In early August, I spent my first vacation as a father in the Engadin, in the beautiful Silvaplana. We had fantastic weather, with amazing wind every day, allowing me to get out on the water briefly each day. I brought quite a bit of gear to test out! This included a new pump foil (more on that in a future blog post), my new raceboard with the adjustable box (which will also have a detailed report), as well as the new Soul3 in sizes 12m and 8m. I consciously chose not to take the 10m because I felt I was too heavy for the local wind conditions when using the twintip, and the 8m Soul is perfect with the foil. Additionally, I was able to test the new Fusion Bar. Let me tell you, this bar is a phenomenal!
Let’s start with the bar:
In the spring, I had the chance to check out the new quick release and test it extensively in the SK Shapes lab. It looked very promising from the start, and I was immediately impressed. What’s absolutely brilliant is that the release mechanism clicks in just like a car seatbelt, making assembly extremely straightforward. I’ve never seen or handled anything like it before. Alongside the Click Click from SK Shapes, it is certainly one of the best release systems on the market. The new Fusion Bar comes across as very tidy and simplistic. There’s no unnecessary frills or details. Everything is well thought out and works exactly as it should. Flysurfer has had a self-untwisting bar system for a while but always included plastic tubes on the depower line, which hindered free manipulation somewhat. Now, the lines run directly through the bar, and there’s even an option to switch whether you want the automatic depower line spin or not. I activated this feature, and it unspools so smoothly and automatically that even after several rotations, the line unwinds without me having to pull the bar down. Absolutely brilliant!
It’s also worth mentioning that the depower travel can be adjusted, making it accessible for smaller individuals. I flew the bar on the 12m Soul with 20m lines and on the 8m Soul with 17m lines. Shortening the lines is extremely easy.
Overall, my experience testing out the new Fusion Bar, together with the Souls, has been exceptional. The combination of the bar and the kite enhances the maneuverability and responsiveness, making each session even more enjoyable. The size M (55cm) is a perfect match for the 8m and the 12m Soul. On the 6m Soul i prefer my 50cm Unique Bar from SK Shapes and on the bigger Kites (15m+) I would definitely go for a 60cm Bar.
The new Souls
Let's turn our attention to the Flysurfer Soul3. After the exceptional performance of the Soul2, it was no easy task to improve upon an already top-quality kite. Unfortunately, I can't offer a definitive assessment of the low-end and high-end performance of the kites yet. I rode the Soul3 in perfect conditions in Silvaplana, with around 20 knots of wind at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level. Neither the 8m nor the 12m Soul3 felt overpowered or underpowered during my session.
Soul3 12m
From the very start, the Soul3 12m caught my attention. The launch process is just as effortless as with the Soul2. The kite inflates quickly, and there’s no need for extra pulling on the steering lines, as required with the Sonic3, to open the tips. At the bar, the kite feels very direct, with steering impulses being instantly translated into movements. Additionally, Flysurfer has incorporated an adjustment knot system in the C-bridle, allowing riders to fine-tune the kite's characteristics. I tested the 12m in both, the middle and the most reactive settings.
The standard setting is very pleasant to ride, and it suits most kitesurfers well from the start. The bar forces are in the mid-range, allowing for good one-handed steering, and you always know exactly where the kite is positioned in the wind window. It’s noteworthy that the kite does not lose speed when turning. It maintains a consistent speed from the beginning and flies nicely forward. The turning radius is relatively tight for a foil kite. When you adjust to the most reactive setting on the C-bridle, the bar forces increase slightly, and the kite turns even tighter. In the loops, the kite turns beautifully around the tip without ever showing tendencies toward backstall, becoming even more reactive in the process. I wasn’t able to fully test the depower to the maximum, but when pushing the bar up, the kite nearly loses all pressure. Pulling the bar in, however, generates solid power.
On the water, the Soul3 is simply a joy to ride. The era of sluggish foils with minimal depower is long gone. I would have loved to try my Peter Lynn Venom, the kite I started with, for a direct comparison with current models. The kite truly invites you to use every little wave for jumping, perform impressive transitions, achieve 30m long dark slides, and soar high into the clouds. Fantastic! The 12m Soul3 flies well within the wind window, and without needing to push the edge of the board hard into the water, you almost automatically ride upwind. The upwind angles are phenomenal and likely better than any tube kite. The Sonic4 may pull a little more upwind, but less experienced riders will find it significantly easier to harness the power of the Soul3.
