feel though the bar. It seems really solid and so far hasnt folded like a sweet wrapper which my g2 does occasionally. I think this is also responsible for the difference in turn speed which is far superior than the G2 to the point it feels like a different kite but in a good way, no great way. As i bought the kite only i can not comment on any differences re the bar and lines. What I can say is I have used the Venom on my PL bar and also a nice Caution bar and though the Caution worked ok it didnt have anywhere near the depower range of the PL one so I would recommend a PL bar unless someone knows of other bars with a similar depower range as the peter lynns? I love arcs. I have never crashed my G2 15m but the second day with my Venom i crashed it into the ground quite hard due to the wind turning it inside out and inverting my control. No damage at all, if that was my Caution LEI I would be replacing the leading edge baldder. One other thing that seems to have improved is the auto zenith though Im not sure if this was down to how i had the G2 setup. The Venom just sits above you whilst you eat your sandwich, have a cup of coffee and wonder what you were doing standing there, oh yeah flying a kite, where is it???LOL In summary I can be nothing but positive about this kite, its an ideal size and though the changes are small the improvements/benefits are big. Downside: I was fortunate and got my V for a great price. I still think that if i had little cash the £200 second hand price difference between a G2 and Venom probably isnt worth it. The Guerilla 2 is a great kite with a couple of annoying tendancies but for over £200 cheaper than a second hand Venom it would be my choice for value for money. All that said if you have the cash its a Venom every time. Nice one Peter Lynn, with these kites the only competition out there is bows and I still think a Venom would hold its ground...... Go get one. (I liked them that much I bought 2!!!) By : Ramsey

vio s little baby is a well made fast and furious fun machine . the quality of material stitching is second to none . nice blue colour with the usual logo on the underside . only suplied with 20m lines which aren't much good for flying inland which is where i fly the most so replaced them with a set of 25m lines . first time out was in 10mph wind and after connecting the lines to a bar set about getting it in the air. went up OK but not enough wind for a kite of this size to perform properly , turns well and comes down on the brakes OK . you have to watch out for it spinning as something this small doesn't need a lot of input to get it turning. second time out was in higher winds and what a difference , fast and furiouser flying fun . small touches on the brakes sent it into a sharp turn that had to be controlled carefully or it would spin . on the trailing edge of the kite are three vents which are held closed by Velcro , these are dirt outs but as the leading edge has fine gauze across it debris is unlikely to get in . another use i have come up with for these vents is to fly the kite with them open and increase what was already a high wind kite into hurricane flying capabilities (not serious about hurricane ) leaving the vents open will allow air to pass straight through the kite and let it fly slower. this is a size of kite which is often overlooked by people concentrating on getting big kites but when you think about it this sort of kite deserves as much if not more attention than bigger kites ! why ? well although you might not get to fly them as often as others when you do the conditions are such that it is very demanding flying .high winds ,small kites that turn fast and respond to only slight amounts of input and that will last . when you manage to crash them they wont burst a cell and end up in the bin. to get the best out of the conditions you do need a good kite !this is a good kite , you get a plain plastic sleeved bag which is OK ,mine didn't come with handles or bar (i was given it )fully kitted out with bar or handle option the cost is £105 ; is it worth it ,yes ! would i buy one now i know what they are like , yes definitely! plus points: a quality kite minus points :will not get used often,you can buy other small kites cheaper . have now put 15cm power rings onto the kite and the performance is amazing now .turns so fast that you can spin the kite over and over again on its own axis . has turned it into a stunt kite . you can now park the kite in the window where you want . bring on the high winds please . By : graham a

Having struggled with a 3.5 century in Horrible gusty inland winds , i decided it was time to get something to use on days when the century was making my hair stand on end ! I found a 3.5 maniac second hand for £150 , as this was cheaper than any other kite sub 3m and was a flysurfer , i went for it ! Turns out it was an excellent purchase , it was a bit of a gamble as there is little to no info out there on the maniac . IT is a mid aspect kite , and claims to be "the most stable kite of all time" and the description is not far off ! THe kite is made to usual Flysurfer over engineered quality , and has non return water tight valves along the leading edge , these can be removed to make the kite more of an open cell ram air (it inflates quicker this way ) The kite comes on a very retro looking pressureless depower bar , similar to the powerlock bar , meaning the bar locks itself in position when you move it up and down the depower line , it stays where you let it go , meaning you can power the kite up , let go of the bar and it will stay powered up until you move the bar back ! The kite itself came on 15m lines ! they were promptly removed and placed on 30m lines ( i fly inland , 15 m lines are as good as a chocolate teapot ) the kite is very , very stable in all parts of the window , even in very lumpy wind , and it is extremely difficult to get it to overfly , the locking bar helps with this as well , you can park it above you , power up and it will stay there all day without a hint of overfly ! (could even hav e a fag and a beer if you wished) The kite pulls like you would expect say a 3m buster or similar mid aspect 3m , but the depower range is deceptive , although it is only about 6 inches of travel and no trim strap , with the bar out fully the kite pulls like a 1.5 , 2 m all without sheeting , this helps with boarding in gust conditions , as hitting a gust no longer means riding it out at breakneck speed , it just means pushing the bar forward an inch or so and relaxing again ! Fantastic ! There is not much lift in the maniac , but that is a good thing in this size , as i dont really want to be doing jumps on a landboard in 25mph + anyway ! However the kite is amazingly good upwind , despite having almost no lift , it needs tyo be depowered slightly , but i was flying upwind on it when others were strugling on 3m blades and busters ! this kite just seems to thrive on orrible lumpy wind , and eats it for breakfast ! If you are looking for something to use in nuclear inland winds , check out a Flysurfer ! The maniac is 4 years old now and still outperforms the frenzy in gusty winds IMHO ? By : Lofty

