GEAR REVIEWS & TESTS
KITES
ULTRA TEAM
“Sublime light wind turning performance; the Ultra never feels like it doesn’t have enough power to turn beautifully and then drive cleanly forward.
Overall this is a very special kite and if you do mix up wave riding and foiling, but have found that you’ve been missing a very manoeuvrable lighter wind wave kite, this could be an incredible weapon to add to your quiver. While the Ultra Team completes a turn very quickly and then drives forward super cleanly, the travelling air speed is quite moderate. So while the Ultra Team sounds racey, it’s not. It’s just quick in the right zones to help you link manoeuvres with speed and control.“
LITHIUM v13
“The Lithium has long been a trusted friend in the all-around freeride department, but this year’s tune up does a notable job of keeping the user-friendly qualities that has earned the Lithium its large freeride audience while instilling some extra performance that spices up the kite’s maneuverability and freeride jumping abilities. With the slightly lighter bar pressure and large wind range, we found the Lithium very easy on our body during longer sessions which makes the it a really comfortable fit for general freeride. As we indicated at the outset, the addition of the single strut One model to Airush’s freeride category has freed up the Lithium to move slightly farther from its progression niche and gives it some extra juice for more demanding freeride performance while still being a great crossover choice for all kinds of conditions, from surf to hydrofoil.”
ULTRA TEAM
“The Ultra Team is swift, nimble and drifts like a ghost, but the power is always intuitive and on-demand but never overbearing. The advantages of the new construction seem to increase the rigidity of the Ultra, which might just widen the Ultra Team’s appeal to kite foiling as well as general freeride and surf disciplines, but without a doubt it fires a shot into the arms race to make kite airframes lighter and more responsive.“
LITHIUM v13
“The Lithium is a confidence inspiring sheet-and-go marvel, with sportive handling and a playful nature. It’s an uncomplicated genre spanning tool that is performant enough to keep even the most seasoned freerider engaged, and sports a wide application of potential use across twintip, wave and foil disciplines.”
ULTRA v4
“A well-received lightweight kite amongst freeride foil aficionados, that will also hold its own as a wave kite.”
ONE v2
“The team put the kite into a few different situations; waves, jumps and even a few crashes. We were pleasantly surprised with how well this kite did EVERYTHING! Great relaunch, solid drift, and confidently responsive to our inputs!”
ULTRA v4
“The Ultra excels in maintaining its canopy rigidity and leach stability while feeling fast and efficient in lower winds. The power control really shines for foiling and surfing, but when you combine its quick handling and low wind maneuverability, it’s also a…”
UNION v6
“The Union V6 isn’t difficult to get on and ride. The considerable bar throw and shut-off depower also add an excellent sense of security, but to get the most out of the Union V6 it likes to be ridden hard and fast.”
LIFT v1
“The Lift lives up to its name, and is a well-conceived kite with a proud design direction, a range of unique build features and an impressive level of accessibility to ridiculous height and float. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a….”
LIFT v1
“When you glance at the Lift’s canopy, it seems higher aspect and that racier profile definitely plays out on the water. While we immediately identified its Lithium heritage, the Lift has an edgier and more gutsy character that delivers riders a much boostier feel along with more impulsive lift and power for tackling bigger airs and longer hangtime.”
SESSION v1
“The Session is now an absolute all-round ripper, but its heart, thank goodness, still lies in the waves. I’ve ridden the Session several times on a surfboard, twin-tip and foil… and can safely say this is my kind of kite. I’ve traded my surfboard for a twin-tip in the same session without having to put the kite down…”
SESSION v1
“The Session impressed us with its incredible drift performance that allowed us to place the kite in the center of the window, and with minor bar adjustments, the kite happily floats in place as you enter into bottom and top turns. The Session struck us as very capable of offering up just the right amount of power needed while…”
BOARDS
APEX v7
“The board loads and rebounds with a strong and snappy response providing exhilarating height. There is definitely scope for riders who unhook to enjoy the Apex’s performance and it can be paired with either boots or straps.”
BARS
RIDE BAR
We took the Ride Bar out with the Airush One, both for big air and for a light wind wave session to get the full experience out of the bar. Once the kite was up in the air, it was an enjoyable, comfortable experience.
