Rider: 86kg, 250+ sessions
Style: Freeriding, Surf
Weather: 10-15 knots
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Disclosure: Personal purchase, no shop or manufacturer affiliation

First impressions - more to follow.

I picked up an Airush Lithium Zero 18m a few weeks ago for The Zu Boardsports who had only just taken delivery of one of the first of these kites in the country.

I had to wait a couple of weeks for light enough wind to try it out, even then it picked up a bit too much for comfort.

It takes a while to pump up the massive leading even without struts.

The kite really wants to fly, it launches, flys and turns smoothly. The light 3.4kg weight helps with turns.

Its huge and a bit daunting to fly. Remember the time you first had a 12m kite over your head?

On the water I was overpowered with the wind a bit over 12 knots. When its overhead to cut the power it wants to keep going up which makes it hard to hold an edge and stay upwind. Got that beginner feeling again . . .

After a couple of very fast runs the wind was too strong at 15 knots so I landed it and swapped for my Lithium 12. Can't wait to give in a go in a 5-10 knots smooth sea breeze - based in this experience I would be fully powered and boosting.







More information and photos: kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/reviews/airush-lithium-zero-18m

thank you for the report- It helps when someone is thinking off buying a light wind kite. cheers

Conclusion - a long way behind the zephyr?

Better low end.

And that's where it stops.

Oh, that's a 2014? In that case, I rode one a couple of times in Thailand

Builds apparent wind nicely but would fold it I loaded it too much. The next day pumped it up much harder and it stopped the folding . . .

Yet again, the difference in bottom end is enough for me to give up the greater over-all utility of my Flite 17. Might be a different story for the regular sized guys.

I haven't used a Zephyr or Edge 19, which are obvious alternatives (but cost about $1K more). If/when I do I will post my experiences.

Also, the kite uses the same bar as all the Lithium range, which is handy if you have more than one Airush kite.

The kite is what it is...really light winds. The zephyr cannot compete with that. The edge 19 might.

I'm not dishing the kite as I haven't flown one (just seen one in the air a fair few times in Bali).

I'm just mentioning the light wind range comparison that's all. Personally I don't think this kite and the zephyr should be compared, different markets pitched for different purposes.

can it drift for waveriding???

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Peterc150 said..

On the water I was overpowered with the wind a bit over 12 knots. When its overhead to cut the power it wants to keep going up which makes it hard to hold an edge and stay upwind. Got that beginner feeling again . . .

Not sure if it works with this kite but have you tried keeping the kite very low and edging really hard instead ? This will push some kites further forwards towards the edge of the window and depower them, as well as going upwind. It the photo it looks like you are flying it really high.

At 86 kg it seems strange to be overpowered in 12 knots. That's when my Zephyr is just starting to get sweet (80kg)

What Eppo said - it is what it is.

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truster said..

can it drift for waveriding???

Floats very well, light as a feather. Options for set-up make a big difference too.

Yeh not too sure why the red thumbs. Lol if anything I was saying that for really really light winds this kite sounds a good option. That's not the zephyr intentions hence why I said I don't know why it would be compared to it.

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holgs said..

Peterc150 said..

On the water I was overpowered with the wind a bit over 12 knots. When its overhead to cut the power it wants to keep going up which makes it hard to hold an edge and stay upwind. Got that beginner feeling again . . .

Not sure if it works with this kite but have you tried keeping the kite very low and edging really hard instead ? This will push some kites further forwards towards the edge of the window and depower them, as well as going upwind. It the photo it looks like you are flying it really high.

At 86 kg it seems strange to be overpowered in 12 knots. That's when my Zephyr is just starting to get sweet (80kg)

Holgs, I tried that in around 15 knots but was going too fast, then I flew it higher to slow it down. Will try again next session.

I don't think I would be overpowered in 12 knots, which is the rated max wind speed.

The frontal winds we are getting now are not ideal for this kite as they vary too much. I think a gentle sea breeze in the 5-10 knot range would be perfect (and less risky). Might have to wait a while for that.

Tell ya where this kite would be fun, is if you got your hands on a small cat replace the mast and sail with a D shackle for the chicken loop throw on a couple ppl and go for a quick sail in light winds.

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truster said...
can it drift for waveriding???

In light wind a drifting kite will not keep up with a wave zippering down the line.

I am still waiting for a gentle sea breeze so no further update until the nuking northerlies stop

Hi Peter

Thanks for your previous posts on the Lithium zero. I was wondering if you now had had a chance to ride it in 5-10 knts? If so, I would be really interested to hear your impressions - I am about the same weight as you and ride in the same location. I would be especially interested to know if you could boost in under 10 knts.