The Flysurfer EXTASY has been released to replace Flysurfer's intermediate model, the TITAN, in the 05 line-up. I was lucky enough to sample the kite at their recent demo day, courtesy of their U.K. distributor, Oceanside. The EXTASY is currently available in 3 sizes, 4.5, 7 & and 10m. Larger sizes will be available as soon as FS have finished the test schedule. Compared with previous models, this kite boasts several new ideas and refinements. Comparing it to the VOODOO for example, one can see that the curve of the wing is not as extreme at the wingtips, and remains more of a constant curve. The planform itself is mid aspect, with a gentle curve ending in squared off tips, compared to the sharp curve of the VOODOO. Side on, the profile itself is quite thick, but not as much as previous pictures on the net had suggested. Moving in closer to the kite, one can take a moment to examine the finish and fittings. Here the material is thinner and lighter than on the VOODOO, with an equally smooth surface finish. This should help in the bottom end of the windrange where the V10 was somewhat lacking due to its relatively heavy cloth. Stitching and finish is up to the usual Flysurfer standard, impeccable all round. Looking at the bridle, one can see that the 'weak link' points have been retained, but fitted below these are steel rings resembling climbing karabiners in shape through which some of the bridle lines pass though. One can assume this is a method to help control of the profile, in conjunction with the redesign of the internal structure of the kite to allow it to do away with the pulley system. Losing the pulleys from the kite reduces the maintenance factor significantly, as small debris and sand can lodge between the block and pulley wheel causing premature wear. Part of the ritual of Flysurfer ownership was the cleaning of the pulleys after every session. This is a welcome improvement. The leading edge only has two vents, along with the customary zips on the centre of the LE, allowing quicker inflation or the user to fly the foil as an open celled kite. The bridle has been reduced in the number of lines yet again, reaching to only a few key points on the kite. The kite still features all of the WAC and brake adjustments first seen on the VOODOO however. Moving down, the kite features a small carbon bar with the customary rotor leash and pull stop system for removing all rest pull. To those not familiar with this, should the kite need to be staked down for example, the user can land the kite and then using the pull stop system, lay the kite out with one wingtip pointing directly downwind flat to the ground. This is also useful in self rescue situations on the water, should the wind drop and you have to recover the kite. Flying With the kite laid out and ready to go, sheeting out or gently tugging on the centre line is enough to get the kite into the air, it inflates extremely quickly even with the zippers left closed. Once at zenith, it is possible to take your hands off the bar, this kite has the strongest auto zenith yet seen on a Flysurfer kite. You could mistake it for a Guerrilla so good is this aspect. However, where this kite differs is the much lighter bar pressure. Complaints have been levelled at Flysurfer before about the apparent lack of bar feedback due to their lightness on the controls, but this kite strikes an excellent compromise between feel in terms of turning pressure and loading up on the bar when powering up/sheeting in. when I owned a VOODOO, it took me a while do dial myself into the kite because I was often found I was over flying it on my preferred settings. With that kite a fingertip touch was needed to help keep the speed of the kite through the air. Not so with the EXTASY. It's easy to instantly feel at home because the bar feeling is sufficiently 'meaty' without becoming tiring or too strong when the bar is held at extreme angles. Couple this with the constant forward airspeed due to the elimination of back stalling, (over sheeting the kite causing it to fly backwards or stall on the spot) instant confidence is inspired within the first few minutes on the kite. The kite is quick through the air and very responsive, always eager to turn and not really suffering from the wingtip folding in when turning near the edge of the window seen on some of the current generation foilkites. Sheeting in fully you can feel a noticeable increase in power but the kite simply refuses to back stall. On the stock settings the kite pivoted on its wingtips maintaining a good level of power throughout the turn. It is possible to turn this kite within its length and still maintain good forward speed through the air. Land use Out on the board, the kite was a lot of fun. One of the best aspects was simply being able to pull in the trimmer and fly the kite unhooked. Within moments I was able to throw a few surface handle passes and with a bit more confidence, unhooked 360 transitions. Because the kite is so quick and responsive, you can send it further back in the window and hold it there for longer, squeezing out the most performance from the kite and the given conditions. Upwind ability was respectable, not as good as the psycho 2, but then it is a mid aspect kite. The overriding feeling is of a quick, snappy machine which inspires a lot of trust. The wind was a bit too low for the ten so I couldn't really give the kite its head but the unhooked performance in particular was very impressive. Conclusion Overall I felt the EXTASY to be an excellent kite. It's a kite that you always feel is working in your favour, rather than against you or constantly placing you on your guard. It's possible to take it out of the bag and be pulling your favourite tricks and more in minutes. The kite makes the transition from hooked in to unhooked seamlessly, no need to adjust anything, pull the trimmer in and off