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Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

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ShaveTheWhales
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Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby ShaveTheWhales » Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:55 am

Twin Tip jumping for me has just come to a serious turning point when it comes to the load and pop timing, to get big air...
Now I have a few of the best big air inflatable kites and Souls that I ride in the higher wind range and storms but my new Sonic has caused me to re-evaluate what Big Air kites are. I know that some people think a big air kites are the ones used in king of Air. but for the rest of the world - big air means 'high jumping' with a good landing, without the fancy stuff and we are happy..
What has intrigued & inspired me over the last few years, is the way Flysurfers rider "Olly Bridge" has been throwing some huge and ridiculously long jumps, breaking distance and hangtime records - it seems like he is creating another style in the market, and his latest Sonic 3 jump with 36-second hang-time certainly shows it.

15-22 knot wind, no kickers no waves to give you height, 22 knots you read correctly.

Well now that the wind speed has got your attention thinking, what the Farq - that was exactly my thoughts the first time I rode the kite yesterday.
I bought the 11m as a board off training hang time kite that I could also use as a 10-knot light wind Foil boarding kite too. Its aimed at advance to expert riders as it is a cross between the Vmg race kite & the Soul.
After unpacking and checking every single knot, line connection, and the stitching seams, It was straight down the river for a ride.

(Just so you know - previously Ive hated with a passion Foil kites that fold wing tips and not relaunch and scared of the fish net bridle lines) new Tech and education on bridles has got me back on one..

Here are my thoughts on this New technology kite designed for TT free ride freestyle Old School and foiling
What I was expecting was a predictably slow turning kite for the above that goes like a bat out of hell.
On the beach, it turned very well for an 11m foil and that's always a good sign for jumping. Leaving the shore I could see the gusting 22 knot wind-line frizzle just ahead of me, so maybe a 50m run no kickers or waves and Boom straight into it, I'm going up and up and up thinking WTF ? this is not a 30-35 knot day ! ahh well, let's do the big Heli-Looping thing while im up here.

That's the point where I understood why, Olly has so much Fun :)
The Sonic 3 is fast and has Huge aerodynamic lift for its size, the slightest gust up at the top of a big jump and up you go again - even when coming down from a small transition jump - it will lift you up again and hover, your feet trying to reach out where the water used to be..

After a short while, I started to get the timing dialed in better which just added to the height fun. You can instantly feel any updrafts and have to be very weary of your surroundings !!
Oddly enough, the Flysurfer site posted wind range is 7-23 knots, I'm guessing that's for a foil board, as its nowhere near the feeling of being overpowered.
I set the kite with a bit of back stall at the bar, just in case you end up in a surface downloop near the shore or another kiter - back stalling it quite safely looses power and will 'pivot turn' to where you want it.
No wing tip folds occurred while riding - I did manage to swing under the kite too far a few times, then it closed up a bit fell back in the window and opened nicely... no worries there.

This kite is very well behaved and easy to fly fast, needing very little effort or 'skill' to jump big . I was impressed by what height was achievable even with bad timing - my 12m inflatable just wouldnt unless you were loaded perfectly - in 22 knots..
The skill you do need, is knowing how to redirect and Heli-Loop the kite while your up there..
Its for certain conditions obviously as common sense says youd be on an Inflatable if your planning on getting rolled in waves.

I can't wait to get it out in some small kickers or ocean swell at about 25-28 knots or Flatwater.
If you want to just go big without megaloops and have insane hangtime, at a lower wind range... this is the kite that will do it - no more waiting for 30-35 knot dream days - thats whats got me flipped out !

Weight 79kg
Bar 18m lines
Board 130x41 Shinn Monk
These users thanked the author ShaveTheWhales for the post (total 5):
mr-markus (Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:19 am) • downunder (Tue Aug 11, 2020 2:02 pm) • Janus (Thu Aug 13, 2020 2:36 pm) • noahsw (Thu Aug 13, 2020 2:42 pm) • Gestalt (Tue Mar 16, 2021 10:08 am)
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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily!

Postby mr-markus » Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:19 am

Haha, nice honest review! thinking bout switching from Sonic2 to Sonic3 every minute now :naughty:

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Carlos_C
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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily!

