Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Flysurfer Soul

For all foil kite riders
mattin
Rare Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 11:55 am
Kiting since: 2012
Weight: 80
Local Beach: Västerås
Favorite Beaches: N/A
Style: Freeride TT/HF
Gear: Flysurfer Soul ,Gong and LF HF, RRD TT, Aeros cruiser SR
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 0

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby mattin » Mon Jan 25, 2021 5:49 pm

airsail wrote:
Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:58 am
The Sonic 3 is crazy stable, and mine has had swims and relaunched no problem. I have the Soul 10, had the Soul 12. Now with the 15 I’m am much more confident going out in stronger gusty conditions that I wouldn’t use the 12 Soul in.
Being thinner the Sonic just eats the gusts, powering upwind. A friend has the Soul 15, he is very tentative using it as it gets too much for him quickly.
We had a play race the other day, similar foils and similar weight. After 5 minutes I was at least 200mtrs further upwind and ahead of him. Back in the beach he said his 15 Soul was getting difficult, not nice to use. I offered him a go on the Sonic, he jumped at the chance. 15 mins later he came in, ordered a 15mtr Sonic 3 that night.
Kite Elements is Flysurfer outlet shop in Germany for ex demo kites. 19% discount if your outside the EU
Thanks alot for that input to the discussion, I am quite familiar to difficult foilkites since I have had both Pansh, Storm Thunder and Aeros Navy before so I not really afarid of the sonic3 beeing to difficult, I was just worried about the water relaunch since the airvolume is so much smaller and the AR that much higher than the soul but after your input I feel like I need to try both kites to make up my mind :D

User avatar
Adventure Logs
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1554
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:18 pm
Local Beach: South Padre Island, Texas
Punta del Diablo, Urugay
Gear: Flysurfer, Moses, Groove, Gin
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 85 times
Been thanked: 321 times
Contact:

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Adventure Logs » Mon Jan 25, 2021 7:14 pm

mattin wrote:
Mon Jan 25, 2021 5:49 pm
airsail wrote:
Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:58 am
The Sonic 3 is crazy stable, and mine has had swims and relaunched no problem. I have the Soul 10, had the Soul 12. Now with the 15 I’m am much more confident going out in stronger gusty conditions that I wouldn’t use the 12 Soul in.
Being thinner the Sonic just eats the gusts, powering upwind. A friend has the Soul 15, he is very tentative using it as it gets too much for him quickly.
We had a play race the other day, similar foils and similar weight. After 5 minutes I was at least 200mtrs further upwind and ahead of him. Back in the beach he said his 15 Soul was getting difficult, not nice to use. I offered him a go on the Sonic, he jumped at the chance. 15 mins later he came in, ordered a 15mtr Sonic 3 that night.
Kite Elements is Flysurfer outlet shop in Germany for ex demo kites. 19% discount if your outside the EU
Thanks alot for that input to the discussion, I am quite familiar to difficult foilkites since I have had both Pansh, Storm Thunder and Aeros Navy before so I not really afarid of the sonic3 beeing to difficult, I was just worried about the water relaunch since the airvolume is so much smaller and the AR that much higher than the soul but after your input I feel like I need to try both kites to make up my mind :D
The Sonic3 does relaunch much better than the previous generation but the Soul is still better in that regard.

The reason I recommend the Soul over the Sonic3 for unstable lake winds is not because of the gusts but more because of the shifting/changing winds you usually get on lakes. While you still can use the Sonic3 in these conditions(it does eat gusts better than Sonic2), the shifting winds will make it more of a handful. This is why on my lake up in MN, I’d rather pull my Soul 10m over my Sonic3 11m. In stable winds though, Sonic3 every time.

=Jason-
These users thanked the author Adventure Logs for the post:
airsail (Mon Jan 25, 2021 7:28 pm)
Rating: 3.03%

sonny2727
Frequent Poster
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2017 11:21 pm
Favorite Beaches: St Kilda
Gear: Duotone,Kauper, Ozone, Shinn, Flysurfer, Moses, Axis,Slingshot
Reo,Edge,Rebel,R1,
Sonic,Peak4,Soul,
Falcon
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Melbourne
Has thanked: 122 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby sonny2727 » Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:36 pm

Sonic 3 does relaunch pretty well but if wind completely dies for 15 mins maybe Soul is better..


After riding both I prefer Sonic 3 as I hardly relaunch and prefer a kite that sits at the edge of the window more..easier to launch and pack down than Soul...But one of the considerations is bar feel ..very different ..so there is a case for having 2 Souls ...In low wind Soul has arguably the most powerful loop to waterstart while Sonic is typical foil kite with late power surge..price wise Soul has way better value for money as you can get excellent condition used under 2000..I think relaunch of foil now is good enough for most riders and conditions it shouldn't be a consideration ..I'd relaunch couple of times a month and accept the occasional swim..now packing down a soul on the water is not easy ..guess all this is kinda first world problems :)

Jibskibs
Rare Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 4:51 pm
Kiting since: 2008
Gear: Ghost, UFO, Soul, UltraV2
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Jibskibs » Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:05 pm

I’ve been digging here and trying to find a comparison for LEI-equivalent sizing vs the soul. I have the 12m Soul, and looking at buying a 6-8m to fill a gap in my lineup

I’m almost fully hydrofoil, just sold my last switchblade and now want to replace that space with a Soul for foil and occasional TT session. My gap is between 5m SS UFO and 9m UltraV2 - doable with diff foil wings (590/679) but not optimal. LEIs will stay due to local condition needs and I don’t want to ignore them. Does anyone have experience with direct comparison in the smaller ranges? Thinking 7m but if the 6 pulls ‘big’ maybe that is more fitting?