you go. The VOODOO was my personal favourite all-round freestyle kite, but the EXTASY is an improvement in every respect. More stable, faster turning, constant forward speed in the kite as well as unhooking any time you please. There were a few negative points, mainly centering on the safety leash catching on one of the knots during a handle pass, causing the kite to flop to the ground, robbed of most of its steering feel. In fairness this happened once during the whole two days no matter how hard I tried to provoke the kite again. In retrospect I think it was due to the line catching on the square edge of the knot, and this can easily be prevented by covering the end with tape, or Flysurfer being a little less precise with the cutting! Also the kite was a bit sluggish when it got wet, but I did suffer the indignity of getting caught in a 20 minute shower. All minor grumbles really, and nothing that detracts from the pleasure of using the kite. This kite is sure to appeal to use who want to get on the business of enjoying themselves and learning new tricks rather than spending time learning a more 'hands on' kite. All the benefits of using a Flysurfer that you've come to expect, plus all of the things you've missed out on before. The question is, what will they come up with next? By : bushflyer

Flysurfer cool 6.0m Opened the bag and found that the cool was already attached to the lines, and the bar was setup ready from factory. There were no reinforcements on the openings of the cells. Every cell is open. I was disappointed but thought.....well it was only £350 what was I expecting? Took it down to the Lease. Set it out it pulled the ground peg out when it was sat on the parking/QR line. It didn't want to stay on the ground, so much for it being stable! Wasn't sure of the trimmer so let Ian, a friend, fly it as he's already got the Speed.My first thoughts. It collapsed a few times and moved very fast through the window. His comments, bags of pull and its very fast, be careful. As the weather was getting worse I packed it away wet and set off home, more disappointment. The bag is a good size and easily took everything even though, with the wind it got packed a bit large. As I was watching the other kites were having trouble. A 9.5 Sabre had the air sucked out of it in the power zone and immediately collapsed into a ball and fell, a Venom luffed and turned inside out, as did a Chimp. Very bad winds, perhaps that's why the Cool didn't have a change to prove it's self. Got it home and it dried out in about 30mins, unrolled on the floor. I looked at the kite's quality a bit closer. The trailing edge seam is double stitched, suppose if its gone burst, here would be a good place to reinforce, the bridal connections are reinforced from the inside, all the bridals are spliced instead of noted, for a stronger join. The bridals aren't complicated, but there seems to be a system of stainless rings fitted, something like a cross-over kit, can't tell yet as its still on the floor. There is webbing on the inside, linking certain bridal point together, doesn't look like its reinforcement, more to aid input pressure from the bar. The material is light, but not crisp. It seems to be coated in some water resistant chemical. Next time out. This time the wind was clean around 15mph but slowly dropping. There were a few gusts, but not huge and it didn't bother the kite at all. I was trying my hardest to get it to luff. I trimmed all the power off and was flying it at the edge of the window. It never luffed or dropped in height. Got in a friends buggy and had a few runs, working it to get some speed up on the wet grass, had the kite on full power now, wind was dropping. Now with my Sabre I knew I would pull a power slide but the Sabre would occasionally luff as I lost traction in the wet grass and I could never keep the lines taught. So I pulled power slide in the wettest part of the field, sliding down wind but the kite just followed my, it didn't even loose height! Upwind was the easiest I've ever done, as it sits at the edge of the window and still pulls I just sat back, no effort on my part to work the kite at all. Had a few more runs across the field and slides, same effect, never luffed. So I got right upwind past the rest of the flyers and decided a straight downwind flight would bring it down. Nothing it just seamed to flatten its profile and hang in the sky. The only problem today showed up, was with the trimmed to full depower, turning became cumbersome. The bar is very short and it seemed I couldn't get enough pressure on to effect a good turn. Trim more power and it turned just fine. I gave the kite to a pall to try. The wind was dropping fast now, sub 10mph so well out of its user wind range. He had a few runs, like me trying to get it to miss behave. He gave it to me back and commented on the upwind performance. His words 'awesome'. The wind had dropped to nothing now, so a test of its lift would have to be another day. It stilled bobbed about on the parking line today, and when I activated the primary safety, it did still have some grunt. The safety is very easy, just pull the large red ball on the chicken loop. Put it back together in less than a minute. Some of the lads had now come over to have a look at he kite as it was sitting on the ground. They noticed the there was no reinforcements on the cell openings and some of the stitching inside the cells was a little erratic, plenty of stitches but it looked like it had been done by hand, strong just untidy, was a comment. I'm glad I bought it now, cost is an issue and either a small Frenzy or a Peter Lynn Venom were way out of my budget. The closest costing kite would have been an Ozone Access. I'd heard they were good kites but had no lift or trimmer strap, what the point of having a depower kite I've got to land to make adjustments to the angle of attack to gain or loose power. It should be done on the fly. Overall I'm very happy with the kite, today made it for me, came home smiling. £350 for a nice stable high wind depower kite, cant be bad. By : Husky_joe

