Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

For all foil kite riders
User avatar
Horst Sergio
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 772
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:57 pm
Kiting since: 1999
Gear: -
Brand Affiliation: kitejunkie.com

Account abandoned
Has thanked: 91 times
Been thanked: 147 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby Horst Sergio » Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:00 pm

slowboat wrote:
Wed Jan 31, 2018 5:23 pm
Will these kites drift better than small strutless LEI kites? What's is a reasonable wind range for foiling (70kg) for the 4.5?
Can't tell you as 2 years ago used my old strutless 9 m². And I think it is more about the question if low AR foil kites have the ability to drift better, while also being better upwind at a certain mixer trim. I could imagine yes, but you have to compare the LEI you prefer 1:1 and it will always stay different as a foil kites will never flutter what a strutless does when depowered to much.

I think I (64 kg) can ride the 4,5 m² in about 12 knts, just check the video of the first start and when the wind drops and I should stay with fun up to 35 knts gusts. It doesn't have a wide range for a foil kite, but it is good for a kite with such low AR. But it is also much about my very low drag hydrofoil, so depends a lot from this. Tried these days my old full race foil from 2016/17 and it just felt draggy :wink: . So maybe you will need 15 knts or more with a normal foil.

@irwe: Should be 23 m of flying lines, but I think to go about 3 m shorter in the future. And sorry haven't tried the 6,5 m²

stefFZ
Medium Poster
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:20 am
Style: Strapless surfing
Gear: Concept Air Waves & Pulsions. Still a couple of Flysurfers P4.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby stefFZ » Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:32 pm

Hey guys ... stop using the kite for hydrofoiling ... it was meant for wave riding strapless!!! :-) 8-) This is also why it does not have a powerful lift for jumping as it was not the point ... it is all about drifting, drifting and drifting, being maneuverable while drifting, staying up there in the sky while you are surfing and getting back to the peak quickly. Because this is what matters hey ... surfing! :-)

FYI, for hydrofoiling with a small kite, you can also try the pulsion 3.69 (a lot of drift as well). To get (a lot) more lift, you could also try the leader 4m.

As for the windrange on an hydrofoil with the 6.5 instead of the 4.5 I cannot say as I don't hydrofoil but it has a good amount of power more than the 4.5. Better to ask Benoît Tremblay directly as he does a lot of hydrofoiling.

User avatar
Horst Sergio
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 772
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:57 pm
Kiting since: 1999
Gear: -
Brand Affiliation: kitejunkie.com

Account abandoned
Has thanked: 91 times
Been thanked: 147 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby Horst Sergio » Sat Feb 03, 2018 12:41 pm

Hi Stef,

yes you are 100 % right, the kite is great in all what it was made for. And in fact the first emails with Ben I was discussing more about Pulsion 3,7 m² (why the hell all call it 3,69 m² ?) But on the end, some how it went the 4,5 m² as maybe Ben thought it could fit better to my demands. And apart from a bit jumping, which is not so important for me in high winds and relaunch in 6 knts which I know, no normal storm kite can do, I am very happy. My problem is, I never care what things were originally made for, but just try to find the gear with best fit for my very special personal requirements :wink:
First-ever-Freewheel-Kiting.jpg
http://kj4l.com/2018/01/21/first-ever-freewheel-kiting/

Apart from that I think I will stay with the Wave at least as long I find the chance to really ride it in a wave. But the Wave made me curious to try also the other small models, the 3 m² Wave, 3,7 m² Pulsion and even the new 4 m² Leader. It is great to have a manufacturer who cares so much about small foil kites and even more is not living and testing just on sea sides with constant wind, but also seems to know about the difficult wind conditions in mountain lakes or fjords.

