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Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby omg » Sun Apr 29, 2018 5:45 am

I agree, it's weird how few comments there are on 12m from people who own it. 9 seems to be a good one.

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby BOEMIX » Sun Apr 29, 2018 7:40 am

And when the f*** is some brand going to release something like the flysurfer peak 15m for water use?

Hybrid, ultra low end, and no water filling when the wind drops to zero!

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby pikovsg » Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:34 am

Here's a type of review you guys may have been waiting for.

I used and tested the 15m Ultra heavily for 3 months. Tested the kite in super light wind days and in multiple conditions vs. strutless BRM Cloud D 13.4, OR Flite 15, Epic 2018 Infinity, 2018 Mono 15m, Flysurfer 21m, Concept Air Pulsion 12m, and Neo 11m. I was super excited to try it, but ultimately sold all of the above kites and kept the Cloud 13.4 D and Infinity. (Infinity for twintipping in marginal conditions)

The Ultra a well built and balanced kite. But the BRM Cloud proved time and time again - it's better than almost everything the Ultra does. By a long shot. The Cloud is about 35% lighter which is just HUGE during marginal conditions. Ultra - 7.0lbs, BRM - 4.8lbs. The Cloud flies in 5 mile winds. The Ultra doesn't. That could pretty much be the end of the comparison right there.

Here are a few more details. Turning speed is significantly slower than BRM (and to some extent Infinity and OR Flite), but better than kites like Mono, Neo and foil kites. Power delivery at the peak of the window is great, power delivery at 3 and 9 o'clock is quite weak. The Ultra tends to fall out in light winds at the edge of the window. Drifting is decent, waves just ok, foiling just ok, foiling marginal conditions just barely ok. Somehow, even the durability of the leading edge and the canopy material is better on the Cloud. The two things Ultra does better is boosting and hangtime. But if you're just looking at boosting and hangtime, there are plenty of other better kites for that - Neo, Drifter, Infinity, etc. The strutted Cloud D is also not bad at boosting and hanging out in the air, losing about 15-20% turning speed and drift in the process, and gaining a bit of weight as well with the added strut.

Ultimately, the Ultra is a good kite and is a decent effort by Airush. Unfortunately, it's not the kite many of us have been eagerly waiting for. The Cloud D is that kite, in my opinion, and there's nothing else quite like it at the moment. I would go for the strutless or the strutted D.
Last edited by pikovsg on Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby Wielandt » Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:45 am

OMG/RadDrDuke

Hi there

I used Airush UL 9 and 12 for foiling for almost a year know. I’m very happy for both of them. Before I used Gong and Storm strutless for foiling playing around and racekites Naish Draft and Cabrinha Apollo for longer cruising.

Compared to Gong and Storm strutless the UL are more controllable if the wind gets higher than their comfort zone. In low end end I never experienced the UL falling down as it could happen with the LF Solo I also have used for foiling.

I can use my UL 12 from app. 8 knots with 30 m lines and my 82 kg on a Moses T 40 board.

I don’t see much difference in handling between the UL 9and 12. For carving in low wind they works fine because they are light and drift very well.

I still use a Storm Voyager 15 for 6 knot days and it keeps surprising me. On many occasions I pumped it up not really thinking it would be foilable, but had some super sessions. There are a noticeable difference between the UL 12 and the 15 Storm for absolutely low wind situations. I never tried the UL 15 though.....

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby foilholio » Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:10 am

BOEMIX wrote:
Sun Apr 29, 2018 7:40 am
And when the f*** is some brand going to release something like the flysurfer peak 15m for water use?

Hybrid, ultra low end, and no water filling when the wind drops to zero!
https://monjetkiteboarding.com/ninox.html

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby RadDrDuke » Mon May 14, 2018 6:06 pm

Just ordered a 2018 9m ultra for foiling and downwinders in the waves, will post review after I receive it and get a few sessions in.

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby jkrug » Mon May 14, 2018 9:10 pm

omg wrote:
Sun Apr 29, 2018 5:45 am
I agree, it's weird how few comments there are on 12m from people who own it. 9 seems to be a good one.
there's a bunch of us here that have the UL 12m. maybe we're not commenting because we're out foiling with it so much. but seriously, it's a great foiling kite and hangs up there in the lightest winds i'd go out in. is it a miracle kite better than any other of this type? probably not, but it works well for me (and I fly Airush Waves as well) and i'm just personally not fond of foil kites.

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby SolarSet » Tue May 15, 2018 6:44 am

For LW condition does any uses 15 UL or it's just better to buy ram kite for lowest wind? Second question does anyone uses it with TT or its better to use strut kite?

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby BudhaNl » Tue May 15, 2018 9:18 am

Got myself the 12m 2018 Ultra 2 weeks ago, sofar only 1 session on it with the tt. I'm pleasantly surprised, I'm happy to report.

Gusts up to 25 knots, steady wind down to 15 (2 minutes average) so actual lulls probably lower. I flew the Ultra on a Naish 2016 bar with pigtails.

Kite felt very steady to me, both in lulls and gusts. No issues with fluttering while depowering, I'd hear a bit but never felt it on the bar. The kite actually has a very decent lift when jumping and good hangtime on top. Movement through the air is good as well, quicker than I had anticipated, and redirecting the kite went quickly as well. A 12m is not a jittery kite of course because of its size, but I would say the Ultra is lively. I didn't loop the kite yet but that will probably be no issue.

Hopefully I will get it out in the waves soon, to see what it behaves like with a surfboard.

I'm happy so far!

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Re: Airush Ultra: one strut kite that meets expectations of a ram air lover

Postby omg » Tue May 15, 2018 9:56 am

BudhaNl wrote:
Tue May 15, 2018 9:18 am
Got myself the 12m 2018 Ultra 2 weeks ago, sofar only 1 session on it with the tt. I'm pleasantly surprised, I'm happy to report.

Gusts up to 25 knots, steady wind down to 15 (2 minutes average) so actual lulls probably lower. I flew the Ultra on a Naish 2016 bar with pigtails.

Kite felt very steady to me, both in lulls and gusts. No issues with fluttering while depowering, I'd hear a bit but never felt it on the bar. The kite actually has a very decent lift when jumping and good hangtime on top. Movement through the air is good as well, quicker than I had anticipated, and redirecting the kite went quickly as well. A 12m is not a jittery kite of course because of its size, but I would say the Ultra is lively. I didn't loop the kite yet but that will probably be no issue.

Hopefully I will get it out in the waves soon, to see what it behaves like with a surfboard.

I'm happy so far!
thanks! Please post your feedback after your've ridden it with your surfboard.
How quick turning is it, and what's your benchmark in 12m if you compare Ultra to other kites, please? Does it have a high flying speed and how thick/thin the LE strut is, I mean is it "normal size"?
Lastly, it would be great to hear about the low end range of the kite, although it's subjective but still (and compared to other kites).


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