My very first impression of the kite was the bridle setup was messed up , as I got it used from a friend for a trade. But after unhooking att the lines, and reconencting the bridle, thhe kite pulls like a big thing that would pull you on your face!!. It will set very still in the window, but give it just a little movement, and ,WOOSH, the kite takes off, with you following behind,(maybe in the air). Found the controld very smooth steady. A good amout of power range gives it a feel of real loftiness, A light touch. In winds of 12- 15 the kite performance is smooth , dealing with gusts very well. Today , i was using handles on a two line setup , it pulled so much , made my fingers hurt. Once, the line snapped on on side, because of my handled use and bad lines on my part, the kite spiraled into a tree, and it didnt poke any holes in any of it, and all the bridle lines were fine. The zipper works greeat, but i kept it open for full power. I KGB , and this is a huge improvement over another kite I use for my runs. Amazing stability, rip proof, and lofty as a a cloud. Get one of these, the $$ is unheard of to boot!!! By : mynakedrat

A few thoughts on my beloved 13m G1. 1. The Bag Ok, the bags annoying, size wize, because, unlike the newer models they had not yet developed the collapsable spars, so it does come in a rather wide bag, which is well constructed, but the zips are proned to getting stuck, and put the kite at danger of being ripped on if you don't take care. Still, as they say, you don't fly the bag. 2. Build Quality Build quality is great. Very simplistic designs make them very durable and will put up with a good deal of battering. 3. Flying characteristics. Let me just make it clear, Guerillas, and most of the arcs i have had experience in flying (G1, G2, Venoms) are near useless in sub 10mph winds, even the huge ones like the 22m G2, they are not designed for this kind of wind... so don't expect them to be, have different kites ready for those days! And... on water, they are useless in sub 15mph, which i think i fair to say also applies to most of the arc range, to get cruising comfortably at least. Flying them in low winds is down right frustrating and you will want to throw the kite in the bin if this is all you get to fly in! When that 10mph mark is hit though, these kites kick into life... they REALLY kick into life. The G1 is a slow turner, but very controlable, predictable, safe, and produces some lovely lift. Its extremely easy to jump with these kites and they will almost always bring you down softly and slowly. I use a naish UDP bar, which isn't ideal and doesn't give me quite enough depower on the kite, so when the wind gets up a bit more, the kite starts going a bit mad and totally kicks my arse. Won't life you too much unless you ask it to but the horizontal traction becomes a tad uncontrollable without a long enough depower line, when the winds right though these kites are amazing. However... I would not purchase a MK1 Guerilla larger than the 13m size. Even the 13m is slow, especially when you compare it to the venoms super speedy turnability. I find it turns at a comfortable, controllable speed at 13m, the larger models though are too slow and won't give you much pop because of this and so revert primarily to traction engines. In Summary... I love this kite, and no matter what other kites i get, i will always keep my 13m G1, its a lovely bit of kit. At the prices you can get these kites for these days, i would advise anyone to get one to just have one, as you can pick them up around £200 which is SICK money for such a wonderful kite. By : domdino

About my background: I started with a mosquito 6.5 from windtools, it's a drag, forget about it. Than I tried a too small naish r3 9m, but since I was afraid of surfing in 6 Bft, that kite didn't help me either. Then I bought the titan 12.5. With this kite I really got going. My weigth is about 90kg/190 lbs and I can fly and ride this kite on sea from 12 knots, on lakes I can start at 9/10 knots. I have used it till 19 knots, but that was completely powered. My evaluation: to me the titan 12.5 has the following advantages: self starting and landing the kite; great safety system; enormous depower; great stabilty as long as the wind is not too gusty; good speed; forgiving. disadvantages: upwind is sometimes difficult; sometimes I have to struggle with the toming/lines; not so quick turning as a LEI. I have a loose twintip TT165 as my board. Build quality is excellent; Flying characterics: very stable, forgiving, but a little bit of a slow turner. Jumping is great because of the floaty lift. I've used it with a mountainboard, but it best performs on water. By : Max2611

I KNOW what you are thinking about these kites.... "They are cheap so they MUST be a bit poo and of low quality" Well read on.... Cheap is true.... £350 for a 6m depowerable foil is a VERY attractive price.... it made me have a good look! We had tried the Flysurfer extacy last year and had been highly impressed but my boy wanted to stick with Arcs as he knew them well and they suit him.... a set of Venoms were purchased and he continues to enjoy them, as do I. The only problem is..... If he is up on a Venom and trying new stuff I cant be on one too..... far too long a process to land and run to rescue him! I also travel lots and often fly alone (well, without known launch and land capable company) and again here I like to be able to land and launch quickly and by myself no matter what. When his sponsoring shop (airbossworld) got a Flysurfer dealership I was at the front of the queue for a 6 and 9 metre Rookie... I got the phone call.... "They are here!" I was in Brighton, the kites were in East leake near Nottingham....it was 2.45 on a Thursday afternoon! "Wait for me.... I might be a little later than 5.30!" They agreed and I hammered the Laguna of doom between beeps from my "safety" camera alerting device!! There was a parking space outside the shop and I was out of the door as the wheels stopped turning! there they were, sat on the floor by the counter, two lovely fresh kites! They come in decent packs..... NOT a super heavy duty technical backpack capable of supporting you through an arctic adventure...But a well made and spacious rucksack with comfy straps and a good wide opening. It has a Flysurfer logo too.... looks nice and works well. I was worried that the fabric of the kite wouldn't be up to Flysurfers usual standard, that it would have been cheaply constructed with no attention to detail..... I reached in and pulled the plastic bag out with great trepidation! NO worries required! We opened it out on the shop floor, fabric felt good, stitching was straight and even, and we were amazed to find.... it SEEMS to be the same fabric the Extacy is made from! The rookie follows the new Flysurfer trend away from pulleys and on to rings to allow the profile change. This is all good in my opinion, providing you keep an eye on the wear to the bridle lines and replace them as required you rule out the jamming pulley horrors! The opening on the leading edge is re-enforced to stay open in lighter wind and gusts a good idea if you fly inland a lot! All the rookies are supplied with 18m lines... this is NOT great if you fly inland, in gusty conditions or like your kite to stay subsonic! I had mine supplied with line extensions.... 