Flysurfer Speed 3 demo wanted

[scottman]

I'm looking for a Speed 3 19m Demo kite, if anyone knows where I might be able to get one let me know.

[MK]

I've been pining, pyning, pie-ning?? over them for 6 months and watched a dude in the lagoon yesterday struggle but local Scott Swanson has been pretty dialed out on his this summer and advocates for them. I'm guessing the guy yesterday was a little newer to the sport though since the wind was 20 ish...

[scottman]

I don't think I would have an issue with flying it, I have had every type of kite and can fly anything very well, I just wanted to know I guess if these kites are really worth there weight for the high cost they want for them? Really hard to part with the kind of money they want when you can buy three to four nice used kites for the same price.

[Pavel]

The last couple of Mille Lac kitexings the S3 19M was leaving a few of us sipping a beer watching in envy. I'm saving coin for the S3 21M. Might have a demo available at the Xing.

The 19M is pretty amazing though to make a video like this:
http://vimeo.com/16015030

[Tom L]

I have a SA2 Speed 19m (Silver Arrow).That's the super light fabric model. I use it for snow kiting exclusively. You can snow kite in no wind once it's launched. Floats like hell in 8 - 15 mph. I'm only 160 lbs so I have limited range, if it gets up to 20 I'm pretty much toast. The kites are very high aspect so its easy to bow tie. They do turn like a truck as you would expect, and you have to crank the bar like your doing a kite loop to redirect it. I love it on the snow but on water I would say they are only suitable for a local area like Mille Lacs. If you bow tie it in the middle of Waconia in the water you are in for very a long day. You can sort it out from the bar if your lucky. Padre or OBX would be cool too, but I would not want to be far off shore in deep water with a 19, unless I was just cruising and not doing any tricks. With experience you can keep them in the air forever and kite in super light winds.

The Silver Arrow 19m is pretty cool. The span from tip to tip is 42' yet the canopy & lines weigh in at only 6 lbs.

Bottom line, for snow kiting in light winds they can't be beat & if you take good care of it it will last a long time and be worth the money. You will get lots of extra days kiting.

I usually have it out at Kite Island in the winter a few times each season. I don't know much about the difference between the 3's and the 2's. I think some people like the 2's better. I saw a guy last winter at kite Island with S3 15m that looked sweet. You might be able to buy a used S2 from someone in the EU. Much more popular over there.

Check out http://www.foilzone.com/phpbb3/ for lots of chat on the Flysurfer kites.

The video above is great but I would guess that is the confluence of a lot of conditions that make it possible. You can see in some shots that it is only a foot deep. You could never relaunch in those conditions in deep water. If you're at Reddy Creek a lot it would make more sense as a water kite in MN.

[Mike W]

I have not tried this kite either, but my general experiences with the big foils confirms Tom's impression. I have the original Speed 17 for more than a season. I used it on the water 5 or 6 times, but mostly on snow. One major concern about these kites on water around here is that it is very easy to get a small stick or other crud stuck in the bridle lines. That can really screw things up if you have to launch by yourself. That is not an issue on snow. The big kites really pull hard in very light wind and they are easier to get ready than inflatables. They are slow turners though and they are more finicky to fly. The big inflatables are much snappier. I sold my Speed 17 and eventually got a T3 17. The T3 pulls nearly as hard, turns much better, jumps better and relaunches better. The Contra 17 is probably very similar. I still miss some of the advantages of a big foil in winter-- easier rigging and max efficiency-- but decided it is not worth it for me to have a big winter only kite when I need a big inflatable for summer.

So the bottom line is that unless you are a big spender like Tom , skip the foil and get a big inflatable for our conditions. The big Ozone looks sweet.

[scottman]

Thanks for the input guys, I think I agree with Mike W, I'm not really sure how long I will be in Minnesota so to spend that kind of ching is really hard to justify. I would really like to fly the Ozone Zephyer to see how it reacts, I have not heard great things about it but am worth giving it a try. Anyone here in minnesota have one I could try before I buy?

[Tom L]

The Contra is nice too. I have a Contra 17 (vers. 3), which is still my lightwind kite for water. Very few kite companies make lightwind specific kites anymore. The Contra is history & I just checked - SS does not even list the T3 in their line up anymore. Bummer. For tubes it really looks like Ozone has the only light wind specific model available, that I know of.

Hey Mike, I've been buying used lately, technology is not changing so fast anymore. Some guy unloading last years model, used 15 times is good enough for me. New is such a huge premium. Gotta send the kids to college....

[Mike W]

Tom, we must still be in an economic downturn if you are buying used I agree, pretty tough to justify the expense of new gear nowadays. I have not seen any really great innovations in the last couple of years. The Best Taboo 17 is another light wind specific kite, but they want 2K for that.

[Jay_M]

I have had that Speed 3 21M Deluxe in my shopping cart on two separate occasions, but have yet to go through with it.