Best
Piers

...tried it briefly and can confirm this kite is seriously powerful and has a great low end. At 105kg I also felt like it was getting near its safe limit at 15 knots without depower.

I also got folded edges during the power stroke which tends to happen at my weight unless well pumped up.

The strutless design works fine and saves the weight. Relaunches easily including when wet.

The Zephyr is indeed completely different which for me starts to becomes fun at 12-15 knots and I can happily fly at 22k knots without any concern.

I took the lithium zero for a spin on the weekend. the thing wants to fly in next to no wind. I had 8 knots (measured from the mast of the boat parked where i was kiting) so next to nothing at sea level.

I am 110Kgs riding my sector 60 V4. experienced rider (going on 10 years now) my other light wind kite is a 17m airush VXR (1st gen)

as the guys have mentioned above - its a powerful kite, very powerful. one dive of the kite and i was off. feet in the straps and blasting.

it was a gusty offshore spot. so i got to test the how the kite goes in very very little wind and then too much wind. In the lulls you could see the water glass off, the smaller ones i could pump through. The bigger lulls i would eventually drop into the water. not enough to keep any board speed and i would sink. the kite how ever just floated in the sky, needing very little input from me to stay there. amazing really. normally in this situation the ol VXR would have back stalled and be needing some front line work to keep it in the air.

another gust and a good power loop and i was off again. building speed is easy with this kite. its pretty light on the bar for turning input. down loop gybes were super easy and i could maintain the plane through the turn.

when the wind picked up a little i was reaching for the trim strap to keep the bar in close. it became a real effort at 12 knots to hold my line. as i just could not dump the power. next time i will try with a twin tip see if i can control the power better and test the jumping ability.

I can't see any light or medium weight riders using the kite its just too powerful.

I am now tempted to try some more efficient fins on my sector to see if i can improve the low end of the board as that is now my limiting factor. Normally if the kite can fly i can go - now its a different ball game.

I didn't experience any wing tip folding. just some minor flutter in hard loops when starting or gybing.

I have had a few more sessions. Once in about 5 knots. It flew easily and I could get up and going on the glass, passing guys fishing in kayaks! Couldn't stay upwind though.

In 8 knots its well powered but I have to work really hard to stay upwind. The kite has so much power it pulls you downwind and the fat leading edge makes it hard to get it to go upwind.

The last session I had the wingtips folding - not enough pressure I think - which was disconcerting. I was screaming along in 8 knots with the Sector 60 but still having trouble staying upwind!

You could boost in 10 knots I think. I don't think it is good kite for beginners.

I didn't ride this kite but saw and talked to guys that demoed it at the Merimbula classic - pretty amazing machine but when its over powered - it scarily over powered ! 15 knots and they were wanting to land the beast!! It seems without the struts it cant be backed off in terms of angle of attack - so really cant be depowered ?? Can someone with experience confirm this observation?? I notice with my older F-One kites the struts have a curve in them to correct a potential kite inversion - maybe that's why they are so stable ?? with no sturts Im thinking the angle of attack needs to be kept higher to keep the canopy full ?? - maybe a reason why it just cant depower as much as we are used to ?? - just thinking out allowed!!!

Inverloch, Victoria.

thank for the information and the pictures

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Lambie said..

I didn't ride this kite but saw and talked to guys that demoed it at the Merimbula classic - pretty amazing machine but when its over powered - it scarily over powered ! 15 knots and they were wanting to land the beast!! It seems without the struts it cant be backed off in terms of angle of attack - so really cant be depowered ?? Can someone with experience confirm this observation?? I notice with my older F-One kites the struts have a curve in them to correct a potential kite inversion - maybe that's why they are so stable ?? with no sturts Im thinking the angle of attack needs to be kept higher to keep the canopy full ?? - maybe a reason why it just cant depower as much as we are used to ?? - just thinking out allowed!!!

The Maui strutless Cloud kite was designed with big depower in mind, so you could turn the power off on a wave, so strutless should be able to offer huge depower.



The designer explains more about it here. He says he is going to offer an optional mod for the bridle for anyone who wants there to be more pull on the harness and less pull on the bar in high winds and have slightly less depower.
http://kitescoop.com/tag/cloud/

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eppo said..

Better low end.

And that's where it stops.

Hmmm interesting

thinking about getting a lw kite.
im 95kgs and i heard the same with folding tips.
another option i had was getting a Airush vxr v2 in 17 or 18m.
Sometimes the wind changes very quick here in Tasmania, thats why i thought the better option would be the vxr v2.
Im usually riding on a 135 twin tip, but just bought a nugget and still waiting for it to arrive.
I just want to be able to get going on the water, have some fun, catch little waves, get upwind easy. If possible, some jumps in light wind.
Right now I have a 6m lithium, a 10m varial and a 12m varial.
So what do you guys think?
Has aybody tested the vxr v2 in 18m or 17m? Whats the difference between those two kites? I know that the vxr v2 is a "race kite", but what does that mean for me when I fly it??? Help (-:
Thank you guys

I have the 2014 Lithium Zero 18m and I really like this kite. I'm a total noob at kiting and have been doing it for around six months but this kite gets me more sessions out here in the land of no wind than my other kites.

