Have you never been in the humiliating situation, with a big foil kite in marginal wind conditions (especially if there is current flowing in the same direction) that you cannot manage to engage the kite in a loop, when many (latest generation) LEIs around can? Some FS models were more prone to that than others, and amongst the recent ones, the Sonic FR markedly more than Sonic2. Please do not suspect a lack of experience with foil kites on my part; after 14 years, I believe I can fly them to their optimum.
IMO, as long as you can just about fly an LEI, you can loop it. It's not the case with foils.
To get more oomph to get going, I now paradoxically take a smaller, faster (and lighter!) kite when it's fart wind. For the same reason, I believe I'd pick a 15 Ultra over a foil. Not to mention the fun element which we agree upon.
There is a reason the freestyle hotdoggers all prefer LEI for their tricks. It was even difficult to get the pope of airstyle Toby to convert to foils. Maybe he'll find some ass kicking joy with the Sonic2 he just got ?
Peter_Frank wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2017 7:14 amActually 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