Any review of this kite compared to 2014 one ? (love 2014 torch and hope the new one feel the same)

Only hybrid ****y kite users here ?

We have a couple of guys here in Brisbane on them but they don't do forums sorry.
I only flew an 8m at the dealer meeting in nuking winds so couldn't really get a great feel for differences as they were only minor.Here is what I noticed-
A little more direct.
A bit more solid in the tips, especially in gusts.

Other than that mostly construction-
New Bar
New Inflate valve

Jas

Ewan Jaspan has all the lo down on the 2015 range. Find him on facebook and say g;day.

I've been riding the Torch plenty since June. I can't compare to 2014 but I can compare to the 2014 & 2015 Razor & Vegas. Ewan will definitely be able to compare to the 2014 much better.

All depends on what you want to do with it, I find the Vegas is the best all round as it has a bigger wind range and a bit more of a predictable feel across it's wind range. The Razor definitely prefers to be powered and is amazing for unhooking but I wouldn't say it has any "free ride" about it compared to the others. The Torch I find sits in the middle. More hard core than the Vegas but not quiet as narrow of a target rider as the Razor. However the 2015 Torch still excels at all styles of freestyle riding, be it unhooked freestyle, kiteloops, big air and basically anything you can throw at it.

The 2015 Torch is super stable (due to the change to the LE), unhooks like a dream and has so much slack you don't know what to do with it. Plus the new Fusion bar is so far my favourite of the three brands. As far as big air and kiteloop performance goes... Kevin Langeree King Of The Air anyone?
Yesterday I was stacked on my 12 when most people were on 9 or 10's and I found I could still unhook comfortably, boost big and generally kook it out like I normally do. The kite was as solid as a rock with zero canopy flutter or deformation at the top end of it's wind range. The 12 yesterday has a very direct feel through the bar but is not the fastest turning of the three kites I mentioned, but that does help when you are catching the wrong end of the bar in handle passes

Seriously one of the best C-kite's available. Anyone in the market for a new freestyle kite has to try one when you do your demoing or you're wasting your time.

Drew

Blatent pimp - we have 7-9-12-14 available for demo at WA SURF

Select to expand quote

WA Surf said..
I've been riding the Torch plenty since June. I can't compare to 2014 but I can compare to the 2014 & 2015 Razor & Vegas. Ewan will definitely be able to compare to the 2014 much better.

All depends on what you want to do with it, I find the Vegas is the best all round as it has a bigger wind range and a bit more of a predictable feel across it's wind range. The Razor definitely prefers to be powered and is amazing for unhooking but I wouldn't say it has any "free ride" about it compared to the others. The Torch I find sits in the middle. More hard core than the Vegas but not quiet as narrow of a target rider as the Razor. However the 2015 Torch still excels at all styles of freestyle riding, be it unhooked freestyle, kiteloops, big air and basically anything you can throw at it.

The 2015 Torch is super stable (due to the change to the LE), unhooks like a dream and has so much slack you don't know what to do with it. Plus the new Fusion bar is so far my favourite of the three brands. As far as big air and kiteloop performance goes... Kevin Langeree King Of The Air anyone?
Yesterday I was stacked on my 12 when most people were on 9 or 10's and I found I could still unhook comfortably, boost big and generally kook it out like I normally do. The kite was as solid as a rock with zero canopy flutter or deformation at the top end of it's wind range. The 12 yesterday has a very direct feel through the bar but is not the fastest turning of the three kites I mentioned, but that does help when you are catching the wrong end of the bar in handle passes

Seriously one of the best C-kite's available. Anyone in the market for a new freestyle kite has to try one when you do your demoing or you're wasting your time.

Drew

Blatent pimp - we have 7-9-12-14 available for demo at WA SURF

I am already convinced about the Torch as i am already on 2014 one.....

The thing i would like to know is if it is not slower or harder on bar than 2014 ? What do you mean exactly about "stable" ?

Turning and bar pressure are no change.

Jas

Stable - I mean the kite doesn't distort, disform, shudder, shake, jellyfish, etc. It's shapes keeps super stable through all manoeuvres and wind ranges. Bad C-kites you will see the wing tips change shape compared to the rest of the kites. 4 line c kites jelly fish due to lack of support in the centre of the kite. Other kites I have used (like 3 strut/4 line hybrid kites) inherently change shape as they get super powered. Does that make sense?

Awesome session on the 14m tonight, for unhooking I am in love with this kite!!!

Drew

Select to expand quote

WA Surf said..
Stable - I mean the kite doesn't distort, disform, shudder, shake, jellyfish, etc. It's shapes keeps super stable through all manoeuvres and wind ranges. Bad C-kites you will see the wing tips change shape compared to the rest of the kites. 4 line c kites jelly fish due to lack of support in the centre of the kite. Other kites I have used (like 3 strut/4 line hybrid kites) inherently change shape as they get super powered. Does that make sense?

Awesome session on the 14m tonight, for unhooking I am in love with this kite!!!

Drew

Ok nice i understood what you mean Ehheheheh agree with you.........except maybe for waveriding the best kite i ve never owned !

Other reviews of the new Torch ?

I've just bought a new pair of Torches 2015, size 12 and 9. Before that I had Torch 2013 so I can compare only with it. Torch 2015 is unbelievable wakestyle machine. It's much slower in turns so the kite won't easily go down or up when you need to pop a trick as if the kite doesn't react on small impulses at all. Great for wakestyle and I find it a little bit awkward when you go BIG haven't completly get used to it. Bar pressure is much lighter than 2013 which was wierd for first time but you still feel the kite where it is and won't get tired so fast when steering. It has so much slack in lines passing the bar with easy. The bar is comfortable
in comparsion with 2013 but it is every bar on market. 2013 bar was designed more for beating people than comfort riding. Both sizes are very similar 12m is less
dynamic of course but overall feel is constant through sizes. 2015 has a new main valve which is nice something similar like North has. The biggest pain in ass is change of color of lines and bar and I don't understand this move. When I get myself to dangerous situation the color change is messing with my brain.

Really ?

I am on 2014 and it is definitively not a slow kite....my 2014 will be replaced by 2015 one, but i am a little bit afraid as i don't want a slower kite ! (i hate that)
For that i remenber the 2013 had the same turning speed that my 2014....

Strange other users seems to feel very little difference in turning speed and bar pressure compare to past model...?

Other point of view ?

2015 torch is not definitely slower than 2013. The profile is thiner and the kite is damn fast. When I was doing transitions the kite always reached the edge of wind window sooner than I expected and lost the power. The radius of turn is bigger I am pretty sure of it. Or I would say you have to pull the bar much more to do same circle as with 2013. I am pretty happy with the kite I am wakestyle rider and I think the new torch made step forward. When I was thinking about buying a new Torch there was no review you are in different situation :-). I can't say anything about 2014 because have never ridden it.