Look I was only out in 15 knots or so on a 9.5m, on the river - with a fair few holes in the wind so please tke this into consideration. I want to have a go in stronger winds before I make up my mind.
Okay: 76kg / 158cm Airush Fusion Mutant / 12-15 knots
Kites owned : New wave / EX / Mach one (f1) / Arcs 840 and 1120 / Warrior (7m, 9.5, and 16.5m) / Airush Lift 15.5m
Windrange: Was still going upwind in these conditions - some great bottom end to this kite - much better than the pyscho, on par or less than the warrior.
Jumping: Still okay in these conditions, Vertical and good hangtime like the pyscho, but you need to fly it further over your shoulder - but not nearly as much as the warrior. I would say it doesn't have the boost potential of the pyscho, but the pyscho is a crazy kite
Power response: Quite instantaneuos - suprisingly so, which makes jumping easier. Very similar feel to an LEI in this way, with more grunt on the power stroke than a LEI.
Turning: Well I was in light winds so take this with grain of salt, For those who say you can sine this like an LEI I say I doubt it very much (But in higher winds who knows), extropolating from the conditions I was in I would say it doesn't turn all that much better than the pyscho and still stalls on the turns - need to depower, pump the bar and all that crap. Also the slow turning gives you limited correction ability when trying tricks/transitions/ hands off and all that jazz. I would say this kite turns as slow or probably slower than my 15.5m Airush lift. This is still the kites main drawback - I still don't think flysurfer are listening to us warrior fliers who want to go big. For a kite that feels very similar to an LEI, but with a much better power delivery as per most foils, the lack of turning will stop people getting this kite - But again I was in light winds, and this may all change in twenty plus knots.
Stability: This is easy the most stable kite I have ever flown, I completed some damn awful jibes on the gusty river (I hate the river and always go ocean if I can, but the flat water is good for trialing kites), and i could not put it on the water. I also tried some real hazy back and forward transitions onto my toes and could not drop this kite - very good feature.
FLYSURFER NOW LISTEN! PRODUCE A KITE THAT TURNS AS QUICK AS AN LEI WITH THE JUMPING ABILITY OF THE PYSCHO AND YOU WILL DOMINATE THE KITE MARKET WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO. STOP PRODUCING THESE IN BETWEEN KITES.
Cheers
eppo