Anyone out there flown the '09 Flows yet?
How do they compared to '08 Flows?

Do a search. There a few posts from a few weeks back.

I like the 09 Flow. I have a 10m. I find it very familiar feeling to last years (i have a 7m 08) but a lot smoother in gusts, shorter depower throw, and it makes me feel cooler.

SHOULD'VE STAYED AN EXTRA DAY HIGH, MONDAY WAS PERFECT SOUTHLY ALL DAY, JUST GOT A BIT GUSTY IN THE EVENING, MY 08 FLOW LOVED IT BUT MY KNEES DIDNT !

Hey there,

Have flown the 09 Flow 10 and 8.5 and am hoping to get a go on the 12 Vapor very soon.

These are super grunty kites which jump and hang surprisingly well. They are very low aspect and as such sit well back in the window. Strangely, I actually found the 8.5 to be almost as powerful as the 10 which I couldn't understand.

The kites drift really well which I think will make them an excellent wave kite. The flows do not appear to be super fast turners, even the 8.5... whether you like that or not is a personal thing. Unhooking wise, super stable and you barely realise you are unhooked. They seem to have a huge amount of pull in kiteloops which took me a while to get used to, but most people like that. The jumping really surprised me on these two kites. They don't look like a kite that would boost and hang but we were all shocked at the height and hangtime we were able to get on them.

My only criticism is that the bar only has a tiny red logo on the port/left side which got me in trouble once or twice when unspinning the bar (what the hell are manufactures thinking when they do this !!!!!) but other than that, a nice neat, clean below the bar trimming system.

Build quality is top shelf and looks to be superb.

I ride Ozones usually so this is an unbiased review.

Cheers,

IAN

ISPI, I agree the Flow is very grunty, was out in 15knts, cross/onshore, outgoing tide, open beach, yesterday morn, I had my 08 Flow 10m and 130 board, weigh 82 kg, very average kiter. Only one other kite out, a 14m TD (first model i believe) 138 board, guy probably similar weight and better kiter, I was powered up and stayed upwind, the other kiter struggled a bit and even went downwind, the scene confused a mate watching from shore !! I lost upwind capability when wind dropped to 10-12 knts.

And yes they are fun in waves, I was letting it drift and able to surf down the line and slam the lip (all 1' of it !!) in the low winds yesterday.

I like the way it flys now, I find it turns very fast and I havent experimeted with bridle adjustments/settings yet but am curious, anyone else experimented ?

Was going to upgrade to a 09 kite but might just keep it another year !

I had a great sess when I got home as well 62. Good to see the flow will stay with you for awhile yet. Don't buy another board until you have a go on my Hammers, I reckon they will suit you at Danger.

ispi & Matty,
How do you rate the bar pressure on the 8.5?
I loved my 07 flows but my elbows can't handle the bar pressure so my son won them.
I've flown 62's '08 10m flow and found the bar pressure more to my liking but I opted for the Rev's last year due to the lighter bar pressure.
I would swap back to the flows at a drop of a hat if the bar pressure was similar to the rev's

Ian

I've never flown a 2007 flow, so i cant comment on the bar pressure.

My 2006 however felt like i was pulling a cow and as such i could only kite for about 2 hours max until i got sloppy. I couldnt even ride toeside because i didnt have the strength in one arm to hold the bar in.

My 2008 7m and 2009 10m flows have similar bar pressure which i would rate as very light. I can kite for hours without even getting a little bit sore. My legs however are another story.

I have flown my 2008 7m along with a 2008 9m Rev on the same day and i can say that the two kites have very similar attributes, including bar pressure and also power.

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mattyjee said...

..........

I have flown my 2008 7m along with a 2008 9m Rev on the same day and i can say that the two kites have very similar attributes, including bar pressure and also power.

wow, does the 7m flow turn as fast as the 9m rev? I'm looking for a 7m or 8m for waves and learnt on the flow 2007 10m and they're really forgiving, so thought they maybe the go in the surf. they do turn off and float back down the line nicely. I allways thought from the pimping the rev would turn and respond faster or is it just the size differance.

coming from windsurfing the bar pressure is irrelevant to me, as its all light compared to windsurfing.

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high as a kite said...

I had a great sess when I got home as well 62. Good to see the flow will stay with you for awhile yet. Don't buy another board until you have a go on my Hammers, I reckon they will suit you at Danger.

Haak,

I might stick with the Flow a bit longer but will be supporting my local board maker for my next board ! Should have it next week, we can compare when you return

Hi HighasaKite,

I cant compare the bar pressure to previous Flow models but I have flown Rev's. I would say the 10 flow has slightly less or the same bar pressure as the 09 Rev. The bar pressure on the Flows is definitely more than the Ozone Instinct Edges (my regular kite) but the Edges are ridiculously light on the bar (some say too light).

Cheers,

IAN


PS: THE 09 FLOWS HAVE NO BRIDLE ADJUSTMENT UNLIKE THE 08 WHICH DID

i have a 7, 8.5 and a 10. havnt ridden the 7 yet.

IMO the bar pressure is perfect, you can feel what the kite is doing even in light winds.

another good thing is the flows fly very well even depowered a lot, so you can trim them a long way and there is a long amount of rear line adustment which increases the range.

amazing kites with tons of grunt, the more i ride mine the more i know i made the right decison getting flows!

Thanks guys for the feed back.

STFUBBQ, when you get to have a crack at the '09 7m I would be interested in what you think of it. Bar pressure and bottom end performance?
I hear the 8.5 power is equivalent to a 10m C? If thats the case I might get a 7m.
I use to rate my '07 7m. I still use it on the flat when my son is in town. I reckon it's one grunty little kite but the bar pressure kills me in waves.

Ian

i had the 10m 08 flow and the bar pressure was fairly high, the 10m FT has considerably less pressure if that helps.

as soon as i get a go on the 7 ill let you know!

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STFUBBQ said...

i had the 10m 08 flow and the bar pressure was fairly high, the 10m FT has considerably less pressure if that helps.

as soon as i get a go on the 7 ill let you know!

STFUBBQ, Did you move the bridle attachment points around at all and if so what affect ddi it have. thanks

from memory i had the 08 on the fastest turning speed. that gave a slight increase in the pressure, unfortunately the FT does not have any adjustments.

The new Flows are quite grunty SLE kites, no pulleys at all on these kites so a very direct feel.
Bar pressure on the 09's is light to medium, kite for hours with good bar feel type of light.
I reckon the 12M Flow Ft demo we have has similar bottom end to most other 10M'ish bows and SLE kites, but the top end is probaly a little less.
Jump huge, once you dial where to swing it back from and to pull the bar in to redirect. Needs to be done quickly so you don't get pulled off your edge.
Easy relaunch and top build quality.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

so now i have had a few sessions on the 7m FT.

for a small kite this is still got the super grunty characteristics of the bigger sizes, still very stable and plenty nimble enough when you pull on the bar. for a small kite it does not have the normal twitchyness small kites usually have.

both days were 30 knots and i had to land the kite put it down a few knots, i ended up flying it on the last pigtail and depowered a little. still boosted like no tomorrow and didnt loose and of the turning speed.

i think ill be spending a lot more time on this kite that i bought for my GF, i have ordered a 5m now for her. the things we do to keep them happy!