24m in total is much more sensible for me. Another place they COULD have ruined the kite is at the bar.....again they didn't! It ISN'T a super duper carbon bar (it may well be the same one as used on the Spirit, But i am not sure) but it feels good and isn't too long. In the UK the 6 & 9M are only available as "gold edition" this is the usual depower set up with rotorleash system and Yellow and blue pull/pull range/power adjuster. So there I was stood in the shop being all impressed with the way they looked.... THAT isn't what they are about so Off I went o collect my boy and have a fly.... a quick change out of the suit was required too!! Out on the field and the curse of the new kite stuck NO WIND! well, 4-6mph, but that really doesn't qualify as wind! We got the 9m out anyway, just to pop the 6m extension lines on and have a proper look. Putting the extensions on was no problem, 10 minutes and we were finished.... the kite was starting to sit up in the "wind" though so i wandered back to the bar and hooked in. Set to full depower and pull the centre lines to launch.... NOTHING... the kite just sat there, I spent a few minutes like this, I just couldn't understand WHY it wouldn't launch! I tried again, this time NOT pulling the safety leash at the same time as the power lines! Up she went, straight to the zenith.add a little power at the trimmer and it collapsed into a ball and fell from the sky! Relaunch and up she went, VERY fast turning for the wind conditions BUT turn it too quickly and Collapse! " oh poo!" I thought, "this kite seems to fly like a brick!" I persevered and blamed the very low wind. The depower seemed to have little or no effect either. I played on for half an hour and put it away, slightly frustrated that what had started out so promising had resulted in a major disappointment. Chatting later to a flysurfer aficionado called Tone I was told that they DO take a while to bed in and fly well and not to lose heart in the kites JUST yet! Listening to him I took it out again, as my next session progressed the kite improved, it got better and better through the two hour session until at the end the depower was working as it should and it had stopped just collapsing and balling up for no reason! This was 7-12mph wind and I was getting some GOOD pull from the kite and getting lifted when i sent the kite back hard. The Rookie is really not that aptly named in the 6 & 9M sizes! This is NOT a great static flying kite, even when bedded in it still has a tendency to want to collapse when static flying.....HOWEVER get on a board and everything changes! Get moving and you can lock the kite at the edge of the window and it sits there pulling, no collapse, no stall just good power. Start sining the kite and the power increases well and confidence grows in the kite! If the wind drops and you fancy a work out OR you are a stunt monkey and want to do the latest tricks try flying the Rookie unhooked... AMAZING! Just set it to full depower, un hook it and you have a 6 or 9m 2line kite on a bar! NO back stalling, no drama, just a lovely easy to fly kite. As i have mentioned in earlier reviews I am NOT the greatest boarder, I am getting there now and can do little jumps and stuff BUT I have a tame test monkey in the shape of my boy Sam. I sent him off in 10-15mph winds with the 9m and his new comp6 to see what he could do. Remember he LOVES his Arc kites! we had the chance to try a new site out also it seemed fine if not as big as our usual haunt. First couple of runs and he did some small jumps (3-6foot) and didn't seem too impressed. "You don't seem to be sending it back very hard" I mentioned.... he did the teenage grunt thing and went back out..... He picks up speed, sends the kite back hard and WHAMMO! Up she goes! a good 10 foot jump, the height isn't the thing.... he just floated down wind! He landed and I ran towards him, he had just proven that the new site wasn't big enough by clearing the whole thing in one jump! he ran back to give himself clearance and pulled the safety release to drop the kite and remove himself from danger. Now.... here is a bit of a downside with bridled foils! If you are used (as we are) to pulling the safety and the kite dropping on to one line and falling powerless from the sky then you MAY be in for a shock! Sam is only 6.5 stone, the 9m rookie will still produce enough power to move him downwind for a while once the safety is deployed. This isn't a rookie only thing, at a recent kite festival we helped another light rider who was still being dragged by a Sabre which had been released onto the safety system. IF I have the opportunity I would rather land the kite on it's nose then pull one of the steering lines until the kite lays flat than use the safety system..... that said, if it's all going wrong fast it gets the kite out of the air and most of the power gone! This is REALLY only an issue if you are flying MASSIVELY overpowered or are very light. I did think it only fair to mention it though. If you are in the market for a bridled depowerable kite for land use I would have to advise you to at least look the Rookie very seriously. They are highly cost effective, work really well and are great fun to play with! If you are anywhere near Nottingham and want a test fly just phone Gary at Airbossworld and arrange a play on mine..... you wont be sorry AND they have decent coffee too! By : adamski