Postby Carlos_C » Thu Aug 13, 2020 2:06 pm

I have a sonic 2 13 and was at the beach a couple of months ago and one chap had the sonic 3 11 - it was around 15 - 18 knots and this chap was having a blast - he was jumping higher than me and really moving the kite around fast - really impressed- every one who has ridden one of these kites seems really stoked with them

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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby jorg » Thu Aug 13, 2020 5:36 pm

The aspect ratio of Sonic is insane, close to 7. can u compare Soul vs Sonic in smaller sizes when it comes to the hang time?

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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby fernmanus » Thu Aug 13, 2020 7:13 pm

Let me guess, you posted this in the "foil kite" section and then it was moved to reviews...

I agree that the Sonic 3 is an amazing kite for boosting. I have the 18, 13, and 9. However, I am selling the 9. I fly on inland lakes and the wind is just too turbulent for the 9. I will use Souls in the smaller sizes.

I don't heliloop the kite, I redirect to the other side on big airs to keep tension in the lines. It works for me and still results in very long hang-time.

I would estimate that the Sonic has 15 to 20% more height than a Soul. May not sound like much, but I sure can tell the difference. I sold my 18 Soul, but I still have the 21 and 15 Soul for more turbulent locations. I have had a couple bow-ties that I was able to sort out on the water, but the kite is so long and narrow that it is possible to get it in an unsortable knot, so stay close to shore if the wind it not steady.

It is a super fun kite!

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ShaveTheWhales
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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby ShaveTheWhales » Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:12 am

jorg wrote:
Thu Aug 13, 2020 5:36 pm
The aspect ratio of Sonic is insane, close to 7. can u compare Soul vs Sonic in smaller sizes when it comes to the hang time?
Can only comment on the 11m Sonic.. From memory the 12 Soul had some good lift but was Large in the air and quite slow, the 11 Sonic I think gives more lift & hangtime - it reacts instantly to the smallest gust and that keeps you hangin :)
With regards to jumping, It is the 11m which has the send speed, lift & hangtime versus bodyweight.. a very slow turning kite will not give you the same height because of drag and lack of climb sending speed up to 12'oclock.

Hope fully I get a clear patch in the Storm this weekend, I'll try to get a few pic of Sonic Horizontal with the water mid jump :)

Fernmanus - yes it was Politically moved lol..

My only faulting of the Sonic 3 is that for the free ride market - we should have an Option for the bridal lines to be same thickness as the Soul lines or be able to buy a set.. even if just for the higher wind range 9 & 11m.
Common Flysurfer - add the finishing touch option for Perfection ;)
Last edited by ShaveTheWhales on Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

joriws
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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby joriws » Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:22 am

Here is my clip on Sonic3 @ 15m size drifting abilities.. I also "swang" under the kite, almost like doing "galactical" / 360 turn / deadman's turn (what ever name applies). Kite was tens of degrees out side of window at side, drifted nicely back at lowish winds, maybe 8-10kn, seemed to fully invert once (front-back lines crossed) but on my good timed backline pull I was able to rotate Sonic3 so that lines were not mixed.

15m is my only Sonic3, maybe I need to start thinking of upgrading Speed4 Lotus10 (my most used LW hydrofoil kite) to 11m Sonic3.


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ShaveTheWhales
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Medium Wind, 12m OR Flite, 8 SouL, TT C6 board, Crazyfly Ltd, Shinn Monk, Wave board
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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby ShaveTheWhales » Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:31 am

Joriws - definitely try to get a demo at the least.. great save in the vid.

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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby fernmanus » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:42 pm

My recommendation to Flysurfer is to make a Sonic 3 in 21 and 23m sizes based off the VMG with battens and reduced bridles. The only change they would really need to make is to beef up the bridles.

Trust me, these kites would inspire some to give up the hydrofoil in light wind, so much more fun than a 21m Soul!

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Re: Flysurfer Sonic 3 11m - Best Big Air Flatwater Easily

Postby juanpasala » Fri Aug 14, 2020 8:25 pm

fernmanus wrote:
Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:42 pm
My recommendation to Flysurfer is to make a Sonic 3 in 21 and 23m sizes based off the VMG with battens and reduced bridles. The only change they would really need to make is to beef up the bridles.

Trust me, these kites would inspire some to give up the hydrofoil in light wind, so much more fun than a 21m Soul!
I m waiting for a 21mt sonic 3 release to complete my quiver


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