A few weeks ago I received by far the most expensive kite in my quiver (so far). I learnt on an old ARC 1120, went to Naish LEI's X2, V4 but my love of landboarding and foils, Flexifoil Blades etc. sent me in the direction of Flysurfer foils. Since it arrived winds have been pretty sketchy, but I have flown the speed in a really wide range of conditions, first landboarding, in about 8 knots, way faster than with my Blade 2 4.9 in 12+, being able to depower nearly completely is sweet too. One session surfing in about 10 knots on a 137WT, I was up and down a bit, heading downwind, but on flatwater I reckon I would have been away. Yesterday in 17-20 knots, which was previously as much wind as I would go out in. It was awesome. Still nearly fully powered up and on standard settings, I see why flysurfer give these kites such a huge top end. A bit too much air for my liking but only cause I'm not into landings ( sore ankle after a hard one ). The thing I love most from the start is the easy set up and pack up. Both take about 2 minutes. No more pumps! Solo launch is a piece of cake, solo landing in strong wind was a bit of a challenge, hanging onto a steering line and walking to the kite it flaps around a bit. Compared to what I was trying to do with a V4 though! I will try to describe my experiences with the speed once I've had some more, three flights really ain't enough, but so far, this is a versatile, beautifully constructed, trouble free, stable, relaunchable, smooth, depowerable, blah blah..You can read reviews like this all over the web. Now I understand why. You guys in WA, try one, might be a bit harder here on the east coast.
More to come,
Tobes.

The Spring winds are here at last! Just came back from an epic session on the Speed! Undoubtably the best I have ever kited! Adrenaline still pumping! The wind ranged between 9 knots at 10 and 19 knots by 3. I was riding nearly all day! In straight onshore, small waves at a really shallow beach with big stretches of flatwater between waves.
First up, Flysurfer gave this thing the right name! SPEED Never gone so fast, and the apparent wind thing just keeps building power and more speed, had to deploy the bum brake on a few runs! The kite is so nice to fly, no-one could not love it. Points insanely far upwind, turns on the spot, depower is huge, haven't started messing with the WAC or steering mutations yet, which allow you to tune the kite for more or less power, harder or softer steering. Massively powerful for a 10m kite, think of it as a 16m LEI but once you are moving the apparent wind gives even more grunt. Todays session left me thinking I could do with a smaller Speed rather than a bigger one.
As before, set up, launching, landing and packup are so much easier than the Naish's I was using before. Dried seaweed is a bit annoying in the bridles, had a chunk of it stuck up there for hours, not that it's a problem, just looks a bit crap.
I challenge you to try this kite and not dig it, the only downside of the SPEED is the price, $2040, but if that means you don't need two or three LEI's ( windrange quoted is 10-26knots), it's not looking so bad anymore. I can vouch for 10 to 20ish today, i'm 70kg on a 137tt.
Surprised no-one has jumped on this thread with all the usual "foils are gay" crap!

u sed it
foils are G - A - Y
thats gay.
2040 dollars? jesus. did u double morgage the house?
seems weird that this brand along with others seem to use the argument that u can get away with one kite instead of 2 or 3, but are they just saying that to justify their price?

I sold my naish's actually
I knew one of you types would take the bait. How much is a 12m Crossbow? $1990. Plenty seem to reckon they're the ducks guts. Just an LEI on it's way to being a foil IMHO. I rode today between 10 and 20 knots without coming in and without struggling, upwind with ease. I didn't use a pump, pinch a valve, worry about busting a bladder, didn't crash, didn't worry about relaunch, it takes off backwards by pulling the steering lines, doesn't need 5th line. I don't care if you don't want to fly one. Posting this to let open minded ( OK and Rich ) folks know there is an alternative to the new gen of over tweaked inflato's.

hmm yes, crossbows look gay too
do go well with a fluoro wettie tho
and a nice set of bootiays

FN brilliant bondo

Oh yeah BRILLIANT!
How many hours trawling through gay porn did it take to find the perfect image?
Is this the guy flying the crossbow in the flouro wettie with "bootiays"

Your right tobes, look what I found. Talk about trawling the net...gosh....got to be hairy though.

Founded in 1995, Harbour City Bears is a social club for hairy gay men, their admirers and friends. Actually people of all shapes and sizes and degrees of hirsuite come along to enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the HCB events. We meet weekly on Friday nights at the Oxford Hotel as well as organise a variety of other social events. Information on all events, the club, membership and our premium annual event - Bear Essentials can be found on this website. Whether you are a local or a visitor, you are welcome to join in our events. Look out for the club desk on our weekly night at the Oxford where you can obtain information on events, join up or purchase club merchandise.

Boy this gear review has degenerated badly....now that's FN brilliant.

While we've got out the perkins paste....

From www.flysurfer.de

Armin, our kite developer and Rainer, our boardshaper (spleene.com) had been in Fehmarn last weekend for a speed contest.

