Hello All,

I bought few months ago a Sonic FR 18M. I am rather disappointed with such kite cause they are too slow to basically do anything fun on the water. Taking off also is tricky in limited spaces and the whole birddle thing make the whole experience complicated.

I would rather now sacrifice few knots in low end but have fun on the water instead and be able to unhook / pop etc....

i was thinking about a Contra 15m or a Naish Fly or Park HD in 14m

My target is to go from 11 kts till 16 (i am 72kg ride a 136 board) and be able to work my freestyle unhook in those condition.

Thx for your advice about the best possible pick.

new zephyr is great

Plenty of people using the Pivot 14m as light wind kite. Not sure about unhooking on the pivot though.

Depends on your other kites and how much you like your kites. For example, if you like a SB, you will also like a Contra. If you like to fly 3 strut C shape bridled kites like FX, Enduro, RPM, GTS3, you will probably like a kite like the (2015-2016) Ozone Zephyr. Relative quick steering and amazing high end. Imo a Contra feels more like a tractor: good low end, slow steering and shorter sessions due to constant pull.

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flirferler said..
Hello All,

I bought few months ago a Sonic FR 18M. I am rather disappointed with such kite cause they are too slow to basically do anything fun on the water.

Were you expecting the 18 to turn like a 9 ?


It's AN 18M FOIL , of course it turns slow lol .

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dusta said...

flirferler said..
Hello All,

I bought few months ago a Sonic FR 18M. I am rather disappointed with such kite cause they are too slow to basically do anything fun on the water.

Were you expecting the 18 to turn like a 9 ?


It's AN 18M FOIL , of course it turns slow lol .

You forgot the unhook and pop

For instance the Switch Helium 18m turns much faster than the Sonic 18 u can handle pass / railey etc.. i assume it's a matter of what you expect from a light wind kite.

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flirferler said..
For instance the Switch Helium 18m turns much faster than the Sonic 18 u can handle pass / railey etc.. i assume it's a matter of what you expect from a light wind kite.

but does the helium turn like a 9 ?????????

Zephyr is sick.

I own a best ts 15m and it's my favorite kite to throw backmobes on. Keep the kite low and it will still slack a little. No slack if the kite is at 45 or higher tho. Definitely worth a look at both the zephyr and ts.

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dusta said..

flirferler said..
For instance the Switch Helium 18m turns much faster than the Sonic 18 u can handle pass / railey etc.. i assume it's a matter of what you expect from a light wind kite.

but does the helium turn like a 9 ?????????

lol who is comparing a 18 and a 9 ? the fact is the Sonic is really super slow to turn and not much fun... Was hoping a foil would turn faster than a Tube kite of same size but in fact it's turning slower than the Helium i tried... Ok i can go on the water 2 knots earlier than the Helium but at the cost of a double more expensive kite and the hassle of bridle to maintain and complicated take off in limited spaces.

I would also check the Blade Fat Lady.

I recently purchase a Blade Trigger and I have had a go on the Fat Lady one of the best big kites I have ridden.

The deal is try and demo if you can... Check out the North Juice as well its bloody good.

I am saying go the Blade as its $700.00 cheaper but no means cheap in build quality.

Wow! Whoever sold you the sonic could probably sell ice to an eskimo.

Ts 15m, contra 15m, zephyr, juice 15m..

Why would you use an 18m Sonic in 11 knots when an 11m does the job while turning like a 13m Inflatable?
I had a Helium which would stay up in as little as 4 knots, but like all 18s is a bit of a slug and needs a dive tank to inflate it haha.

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Thecopterdr said..
Why would you use an 18m Sonic in 11 knots when an 11m does the job while turning like a 13m Inflatable?
I had a Helium which would stay up in as little as 4 knots, but like all 18s is a bit of a slug and needs a dive tank to inflate it haha.

this

I am no expert but a friend goes Flysurfer speed 3 15m in just above 10kts with "regular" board. I saw dude on RRD 13m in about same conditions on skimboard pretty powered too.

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Thecopterdr said..
Why would you use an 18m Sonic in 11 knots when an 11m does the job while turning like a 13m Inflatable?
I had a Helium which would stay up in as little as 4 knots, but like all 18s is a bit of a slug and needs a dive tank to inflate it haha.

Idea was to jump nice in such low wind condition. Indeed with the Sonic you get long floaty jumps however it get's pretty boring quickly.

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flirferler said..

Thecopterdr said..
Why would you use an 18m Sonic in 11 knots when an 11m does the job while turning like a 13m Inflatable?
I had a Helium which would stay up in as little as 4 knots, but like all 18s is a bit of a slug and needs a dive tank to inflate it haha.

Idea was to jump nice in such low wind condition. Indeed with the Sonic you get long floaty jumps however it get's pretty boring quickly.

were you wanting to kiteloop the 18m sonic ?

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dusta said..

flirferler said..

Thecopterdr said..
Why would you use an 18m Sonic in 11 knots when an 11m does the job while turning like a 13m Inflatable?
I had a Helium which would stay up in as little as 4 knots, but like all 18s is a bit of a slug and needs a dive tank to inflate it haha.

Idea was to jump nice in such low wind condition. Indeed with the Sonic you get long floaty jumps however it get's pretty boring quickly.

were you wanting to kiteloop the 18m sonic ?

kiteloop an 18m lol !

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flirferler said..

Thecopterdr said..
Why would you use an 18m Sonic in 11 knots when an 11m does the job while turning like a 13m Inflatable?
I had a Helium which would stay up in as little as 4 knots, but like all 18s is a bit of a slug and needs a dive tank to inflate it haha.

Idea was to jump nice in such low wind condition. Indeed with the Sonic you get long floaty jumps however it get's pretty boring quickly.

exactly what i noticed... i don't see a significant advantage between foil and modern light wind tube kite.... while i was in the water in 10 kts with my 18 well powered some guys were as well very well powered in tube kite.

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flirferler said..

flirferler said..

Thecopterdr said..
Why would you use an 18m Sonic in 11 knots when an 11m does the job while turning like a 13m Inflatable?
I had a Helium which would stay up in as little as 4 knots, but like all 18s is a bit of a slug and needs a dive tank to inflate it haha.

Idea was to jump nice in such low wind condition. Indeed with the Sonic you get long floaty jumps however it get's pretty boring quickly.

exactly what i noticed... i don't see a significant advantage between foil and modern light wind tube kite.... while i was in the water in 10 kts with my 18 well powered some guys were as well very well powered in tube kite.

the real difference is noticed on a raceboard/foil . your upwind and downwind angles of a lei are not even close to what a foil can do . or generate more apparent wind .

BRM Cloud C2 17m......excellent light wind kite, turns very quickly.