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Flysurfer Soul

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slowboat
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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby slowboat » Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:33 am

downunder wrote:
Thu Oct 18, 2018 2:37 pm
I didn't really like it, but can't fault it since below is very personal feeling.

Here is why:

- quite high bar pressure
- quite slow, well not quite, sloooow. 12m, 15-17kn
- doesn't pivot (like I would expect from a Sonic and R1 background)*
- feels like a truck pulling me
- upwind on TT is average )*
- it really feels like a beginner kite
- it really needs a helper for landing
- the profile is huge, that thing will take enormous amount of water, trust me. I could not take out of water 11m R1 and Sonic 9m myself, after 45min swim. And they are way way thinner.

On that note, there are people who will buy it with no knowledge what so ever how to even fly a kite. Any kite.
Let me demonstrate:
- I looped the kite. A few times each side on the land. The guys approached and asking "How did you do that?" - did what?
"Yeah, how did you do that? What did you pull?" - my blank face

After purchasing a 15m Soul, he is asking which line did I pull? God save/help him, he'll need it.

Other than that, it is a great kite, just not for me at this stage.
Thanks for honest, unbiased input. Of course, you will be personally criticized because you are rejecting the hype.

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Adventure Logs » Fri Oct 19, 2018 11:04 am

slowboat wrote:
Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:33 am
downunder wrote:
Thu Oct 18, 2018 2:37 pm
I didn't really like it, but can't fault it since below is very personal feeling.

Here is why:

- quite high bar pressure
- quite slow, well not quite, sloooow. 12m, 15-17kn
- doesn't pivot (like I would expect from a Sonic and R1 background)*
- feels like a truck pulling me
- upwind on TT is average )*
- it really feels like a beginner kite
- it really needs a helper for landing
- the profile is huge, that thing will take enormous amount of water, trust me. I could not take out of water 11m R1 and Sonic 9m myself, after 45min swim. And they are way way thinner.

On that note, there are people who will buy it with no knowledge what so ever how to even fly a kite. Any kite.
Let me demonstrate:
- I looped the kite. A few times each side on the land. The guys approached and asking "How did you do that?" - did what?
"Yeah, how did you do that? What did you pull?" - my blank face

After purchasing a 15m Soul, he is asking which line did I pull? God save/help him, he'll need it.

Other than that, it is a great kite, just not for me at this stage.
Thanks for honest, unbiased input. Of course, you will be personally criticized because you are rejecting the hype.
His opinion is far from unbiased since he was bashing on the kite long before he actually ever flew one

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby james » Fri Oct 19, 2018 3:27 pm

downunder wrote:
Fri Oct 19, 2018 7:40 am
fernmanus wrote:
Fri Oct 19, 2018 4:09 am
The Soul is the best kite Flysurfer has ever designed for free riding. I have been kiting for 18 years. I have flown and owned every kite Flysurfer has produced and most Ozone kites.

Call the FS Soul a beginner kite if you like, but as an experienced kiter, I would recommend the FS Soul to every kiter, beginner or expert.
That's funny, for free riding...And just above is
james wrote: Well a 15m soul just won a speed comp ...
. Make a decision please.

As said, "everyone and anyone will jump of the chair." - that's because you guys are slamming an earnest opinion with your purchasing power. Of course no one will criticize an expensive purchase. That is "built in" the human nature.

But cheap, that's another matter, right?

andylc, I said that, didn't I...Is going upwind personal as well ;)

Not sure why you are telling me to make a decision?

I just reported what was fact. No opinion or purchase power in play at all

The kite was proved faster In Performance terms that’s all.

drsurf
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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby drsurf » Fri Oct 19, 2018 3:48 pm

Been using the 6m Soul mainly on a foilboard but also twintip. I'm 65kg and live in a windy area but have been using the kite in winds from under 10 knots to about 20 knots.
• Bar pressure neither high or low, gives good feel for the kite
• Speed in a straight line builds gradually and on a foilboard is currently faster than my skill and choppy conditions allow
• Good turning speed considering it's high aspect, high projected area, compared to LEI kites. Power is in a different part of the turn but by varying sheeting you can make it work how you like it.
• Upwind on foil or TT is excellent. Even in light wind you can sine the kite for power and still make ground on a TT
• It feels like a kite anyone could use, it's easy to fly and control. However the better you are the more you'll get from the kite
• it doesn't seem to take on water. Unless you've absolutely no wind the kite relaunches from the water better than any other kite I've used. Pull one line or do a reverse launch. I've swam in bags of water with past foils but with the Soul it's hard to imagine. (Oh if you think the profile means you'll take in a lot of water you'd have to be an amateur. Anyone with any foil sense would roll the kite up before it filled assuming there was no wind to launch. And the Soul fabric seems to repel the water)
• All foil kites like a helper for landing. However I've landed the Soul on the back lines myself easily with no problems or tangles
• Downwind on a foilboard is where the Soul really shines. Fantastic drift makes it easy to control and keep in the sky where you want it. Heavier LEI kites cannot compare
• You have to fly the Soul when new for about 5 hours for it to stretch the lines into perfect position then it really feels sweet
• Biiigg wind range

You also need to fly the Soul for a couple of hours to really get a feel for the kite. A couple of runs on a TT won't give you time to get the most out of the kite. It really needs to be used with a foilboard to see how good this kite is. I've yet to have a day with light enough wind to say I can't get flying on my foilboard, and this is a small 6m foil! Granted I'm light and I do have a Moses 633 as one of my foils :D

Now I must disclose that I sell Flysurfer kites as well as other brands. Over the past 20 years I have used foil kites and Arcs previously and found too many downsides, and therefore have a range of LEI kites which work well for me. But the more I fly the Soul the better it feels.