Armin showed the potential from the SPEED. He has won the event with a topspeed from 58, 7 km/h. He has used a SPEED 13.0 and the Speedboard SUPERSONIC from SPLEENE

Congratulation Armin. Here is the ranking:

The ranking showes also the compromise betwen the newest LEI kite and the SPEED.

armin harich speed13 flyboard/spleene 58,7
tillman speed10 eigenbau 58
tigga speed10 voodoo143 56
winny(big daddy) crossbow16 f-one 54,5
rainer kauper speed10 speedboard/spleene 53,7
sebastian bubmann speed13 speedboard/spleene 53,4
ralphb(nobelschröder) ? ? 51,7
marionettensurfer flexi blade3 foilfest 51,4
r.s. rene schmieder speed10 speedboard/spleene 49,5
sventino speed10 early bird 49,4
der erste neandertaler speed10 session(?) 49
Peter Achilles Lunatic (?) 48,9
joe speed10 ap125 48,1
lutz frankowiak wipi indy selfmade 48
birgit daube pl/venom(?) voodoo 47,2
gremlin pl/venom loose 47
joshuar(13) impact9 demon124 45,8
hendrik wipi/indy ? 44,8
klaus (c:E speed10 sk8 136 42,9

From www.foils.nl/

on the List you find some of Germanys best riders
René Schmieder 1st kitesurftrophy 2004 (Naish?)
Birgit Daube 2nd kitesurftrophy 2005 3rd 2004 (caution)
Tillmann speedpro (don´t know the kitebrand)

the "really good ones" are much more open minded than all these normal kiters and so they do a run on speed. And.... some were impressed...

Ja die Deutschen Razzer.....schnell auf der Strasse, schnell im Wasser, schnell in der Luft schnell schnell....ich brauche more beeeeeeeeeeeeeeer.

Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee vant gumpeeeee

The French invented the rubber duckie kite..who invented the kite...probably the Chinese?

ab jetzt wird kiten zur droge! langer gestreckter hochleister, mit herausragenden höhelaufeigenschaften. satter lift, fette hangtime und ein riesiger windbereich.


Yeah I reckon the first kites were made in china.
Much like nearly all the inflatables on the market today.
As if the Germans know how to make stuff properly.

I actually think the first kite was made in India, now known as the Inidan Fighting Kite. A little paper single line kite that has all the controllability of a dual line kite!

While I've got the UHU stick out....(This is much more highbrow than hirsuit gay porn)

The Kite: China, Fifth/Fourth Century BC. Two kitemakers, Kungshu P'an who made kites shaped like birds which could fly for up to three days, and Mo Ti (who is said to have spent three years building a special kite) were famous in Chinese traditional stories from as early as the fifth century BC. Kites were used in wartime as early as 1232 when kites with messages were flown over Mongol lines by the Chinese. The strings were cut and the kites landed among the Chinese prisoners, inciting them to revolt and escape. Kites fitted with hooks and bait were used for fishing, and kites were fitted with strings and whistles to make musical sounds while flying. The kite was first mentioned in Europe in a popular book of marvels and tricks in 1589.

and from - coda.co.za/kites_and_kite_flying/history.htm

Kites have made their appearance over three thousand years ago, in China. All the right materials were found there, for it's making: Bambou for the frame, and silk for the sail and bridle. It had a mythical and religious dimension.

Indian fighter kites are cool though! I spent some time on a rooftop in Varanasi with kids fighting battles to the death in the skies above, the crushed glass in their lines cutting others down, blowing them into the ganges or sometimes ending in a tree to fight another day. I wouldn't sat they have ALL the controllability of a dual line kite, if you slacken the line they rotate, when you tension it they fly straight. Damn hard to get the hang of. Those kids were really good.

Wonder where this thread will go next?

Last week the only guy's at the local beach that didn't have to walk back up the beach were the guy on a 16m Crossbow and me with Speed 10.

I thought the bridle on the crossbow was homo....but 'Glenns' bridle (Bondos photo) is way more ******y.
In fact, heavy-duty....homo-duty.

Thanks for that Tobes.

So..... Tobes, do you reckon it`s got as much grunt as the 16m bow?

Also, have you had out when it`s really windy? Been close to the top end of it`s range?

I think you are stereo typing here Gruezi, and have outed yourself slightly

quote:

---

Originally posted by glaucus atlanticus

So..... Tobes, do you reckon it`s got as much grunt as the 16m bow?

Also, have you had out when it`s really windy? Been close to the top end of it`s range?

---

The crossbow would be one of the hardest kites to compare to. It was about 13-18knots, because the bow has big depower it's more a case of who gets going first. It's as fast or faster than the bow, as shown in the speed results above, he spend a lot of time in the drink, but to be fair, it was his first flight and was probably trying to figure it out.
Answer, dont know. Suspect not, Speed 13 is probably equivalent to Bow 16.
The other kites that day were 16m V4, 16m Rhino5, 14m Toro. Walking upwind. Way better riders than me too.


