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I am still in search after a good foil kite for hydrofoil wave riding /carving.

After just three chest high wave sessions on Spitfire XL (80 kg; 15-25 knots; 17m linenes)with HL7 and many more sessions on Spitfire XL (13-17 knots; 17m lines) with Soul6, I’m finding more HL advantages over Soul.

HyperLink
+ kite delivers smooth pull through power zone
+ sits deeper in wind window, delivering consistent power
+ easy, fast inflation due to many elliptic holes in each rib
+ good bar power control range
+ big upper range for foiling +25 knots
+ drifts
- a bit slow turns
- in waves or shore-break relaunch may be tricky as the outside air inlets are dragging water inside sometimes.

Soul
+ superfast, dynamic, gives huge pull for waterstart
+ easy, sometimes auto water relaunch, also in shorebreak. It slides on waves rather, than beeing dragged by them.
+ fast turning
- atomic pull in power zone
- overflies edge of wind window loosing power
- poor drift
- short bar moves cover whole power range
- not for wavefoiling and carving at winds above 17 knots

What are your opinions?

Tadeusz

If you want the Hyperlink a bit more responsive go UL. Even on the small sizes this makes a difference. I love the 5m UL. Just back from session on it in something like 25-35 very gusty winds.

Cheers
Frank
www.famousfrank.com

Frank Rosin wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 22, 2018 9:20 pm

If you want the Hyperlink a bit more responsive go UL. Even on the small sizes this makes a difference. I love the 5m UL. Just back from session on it in something like 25-35 very gusty winds.

Cheers
Frank
www.famousfrank.com

Hi, Frank.
I love ultralight material in low end kites and use 13m Sonic2 and 18m Pulsion. It helps a lot to keep the kites in light air, when evry piece of lift is priceless.

But I can not imagine myself, what is the difference in kite behaviour in strong winds, where you have plenty of lift?
Shorter lines are speeding up kite movement much more, but than you loose pull for waterstart quite a bit.

Tadeusz

I am using the 5m UL on 7m lines
And I had the standard version first and then compared it to the UL back to back on the same day, on more than one day.
It does make a difference in any winds.
I would almost say esspecially on short lines.
For example it drifts better, which is a massive plus on very short lines to keep the system working well in more extreme riding situations.

My experience anyways. And I had my doubts before, like you do.

I am not saying it is a must have, but very nice to have.

Cheers
Frank
www.famousfrank.com

Frank,
7m lines! Thats short. Turns on a dime? What bar size?
What is your lower limit for HL5? What line length?

Cheers
Tadeusz

45cm bar, no adjuster which could get in the way of twisting lines, while looping or tacking. Not needed anyways on this setup.
The 5 can be used very early and I pushed using the smallest possible kite for a while, but now I am more back to riding powered, so currently I am starting to use the 5 at 20knots sometimes, but mostly 25+ up to 40+ gusts.
I think if pushing it for the sake of it and with the right conditions overall something like 10, or lets say 12 knots, is possible.
Probably would use something like super thin 18-20 lines in this case. But all I am using is 7m lines on it since a few months.
Not sure if your question was really pointing this way though. Probably not really.

BTW I also like the 7m lines on the 7m HL and sometimes also on the 9m HL.
Otherwise using 10m and sometimes 14m lines on the 9 and 12.
This isn't related to riding waves specifically though.

Cheers,
Frank
www.famousfrank.com

Adjuster? You mean power trim, Frank?

The same line length for 5, 7 and 9 helps you to adapt afer switching the size? Then a bit longer lines for smaller kites would make them more evenly agile, I suppose.

Tadeusz

This is the bar:
https://instagram.com/p/Be2Zye3h79D/

The 7 is actually the easiest to ride on those lines overall.
On the 9 the downloops need to be more precise of course.
What it all comes down to is that I am looking for the most fun I can have with any kite I am riding, that is how I pick my lines/bars (on the day)

Cheers
Frank
www.famousfrank.com

HL7 with 7m lines, UL version mast be quick. Maybe to qick for me?
I was using 17m lines, and felt a bit overpowered in 25knot gusts.
With 7 m I would be underpowered in 15 knots, at least for waterstart?

I still cant see any surplus of UL version in so much wind with so short lines.

But thank you,Frank for sharing your experience.
I will try some day to go as short as you do.

Tadeusz

The 7m is the only size I do not have as UL at the moment.
UL you need to try and feel yourself, as said, I wasn't convinced until I tried.
7m lines is quite short, I agree

Cheers,
Frank
www.famousfrank.com