Review Flysurfer Sonic2 2017
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Riding type: | Freeride/Race |
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Year: | 2017 |
Brand: | Flysurfer |
Size: | 06m, 09m, 11m, 13m, 15m, 18m |
Type: | Foil |
Share: | |
Buy: | Buy Now |
Rider profile
Hydrofoil, airstyle & race
Designers goals (manufacturer text)
The SONIC2 embodies our vision of a modern, highly advanced racing wing. Each detail designed with performance in mind. Beautifully balanced and responsive turning, optimised lightweight construction and refined aerodynamics all come together to create a sublime riding experience.
Features
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Double Cordwise Ballooning
Double Cordwise Ballooning minimises the creasing of the cells on the kite to an absolute minimum. With exactly calculated arc-shaped panel cuts and double-stitched and glued seams, a perfectly smooth, high performance airfoil is created. This optimizes the aerodynamics, especially the glide ratio and the low end of the kite.
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Flat Winglet Technology
The Flat Winglet technology reduces the induced aerodynamic drag, whilst at the same time increasing lift. This leads to a noticeable improvement in lift to glide ratio and forward flying speed of the kite. As well as constant pull while turning without wingtip collapse.
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Maximum Pressure Valves
The M.P.V in the center of the leading edge provides maximum air flow into the kite. The kite fills faster and accelerates even when fully depowered. A moving separator inside the valve transfers the airflow directly into the kite, regardless of angle of attack. Improved internal pressure means the kite is stiffer, more responsive and stable.
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Lightweight Construction
The SONIC2 benefits from a unique material composition. The LOTUS top sail forms a wrinkle-free airfoil and facilitates the relaunch in light winds. The DLX + bottom sail contributes to the directness of the kite and allows a reactive bar feedback. The ribs, V-belts and cells of the inner construction are designed for diagonal rigidity at highest loads to keep the SONIC2 in form. The weight reduction obtained increases stability and allows deeper downwind courses.
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Triple Depower Technology
There are 3 ways the kite achieves its maximum depower: Reducing the angle of attack, profile change and reducing the projected area. This leads to a huge wind range and ideal handling.
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Sharp Mini Ribs
Doubling the number of cells at the trailing edge increases its shape stability substantially. This means less turbulence, improved aerodynamics and thus performance.
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Automatic Drainage System
The proven drainage system integrated in the whole trailing edge of the kite, with finally openings near the tips, about the size of a hand. They allow water and sand to be drained automatically, without influencing the performance of the kite.
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Rigid Foil Technologie
These stiffeners integrated in the leading edge ensure a smooth, creaseless and stiff topsail. This results in reduced aerodynamic drag and enhanced kite stability. As a result, the kite translates every gust of wind into propulsion without deforming the canopy. Overall, the Rigid Foils increases the kite’s stiffness and makes it more dynamic.
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Super Charger
The Super Charger is an optional extra which uses a special redirection of the brake level of the bridle allowing it to be pulled-in more when powering up. The result is an extra boost on the downwind course and a higher glide ratio on the upwind course. The holding and steering forces increase significantly though, when powering up. Also there is an increased possibility of tangling the additional pulleys when launching and landing, as well as during (water) re-launch. The Supercharger can be modified and adjusted to your personal needs. We recommend this optional add-on specifically for competition use, to get maximum performance from your SONIC2 or SONIC-FR.
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IKA registered
FLYSURFER is passionate about kite-racing and has registered the SONIC2 kite officially. This allows you to attend every official IKA racing event. Even if a FLYSURFER kite construction is officially approved for kite racing in the IKA class – Formula Kite, this does NOT mean that the kite itself is automatically IKA registered. This must be registered by the rider him/herself, so that he/she is allowed to officially compete in the IKA class – Formula Kite and it’s specific events. Link to registration form: http://flysurfer.com/ika-registration/
Control bar Flysurfer Sonic2
Video Flysurfer Sonic 2
KiteFinder interview during the 2016 Pringles World Cup in Fehmarn
Details:
Riding type: | Freeride/Race |
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Year: | 2017 |
Brand: | Flysurfer |
Size: | 06m, 09m, 11m, 13m, 15m, 18m |
Type: | Foil |
One pump: | n.a. |
Bridles: | Yes |
Number of struts: | No struts |
Colours: | Various |
Line length: | 21m |
Bar length: | 50cm-60cm |
Bar: | 4 lines |
Depower: | Clamcleat |
Safety: | Push |
Swivel: | Yes |
Variable bar length: | Yes |
Oh shit handles: | Yes |
Kite review Flysurfer Sonic2
Test conditions
wind: tested from 4 to 20 knots
water: Flat water
bar setting: fabric
boards: Tested with a Hydrofoil in light wind and Twin tip above 15 knots
Conclusion
This isn't only a race kite! If you're all about light wind riding or about big floaty airs. The Sonic2 is the kite for you.