Intro Not the newest of kites by a long way, but real strong and robust. I haven' never had a problem with my one, apart from the pink colour. Was purchased initially as my learner when stepping into bigger kites and still solves a problem when the find is too strong for anything else. My 3.5 is used entirely as a buggy kite. Never used it even near water. Main thoughts. Not an outstanding kite any more, as it is actually quite old, but hours and hours of enjoyment as still to be dragged from it. Launching is a real issue, with the way Peter has designed the non return valves on the leading edge. Due to the fact that I never use it on water, cutting the valves out of the leading edge has never concerned me and it has solved the issue really. For those that might laugh at one of these still in use, this one has cost me two broken ribs and has knocked a guy out cold, from a buggy before. And yes we do actually know what we are doing. Strong winds you must pay attention to what it is doing. Upwind is of course not optimal due to it's age, but again in the right wind, still plenty of hours of enjoyment left in the old girl. Conclusion If you can get one cheap and have a hole in your range at this size, then consider it. I have had plenty of fun times with mine. It also makes for a great beginner kite, if you are showing newbie's what HP Kiting is about. It will not scare them too much and is actually pretty tame. Next adventure with mine is 8-10 meter lines and playing around in car parks. By : sparky21

Bought from Celtic Kites cardiff as suitable for water use.The design is innovative being self inflating thro, a central intake vent once the kite once is inflated it retains it,s profile for as long as it is required.To deflate land and anchor as a normal foil open 4 velcrow outlets on the trailing edge and pack away. The build and material quality is excellent it looks and feels a quality kite.It is sold as kite only(suits me I prefer my own choice of lines) in a super size back pack(3 kite job) Tenerife here I come! Medano Tenerife 18th.dec.04. offshore wind steady 12m.p.h. Lifted me out of the water like a rocket leaving shorts behind,ditched kite retrieved shorts(and modesty) and relaunched kite off water then proceeded to do some serious body dragging(next time a shorty or a nudist beach) if you want arest just drop it on the water!The handles restricted me to the shallows I,ll try a bar next time but what a fun machine and it works. Pentyrch S.Wales 24th.Dec.04. Set up a 3.0L.D and Vampir3.0(both lovely kites) the splash outpulled both and as the wind picked up was easier to land due to it,s profile to ground zero. Reverse launch was easy the kite was positive in the air and done all I wanted it to do,it has amore solid feel than the others. Aberavon S.Wales 4th Jan 05. It made my P.L. buggy go like a bat out of hell i have never thrown a kite into neutral so much or scrubbed off speed so much.That solid feel is very noticeable on 3 wheels I,m getting to like this kite! The kite requires getting used to it delivers more power than a standard foil in it,s class it looks distinctive in the air (closed flying edge) and nice graphics.I find conditions permitting I fly this one as often as possible,Due to it,s strong pull not a begginers kite. once you get the hang of it WOW!! Can,t wait for my next trip to Tenerife. Can,t wait to try a bigger size! It,s cool kite, regards banjoplucker alias silver surfer. By : banjoplucker

F-One Shadow 7.0: (AKA STW 700 & STW 500) This kite is advertised as a water relaunchable ram air foil kite for primary use as an entry level kitesurfing kite, & i've seen evidence that it was also used be kiteboarding schools. Even though this kite was produced nearly 6 years ago, I still have seen a number of them listed for sale on the web I thought someone might be interested in my experiences as a result of owning it. I bought it off the internet about a year ago for $150 US, with the idea that it would be fun to play with on the snow and water since the price was right for a 7.0m kite. Construction / Set-up : The kite came in a pretty small backpack, so you need to fold the kite down well to get it to fit inside the bag. The kite is set up as a 3 line kite and is controlled with a bar in a 3 line configuration. (Two brake lines are connected to the center of the bar, with another line leading off the brake line to a wrist leash to kill the kite as needed.) The bridle system on the kite consists of (4) rows of bridles equally spaced from the leading edge to the trailing edge on the underside of the kite. The kite's only similarity to the flysurfer kites is the fact that it is a closed cell foil with the entire leading edge sewn closed with the exception of (1) large intake located in the center of the leading edge. This intake is covered with a small mesh screen to keep sand and debris out, and just above it is a velcro opening used for deflation. Behind the mesh air intake is a "sock" of cloth that is designed to collapse & close the air intake when the kite is crashed in the water. This is to maintain the internal pressure, which allows the kite to then be reverse launched. Rigging is pretty easy, and is exacly the same as rigging any other 4 line kite for use with a bar in a three line configuration. Launching: This is where it gets interesting- Because it's a closed cell foil, you need to preinflate the kite in order for it to take it's proper shape prior to flight by holding all 8 bridles (4 attachment points for each half of the kite) pull it up in the air while shaking it back and fourth to let air in the various cells of the kite frim the middle to the ends. This generally takes about 5 minutes depending on wind strength. Once the kite is inflated fully (and it does have to be well inflated for the wing to have enough shape to launch) you need to run back to the bar and launch the kite before it looses too much air. (In which case you need to start the inflation process all over.) I've found the kite cannot be lanuched well from anywhere except directly down wind. It's generally REALLY SLUGGISH until the kite gains altitude, and wind speed forces air deep into the far outer edges giving it a more rigid profile. Flying : Once airborne, the kite is fairly slow, so manuvers need to be deliberate, and to even when the kite is fully inflated is generally pretty unresposive. If you are unfortunate enough to crash it in the water you need to imediately release the tension on the bar to prevent the kite from filling up with water. Overall thoughts : I've seen other posts on the internet (none after 1999) from people who have had a much better experience with this thing than I have, but I've been flying foils for 3 years now, and still cannot seem to get the kite lines trimmed to get much in the way of performance out of it. To be perfectly honest, this kite flies like a big pig in the sky, and has left me more fustrated than pleased. I have tried countless times (usually after i've forgotten how miserable my last outing with it was) to fine tune the bridle & trim, but have not had much success. Not long after buying this kite I bought a flexifoil blade and now this one is left to gather dust. I don't even want to sell it for fear that I would ruin someone's interest in this fantastic sport. Here are some interesting links I have found on the kite courtesy of "xtremebigair": http://xtremebigair.com/kitesurfing/foneSTWsetup.htm http://www.xtremebigair.com/kitesurfing/ListProductReviewsKS.cfm?Product_ID=54 Here is an online users manual: http://xtremebigair.com/kitesurfing/FOneSTWManual.htm Here's the (really old) F-One website: http://www.f-one-usa.com/ If anyone can share their experiences with the trim set-up that works for them, I would be curious to hear from you. Please post them as a comment to this review. By : Nums