20 knots so far, fully powered up, was my first surfing session, in 1-2m waves. Crazy! A bit too crazy actually. I was happy with the power at 18 on flatter water, it's pretty controllable, but was thinking the 7m might be the go above 20 knots. Keen to find out though, Certainly a lot cheaper if I can use the 10m in 25 knots because thats as much as it ever blows round here. So so far the one kite quiver is looking realistic for me, except I like to have lots of kites

So I take it that it`s your mate who has the new bow?
If that`s the case and you kite together, keep us updated on how your both going with the friendly competition that is sure to arise, pushing each other for bigger and better, Min. winds and Maximums! I`m super keen on the idea of a one kite Quiver!!!

And... how did it go as a wave kite? Are you also a surfer?
Lastly, where you at?
Cheers, happy speeding!

Hadn't met the guy before, was told he's the local cabrinha distributor. I can see the advantages of the crossbow over standard tubes, but I am happy I went Speed for a couple of reasons. Easy set up, bow took more f%#cking around than a LEI, easy relaunch, only from what I saw the other day, it spent a long time in the water, easy self launch, sounds like a few folks having trouble there. As for phenomenal depower and upwind, I'll try and see if speed is it's equal.
As for the one kite quiver, if you're happy with say 12 - 25 knots, I reckon 10 is enough. Be great on your dirtsurfer too! But if you want 10 - 30 knots, Go for 13 and 7.
Waves.....Only experience was day one, hit a couple on the way out , really fast with the kite pretty low, launched but landed really hard...ouch...I took it pretty gently after that. Not a great surfer. Speed 10 moves really quickly through the window so with good kit e skills i think it will surf well, not a no brainer like med aspect "freeride" LEI's though. The problem is overflying the kite, it will stall, maybe fold, but probably relaunch in a couple of seconds which is better than messing around with a tube in the impact zone.
I'm on the south coast NSW, any locals out there?
Glaucus have you seen these japanese "viokites"?
Later, Tobes.

Hey Tobes- I spend most of my time in Japan and Italy at the moment with a couple of months in Indo and Oz each year for a break from the grind.

I have had a look at the Viokites this year, they are on the right track but still need some time to develop to their full potential. A few strange quirks to work out until they are anywhere near the Flysurfer quality of flight, the build is as good as any othe high quality kite. I think the designer is on the right track though.

I have not managed to convince the wife to let me part with that much cash for a kite.........YET! If business picks up for me then I`ll be onto it straight away.

The 12-25 knot range is pretty much perfect for most of the conditions that I`d be happy kiting in! I reckon the speed 10 would be the ultimate kite to use in lower winds with the dirtsurfer. Then as soon as the wind is strong enough I`ll be hiting the water with the same kite.

Living in Japan and Italy means SNOW... so i reckon the speed is probably the best kite for that purpose too.

Just have to keep workin the wife!!!

Keep us up to date on your expirences.

Had a great session on the weekend at Dolls Pt, probably the busiest kite beach in Syd. I was trying the new FLX's, very impressed, and had fun riding with so many others, like dodging peak hour traffic. A few guys out on Crossbows, again 2 kites didn't walk up the beach, Bow and Speed. Craziest moment though, I'm flying along and a Rhino lands smack right infront of me, I get wrapped in all 4 lines, dragged by my kite into his sail, quickly unhooked and the Speed gently parked itself in reverse downwind, had to disconnect the safety to get out of the lines, got myself free, hooked back in, reach forward, grab the bar and the kite launched immediately. I was really impressed by this, the kite was perfectly safe and predictable in an emergency situation. If I was on the old Naish, my bar would have been halfway down the lines in who knows what mess. Then have to stuff with LEI relaunch..... no thanks. I had bodydragged upwind past the guy with the rhino towards my board before he had relaunched. The other interesting mo was when the wind lulled for a minute, most kites ended up down at the next beach, Speed kept going for a while, not great but I hadn't lost much ground. Must admit that the guys from kitepower on Crossbows were ripping upwind, and getting big air.....
Thanks to KP for the go on the FLX's, even though I was a tightwad and went home with a secondhand fridge door.

In the oct/nov issue of German mag Kitemagazine, the FS Speed and the Cabrinha CB were the test winners. The kites were tested for attributes like speed, upwind performance, turning speed, power, depower, lift, hangtime and relaunch. The highest possible score is 80 points.

Flysurfer Speed 10- Cabrinha Crossbow
74 points each
Flying speed 10 - 8
Upwind 10 - 9
Turning behavior 7 - 9
Power 9 - 10
Depower potential 9 - 10
Jump height 10 -10
Hangtime 10 - 10
Relaunch 7 - 8 (For existing FS-users 9 points)
Steering force 2 - 2

Other kites tested were -

Rhino 06
North
69 Points

Indy Wipika
67 Points

Torch Naish
66 Points

VisionII Gaastra
65 Points

Nova Takoon
61 Points