Flysurfer Speed 4 Lotus 18m 2015
Reviews / Kites
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At A Glance
There is an avid fan base for the Speed series of kites around the world, protagonists are fans of the low end power, easy flying characteristics and, of course the huge airs previous incarnations of the kite delivered. The new Lotus fabric is 20% lighter than the previous material, and that is the biggest change when it comes to this kite. The lighter material improves the kites low-end, and also it’s responsiveness in the sky.
In addition to the fabric Flysurfer have also tuned the bridle to make the kite more efficient whilst utilising a new line set up as well. In terms of the construction the new material has undergone extensive testing and the team paid a great deal of attention to getting the most durable finish possible with the lighter fabric. Internally some of the cell shapes where changed to enable the new Lotus material to be used.
Sizes: 8m, 10m, 12m, 15m, 18m, 21m
The Bar
The bar system is the proven Infinity 2.0 bar, it was launched a couple of years ago and has been proven to be very reliable. The Infinity 2.0 bar is a well thought out design with some great features. The chicken loop release has been designed with the French Standard in mind and it works really well. It is a mechanical push away system and releases with hardly any pressure at all, it is also very simple to reconnect.
Another neat feature is the ability to untwist the lines simply by sheeting the bar in. By using two ropes for the depower lines that run through independent holes in the bar you simply pull the bar towards the chicken loop to get rid of any twists. This makes it very easy to ensure there are no twists in your lines and that the safety will always work should you need it to.
In The Air
I’ve been privilege to fly most of the incarnations of Speed kite over the years, they certainly have a characteristic about them that is unmistakeable. The new kite though goes into a new realm for the brand, it’s responsive in a way that actually took me aback a little when I first flew it.
Due to the nature of the way these kites turn there was always an amount of lag from inputting at the bar end and seeing the kite start to move. That lag has all but been removed with the Speed 4 Lotus. When you consider it is an 18m kite too then words like “fast” should really be bestowed upon it.
The lighter material makes the kite feel a whole lot livelier in the air; it also improves the low end performance this year. I was up and riding on the 18m in the lightest of airs, there is a 21m kite for the larger riders out there but anyone up to 80kg should find the 18m the perfect weapon for those days when the wind doesn’t show.
Unhooked the kite is still as solid as a rock, if you like to ride freestyle and wakestyle but are getting bored of waiting for the wind, this is the perfect antidote. These kites are often overlooked by the younger wake and freestyle riders, whilst the Speed 4 Lotus doesn’t fly forwards in the window when you pop like some smaller LEI kites it does provide plenty of pull to enable you to practice your tricks in hardly any wind.
Of course if you are coming from an LEI background this kite will take some getting used to. You need to really trim it to the wind strength to get the most out of it. Correct tuning on the depower strap will ensure you get the best low end and also maximise the upwind ability too. When the wind picks up, that’s the time to start boosting on the Lotus, or should we say flying, hangtime, as ever is insane, you need to try it to believe it.
For
Easy to ride freeride kite with lots of low-end power that you never have to pump up! The steering response is vastly improved over the older versions of this kite and the new material has improved the bottom end.
Against
The new material is almost airtight, this improves the flying experience, but makes putting the kite away a bit of a mission, passing beach goers might think you are wrestling a polar bear on the beach!
Overall
Flysurfer fans will love the responsive nature matched with the classic characteristics this kite has. Super stable, great in light winds and immense hangtime are what you get here, the resale value is also impressive and worthy of note!
Videos
This review was in Issue 48 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit FlysurferRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