The new Naish Element 10.5 depowerable foil. In the bag - Control bar - User's manual - Four 25m color coded flying lines - Light weight bag - Kite compression/packing strap - Backpack The one I had came in a stuff sack so I cannot comment on the backpack that will bew supplied on sale. Out of the bag As you would expect from all Naish equipment the build quality is excellent with and the Setup is a simple process. - Unfurl the kite Weigh the sail down with some sand on the trailing edge. - Attach the colour-coded. - Peg the safety leash down. - Attach the lines to the bar Hey presto you're ready to go. First impressions were its similarity in appearance to an Ozone frenzy only slightly more rounded which makes it appear smaller next to equivalent sized kites. The test The kite has been designed for use on snow but I have been testing it on a mountain board and in a buggy. 7 - 10 mph is the highest wind speed I've tested in so far which really is not enough to test the more radical moves this kite will generate. Launching the kite is a snap, set the depower system to full by pulling the depower strap toward you. Attach the leash to your harness and pull tension on the leash lines which keeps the kite grounded, if the kite tries leave the ground put more tension on the leash lines. Hook the bar onto the spreader, push the bar away, let go of the leash and the kite climbs straight to the top of the window where its sits above you without over fly or too much lift. The Element turns quickly and develops good power throughout the wind window feeling very stable although the conditions were not gusty. The wing tips did tuck on occasion but this was due to a lack of wind and did not occur when the wind picked up. When it comes jumps redirect the kite and pull in the bar to develop extra power giving nice lift and floaty landings. In A buggy The kite works well in a buggy as it only has a small bar and is in easy reach when the bar is out. Its smooth consistent power lent itself to ground base tricks such as wheel stands offside and kite-side which were mainly all I could produce in the available wind. The few small jumps I achieved were floaty and the kite redirected well for a soft landing. On A Board The kite is well suited to kiteatb, again the even power developed, gave a feeling of security whilst leaning back against the kite. At no point in both in regular and toe-side stance did I feel It would let me go and id eat sand. Due to conditions most tricks were unattainable but as with the buggy the jumps achieved were floaty and I had no difficulty re-directing the sail to power up on landing. Conclusion On the whole a good kite with stability and smooth power. It gave the impression that in good wind it would give a good speed run or free ride without the rider having to concentrate on the kite leaving you free for tricks. This is certainly a good first depowerable foil kite. By : Phatdan

The EXTACY is FLYSURFER's new development for the freeride sector, and replaces two previous FLYSURFER kite models, the VOODOO/SPIRIT and the TITAN. Designed as a freerider, the EXTACY should appeal to the majority of kite surfers with an uncomplicated, performance-intensive and flight-stable soft kite concept. The EXTACY is designed for beginners and intermediate riders as well as for advanced riders and new school enthusiasts. Although it is constructed for uncompromising use on the water, the EXTACY will also find riders among the strongly increasing group of snow kiters. The EXTACY impresses through its very fast turning speed, and features a greater performance per m² than the VOODOO/SPIRIT and TITAN. The usable range of our 10.0 test size is comparable with a VOODOO 14.0, TITAN 12.5 or a tube kite in 13 m². The EXTACY possesses very good bar-feedback and its flying characteristics have been especially attuned to New School maneuvers and unhooked jumps. The objective during the development of the EXTACY was to eliminate back-stall during unhooked moves. This characteristic will not only please New School kite surfers, but also benefit kite beginners who will get an absolutely stable kite for fast learning success with the EXTACY. In contrast to the predecessor models, VOODOO/SPIRIT and TITAN, a further simplification of the depower design could be achieved through a modified line system on the EXTACY. Pulleys are no longer necessary in the bridling. The innovative – but for many riders confusing – WAC trim system has become superfluous. The perfect setup on the EXTACY is now trimmed in production. The PSYCHO2 remains the hang-time kite in the FLYSURFER program. A newly developed speed kite (SPEED) will follow soon. RIDE REPORT The EXTACYs wind range is huge. Our 10 m² test kite was already able to stay in the sky around 8 knots. At approx. 12 knots the EXTACY already develops a remarkable performance potential, and can also be held right into the upper wind ranges. The EXTACYs flight speed could be substantially increased and made it possible to fly the kite very actively. The steering forces on the bar are very light. Despite the low steering forces a solid bar feedback regarding the kite’s position within the wind window is provided at all times. Like other FLYSURFER kites, the EXTACY reacts slightly delayed to steering impulses. Going upwind with the EXTACY is very easy and it is pushed to the edge of the window with even the slightest bit of heel pressure. The power of the kite is constant and high, and offers optimal freeride characteristics. The de-power effect on the bar substantially reduced the power in the EXTACY. Changing the angle of attack allows it to accelerate towards the edge of the wind window resulting in low pulling force. The EXTACY requires the support of the board edge to be out-braked completely. The operation of the trim-adjuster is very effective, and gives the rider the opportunity to fine tune the EXTACY to the prevailing wind conditions. The FLYSURFER