Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

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

For all foil kite riders
TomW
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3585
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 6:43 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Local Beach: Vejbystrand, Lomma
Gear: TW Surfboards hydrofoil board 110
Gong Veloce M, 100cm carbon mast
Ozone Hyperlink V1 7m
Hyperlink V2 9m, 13m
Concept Air Wave 4,5m
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Sweden
Has thanked: 53 times
Been thanked: 193 times

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

Postby TomW » Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:26 pm

Jannik,
What's your range on the 4,5 on your surfboard and what's your weight?

jannik
Medium Poster
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:39 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Denmark
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 21 times

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

Postby jannik » Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:47 pm

TomW wrote:
Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:26 pm
Jannik,
What's your range on the 4,5 on your surfboard and what's your weight?
~80 kg and my board is Paipo style.
I'm using it in 12m/s and up - and haven't met the upper limit yet. I've been out in 20 m/s without issues.

User avatar
Tony
Frequent Poster
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 80 kg
Local Beach: Hatteras Island, NC
Style: Foil
Gear: Delta HA Foils 1280,1050,850,700
Airush Nitros and Duotone Slicks
Appletree Jazz
Bunch of other gear I need to sell
Location: North Carolina - USA
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 28 times

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

Postby Tony » Wed Nov 07, 2018 2:52 am

For those with the 8.5/4.5 quiver, is there enough overlap? If I was comparing lei's, a 4m gap in those sizes would be huge and too much for me personally. Is the range of the individual kites larger? I've seen discussion of people going with 3/6.5 or 4.5/8.5 but again that seems like a big gap to me. How much overlap? Comfortable overlap or are you riding at the upper limit on the 8.5 and then switch to the lower limit on the 4.5?
Thinking seriously of adding another size to the 8.5 but debating which one.
On the surfboard, Vader 5.3 and 80kg I ride the 9m Airush Wave 90% of the time. 12m probably more than the 7m.
Thanks
Tony

TomW
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3585
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 6:43 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Local Beach: Vejbystrand, Lomma
Gear: TW Surfboards hydrofoil board 110
Gong Veloce M, 100cm carbon mast
Ozone Hyperlink V1 7m
Hyperlink V2 9m, 13m
Concept Air Wave 4,5m
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Sweden
Has thanked: 53 times
Been thanked: 193 times

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

Postby TomW » Fri Nov 09, 2018 6:19 pm

Good point Tony. I have similar enquiry.
I'm on Hydrofoil and Ozone Hyperlink 9m and 7m. Was in Brazil 2 weeks and probably 30 sessions, 710km on water. Used the 9m and 7m (3 times.). One day it was gusting to 12ms and was feeling overpowered in gusts on the 7m momentarily.
If I'd been in high wind spot, I'd need a smaller kite. But I'd want it to work from 9ms underpowered to 14 ms. Sweet spot 12-13 ms.
This is rare situation for me. But wondering what kite is best.
I have an Ozone Reo 5 m, never used it, but suspect I should have a 6m...

User avatar
Tony
Frequent Poster
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 80 kg
Local Beach: Hatteras Island, NC
Style: Foil
Gear: Delta HA Foils 1280,1050,850,700
Airush Nitros and Duotone Slicks
Appletree Jazz
Bunch of other gear I need to sell
Location: North Carolina - USA
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 28 times

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

Postby Tony » Fri Nov 09, 2018 7:26 pm

Tom, I decided to get the 4.5 after feedback from Benoit and digging a little more.
Benoit says I can ride the 4.5 in 18-20knots (9-10m/s).
The upper end is listed at 38knots. He says there is a lot of depower on these kites, much more than an LEI.
I suspect that rider weight/skill and foil selection play a part.
I like keeping things simple and am hopeful there is enough overlap with the 8.5 but would think even more with your 7m (no personal experience with the hyperlink).
Only flown the 8.5 a couple times in less than ideal conditions but it was enough to see the huge potential on the foil compared to LEI.
I hope to get the kite in about a week, then depends on the conditions, our season is nearing the end.
Tony

TomW
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3585
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 6:43 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Local Beach: Vejbystrand, Lomma
Gear: TW Surfboards hydrofoil board 110
Gong Veloce M, 100cm carbon mast
Ozone Hyperlink V1 7m
Hyperlink V2 9m, 13m
Concept Air Wave 4,5m
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Sweden
Has thanked: 53 times
Been thanked: 193 times

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

Postby TomW » Sat Nov 10, 2018 4:42 pm

Great Tony,
Keep me posted on it.
So you are only on the vader surfboard? what's your weight? If you can go at 10ms on the vader then then has great low end for a 4,5...
I felt the Hyperlink 7 didn't want to get to the wind window edge on its own in depowered mode. I had to kind of work it there with board and bar pressure on lines. Interesting is that the 9 doesn't do that. It goes to edge and in overpowered it simply just gives too much lift when moving on foil, pulling me up/off.
Granted I didn't have that much sustained high wind on the 7m. There's a lot of overlapping on low end of 7 and high end of the 9, which is great.
But like you said, the overlapping and size increments gets really small over 11 ms.

User avatar
Tony
Frequent Poster
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 80 kg
Local Beach: Hatteras Island, NC
Style: Foil
Gear: Delta HA Foils 1280,1050,850,700
Airush Nitros and Duotone Slicks
Appletree Jazz
Bunch of other gear I need to sell
Location: North Carolina - USA
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 28 times

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

Postby Tony » Sat Nov 10, 2018 5:32 pm

Tom,
My references wrt the CA Wave are on the the foil, the ranges I mentioned are foil ranges.
I may end up using them on the Vader but my reason to purchase the foil kites was for the foil.
My weight is just under 80kg and I'm riding the Levitaz foils, mainly on the Cruizer.
Will post when I get to put it in the air.
Tony

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 and now 8.5

Postby stefFZ » Sun Nov 11, 2018 3:03 am

TomW wrote:
Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:26 pm
Jannik,
What's your range on the 4,5 on your surfboard and what's your weight?
Hi Tom, my range on a sweet potato 5'2 (63kg, board is 32 liters) is around 22-23 knots (maybe slightly less) to ... I don't know, around 35-40 I think. I never switched to the 3m, although I usually live in a very windy place (South of France, exactly where the mistral comes in).

