Anyone ever give a 15m foil kite a go with really short lines... focus is to glide and have really direct... really really direct control. any issues looping it up the hill. I want to set it up for gliding and riding in smaller fields
Have not flown Souls but if you have 20m lines you could just double them to try it. Loads of leader pulled in on a boolgy loop might be possible but it is bound to be on the tight side. Back stalling starts might be needed. I would be interested to know the results if you try it.
PS tried 10m lines on a 10m LEI for landboarding and went back to 14m as I preferred the feel and extra room for loops.
One local kiter here ordered kit from "flyingcloclo" for Speed3 21m which converted it more like a paraglider, he went uphill fast and glided nicely with that setup. Lines were something like 12m, so from there I'd say short lines is totally doable for Soul too with less span. System uses paragliding light harness for extra safety. Most probably this is the safest setup for gliding without actually using a paraglider.
Flyingcloclo's file which shows multilevel riser and handle steering:
One local kiter here ordered kit from "flyingcloclo" for Speed3 21m which converted it more like a paraglider, he went uphill fast and glided nicely with that setup. Lines were something like 12m, so from there I'd say short lines is totally doable for Soul too with less span. System uses paragliding light harness for extra safety. Most probably this is the safest setup for gliding without actually using a paraglider.
Flyingcloclo's file which shows multilevel riser and handle steering:
Video of my friend:
Now that's a video I haven't seen for years! The ultimate toy, glide and kite on the water. I know Armin was working on one for years but I guess he was never able to perfect it. I'm still holding out that one day he will put something to market.
My only concern with lines that short is looping. I would most definitely have a longer bar(at least 65cm) but since the Soul is significantly faster turning than the Old Speed 3 was I think it's doable especially on snow. Only one way to find out so let us know.
the videos are awesome but he basically turned it into a paraglider, I want to stay with the traditional control system (i can glide and am more comfortable with the bar and lines). So second day on snow this season, I have a 58cm bar from ss with throw an inch shorter than fs bars, don't see it as an issue, I will give 18m lines a go and see how direct the feeling is, depending how the loops go today, I may order some 14m lines and see how they do, I just dont want to blow a bunch of money on something that may or may not work, was hoping for first hand experience. Will keep all posted on the shenanigans
Update on the soul 15 on shorter lines and ss bar: after flying the soul on 18 lines, I belive that is as short I would go, you can loop the kite up hill, with a long (58cm) bar you have awesome control especially for gliding. I was able to swing the kite predictably and put myself in position to land every time from a glide facing backwards
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Update on the soul 15 on shorter lines and ss bar: after flying the soul on 18 lines, I belive that is as short I would go, you can loop the kite up hill, with a long (58cm) bar you have awesome control especially for gliding. I was able to swing the kite predictably and put myself in position to land every time from a glide facing backwards
The snow season has just started here in UT, I will try to get a video up, I have not cleanly looped the 15m yet, but, I would be weary of heli loops below 25 30 feet honestly. I loop the kite to get up the hill, to slow down or land i sign the kite and if I loop the kite its literally when im about to touch down at low winds. The problem for me is, I like to fly the kite between 20 and 30 knts on snow and the balls and bank account are just not big enough to loop the kite at 20 knts while high above the ground unless I have enough fluff below me to have a super soft crater landing. I have seen videos of the LOLO BSD and SKD dudes looping their big foils but I have not quiet figured out when they do it.
These users thanked the author RomeUtah for the post:
You could probably go as short as 10m lines, but the wind would have to be cranking, so that you would not have to loop or sine the kite. I think your decision to not go shorter than 18m lines makes good sense.
I look forward to seeing you on the hill!
These users thanked the author fernmanus for the post:
the videos are awesome but he basically turned it into a paraglider, I want to stay with the traditional control system (i can glide and am more comfortable with the bar and lines).
That's exactly what he did, for gliding the safest option, and also quite direct steering. Combination of kiting and speed flying. People are using speed flying wings to get up too, and those are like 5m risers or something, but yeah that takes loops away. But I think flyingcloclo had some swivel to rotate between kiting position and flying position.