The Flysurfer Sonic2 is the real thing! Better than its predecessor and we believe better than the Speed5. This kite flies & rides amazing in 5 knots of wind with a hydrofoil and in +18 knots you can boost big airs with a twin tip.
Stable? YES! Depower? YES.Wide wide wind range? YES. Relaunchable? YES, you need the the light wind skills, the Sonic2 gives you around 7 minutes relaunch time ... so YES best foil relaunch we ever tested!
PROS & CONS
+ 4 to 20 knots of windrange
+ usable fora wide range of conditions and surroundings (water, beach & snow)
+ excellent for light wind hydrofoiling
+ great for high wind big airs
+easy new power handling with a sheet and go power delivery
+/- We understand this is not a kite issue, more a skills issue! The Sonic2 is made so well that you easily foil in 5 knots, but it can bring you in a tight position if the kite crashes.
Beware of your light wind kite relaunch skills. You have around 7 minutes for take off.
Yes, we are thunderstruck by this kite. The power control, the stability and the wind & user -range! Love to see how Flysurfer tries to break light wind & high wind depower boundaries.
Well done Flysurfer!
Youtube Kite reviews Flysurfer Sonic2
Basics
Kite re-launch
For a foil kite a real improvement one of the best relaunch from the water
Safety system
Safety works good, after you used the safety it's hard to relaunch again from the water
Kite stability
Real stable from 4 knots of wind
Total depower
An amazing depower range. That gives the Sonic2 a wide wind range to perform
Windrange
This is one of the best characteristics. Foiling from 4 knots to big airs in +20 knots. All possible and you don't have to be a pro!
Oldskool
Lift
pretty gradual, more aggressive than the Flysurfer Speed5
High-end
With a twin tip you could ride the Sonic above 20 knots of wind. Of course the right skills are required
Glide phase
Again great, the sonic is a real wing.
Low-end
At the moment one of the best & easiest low wind kites (see our youtube review)
Wave
Drift
This is not a wave kite but for foiling you have a good drift.
Feedback at edge of wind window
Search for the edge of the windwindow, but doesn't oversheet!
Race
Acceleration
nice, turns wind power directly into riding speed
Kiteposition in wind-window
Search for the edge of the windwindow, but doesn't oversheet! Makes the windwindow real wide!
Going upwind
Great, off course nowadays it also has a lot to do with the board you riding and the hydrofoils have the best upwind performances
There are 2 reviews on this product:
compared to a Speed2. The depower vent closes
when trailing edge is down on snow. The ultra
light bridle lines catch easily on the
smallest grass or snow surface anomaly. There
is no brake handle to assist downwind (hot) rigging,
dropping or resting the kite, to deal with rig
issues if they develop.
It may be great once it is in the air, yet
unfortunately I would suggest a high degree
of caution for self launch and land on snow.
Replys to this review
WOW, what a difference with the Flysurfer Sonic 1. Less technical & loved the new power building. More sheet and go. That makes the Sonic2 more accessible. Outside the race scene and for a wider riders public. To start your session the Sonic takes around 40 seconds to get its full shape. Pulling on the backlines will help you to shorten this time to 20 seconds. The kite reacts fast for a 15m foil one of the fastest I ever tested. The power building is different than the Sonic1 & Speed5. It's like I said before a more easy sheet and go feeling But don't get me wrong, this Flysurfer is still technical, it help you to search the light wind boundaries and there it becomes technical. Because, do you have the skills to keep the kite in the air in 5 knots, ... in the middle of the lake? Because you get enough pull to start & ride, but do you have the light wind kite skills when the gust is gone? O yes, .. and the jumps :-) I already love the floaty jumps. Can't wait to test the 15m in +12 knots.
Replys to this review
Hi Kitefinder team, thanks a lot for this great 1st impression test & video, we love the last video shot by the way!
In regards to the video:
The Rigid Foil Technology (the unbreakable plastic rods) integrated in the leading edge are used in the SPEED5 as well as the SONIC2, in the SPEED5 they do not go so far outside to the tips, to help with even easier water-relaunching. Furthermore there is no Lotus kite cloth version of our SPEED5, but we do have the SPEED4 Lotus still in our line-u
line-up, the Lotus kite cloth used on the SONIC2 is used in the leading edge of the kite as well as the complete topsail of the kite, mainly for optimizing the profile and get an as smooth as possible airflow over the kite and the leading edge. Furthermore the Lotus kite cloth helps by bringing the weight of the kite down (making it fly better in super low wind, as seen in your video) and it is water- & stain repellent, making it user-friendly and improves the water-relaunch. The extra stitc
The extra stitching in the trailing edge of our SONIC2 are called “sharp mini ribs” and increases its shape stability substantially.
Hi, what is the wind range of the sonic2 sizes for a twin tip?
Thanks kiters, Mark
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