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Eleveight XS

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Saltyman
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Saltyman » Tue Oct 06, 2020 8:52 am

I've ridden the orbit which is pimped to death on this forum by sponsored riders retailers etc.
The XS kicks it's ass for hooked in big air without a doubt. Has way better wind range.
And is not pimped it's performance speaks for itself.
Orbit is better at unhooking but just get a specific freestyle kite if that's your thing.
That's my opinion.
Flame away north rep riders etc.
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Kitedicted (Tue Oct 06, 2020 9:53 am)
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Kitedicted
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Kitedicted » Tue Oct 06, 2020 9:41 am

Saltyman wrote:
Tue Oct 06, 2020 8:52 am
I've ridden the orbit which is pimped to death on this forum by sponsored riders retailers etc.
The XS kicks it's ass for hooked in big air without a doubt. Has way better wind range.
And is not pimped it's performance speaks for itself.
Orbit is better at unhooking but just get a specific freestyle kite if that's your thing.
That's my opinion.
Flame away north rep riders etc.
Would you mind explaining what is better with the XS and how the handling compares? I am considering both Orbit 21 and XS will hopefully get a chance to try both.

Saltyman
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Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2017 12:02 am
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Saltyman » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:16 am

Orbit slightly less bar pressure.
XS more low end .
Both are fast kites very little diffence.
Build quality on XS is way better.
No d2 10yr old technology XS is tenjin 4× has new seam sewing pattern and le material.
18 month warranty on XS. 12 months on North
Eleveight bar is awesome simple click out bar size changer good design feature and thermo coated lines made in Germany make setting up easier imo.
If you're going to unhook orbit is better.
As XS is specifically built as an hooked in big air kite freeride kite.
Both have a massive sweet spot.
My bet is try both if possible.
I know that it's harder to source the XS atm as they sold out fast and are waiting on new stock orbit is everywhere.
Good luck with whichever kite you choose.
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Kitedicted (Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:27 am)
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madis_and_kite
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Posts: 34
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Kiting since: 2012
Weight: 75
Local Beach: Estonia, Vääna-Jõesuu
Favorite Beaches: Dolphin beach, SA
Style: Bigair/kiteloops
Gear: Eleveight RS7-8-10-12, RS+14, OS10, WS5, Commander AG Pro 134cm, Escape 5'2
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby madis_and_kite » Thu Oct 08, 2020 10:12 am

We still have some 9 and 12 XSs in stock if anyone very keen and can't find anywhere :) madis@nowork.ee
This kite really boosts you off the water. Little bit slow for kitelooping in moderate winds, RS is bette for that.
But when you have real bigair wind, loops like a dream.

Mike101
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Mike101 » Thu Oct 08, 2020 4:24 pm

I think I want an XS, I need a new storm kite to replace my Best GP 7m. Currently I ride:
15-25knt 12m RS
20-35knt 9m RS
30knt+ 7m Best GP

I have a 9m GP also. I dont really ride it anymore.

Which eleveight kite to replace my 7m GP? 7m XS, 6m or 7m RS or an FS? I want the biggest wind range for when my 9m is too much (it's rare here tbh, 90% of my sessions are on the 9m). What would you want to be on in 40-50knt?

The 7m GP seems to have unlimited range. I had it out in 55-65knt last year comfortably (I dont think I will kite above 40knt base anymore though). The trouble is the kites are getting old, the 9m already had valve issues and the 7m will start misbehaving. The new RS kites are an absolute dream- I dont want to be beaten up by hybrid Cs anymore.

Saltyman
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Posts: 223
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Saltyman » Fri Oct 09, 2020 1:24 am

So has 7m XS check out Eleveight FB page the guy boosting huge in 50 knots.
I think that will answer your question.
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Mike101 (Fri Oct 09, 2020 8:53 am)
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madis_and_kite
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Posts: 34
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Weight: 75
Local Beach: Estonia, Vääna-Jõesuu
Favorite Beaches: Dolphin beach, SA
Style: Bigair/kiteloops
Gear: Eleveight RS7-8-10-12, RS+14, OS10, WS5, Commander AG Pro 134cm, Escape 5'2
Brand Affiliation: Co-Owner of No Work Surf Club and Surfikaubamaja
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby madis_and_kite » Fri Oct 09, 2020 9:26 am

Mike101 wrote:
Thu Oct 08, 2020 4:24 pm
I think I want an XS, I need a new storm kite to replace my Best GP 7m. Currently I ride:
15-25knt 12m RS
20-35knt 9m RS
30knt+ 7m Best GP

I have a 9m GP also. I dont really ride it anymore.

