SolarSet wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 12:21 pm
Hey I'm looking for some advice on getting my next foiling kite. Currently I have XR6 8/11m which kinda sucks for foiling and Soul 15m which is way better.
Could someone put bullet points for pro/cons of getting Souls vs Airush Ultra or single strut Contra? I'm considering Soul 9 or 10m to be added or Airush ultra in size 9m?
Currently I have Zeeko Blaster which is 750cm^2 front wing and I'm starting to learn gybes, next year probably would go with Onda
I'm familiar with flying close cell kite mainly on TT and I ridden it only 5 times on foil but I understand its headaches, never ridden single or strutless kite,
I was keen on Soul but on my home spot most people ride Onda or other foils with DT Evo/Neo and it makes me think if everyone else rides LEI hydrofoiling instead of closecell foil kite maybe it's not worth the hassle to get Soul in smaller size?
Here are a few thoughts.
1. You'll improve your hydrofoiling more quickly by changing your front wing to something in the 1000-1250 cm2 range. Go ahead and get the Onda. Then think about kites.
2. If you do #1, you'll retire your 15m Soul from hydrofoiling. It's too big.
3. A 10m Soul will give you much more lift than any LEI, making certain maneuvers easier to learn (e.g., tacks, 360s, foot switches).
4. A 10m Soul will be your go-to kite for light wind, if you have a large front wing like the Onda. A 10m Soul will get you out on foil while the LEIs are watching from the beach.
5. All LEIs will turn and loop faster than a 10m Soul. That's not to say that you can't loop the Soul. You can, but your timing will be different.
6. You'll learn to manage the Soul so it's not really a hassle to use, especially in light wind. The only time I worry about using the Soul for hydrofoil is when the wind picks up dramatically and there's no one around to help me land it. Self-landing an over-powered closed cell foil sometimes can be a challenge.
I use a Soul 10m for light wind hydrofoil, and I use LEIs to hydrofoil in stronger wind.