So if somebody in Central Europe (F, GB, D, A, I) has one of these, is willing to let me try and I find an occasion to meet upcoming summer, it would be a pleasure. :D Not necessary to say I also offer my Wave for a test.

stefFZ
Medium Poster
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:20 am
Style: Strapless surfing
Gear: Concept Air Waves & Pulsions. Still a couple of Flysurfers P4.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby stefFZ » Mon Mar 12, 2018 10:42 am

I have now tested the Wave 6.5 on the snow (in Austria). To say it in a few words: this is a great kite with good potential for touring/snowkiting, very good depower, very agile and predictable + kiteloops are peferct to go up the slope (the kite does not slow down when gping up in the loop). What I would maybe add is a fith line on the trailing edge (which worked very well with the previous generation). That would make the kite even more user friendly when in strong winds (I had no pb landing the kite using steering lines though. I even could pull it slowly toward me while keeping may skis to pack it up. But I have the feeling that it would be even better for safety)

Image

Image

Now I am thinking .... a quiver of two waves 6.5 and 10.5 for snowkiting... hmmm... Benoît if you hear me ....???? 8-)

stefFZ
Medium Poster
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:20 am
Style: Strapless surfing
Gear: Concept Air Waves & Pulsions. Still a couple of Flysurfers P4.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby stefFZ » Thu Apr 12, 2018 10:08 pm

Wave 3m in good waves on hydrofoil strapless, rider Marc Blanc (strapless surfing pioneer in France, Interview (in French) on FZ):

Image

He uses it on a suicide leach ... when he is surfing he lets go the kite on the leash and surfs the wave!!! :-o :-o

more comments (in French) here: http://www.lesfoilz.com/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 3&start=20

stefFZ
Medium Poster
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:20 am
Style: Strapless surfing
Gear: Concept Air Waves & Pulsions. Still a couple of Flysurfers P4.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby stefFZ » Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:03 am

Another rider (Stephane Goffinet) with his Wave 3m:

Image

A quick and unedited video I took with my cellphone of Marc Blanc with a pulsion 3.69 in small mushy waves. It is difficult to see but he unhooks when he entered the wave, he grabs the leash (which is connected suicide) and pulls on the leash at the end to hook the kite back.

https://vimeo.com/264737869

Pulsion 3.69 on LesFoilz: http://www.lesfoilz.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3674

Regis-de-giens
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2006
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:58 pm
Weight: 62 kg
Local Beach: France: St Laurent du Var, Cannes, Almanarre
Style: 62 kg , light wind, waves
Gear: Conceptair pulsion 18&15&12S, OR Flite 10m , Airush One 9&6, peak 5M , Rally 6, Elf 11 &7, 19m2 single skin proto.
foil Ketos, RCS Supreme, TBK Mana, snowskis, kite-boat
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 266 times
Been thanked: 351 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby Regis-de-giens » Sat Apr 28, 2018 11:13 am

We cannot see it clearly on this definition and quality of the first picture but the 4 lines are fully slack on the picture of Stephane:
Steph & Concept'air Wave.jpg
=> incredible drift of the Wave

Sombra
Medium Poster
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 2:24 pm
Local Beach: Castelldefels
Gear: Spleene boards
Zeeko B&W Foil - Carver wing
Gong Surf Foil M
FLYSURFER Speed 4 18
Soul 10
Reo 10 / 7
CA pulsion 18
CA Wave 6,5
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby Sombra » Thu May 03, 2018 8:17 pm

Hi

Somebody can give me an orientation about the comparable size of a wavekite like the REO in comparison to the wave 6,5.
Does the wave drift also in the lowend of his range?
I have a REO 10 and I can foil in winds roundabout 10 knots but there is no way that the REO drifts in this winds.

Thanks a lot
Carsten

foilholio
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3429
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 3:20 am
Local Beach: Ventura Beach
Favorite Beaches: Tarifa
Style: Airstyle
Gear: Foils
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 227 times
Been thanked: 148 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby foilholio » Thu May 03, 2018 10:20 pm

You really need a big lightweight foil kite to drift in 10knots and below. In lightweight fabric something like the Pulsion looks good, but also the Hyperlink and Soul and maybe the A15. Maybe the Wave can be made in lightweight cloth? Personally I have found the biggest kites, like 21meter speeds, drift the best in lightwind. From a physics perspective it makes sense , as they have the best lift to weight, high inertia, most rigid, more hot air balloon effect. 10 knots is still quite easy for these big light foils to drift but smaller <10 standard cloth foils are starting to be hard.

kitexpert
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1409
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 11:20 pm
Gear: many kites, also diy
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 136 times

Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3

Postby kitexpert » Fri May 04, 2018 7:09 pm

Usually big foil kites are used in light winds :) Main reason for that is perhaps something else than claimed ability to drift best...

I must say foilholios opinions on physics of kite in flight are interesting :D


Return to “Foil Kites”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: drsurf and 118 guests