Downsides: It's expensive. In Australia good foil kites like Souls and Hyperlinks aren't cheap. However the Soul seems built to last. No zips anywhere to corrode when packed away, all bridle lines available as spare parts along with other hardware. Bridles have easy adjustment checking and there is also additional tuning capability built inside the kite. I think that Flysurfer recommends speedsystem bridle replacement at 250 hours which is a lot of kiting and seems to reflect a materials strategy that is designed for longevity. So considering this and the wind range you may needs less kites and update them less often. This may equalise the price differential.
If you're in Australia and in NSW and want to try these kites feel free to contact me.

Have fun, Dave

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby madmax7 » Fri Oct 19, 2018 4:26 pm

Why I bought it

Soul 15

My spot has winds of 12 mph and peaks at 21 mph on a regular basis

my 14 M Pivot LEI stops being fun (on TT, and I'm 190 lbs) at 15 mph.

This is my first foil , tried it once and have much to learn. ..

Q. Why a 21 m lines suggest as opposed to 24? I have a Naish bar. Also they suggest keeping lines tied to kite always.

Thanks for info

Max

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Flag53 » Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:53 pm

Hi guys ,

Wasn’t sure wether to start a new thread on this one but here goes.

So I bought a 12m soul for lightwind foiling and yes it’s awesome and will get me going in 7/8 mph and it has great relaunching but and it’s a big BUT im overpowered at about 12mph on a foil board.

I’ve tried different line lenghs 15-20-25-30 and at 12-14mph it’s fully depowered and just a handful, because the steerings so slow .
I’ve done the mixer test and everything is fine .

Am I missing something here ?

Cheers guys

Ps I’m 86KG

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Macster » Fri Oct 19, 2018 10:19 pm

Flag53 wrote:
Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:53 pm
Hi guys ,

Wasn’t sure wether to start a new thread on this one but here goes.

So I bought a 12m soul for lightwind foiling and yes it’s awesome and will get me going in 7/8 mph and it has great relaunching but and it’s a big BUT im overpowered at about 12mph on a foil board.

I’ve tried different line lenghs 15-20-25-30 and at 12-14mph it’s fully depowered and just a handful, because the steerings so slow .
I’ve done the mixer test and everything is fine .

Am I missing something here ?

Cheers guys

Ps I’m 86KG
That's about 10 knots? You should be in the sweet spot when foiling from around 8-12 knots on the 12m at your weight. I use the ozone race bar with 60cm of depower which I'm activating after 12 knots. 15 knots gets scary for me. I can ride my 8m soul from 10 knots...

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Kitehume » Fri Oct 19, 2018 10:36 pm

Flag53 wrote:
Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:53 pm
Hi guys ,

Wasn’t sure wether to start a new thread on this one but here goes.

So I bought a 12m soul for lightwind foiling and yes it’s awesome and will get me going in 7/8 mph and it has great relaunching but and it’s a big BUT im overpowered at about 12mph on a foil board.

I’ve tried different line lenghs 15-20-25-30 and at 12-14mph it’s fully depowered and just a handful, because the steerings so slow .
I’ve done the mixer test and everything is fine .

Am I missing something here ?

Cheers guys

Ps I’m 86KG
This is me. I weigh 65kg. Riding in 8-12knts.(9-14mph) Using 21m lines. with the kite fully powered.
I only get overpowered in down loop transitions. But that is easy to fix. Make the kite do quicker down loops with less power by grabbing the steering line. Don't use the bar.



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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Adventure Logs » Fri Oct 19, 2018 10:56 pm

Flag53 wrote:
Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:53 pm
Hi guys ,

Wasn’t sure wether to start a new thread on this one but here goes.

So I bought a 12m soul for lightwind foiling and yes it’s awesome and will get me going in 7/8 mph and it has great relaunching but and it’s a big BUT im overpowered at about 12mph on a foil board.

I’ve tried different line lenghs 15-20-25-30 and at 12-14mph it’s fully depowered and just a handful, because the steerings so slow .
I’ve done the mixer test and everything is fine .

Am I missing something here ?

Cheers guys

Ps I’m 86KG
What bar are you on?

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Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Flag53 » Sat Oct 20, 2018 9:48 am

Hi adventure logs , I’ve tried multiple bars from
Ozone race to home made north conversions with plenty of depower.

Like I say , I can get so much depower on that I loose the steering!

I did think of adjusting the Profile adjusters but on the Ozone site it says the if you do this that the wing tips can start to fold in light winds


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