Flysurfer Boost 9m 2015
Reviews / Kites
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At A Glance
Flysurfer gave their first LEI offering last year in the form of the Cronix, a freestyle kite. This year Flysurfer have released their first high aspect LEI: the Boost. The name immediately lets us know what we are in for, as you may have guessed, this kite has been designed to jump, and jump big. Flysurfer promise us a high performance freeride, race and wave kite with the Boost, with their usual meticulous attention to detail behind it.
The Boost has also been registered as an IKA Race kite, meaning you will be able to attend and race using this kite in all IKA sanctioned events. The double 3D and pre-tension technology gives the Boost its highly efficient aerofoil. This profile enables the rider to have incredible upwind ability as well as a kite with plenty of forward speed through the air.
The Boost features a relatively long yet thin bridle system, and the bigger sizes have an additional trailing edge bridle to help with relaunch in super light winds. The Boost uses a Free Flow Inflation system. This is a different sized inflate valve to that of other brands, so just make sure you always remember your own pump or you will have difficulty when trying to borrow one at the beach (like we found when we forgot the specific pump), however, with the right connection it did pump up ever so quickly!
Flysurfer are so sure of their workmanship that they also offer a free 12-month repair warranty, which is a really great feature and reassures you of the product quality. They even throw in a nice selection of spares incase you have a little mishap on the beach, that way you can carry on riding.
Sizes: 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18m
The Bar
The new Infinity 3.0 control bar features a thinner bar profile combined with a new EVA grip; this made the experience of flying this kite really comfortable. The release on the Infinity 3.0 is maybe not as aesthetically appealing as some of the releases out there, but worked perfectly in all conditions. Flysurfer’s swivel system at the base of its centre line worked effortlessly, so multiple rotations will never be a problem.
The lines that come with the Infinity 3.0 bar are designed for low drag while maintaining high breaking strains. If you’re looking to get into the tech side of racing then line drag will play a big part in upwind ability, while the high breaking strains will give you the confidence to boost as high as you dare. Flysurfer claim these lines have the best drag to breaking strain ratio on the market at the moment.
In The Air
One of the first things we noticed when we got the Boost up in the sky was how rigid the canopy of the kite was, it’s amazing, the kite feels like a solid wing in the air. There are hardly any creases or crinkles in the canopy either, it has been beautifully put together with a lot of attention to detail on stitching the pieces together in the right places.
As soon as we completed our first run we noticed just how easy it was to blast upwind on the Boost, this is a testament to the kites racing pedigree, but it is also a welcome feature on any kite. When you are pulling huge jumps you travel a long way downwind, especially when throwing the odd kiteloop too. So a kite that can pull you back upwind quickly and easily is a huge bonus.
This is a good thing as you can get some insane hangtime and height with the Boost, when it is powered up the jumps are huge and there is plenty of float too. Just make sure you've got enough distance between you and the beach before take off - let’s just say we were surprised how much you needed!
The handling of the boost is very responsive, with a medium bar pressure that lets you know where the kite is at all times without being too heavy or having a loose feel. The kite has a direct and snappy turn; it is this speed which helps you to redirect the kite for those big airs. This also ensures it gets round a kiteloop quickly and easily inspiring confidence whilst delivering a solid pull to get the adrenaline gland working.
In lighter winds the kite offered a good wind range and delivered plenty of power. The sleek profile cutting through the air like a knife through butter and allowing you to steer the kite and generate lots of extra grunt when the wind didn’t play ball. It still flies upwind when underpowered too, a characteristic that will be loved by the racers and freeriders alike.
The height and hang time you can get on this kite in insane.
For
The Boost’s general ability to perform in a variety of conditions for a variety of purposes is one major plus to this kite, the quality of Flysurfer’s product and the fact you get 12-months free repair warranty is also a bonus. Not to forget that when you send this kite in high winds you’ll be grinning from ear to ear for a while after your session.
Against
The kite is beautifully made with some neat features, but the Infinity 3.0 bar still feels a little industrial, it is comfortable and functional, but lacks some of the finesse and beauty of the other bars available on the market.
Overall
The Boost is a fantastic high performance, high aspect kite. Designed for racing and jumping it does both with power and ease. Flysurfer have done a great job with this kite, it is manufactured to a very high standard and you’ll be impressed with the responsive handling too.
Videos
This review was in Issue 50 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit FlysurferRelated
By Robin and Sukie
With years of kite sport experience combined, you can be sure you’ll be receiving the highest quality of knowledge on the best equipment the industry has to offer.