EXTACY launches with ease from the water, even if it is lying on nose down. The EXTACY is easily launched backwards on the water, whereupon it can be turned around and pulled upwards without any problem. Regardless of how the kite is lying on the water, this form of re-launch spares the rider – in any situation – and from tedious swimming towards the kite in order to turn it over. As a result, the fear of re-launch is taken away, particularly in respect to students and intermediates. The development of the EXTACYs power increases on a constant and linear basis. The EXTACY turns in a tight radius, and while doing so builds up considerable speed in comparison to its predecessors. In particular, the possibility to be able to make aggressive turns, even at the edge of the wind window represents a further development from the VODOO/SPIRIT model. Compared with New School tubes, the turning speed is moderate. The EXTACY pulls kite-loops down to a tee, and generates only marginal drag when the bar is fully powered up. Finding the perfect timing on the takeoff is much easier with the EXTACY compared to the VODOO/SPIRIT. The intensity of lift is also more powerful with the EXTACY. The EXTACYs takeoff behavior is gentle, and does not rip the rider of the water in an uncontrolled manner. The lift is moderate – less than the PSYCHO2, yet will carry the rider to a very good height when powered up. The subsequent, long gliding phase offers riders the opportunity to dedicate their efforts exclusively to style in the air, as well as practicing the latest tricks. The water start is an absolute strength of the FLYSURFER kites. Just like all other older generation FLYSURFER kites, you can start the EXTACY – forwards as well as backwards – without any problem and without any great effort. Tediously swimming towards it in order to turn the kite on its back is not necessary. The EXTACY starts quickly, and lifts out of the water from almost any situation. BOTTOM LINE The EXTACY obtains its full power development through its high, flying speed. To achieve this a short run downwind is necessary to get up to speed. The EXTACY then develops its full performance through the utilization of the (board) edge. As a matter of principal, FLYSURFER kites should be used with fast boards so that you do not have to accept any losses of their possible performance potential. Riders who are used to tube kites will become more easily accustomed to the EXTACY (because of the improved bar feedback) than with the predecessor models VODOO/SPIRIT and TITAN. Due to the slightly indirect and time-delayed steering response and also due to the unaccustomed de-power procedure (see above), an Ex-tube rider will still require a certain settling-in phase. Once you have gone through the first hours on the water with the EXTACY, moves and riding habits can be executed with the performance and power customary to tube kites. Due to the very fast turning speed and its good bar-feedback, the EXTACY is ideally suited for all freestyle tricks as well as waves. The EXTACYs constant pull is useful for loaded moves. The EXTACY is equipped with a very good safety mechanism. Flysurfer has returned to the roots of ram air kites with the EXTACY and builds technical kites with greater performance per square meter. Author : Kite-boarding.de

This is my second year of kitesurfing. I never used a LEI kite (yet). I started with a Flysurfer Warrior 9.3, which in hindsight was not the easiest to fly. The power of the Psycho² 13m is comparable to that of the Warrior 9.3, but the range is much bigger. It is very stable, hard to stall or get out of the air. Huge power range: I estimate it gets you planing with 8 knots using a 7m line extension, WAC+ and a 170 cm board. The art is to get the board planing. When sinusing, the kite develops most power on the way up, so when it is rising, I steer the board on a broad range to gain speed. With little wind I adjust the steering to Tip Break, so I can sinus better, although Full Break is supposed to deliver more power. With 25 knots it is still manageable, although not comfortable. I use a 147 long but narrow board with big (5cm) fins. When people were planing fast with 10 and 12 m² LEI kites, I was still in control. And when people came off the water with their 16m² I could still go. I tried the 17m² once and felt that there is not much of a difference. The 10m² feels a lot different: easier and quicker to steer and more direct. With the 13 strong gusts can be scary, especially on the verge of being overpowered. The safety system is good. I had some violent events because I lost control and this inspired me to be quicker with using the safety system. After using it, the kite is still relauncheable after all. Once the kite starts looping because of steering error, use the safety system as soon as possible, because the force becomes incredible and really dangerous. So in my experience the kite is like a loyal and powerful horse, giving an easy ride, but make any error and it becomes a monster that can really hurt you. Durability: I dropped the kite in straight onshore condition in 2 m high breaking waves and was pulled a few times before I released the kite. The only damage was 1 broken bridle. The kite was full of sand and water. It was quite easy to clean it, though. Jumping Performance: Here I rate MY jumping ability with this kite. With the 10 I find it much easier to jump, probably because it is quicker. Upwind performance: I notice I gain more height with this kite than anybody else on the water. Water relaunchability: In normal situations excellent. The kite seems to be scared of water and wants to relaunch by itself, even if I do nothing, just wait. Once I had such a crash, that the bridles where around the kite. Even then it would relaunch, but not disentangle, so I could only slowly bodydrag to the shore and there start the tedious work of sorting out the bridles. Safety features: The quick release works. Wish I used it more often. It leaves some rest-pull, but that is the price for the ability to relaunch after using the safety. Also the rest pull can be neutralised if needed. I recommend to install a Wichard system aside from the chicken loop, so the chicken loop can be used as spare after using the safety quick release. Skill level: Because the kite flies with very little wind and is easy relauncheable and very stable, it is suited for the absolute beginner. I wish I had it when I started. If it is suited for the pro I let you know in some years. Author : AriLex