User avatar
Adventure Logs
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1554
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:18 pm
Local Beach: South Padre Island, Texas
Punta del Diablo, Urugay
Gear: Flysurfer, Moses, Groove, Gin
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 85 times
Been thanked: 321 times
Contact:

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Adventure Logs » Sun Feb 14, 2021 11:59 pm

Jibskibs wrote:
Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:05 pm
I’ve been digging here and trying to find a comparison for LEI-equivalent sizing vs the soul. I have the 12m Soul, and looking at buying a 6-8m to fill a gap in my lineup

I’m almost fully hydrofoil, just sold my last switchblade and now want to replace that space with a Soul for foil and occasional TT session. My gap is between 5m SS UFO and 9m UltraV2 - doable with diff foil wings (590/679) but not optimal. LEIs will stay due to local condition needs and I don’t want to ignore them. Does anyone have experience with direct comparison in the smaller ranges? Thinking 7m but if the 6 pulls ‘big’ maybe that is more fitting?
I'm rocking a Sonic3 11m/Soul 6m quiver and it's pretty perfect for me. The Soul 6m has a huge range and I've been able to ride on HF and TT on the same winds in the same session. It works great for me. No experience on the 7m, but even on FS's webpage, it shows a bigger range on the 6m. You'll be amazed by the bottom end and you "might" get a little more out of the 7m but personally its not needed with your 12m.

=Jason-

User avatar
tkaraszewski
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 727
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 7:03 pm
Kiting since: 2015
Local Beach: Hood River/Caribbean
Style: Hydrofoil
Gear: Ozone/Levitaz
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 210 times

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby tkaraszewski » Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:16 am

I “retired” my souls in a switch to Sonics but I’m not sure if that was a good call. The Sonics are great in good wind but the souls have a better tolerance for mediocre wind and they do relaunch better. I’m waiting to see the Soul 2. Should be out soon, I might switch back. Or just have both? Sonic 13 on a race foil in 15-20 knots is great, but my Soul 10 worked in everything.

sonny2727
Frequent Poster
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2017 11:21 pm
Favorite Beaches: St Kilda
Gear: Duotone,Kauper, Ozone, Shinn, Flysurfer, Moses, Axis,Slingshot
Reo,Edge,Rebel,R1,
Sonic,Peak4,Soul,
Falcon
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Melbourne
Has thanked: 122 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby sonny2727 » Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:36 am

tkaraszewski wrote:
Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:16 am
I “retired” my souls in a switch to Sonics but I’m not sure if that was a good call. The Sonics are great in good wind but the souls have a better tolerance for mediocre wind and they do relaunch better. I’m waiting to see the Soul 2. Should be out soon, I might switch back. Or just have both? Sonic 13 on a race foil in 15-20 knots is great, but my Soul 10 worked in everything.
This is my view as well after using 11M Sonic 3 and Soul 15M. Sonics are great on top 60% of the wind range - for the 11M it prefer 14-22knots on 637 wing, Soul 15 works great from 10-17knots on 637 but consider I'm into boosting so overpowered is the norm. What I found is with a small hydrofoil wing and big board you can tame a beast like 15m Soul very well and the windrange..previously I was on 633 and the wind range is too narrow for my local conditions..

based on ALs comment I'd get a 7 or 6m soul but not curious to know 9m Sonic3 actual wind range as FS ranges are too conservative as explained by Armin for good reason

Jibskibs
Rare Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 4:51 pm
Kiting since: 2008
Gear: Ghost, UFO, Soul, UltraV2
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby Jibskibs » Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:58 am

If the 7m came out a year later, is anything different than original design of the 6/8? Thinking 7m is the right next kite - but of course thinking I’ll have FOMO if soul 2 changes the game within a few months. Any intel on specifics or would you just bite the bullet and get a kite that’s proven now?

User avatar
tkaraszewski
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 727
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 7:03 pm
Kiting since: 2015
Local Beach: Hood River/Caribbean
Style: Hydrofoil
Gear: Ozone/Levitaz
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 210 times

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby tkaraszewski » Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:32 pm

sonny2727 wrote:
Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:36 am
based on ALs comment I'd get a 7 or 6m soul but not curious to know 9m Sonic3 actual wind range as FS ranges are too conservative as explained by Armin for good reason
I have a 9m Sonic 3 and use it in 18-25 knots with a Mike's Lab foil on short lines. You can ride in in less wind, but if it's consistently under 18, I'll take my 13m.

This is the only video I have with my 9m.

sonny2727
Frequent Poster
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2017 11:21 pm
Favorite Beaches: St Kilda
Gear: Duotone,Kauper, Ozone, Shinn, Flysurfer, Moses, Axis,Slingshot
Reo,Edge,Rebel,R1,
Sonic,Peak4,Soul,
Falcon
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Melbourne
Has thanked: 122 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: Flysurfer Soul

Postby sonny2727 » Mon Feb 15, 2021 10:10 pm

tkaraszewski wrote:
Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:32 pm
sonny2727 wrote:
Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:36 am
based on ALs comment I'd get a 7 or 6m soul but not curious to know 9m Sonic3 actual wind range as FS ranges are too conservative as explained by Armin for good reason
I have a 9m Sonic 3 and use it in 18-25 knots with a Mike's Lab foil on short lines. You can ride in in less wind, but if it's consistently under 18, I'll take my 13m.

This is the only video I have with my 9m.
Thanks for the info, what's the maximum wind you can self launch 9m sonic 3? I guess this is where the practical limit of foil kites vs LEI ..I'd want a kite I can self launch in 25 knots but of course skill level is variable ...Have seen videos of Soul launching in pretty high wind


Return to “Foil Kites”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 134 guests