Which eleveight kite to replace my 7m GP? 7m XS, 6m or 7m RS or an FS? I want the biggest wind range for when my 9m is too much (it's rare here tbh, 90% of my sessions are on the 9m). What would you want to be on in 40-50knt?

The 7m GP seems to have unlimited range. I had it out in 55-65knt last year comfortably (I dont think I will kite above 40knt base anymore though). The trouble is the kites are getting old, the 9m already had valve issues and the 7m will start misbehaving. The new RS kites are an absolute dream- I dont want to be beaten up by hybrid Cs anymore.
Hey Mike,

Depends what is your riding style and how good are you in handling strong winds. If you just want to fly and boost high, go for XS7.

If you are also pulling kiteloops and thinking about learning combos with kiteloops, go for RS8. RS8 we have used up to 60knots gusts.
RS8 is safest and easiest kite to pull kiteloops and kiteloop combos.

We have also tried RS9 with 60knots gusts, we are alive but not doing that again. It is interesting feeling to hower over the water, kite on 12 and completely depowered :lol:
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Kristan
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Local Beach: Plescheevo lake
Favorite Beaches: Mejvodnoye, Crimea
Style: Freeride
Gear: Kites: Eleveight XS 14m, Paraavis Smile 3 15m. Boards: Flysurfer Radical 6 144x46, Flysurfer Flydoor4 170x50
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Kristan » Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:29 pm

I've managed to finally get my XS out of the bag and test it. So I'm gonna write my first impressions, what I did like and what I didn't. Mostly I'm going to compare it to my FS Soul 12m, which was my main kite so far.
Kite size: 14m
Wind conditions: 10-18 knots
Surface: Snow, quite thin layer, but enough for "moving the lawn" and not scrape the ground.
Riders weight: 102kg (225 freedom units)

At first glance it's a well sewn kite, plenty of reinforcements, manufacturers decided not to go for lightweight trend, yet for 14m it weights 4.5 kilos, which I think is good. There are some bridle adjustments, I put them on "Freeride" setting, because in manual it says it provides the best depower.

Self launching is easy. From the ground it doesn't look like that much of high aspect kite, not that flat as Edge, Boost or Hyper, closer to Rebel, Switchblade or Orbit I guess. I was really cautious about my first moves with the kite, since I didn't handle LEI's in a long time, especially high AR ones, so I didn't know what to expect from it, how much power it would provide. Took some time, but I began to ride and, oh boy, the upwind on that thing is amazing. This kite is quite demanding, tends to backstall if I choke it with the bar for too much, the habit I formed with Soul, it would just provide power if fully sheeted in, but not this kite, or maybe wind wasn't enough. Power delivery is somewhat rubber-ish, requires work, no "sheet and go" stuff. Bar pressure is lighter than Soul's, I can control it with one hand, which I couldn't do with Soul, but bar pressure is still quite significant. Relaunch is easy, which had me worried buying high AR kite. Did not try to jump it much, maybe later when I will get confidence with controlling that kite. Self landing is sketchy, but doable.

And now for some negative moments. This kite whistles! I don't know which part, lines, pulleys, stopper ball, no bloody idea. Not sure which will happen first, whether I will get used to it or it's gonna drive me nuts! Next, when I fell a couple of times I had a line snag on the wingtip, sending the kite for loops. I thought there are protections against that, but seems like they don't work fully, so I had to yank the lines. Or maybe it's fine for LEI's, my previous ones didn't suffer from that. Then I expected more of depower on that kite, I had to trim at the wind speed I didn't need to trim with Soul. The top end was way shorter than Soul's as well. Even fully trimmed at wind around 18-20 knots it tended to accelerate me way faster than I wished to. Totally not a good drifter, going downwind might be sketchy, prepare yourself for backstalls and other shenanigans.

Overall I like it at most, but I need some more time and practice with such kite, cuz it's not that easy to use as three strut "do-it-alls", it's quite demanding in controls.

Image

Hugh2
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Hugh2 » Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:50 pm

You did not mention how ugly it is, white for snow and red for blood?! I thought REEDIN Supermodel was bad. Mostly kidding, but that is a less-than-pretty kite.
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Leon van Bergen (Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:03 am)
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Kristan
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Posts: 265
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:50 am
Local Beach: Plescheevo lake
Favorite Beaches: Mejvodnoye, Crimea
Style: Freeride
Gear: Kites: Eleveight XS 14m, Paraavis Smile 3 15m. Boards: Flysurfer Radical 6 144x46, Flysurfer Flydoor4 170x50
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Location: Russia, Moscow
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Re: Eleveight XS

Postby Kristan » Wed Dec 30, 2020 9:45 am

Doesn't look as shiny as on preview indeed. There was no other option for this size anyway.


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