Postby Adventure Logs » Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:12 am
^^ translated to English
Duotone Capa vs. Flysurfer soul
This autumn we had the opportunity to try out the new duo "Capa". Before that, we did not even know that Duotone (again) launched a foil kite. That's why the surprise was quite big and we briefly tested the Capa.
Meanwhile, everything is compared quickly with the Flysurfer Soul, as the kite made by Flysurfer has made the Foil Kite almost mass suitable. But in our opinion may or should not do this - so everything has always advantages and disadvantages.
We have summarized the differences and what kites can do (mind you after a rather short test). On this day we compared the Duotone Capa in 11qm and the Flysurfer Soul in 10qm.
Material & construction
Laid down on the ground, the two kites look about the same size. A difference can be seen immediately in the form. The CAPA is wider in the middle than the SOUL and the trailing edge is elliptical in shape.
The cloth of the CAPA is thicker and more robust compared to the Soul and therefore heavier. The CAPA is entirely made of the same material. Whereby the Soul, on the claimed leading edge, has installed a slightly thicker cloth and sets the rest on a light-touch cloth.
Both kites have 5 air intakes . The Capa are slightly smaller and have a mesh grid. Both kites fill up at about the same speed.
The scale has thicker lines than the soul. So something heavier but also less stretchy and thus more direct.
The deflection rollers are a bit large in the CAPA, with other manufacturers, we had with these big roles ever problems because that likes to impose. In our short test we had no problems.
Short to start and landing: What immediately stands out is that the Capa fills extremely fast and does not make any bitches. The SOUL has two air outlets , the CAPA only one. When dismantling, however, the air gets out of both kites at the same speed.
Our first quick thoughts or impressions after the first 5 minutes:
Crazy hard-packed, sturdy cap (like a board)
High performance Feeling
very high steering and holding forces
Kite "pans" in rotation
reminiscent of the "diabolo" of FOne
goes very far to the edge of the wind window and also overflows well over 12 clock, but never works away
Here we have to say that we have tested at diagonally offshore, boisterous southeast wind on Lake Neusiedl. So really gusty! Nevertheless, extremely stable.
The relaunch
"Really, such a kite can start from the water? I always thought ... "are the first thoughts that kiters without Foil experience. Anyway authorized. And yes, you can start soft kites out of the water again, but you just have to know a little how. I can still remember when everyone arrived and said, "Have you tried the FOne Bandit, which has a car relaunch?" Yes nice, and? I can start the other kites too. It is important, from how many knots can I get the kite out of the water, how am I actually pretty blunzn .
We start a soul on a steering line, as we are used to Tubekites. This does not work on the Duotone Capa. Since "must" pull both steering lines. So what? This is what you learn while kiting, this is what you learn when you are in all conditions on the water and teaching.
The relaunch on both steering lines is really good, because the lines "grab" very well on the whole trailing edge. Here is the "stalling" (see section "Handling") back to good. It is very well connected with the kite. If you pull both steering lines, it pulls the whole kite together at the back and the kite starts backwards with the lightest breeze.
handling
The handling of the Duotone CAPA is a bit strange at first. It is very reminiscent of high performance mats. The steering and holding forces are very high compared to the SOUL. This has advantages and disadvantages in certain settings. Later more.
The bar is very long, so you can really power the CAPA very far. The increase in strength is enormous.
When you put on the bar you visibly change the shape and the cap curvature of the kite. One has the feeling that the whole kite is pulled together at the back and at the same time the attack angle of the kite is massively increased.
A sense of direct control. It is also very fast in the "stalling", ie when producing a back stall. For a trained kiter and in certain settings, this is even desirable.
If, for example, you have to drive a strong downwind course on the Hydrofoil or if you want to keep the kite close to the stall.
When responding to steering impulses one notices in direct comparison that the CAPA is a bit heavier than the Soul and thereby also somewhat slower responds. You can tell that more weight needs to be moved. The soul is a bit fleet-footed. Due to the thicker lines and the thicker, and we assume a lower stretch, cloth of the CAPA, the power development feels more direct than in SOUL, so a little sportier .
Power and Depower
The 11er CAPA has a lot more steam compared to the 10 SOUL. Even more than a 12 soul.
Compared to the 10er was faster, of course, but here you would have to compare with a 12 or 13 (there is not) SOUL.
Jump
We are only jumping with the Foil. The lift from the CAPA is very high and explosive. In the air it took again a fine hand to get the maximum out, but at the same time not to choke off the kite.
You have to feel exactly how much the bar has to be put on to get the full performance. The 10er SOUL is less demanding here. The 10er SOUL missing in the direct comparison here but also something the PS. You would have to compare it fairer way but rather against a 12 SOUL.
On the foil
Here is the CAPA home and really fun. At the Foil he can fully exploit his race genes and you can feel it immediately. Upwind both kites go very well.
The CAPA may have a nose ahead, downwind is the big difference.
By tightening the bar, the Capa literally explodes and can felt back to the other side of the wind window. This really extreme downwind courses are possible.
Upwind tacks and downwind jibing work much easier with the CAPA. Due to the massive power you can make completely weightless and you climb easily. Turn the kite up and put on the bar somewhere between 11 and 1. The timing is not that important at CAPA. The SOUL can generate less lift by putting on the bar, so the kite has to be steered very precisely to a certain position to create the necessary lift.
Duotone Capa
a lot of steam and massive increase in power while powering up the bar
maneuvers are much easier on the Foil, because you can really make yourself weightless
insanely stable
overshoots something (without folding)
High-performance handling (getting used to)
Conclusion Capa: the Duotone Capa is a very successful kite. Very stable, exreme performance and on Foil a dream. For TwinTip riders or Tubekiter who like to change want to get used to. If you are looking for a mat with power on the Foil, you are exactly right with the Capa.
Flysurfer soul
Handling suitable for TwinTip-Kiter, no "sensitiveness" required
less steering and holding forces
slightly lighter, therefore probably in the ultra-light wind advantages
Everything has to be done more exactly on the Foil
not so great an increase in strength through power
By comparison, the Flysurfer Soul is certainly the simpler soft kite that makes switching to TwinTip Kiter very easy. Less power and "friendlier" handling (less steering and holding power, as well as a simpler relaunch) make the soul just mass suitable
- These users thanked the author Adventure Logs for the post:
- Kees (Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:53 am)