Hey dachopper,

Absolutely! Any foil Kite will go upwind and downwind much faster and at deeper angles than the best tube kite. A ram air race kite will do 5 degrees upwind and downwind better than a freeride ram air kite.

The power and speed of foil kites when coupled with a high performance race foil will scare, excite and make you question the laws of physics. In saying that, if you aren't racing Formula Foil, don't use race kites like Ozone R1, Flysurfer VMG, F-one Diablo etc. they are so highly tuned for Formula foil that you will wreck them on a twin tip or surfboard.

2nd tier performance ram air kites like Ozone Chrono and Flysurfer Soul or Sonic FR North Ace etc, are built a bit tougher to handle the loads and crashes.

On a cross wind or slightly downwind reach, there is less difference. Looking at Guy Bridge in both L to L and LOC, he smashed everyone on race kites using the Flysurfer Soul. The ram airs are more efficient through the air and continually generate power and speed where the less efficient tube kites can be depowered further than a foil kite so are easier to control in cross wind foiling. Tubes can be fast across wind but only certain conditions.

LW big race foil kites can produce so much power in so little wind when tube kites won't even get off the beach.

Worth investigating ??

DM

If your not racing upwind then its def not important to have a high AR foil kite.And unless you have a race type foil in the water you def arnt going to benifet from the speed as the water drag will max out your speed before your LEI.

Having said that if your not racing but you like going fast (I am sure you do), covering lots of ground, jumping high, cranking upwind as good as any other sailing craft on the water, going deaper than anything else at ridicoiuls speeds then get some race gear and free ride on it ;)But as mentioned the chrono, hyperlink or soul will get you 90% of the performace of a race kite but probly a bit more versatile and user freindly.

If you hard on your gear a foil kite might not be for you, they need a bit more care if you want them to last and have hassle free kiting.Self landing in strong wind by yourself is also a consideration although with nice big beach you guys have over there its not so much an issue ;)

ActionSportsWA said..
Hey dachopper,

Absolutely! Any foil Kite will go upwind and downwind much faster and at deeper angles than the best tube kite. A ram air race kite will do 5 degrees upwind and downwind better than a freeride ram air kite.

The power and speed of foil kites when coupled with a high performance race foil will scare, excite and make you question the laws of physics. In saying that, if you aren't racing Formula Foil, don't use race kites like Ozone R1, Flysurfer VMG, F-one Diablo etc. they are so highly tuned for Formula foil that you will wreck them on a twin tip or surfboard.

2nd tier performance ram air kites like Ozone Chrono and Flysurfer Soul or Sonic FR North Ace etc, are built a bit tougher to handle the loads and crashes.

On a cross wind or slightly downwind reach, there is less difference. Looking at Guy Bridge in both L to L and LOC, he smashed everyone on race kites using the Flysurfer Soul. The ram airs are more efficient through the air and continually generate power and speed where the less efficient tube kites can be depowered further than a foil kite so are easier to control in cross wind foiling. Tubes can be fast across wind but only certain conditions.

LW big race foil kites can produce so much power in so little wind when tube kites won't even get off the beach.

Worth investigating ??

DM

And Rob Douglas at the last 2 World speed championships on the 10m Soul foil kite beating all sorts of race specific foils n tubes, for that particular angle..