Flysurfer Soul

[Skywalker7]

That's my exact plan for monday. I just received my Soul 12M and two of my friends has the FRS 12M. I tried the FRS 12M once. That time I rode it after the Speed 5 12M. The FRS had less performance than the Speed 5 but obviously they are different category of kites since the FRS has the aspect ratio of 5.2 and the Speed 5 has 6.15. The FRS is a very stable kite and flying deeper in the windwindow than the Speed 5. I think the FRS would be a fair to compare with a Hyperlink. Since the Soul has ca. 0.4-0.8 more aspect ratio and higher cell count (much cleaner profile and wing shape) and lighter construction I expect the Soul to have way more performance than the FRS and just a tiny bit less performance than the Speed 5 with better stability and turning.

[Horst Sergio]

Has anyone been able to compare the FS Soul and the Kitech FRS?

From what I have seen, I would not expect Kitech or ConceptAir are playing in the league of the two big: FS and Ozone, also not according to price for sure. Good brands, but just a matter of size of development Crew, which is the reason for price gap. They can make sense if you don't find a similar model personal fitting kite as the ultralight Pulsion or Wave or very small kites in the range of the big brands, or at a comparable price when used. But even here would believe for most an used Lotus makes more sense than a FRS at the same price, but haven't tried this Kitech modell, so I could be wrong.

@Flag53:
64 kg and 10 m² Soul, but 8 m² maybe would have felt funnyer that day especially when it picks up to 12 knts. Normally don't ride bigger than 8,6 m² Sonic² anymoren, even in 6 knts when nobody else is out. But I am a bad comparision with my special board.

@Tone:
Just the magic of the most low resistance foil thinkable. Yesterday low wind conditions have been great for me, but wouldn't have been possible or make sense with any other equipment. Maybe a good full race guy would have been able to swimm out the same 100 m with measured 3 knts on the ground and 7 knts @ 20m, after elongating his lines. But as wind touched just a small part of the lake, he would have risked to run out or get bored on the small place, where I was able to train my jibes and tacks more and more succesful than ever done on the mono.

@Kykeon:
For sure you can assemble the Soul on the water, but on the end you can do this with nearly every foil kite, even some single skinns and maybe some open cellers like this one if you open C-Level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgrDYSEfl28
It is more a question about how easy and what wind force needed. Haven't tried it with the Soul yet, but would expect it to be pretty easy when learned the maneuver and possible down to 7 - 8 knts.

[downunder]

I can’t find it now, but I’m sure I read somewhere that the Soul uses “non-distorting” nylon battens in the leading edge. (Please correct me if I’m wrong)
I’m always conscious of not packing my kites away to tightly and often don’t leave them in the bags for long time.

Yes, we use ridgid foils at at the Soul. We have the same in Sonic Race and Sonic 2/FR since years.
We use only fully flexible/elastic once, different to some other brands.
Just pack it like you want. We had no customer how had every any problem.

Here you can see them in the german video :
https://youtu.be/zei6Mpd-JGw?t=2m36s
https://youtu.be/zei6Mpd-JGw?t=2m36s

Would be great if this vid is translated to English with subtitles.

Just a thought.

[Kitemanmuc]

That's my exact plan for monday. I just received my Soul 12M and two of my friends has the FRS 12M. I tried the FRS 12M once. That time I rode it after the Speed 5 12M. The FRS had less performance than the Speed 5 but obviously they are different category of kites since the FRS has the aspect ratio of 5.2 and the Speed 5 has 6.15. The FRS is a very stable kite and flying deeper in the windwindow than the Speed 5. I think the FRS would be a fair to compare with a Hyperlink. Since the Soul has ca. 0.4-0.8 more aspect ratio and higher cell count (much cleaner profile and wing shape) and lighter construction I expect the Soul to have way more performance than the FRS and just a tiny bit less performance than the Speed 5 with better stability and turning.

Please keep me posted on your back to back comparison.

[kitexpert]

Would be great if this vid is translated to English with subtitles.

Just a thought.

Absolutely. I don't understand much what this guy says in the video, but it shows airfoil shape (apparently of Soul) and how that internal camber adjustment works.

Airfoil looks thick and it has considerable amount of camber, it really looks like traction kite airfoil. Relatively high cell count of course decreases billowing so difference between airfoil and center of the cell is smaller than usual.

How this internal camber adjustment is thought to be used? Isn't it too laborious to do and undo (for every rib?)? And how the mixer is, is it 1:2:4 like before?

[Flag53]

Thanks Horst

[Horst Sergio]

About the video and trimm options:

The video from Peter Goldbach is good and shows some new trimm options, but those have never been adressed to normal customers why all this could cause much more confusion than it will be helpfull, but trying to give an overview:

Talking about wear, performance and stability over time. Nearly all kites have trimm options on the bar to set all 4 lines equal to work against variation of line shrinking as you know.
(There is no line elongation and don't try to stretch your lines, to make it short: Doesn't help for long)

Additionally most kites especially tube kites mostly have no further relevant easy trimm options (yes hard and soft stearing, but this is less about wear, performance and stability).
For sure there are many possible trimm options for everybody with a sewing machine but not what I talking about, which are "easy" prepared trimm options and helpers.

Flysurfer has now as I would name it 3 prepared trimm options on their kites, but just the 1. and easiest is adressed to customer. 2.-3. explained in the video are adressed to your local, if you're lucky, experienced FS dealer, who can trimm your used FS kite personally after a test flight.

1. Mixer
The Mixer Test, described often enough, check for the topics here. This is adressed to customer to check every about 20 sessions to keep the mixer straight. If you are advanced you may also change mixer compensating some wear in the bridle and using it for best performance in on shore sea winds or off shore type winds in small lakes. Even more for races, the FS sonic race has the best ever seen mixer system. Here you may timm the profile and angle of attack of both center parts of the kite and the wing tip independently. This is really great for most tuning and wear aspects and also to optimize kite to differen't flying line length.
Ozone does not even have the standard B and C Trimm option just a knot for Z, which is maybe as they are already affraid to confuse their customers with the normal mixer test but also forces their dealers to use a sewing machine or similar advanced technique if the trimm is out of shape .... some Ozone dealer may tell you it is because ozone kites never go out of shape ...

2. LCL - Long Mixer
The secound now fully prepared option, experts only, is the long mixer test. FS now has additionally markings on most bridle lines to check shrinking fast and since 2005 PS2 it is possible to trimm every single line with the help of LCLs. Ozone has nothing of those helpers or options, but had a few years ago the recomendation for their R1 race kite to "just" change the complete bridle ... after some sessions. Just who has done this once knows what this costs and means ...

3. PMAs
As seen in the video trimm of the profile, don't touch it if you don't know what your doing and ask your dealer if he has enough experience with it, before he starts to finger around inside your kite

[foilholio]

Really nice looking kite with a lot of attention paid to good user experience like bridle check, water drainage, one line relaunch,and strong!, Well done Armin and team Flysurfer The unique ARs for every size is awesome! should make every size perfect!

[Flag53]

I know this is a completely Newby foil question but please stay with me .
I owned a Flysurfer Peak 3 12m and found it slow to turn compared to an 12m inflatable, is there anyone who has flown a12m Soul compare the turning speed and speed through the air with the Peak 3 ?
Many thanks

[andylc]

Don’t get any foil expecting turning speed to be in any way comparable to an LEI!