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I've been looking since several months for the ideal lightweight LEI to complement my foil kites that could be used for waveriding as well as for foiling.
I was given to try (pre-?) production Airush Ultra 9 and 15, and I believe my search has ended. I was over the moon. Although I hadn't been riding LEI for years, I dialled in with minutes. Fast turning on a dime (my reason for getting a LEI) and the 15 light enough to get going in 7 knots with a hydrofoil. Not going quite well upwind as the Speed5 8 and Sonic2 13, but that was expected. The downwind bit made up for it.
I was considering the following candidates:
- North Mono
- Liquid Force Solo
- Airush Lithium Zero (first to be eliminated!)
- Airush One (which has little to do with the Ultra, considering the feed-back I got - to be confirmed!)
- F One Breeze (tried the 11 - too much flapping).
- Naish Trip
- BRM Cloud, of course
- Storm Voyager 2
- Gong Strutless
I didn't have the chance to weigh them yet, in order to update the following charts (the most interesting info in the first one, is the weight/projected area adjusted to 10 m equivalent) and confirm they are lighter than the Airush One:
I cannot remember the name of the person I must thank for the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

PS I haven't tried many of the kites on my list, but had to limit my choice to the ones available in my region.

PS2 Title edited to use PMU's favorite expression for foil kites riders.

http://airush.com/2017/kites/ultra/

Looks pretty nice. Only thing I've never been keen on with airush is the bridle pulleys. Would be great to test it out. Would be great to start an updated mono strut/hyrdofoil specific kite weight comparisons spreadsheet.

Here is what I had gathered (that led to the above color table I started two years ago), weight is extended to 10m2 for comparison:
airush one 12m 10 2.33 kg (mesure to check, based on the 122) 2012
zeeko Air 12m 10 2.50 kg (3kg approx in 12m) 2016
airush one 9m 10 2.63 kg (2.3kg weighted in 9 m) 2012
zeeko Air 8m 10 3.00 (2.4kg weighted in 8 m) 2016

Previous Airush One (2012) was already a weight killer and lighter than other current mono struts ; if they actually reduced the weight , it is a very good news.

I do not have the weight for the North Mono but it should be a bit higher

That looks brilliant! I so wish I had a reason to buy one to try it out.

Info on Airush Ultra here: http://airush.com/2017/kites/ultra/

ULTRA 5m = 1.7kg
ULTRA 6m = 1.8kg
ULTRA 7m = 2.11kg
ULTRA 8m = 2.19kg
ULTRA 9m = 2.28kg
ULTRA 12m = 2.6kg
ULTRA 15m = 3.4kg

PeterP wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:17 am

Info on Airush Ultra here: http://airush.com/2017/kites/ultra/

ULTRA 5m = 1.7kg
ULTRA 6m = 1.8kg
ULTRA 7m = 2.11kg
ULTRA 8m = 2.19kg
ULTRA 9m = 2.28kg
ULTRA 12m = 2.6kg
ULTRA 15m = 3.4kg

Not that it makes much difference but I think the 12m is listed @ 2.8kg....

And surprisingly, it relaunches remarkably well. Before yesterday, as even foils were struggling to stay up in the air, I saw an Ultra 15 relaunch effortlessly. Looks like an excellent school kite as well. Paradoxically, for hydrofoiling, I'd rather get an Ultra instead of a foilkite for the lightest conditions, because it gives you the kiteloop kick in the butt you need to get in the air.
Thanks Regis and Peter for the weight update. BTW, I got 2.25 kg for the 9 Red with bridle, without bag and without sand.
For the number crunchers amongst us, a couple more parameters to complete the chart so we can compare the comparable: aspect ratio, plus real and projected area.
Can't wait to try it more at length for the next downwind with the pack from Pranburi.

Removed

Looks good. But i still dont like having to pump a kite up

alexrider wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 29, 2017 2:35 pm

Snip....
Paradoxically, for hydrofoiling, I'd rather get an Ultra instead of a foilkite for the lightest conditions, because it gives you the kiteloop kick in the butt you need to get in the air.
Snip....

Actually not true, the LEI kites turns way better than the "slow dog" foil kites yes, but the race foil kites still gives you more kick when looped thus you can start earlier on these, no doubt

Having said that, I prefer a light LEI any time, over the peak power racefoil kites (got both), because they are so much more fun in every way - and IF it goes down, no problem as you can just take it easy and either wait for a puff to relaunch, or drift comfortably ashore for a relaunch.
So much more fun, and no worries.

I was fortunate to try a 6 m2 Ultra in January (hydrofoiling), a really pleasant kite, turned well, drifted well, good power on demand and can spill power too, no flapping - a really nice encounter and definitely a choice many has been waiting for - a way more refined kite than the (older) Airush One that also was loved a lot amongst the early hydrofoilers

Peter