Tony, the 4.5 is a really great kite for wave riding. To really take the most of it, you need a foil that can ride at low speeds with a good lift, same for surfboards lift + drive (it was designed to use the power of the wave, not the power of the kite while surfing).

You also asked about the wind range. I tend to think that the low-end is equivalent to a same size wave LEI while high-end maybe higher. But this is not where CA waves shine ... the drift is something that has no equivalent with a LEI, it allows you to surf without power in the kite and forget about it. This is when the magic really comes in. The kite is like a lift that get you back to the peak (at good speed with good upwind) ... this is what I was looking for when we start interacting with Benoît.

Stef

tomtom
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1693
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2002 1:00 am
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 218 times

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

Postby tomtom » Sun Nov 11, 2018 12:46 pm

Hi all,

Can you somebody with direct experience tell me how are these kites compare to top wave LEIs - REO, NEO, DRIFTER etc...
Im interesting in no particular order in : One hand wrist handling, Drift, Power development, Depower and turning speed in same power sizes f.e 4,5 to 7 LEI?
Or maybe these are equal Power to Size as wave LEIs /these tend to be quite strong /NEOs/

Many many thanks


To put things in perspective I do freeride / wave foil on moses ONDA and rode just 2 kites now. FOIL Kitech FRS 9 and LEI NEO 7.
I try to explain diferences between these kites for me

FRS 9 is quickest foil kite that i ever tried /turning speed/ much quicker than FS Soul 8 - which i extensively know. Obviously is slower than NEO 7 - but not as much as you can imagine. Its like 7-10 wave leis difference. NEO drifts better - but it can be due to higher winds its fly in. Foil kite colapse if you ride very hard in to - LEIs just fall from sky - and if you catch then before they do its no big deal. Colapsed foil is no biggy either FRS just open but you cannot always fly through on foil as it just take little longer than just tension lines on falling LEI.
With right technique it can be minimized though - keep kite high help to get best drift out of foil. Foil kite require much less upper steering line tension with one hand wrist operation. Its BIG +
Generaly Foil also require much less attention from rider. But with small wave LEI - small 44cm bar - and right set of mind you can become ONE with kite and steer it actively in a way impossible on foil kite. So its more FUN at the end but more demanding.

So im looking for THE KITE. It will be as quick as 7 LEI but lighter on bar - I mean a feel of weight of kite not steering forces. It will be almost neutral at 45 - no need to constant pull upper line just to kite didnt fall down by own gravity. It will drift perfect and develop power very "unspikey" Also it give you ability be ONE with your kite so kite is like your mind power pull. :)

So it is Smart WAVE? Im not looking just for kite easy to travel - i dont mind pumping - i just need best kite possible.

User avatar
Tony
Frequent Poster
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 80 kg
Local Beach: Hatteras Island, NC
Style: Foil
Gear: Delta HA Foils 1280,1050,850,700
Airush Nitros and Duotone Slicks
Appletree Jazz
Bunch of other gear I need to sell
Location: North Carolina - USA
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 28 times

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

Postby Tony » Sun Nov 11, 2018 1:26 pm

stefFZ wrote:
Sun Nov 11, 2018 3:03 am
Hi Tom, my range on a sweet potato 5'2 (63kg, board is 32 liters) is around 22-23 knots (maybe slightly less) to ... I don't know, around 35-40 I think. I never switched to the 3m, although I usually live in a very windy place (South of France, exactly where the mistral comes in).
Tony, the 4.5 is a really great kite for wave riding. To really take the most of it, you need a foil that can ride at low speeds with a good lift, same for surfboards lift + drive (it was designed to use the power of the wave, not the power of the kite while surfing).
You also asked about the wind range. I tend to think that the low-end is equivalent to a same size wave LEI while high-end maybe higher. But this is not where CA waves shine ... the drift is something that has no equivalent with a LEI, it allows you to surf without power in the kite and forget about it. This is when the magic really comes in. The kite is like a lift that get you back to the peak (at good speed with good upwind) ... this is what I was looking for when we start interacting with Benoît.
Stef
Hi Stef,

80kg on the Vader 5.3 I definitely need more help from the kite than you. There are times in our conditions where I rely on instant power from the kite to 'escape'. I'm also more slash/turn with occasional wave rides. I do want to give the kite a try with the Vader though in the right conditions.
The Levitaz Cruizer is a big wing, 989cm2, and it jumps up early but the big surf foils like the LF Impulse / Cloud 9 start earlier and go slower. I think the Cruizer needs a bit more power and speed but am hoping it is a good match for the CA Wave.
I'm hoping for a bit more low end than the equivalent LEI, never in my life have needed a 5m although I could using one on the foil on strong days.
I've been wanting to try a foil kite since getting on the foil and the CA Waves were more attractive to me than other traditional foils.
What attracted me to the kites was the simplicity, drift, maneuverability and smoothness ... not getting yanked off the foil, less pull on the hook.
I'm still optimistic but need more time on the kites. Woke up today to below freezing temps (warmer at the beach) but my days this year are numbered.

Thanks
Tony


Return to “Foil Kites”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: drsurf and 124 guests