2020 ALL-ROUNDERS AND A BRACE OF FOILS

TESTING-TESTING

Although we test gear for two solid months a year in Cape Town during January and February, we also test for the rest of the year in a range of conditions in the UK.

Our testers don’t set out to find the best products for pro riders, but instead focus on what’s important for every day riders. Senior tester Chris Bull is 49, has been kiting for 20 years and tested more gear than anyone we know, outside of gear developers themselves. He runs CBK-Hayling Island (www.CBK-haylingisland.com), a lively school, club and shop and understands what riders really need from their purchases. Jim Gaunt is 40, editor of Kiteworld, has been kiting for 16 years and rarely rides the same gear for more than a couple of sessions, so has a detailed understanding of current directions / trends. Rob Claisse joins us for foil testing – founder of Progression Sports, he makes kitesurfing instructional videos, runs training camps and has helped the BKSA develop their hydrofoil training syllabus.

HERE’S A GUIDE TO WHAT THE SCORES MEAN FOR EACH KITE / BOARD TEST SCORE KEY:

KITE BALANCE POINT SCORES / 10:

BUILD QUALITY: 1 = Sew it yourself / 10 = Indestructible
FULL PACKAGE: 1 = Pigtails sold separately / 10 = Comes with its own wind
LOW END: 1 = More power in a handkerchief / 10 = Like a raging bull
TOP END: 1 = Force 3 feels like gale force 8 / 10 = Feels manageable in a hurricane.
STEERING SPEED: 1 = Barely turns / 10 = Blink and you’ll miss it
TURNING CIRCLE: 1 = Most pivotal / 10 = Likes to scrape the water
POWER THROUGH TURN: 1 = You won’t notice it turning / 10 = Could move a house
BAR PRESSURE: 1 = Light as a feather / 10 = Get down the gym
WATER RELAUNCH: 1 = Superglues itself to the water / 10 = Cat on a tin roof
DRIFT: 1 = Always at the edge of the window / 10 = Goes directly with the wind.
BOOST: 1 = More lift in a wet towel / 10 = Heading for space
HANG-TIME: 1 = Short haul flight / 10 Long haul flight
UNHOOKED: 1 = Collapses or pulls your arms out of their socket / 10 = Who needs a chicken-loop?
EASE-OF-USE: 1 = Makes you book more lessons / 10 = Makes you look good

BOARD BALANCE POINT SCORES / 10

BUILD QUALITY: 1 = Warrantied for the weekend / 10 = Hand it down through generations
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS: 1 = Some chance of assembly / 10 = Accessories from the Gods
SPEED: 1 = Whales will overtake you / 10 = Induces wrinkles in your cheeks
POP: 1 = Like a lead balloon / 10 = How’s the view?
DRIVE: 1 = Constrained in chains / 10 = Fuel a space mission with the energy
FLEX: 1 = More movement in a concrete slab / 10 = Bends like paper
COMFORT: 1 = Like riding over rocks / 10 = Like cruising on fluffy clouds
LOOSENESS: 1 = Lacks direction / 10 = Like its on rail tracks
GRIP: 1 = More traction in a tea tray / 10 = Like a Formula One car
UPWIND: 1 = “We’re all about the downwinders anyway” / 10 = America’s Cup challenger
SLIDER PROOF: Yes / No
FREERIDING: 1 = Makes flat water feel like moguls / 10 = Ride fresh powder every day
FREESTYLE: 1 = Stuck to the water / 10 = Responds best to rough treatment
EASE-OF-USE: 1 = Build your own / 10 = Features auto trick learning button

*DT = Didn’t test, so not prepared to score

AIRUSH ULTRA V2 9, 12 & 17M

TEST TEAM NOTES: The Ultra is Airush’s currently best selling kite, illustrating the notion that single strut light wind kiting has evolved to such an important extent. The Ultra goes way beyond low-end simplicity though and over the several seasons has grown a reputation as a one-kite solution for a wide variety of riding situations. Unlike modern three strut kites, it builds focus up from foiling and light wind disciplines through to wave riding, rather than from strong winds and big jumps to freeriding. It’s like an inverted scale, but the more and more we accept that the new mainstream norm for fun kiting now starts from 12 – 14 knots rather than 16 -18, it’s kites like the Ultra that are delivering so many more good sessions.

We first tested the Ultra 17 metre on a twin-tip. Mark Shinn had been telling us that it’s one of the best super light wind foiling kites that he’s ever used because it never reaches that dead zone at the side of the window in light winds when they tend to drop out of the sky. We didn’t get a session with it on a foil, but on a twin-tip it’s evidently lighter and far more balanced than any massive 17 metre we’ve had our hands on in recent years. Essentially, you’re looking for usable power and easy handling in as light a wind strength as possible, and the Ultra delivers that. First and foremost it stays in the sky and is always very, very balanced. Due to its size and the nature of such a massive canopy supported by only one strut, the 17 metre doesn’t fly as far forward in the window as you might be used to and there were moments where we almost had to give it a nudge by really digging in the rail to get it to drive up into the wind window a bit more, but if you’re in its sweet spot, the Ultra is very sweet.

There’s also actually quite a lot of power there once you get going with the apparent wind, but not in an aggressive way; just through power and efficiency. Essentially, if you want to twin-tip