Switching from Flysurfer to Lei

[hayes]

Anyone here switched from Foil kites to Lei?

I love my Speed 5 15m, it’s amazing, but I can’t stand the ground handling when landing, the self landing is near on impossible in any remotely safe way on my local beaches

I kitesurf almost exclusively now, I originally flew foil kites for land boarding but I’ve switched to the water 99% of the time
I have lei kites in smaller sizes and can self launch and land very easily with a tether even when overpowered

I’m considering switching my large foil for a 15 and 12m Lei, I already have a 9m Flysurfer boost

Anyone switched from Speed 5, to say ozone edge or north rebel or Flysurfer boost?

[hayes]

Alternatively, what Lei is the closest performance to Speed5 or Soul foil kites?

[kiter4fun123]

Hi,

I've been on both tubes (boost2, Naish) and flysurfer, back and forward during the years.
Today I always end up using the foils. They might be a bit slower, less explosive but on the other side so much easier to fly, less pain in the arms and most import the wind range is way superior to any lei I've used.

As a rule of thumb, you can hold as much wind on a foil as the same comparative lei size. (I.e on my 12m speed foil I can easily hold the same wind as I can on my boost2 11m kite - if not more. But I have the same projected area/power as a 15-16m lei)

As for landing ask someone 4 help, just tell them to hold the lower tip of the kite.
Self-landing a lei isn't that easy either.

[hayes]

I’m aware of the benefits of foil kites, I’ve flown Flysurfer Speeds in 3/4/5 versions and have years of experience on them, they are incredible

I fly a lot by myself, and a few of our beaches are steep shelving stones
Finding someone to land the kite is very difficult, especially if I’m out by myself
Launching and self landing on stones isn’t the nicest with a big foil powered up

I can self land Lei with a tether on these beaches no trouble and pretty safely, the self land on my Flysurfer is an absolute mess by comparison, and I’ve been doing it for years!

[Carlos_C]

AS Discussed on the foil forum - Get an Ikea bag - fill with stones /or sand from beach - attach a caribiner to it -leave on the beach (I hadn't thought of this have have used poles and Groynes to attach to before)
Fit O - S handles on the steering lines of teh kite - my psycho3's came with them.

Back stall the kite to the beach using os handles - clip handles and chicken loop to caribiner on bag - you will then be able to walk to kite and flag out kite

link here

viewtopic.php?p=1025056#p1025056

[jakemoore]

LOL. Don't leave the foil kite tribe!

I also prefer the self launch and land of tube kites over 20 knots, beaches with bridle tangles or sticky sand. It really depends on what you want in a tube kite. For a flat water, fast riding, high-dangling jumper I would consider Ozone Edge.

[Sandras]

This is a troll trap isn't it?

[Adventure Logs]

AS Discussed on the foil forum - Get an Ikea bag - fill with stones /or sand from beach - attach a caribiner to it -leave on the beach (I hadn't thought of this have have used poles and Groynes to attach to before)
Fit O - S handles on the steering lines of teh kite - my psycho3's came with them.

Back stall the kite to the beach using os handles - clip handles and chicken loop to caribiner on bag - you will then be able to walk to kite and flag out kite

link here

viewtopic.php?p=1025056#p1025056

That method doesn’t always work so well on the higher AR foils. As the kite sits on its ass back stalled, the trailing edge can flip up slightly which can invert and relaunch the kite. The Soul sits much better like that than the Speeds. As for comparable inflates; Boost, Edge, anything really a higher AR. I’ve been in your shoes, you’ll be back to the foils. The little difficulties of a foil kite are way worth all the great things about them IMO

[Pump me up]

Anyone here switched from Foil kites to Lei? ... I can’t stand the ground handling when landing, the self landing is near on impossible in any remotely safe way...

Congratulations on the move! You won't regret it. Ram airs are inferior in every way compared to inflatables. Everyone who has made the move has wondered WHY they didn't do it earlier. Let me know if you'd like a summary of reasons why you should move.

Pumpy

[Skywalker7]

Alternatively, what Lei is the closest performance to Speed5 or Soul foil kites?

The Boost 2 and 3 are kind of close. I did jump 10 meter with my Boost 3 15M. The Boosts are pretty good kites and the 15m turns pretty well with the trailing edge bridles. Otherwise I am using both tube kites and foil kites and my advice would be definitely this if there is no financial barriers to this. If I want to kiteloop and unhook I am using tube kites. If I want to do some airstyle or just do some big jumps than I choose a foil kite. I think you can have the best progression and fun if you are using both. Untill now I was using foil kites as bigger kites and smaller sizes from tubekites. This weekend I just managed to fly my Soul 10M for the first timw which gave me my first 15.5m jump in my life in some 30-35 knots. I also have a Boost 3 11M which I like too and not gona change since I like to kiteloop and the Soul has too much power for my level in the loops while a Boost 3 is way more forgiving. Both kite is covering the same windrange but I like so much both that I will just keep them.