I weigh 180lbs (81kg) and with the Spleene Monster Door I'm powered up and cruising upwind in 10mph. The Zero is way faster than my 2012 Switchblade 16m though not as fast as my 2012 Switchblade 11m. I can keep it in the air at around 6mph but relaunch is practically impossible at that wind speed. If the canopy gets wet, without struts there's just not enough wind to peel it off the water and open it up. I've seen a Core XR3 LW 19m fall out of the sky when the Zero stayed up and got me back to the beach. Had to work it but I didn't have to swim.

It's a very powerful kite and once wind gusts past 14mph, it gets scary. There's just not enough depower in it and I've tried putting the steering lines on the farthest knot possible. A smaller board helps but not very much. The kite just wants to pull you down wind. I can keep the 16m Switchblade a bit past 20mph and still not feel as scared as I get on the 18m.

I'm working on my jumps so I can't comment on that. The kite luffs but so does the Switchblade. You just notice it less because the luffing happens between the struts. I haven't had any issues with the tips bending. Compared to the Switchblades the first time I flew the Zero I thought the bar was broken because it has barely any pressure.

I'm glad I got this kite. For mowing the lawn on a big board when no one else is even considering going to the beach, it's a great kite. If you expect performance and to do all kinds of tricks, it may not be for you. I'm wishing someone would make a 21m ONE strut kite. All we have here is light wind, 20knots is a NUKING day for us.

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norcom said..

I have the 2014 Lithium Zero 18m and I really like this kite. I'm a total noob at kiting and have been doing it for around six months but this kite gets me more sessions out here in the land of no wind than my other kites.

I weigh 180lbs (81kg) and with the Spleene Monster Door I'm powered up and cruising upwind in 10mph. The Zero is way faster than my 2012 Switchblade 16m though not as fast as my 2012 Switchblade 11m. I can keep it in the air at around 6mph but relaunch is practically impossible at that wind speed. If the canopy gets wet, without struts there's just not enough wind to peel it off the water and open it up. I've seen a Core XR3 LW 19m fall out of the sky when the Zero stayed up and got me back to the beach. Had to work it but I didn't have to swim.

It's a very powerful kite and once wind gusts past 14mph, it gets scary. There's just not enough depower in it and I've tried putting the steering lines on the farthest knot possible. A smaller board helps but not very much. The kite just wants to pull you down wind. I can keep the 16m Switchblade a bit past 20mph and still not feel as scared as I get on the 18m.

I'm working on my jumps so I can't comment on that. The kite luffs but so does the Switchblade. You just notice it less because the luffing happens between the struts. I haven't had any issues with the tips bending. Compared to the Switchblades the first time I flew the Zero I thought the bar was broken because it has barely any pressure.

I'm glad I got this kite. For mowing the lawn on a big board when no one else is even considering going to the beach, it's a great kite. If you expect performance and to do all kinds of tricks, it may not be for you. I'm wishing someone would make a 21m ONE strut kite. All we have here is light wind, 20knots is a NUKING day for us.

Thanks for your information on the Lithium Zero, I concur about the limited depower and massive pull. I haven't been out on mine for a while as I have an injured back and the stronger sea breezes arrived before that.

Out of interest, where are you kiting? It looks deserted, and like you get wind there!

Is the pull just angle of attack, can it be adjusted to go upwind better in the 10-15knts bracket.

I figure if the kite can pull you at 5 knots then you should be able to spill some power in return for a better upwind angle at 10-15 knts yeh?

Maybe lengthen back lines/change attachment point??

Wow. This is a great thread.

I am in the market for a LW kite, but it seems this kite (and maybe all strut-less kites) are very powerful in almost no wind. I mean for a kite to be scary and over powered in above 14mph (12knots basically) is a worry. So the Zero is purely a 2 to 8 knot kite then? Would that be about right, for someone around 80kg on a 136cm TT board?

I have to say, these kites remind me of the raw power a NASA Wing kites can deliver and those kites even at 5mt or even 10mt in size get way too strong to control even when it gets above 10knots!

Single-skin kites = power!

Full on power - awesome lite wind kite but limited depower ?? with out struts it simply cant get a high angle of attack with out stalling / hindenburging !!
Is this why it gets over powered so quickly ??