For jumping, the Soul3 is perfect. The timing doesn't have to be as precise as with the Sonic4. Since the kite has ample depower and flies far out on the wind window, there are no issues loading the edge to jump high. The lift comes in quickly, and you go incredibly high—very, very high! When looking around in the air, you see yourself at the same height as other kites around you. The height gained quickly isn’t intimidating; the kite carries you for a long time and far, and the perfect bar feedback ensures you know exactly where the kite is and what you need to do. If you find yourself uncertain, a simple heliloop works wonders. I had no difficulties executing board-offs with rotations right from the beginning. I always knew where the kite was and when to steer it down for landing. Truly brilliant! The 15m Sonic4 offered a smoother lift in comparison to the 12m Soul3, allowing for earlier board releases. With the Soul3, this was only possible at the zenith of the jump. I also felt some muscle soreness in my abdomen from the days I exclusively flew the Sonic4.
The Soul3 12m is a kite for everyone. Beginners will take to it immediately. It never feels overwhelming. Relaunching on the water, with the right technique, is incredibly easy and launching on land can be managed well, either alone or with assistance. Because of the easily accessible power, beginners will make rapid progress, be able to ride upwind easily and will do their first jumps after a few minutes. I pulled hard on the power line several times, and the kite never front-stalled. Intermediate riders will also enjoy some of the best sessions on the water with this kite. Since it is easier to fly than the Sonic4, you can focus more on other aspects and simply have fun out on the water. Even for beginners on a foil, the kite's excellent depower is perfect.
Soul3 8m
The 8m Soul is, alongside the 15m and 18m Sonic, my most frequently flown size, and I use it strapless with the foil about 90% of the time. Therefore, I was very eager to test this kite. The Soul2 in 8m had a tendency to backstall in lighter winds, making it challenging to access power, especially with the shorter lines I use for foiling. This characteristic has completely vanished with the Soul3. The kite always flies forward and at a consistent speed, almost as if Flysurfer has installed cruise control on the Soul3. This is fantastic, and I could immediately perform toeside and regular 360s and land two “around the worlds.” On the third attempt, I got overzealous, and the kite ended up in the water. I was able to test the relaunch, and it worked superbly quick, even though the kite was quite crumpled on the water. This feature is excellent for wave riding.
What I particularly liked was that the Soul3 turns noticeably tighter in loops compared to the Soul2, while exerting somewhat less power or better controlled power. The Soul2 either pulled strongly or required such a hard turn that it would one-sidedly stall. The Soul3 flies super tight in turns and produces a very manageable pull. As mentioned earlier, we had fantastic days in Silvaplana with 20+ knots of wind. I only flew the 8m Soul in the most reactive setting with 17m lines, using my 50cm bar along with the new Flysurfer Sync Bar; I found that the 55cm bar suited me slightly better. The kite could still be flown tighter in the turns, and when necessary, the pull could also be released unilaterally, allowing the Soul3 to be even more playful. Compared to the Sonic4 in 8m, the Soul3 is clearly the more relaxed kite; however, for strapless foiling, it’s the better choice for me. Over the years, I have adopted the board riding Maui style and appreciate a kite that demands no extra attention and simply executes what I want, or can blissfully hover pressure-free over my head for a few seconds. The Sonic4 requires significantly more focus and is more demanding of the rider, but those seeking performance and wanting to fully utilize the wind range of an 8m kite will find more coverage with the Sonic4.
I never jumped the Soul3 8m, so I can't comment on that.
Conclusion
The Soul range, as the name suggests, caters to enjoyment. If you simply want to have a good time on the water—catch some waves, go foiling, or revel in the view from above with a twintip—the Soul is the ideal choice. I share my kite range with my wife, and for her, the Soul is perfect. She began her kiting journey on the Soul and loves these kites. She has also mastered the 6m Soul very well and has had numerous sessions with the smaller kite in Sardinia without feeling overwhelmed.
We have the souls in 6m to 12m and 15m and 18m Sonics. For me, the larger kites paired with the Sonic provide significantly more sense and fun. The Soul tends to feel a bit sluggish in the larger
sizes, at least it used to. I'm not sure about the current model. All in all, I am absolutely excited about the coming years with the Souls and Sonics, and I am grateful to have been able to fly
Flysurfer kites for the past 17 years.
If you fly a Soul1, it is definitely worth it to upgrade to the Soul3. If you are a beginner or a weekend / holyday kiter and looking for a cheap and good Foil kite, you can easy go with a
Soul2.
Simon.
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