Flysurfer SONIC Review - One Year Later

After a year of flying the Flysurfer SONIC 3, we have come to learn 6 things about this kite. In this video we cover:
00:21 - POWER
01:22 - HANDLING
02:20 - STABILITY
02:55 - USER FRIENDLINESS
04:11 - MAINTENANCE
04:46 - SIZING
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Gear we use + discount codes: www.ourkitelife.com/p/gear-we...

[@johnravensbergen3324]

Great videos. Thanks for keeping them going.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thank you!

[@taikozentrumdeutschland4667]

Totally agree with everything on this video. I do a lot of landkiting which means a lot of light wind, and usually fairly gusty conditions, and if the wind is relatively constant the Sonic rocks it. Also snowkiting on the 15 Sonic is usually amazing, regardless of gusts. It has a great usability range on snow since you can use it with a lot more wind. You just have to make sure you have the right size for the wind. I have the Sonic FR 15 and also the Sonic 2 15m and I'm not sure why, but I still love my FR 15 over the Sonic 2. Call me crazy! It just seems more reliable.

[@denniz122]

Great video, i got the first generation sonic and it has all the characteristics u mentioned, althought my 15m turns and loops very slowly i might add that and the mixertest is very important especially if ur sonic tends to collaps, do a check immediatly saves u from a lot of headache :)

[@benmaz]

I have the 9m / 13m and 18m Sonic 3. Love them. Do you only do the long mixer test? Is this the same as the Soul?

[@AP-fl1ln]

Thank you

[@flamewave0]

Thanks for mentioning about more sensitive bridal. I was considering upgrading soul to sonic but hearing it requires even more hassle to keep bridal in shape I will stick to soul and maybe upgrade to Soul 2 which is around corner!

[@OurKiteLife]

just to be clear, it’s more sensitive aka easier to mess it up when you put a kite on a tree or self rescue a lot, which will stretch certain lines more than the others

[@andrewp7566]

So, thank you for the video and the review is really excellent as always! Totally agree with all conclusions. Last year I bought my first soft kite Sonic 3 18 m biased on you first review. I use it all season in 80 % of the kite session from 9 to 19 knots of TT and even start my first hydro foiling in a range of 8 to 12 knots ad it was really a fan. So, he is my conclusions as a non-professional, lazy kiter) maybe it will be useful for beginners: 1) For the first start better if someone more experienced show you in reality how to do this. All video lessons can`t replace someone advice especially in string gusty and turbulence wind, A sow how soft kite put on air two experience kiters together)); 2) Always pre inflate the kite on the ground and Sonic 3 responds to you with a very easy lunch even in gusty condition; 3) Handling this kite for the first time was so easy. It allows you to do a big air jump and lend much softer than any ELI. BUT! If you did not check the LONG MIXER Bridle test (it is really easy) the kite became unpredictable in some situation; 4) Always check All Bridle before and after kite session. Later you can do it just for 5 minutes. If you packet kite well you will have no any knots during the next launch; 5) This kite really nice rice car but taking into account it almost can’t forgive you any mistake if you training new tricks and hydrofoil jibes. For Big jump and freeride in low wind condition Sonic is really one of the best. 6) For myself I decided to remain SONIC 3 for very light wind clear send, warm tropical water) but for hydrofining and waive riding I thinking about OCEAN RODEO Aluula Roam 10 m and Flite 14,5 (waiting for you reports Laurie as you promise))). P.S. now i sould out Sonic 3 after one season because it really becomes collapse very frequently no regulations can't help( including long mixer test si i bought Ocean Rodeo Allula 17m and 14 and 10 m and really happy)) it made my kite life much easier and happier)

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks for your comments! Lots of great points - we have come to similar conclusions about many aspects of this kite :) We still haven’t gotten a chance to try the OR Aluulu kites. Not sure that we will be able to for a while (just entered another lockdown). If you get the chance to demo we would love to hear your feedback!

[@mashimisha]

Could you guys please do a video about tuning the Sonic 3 , including the variouis strategies people have devised to enhance performance, such as shortening the B and C lines.

[@KillGuest]

Good comments, Sonic definitely isn't for everyone. I have tried and tested the sonic in sizes 11 and 18. It is a great kite, definitely has the sonic-feel and performance. For me, the changes and development was not significant enough to convince me from upgrading from sonic 2 LE. I would recommend the upgrade to Sonic for those who are looking for more speed oriënted foiling, or more lightwind hangtime performance than the Soul or Speed series or any LEI's. Next to the sonic, the Chrono (ozone) and the Halo (F-one) for example offer different performances for the same type of audience. Well worth the comparison if you're in the market for a new performance foilkite.

[@OurKiteLife]

yes it is not for everyone, what we noticed locally is certain people absolutely love them, and just ride them all the time. There's definitely a market for this sort of kite!

[@canolando3499]

I bought a sonic2 a couple of years ago, never got to fly it as there was no one around with experience on foilkites even the kite schools didn't know them. So I sold it. Sounds like fun on the water.

[@OurKiteLife]

It definitely helps to have a kiter familiar with foil kites to answer questions or give advice. If you ever decide to give the Sonic another try, let us know :)

[@clouclouc]

Just bougth an old sonic 15m FR 2015 from a friend. After tuning the bridles, really like it. Even if it's old Its nice to put it up in the air. Wing tips are folding a bit but never been a big deal to me. I can heliloop on the 15m with a 55cm bar 😅 love it.

[@OurKiteLife]

as long as the rider knows how to ride them, high aspect kites can be a lot of fun

[@LatinoTropico]

I've bought a 2nd hand original FR 15m Sonic and the wing tips were collapsing all the time. Found out this is common with the 1st version and maybe less so with the 2nd and 3rd versions. Anyway, i know it's because the bridles shrunk over time. However, to compensate I found this fantastic litle page at the back of the Flysurfer manual called Troubleshooting. And lo and behold it has a suggestion to lengthen the B and C bridles by about 3cm and 1.5cm respectively. Lo and behold no more wing tip collapses!! I personally went a little more to 5cm and 2.5cm respectively. Not a single warble or wing tip collapses and the boosts are insane in 20knots. I weigh 84kg. Fantastic kite in the right hands.

[@extraace]

@@LatinoTropico so measuring from the ends that connect to the bar, you made b and c longer? The manual has the numbers negative (-3, -1.5) which I assume means make them shorter. I’m dealing with a soul 9 that has never flown correctly. It will either stall or collapse from the wingtips. Has no range. I got 3 other souls, 2 sonics, 2 speed 4s, speed5. Everything but the soul 9 flies well. I’m pretty experienced with tuning and repairing them but can’t figure out the problem with the 9. Flysurfer support hasn’t been of much help so far. Their latest suggestion was to adjust the bottom PMAs (opposite of my thinking). I haven’t tried that yet but that seems like a bandaid for the problem which I think is the bridle. I measured every line and got some pretty bad numbers but they seem to think it’s not that bad. I will try out their PMA suggestion first though before I start on the bridle lines. Thanks!

[@LatinoTropico]

@@extraace yes I guess I made them shorter without realising it. Anyway it worked for me. Trial and error with foil kites believe me. Just getting the bridles back to factory may not be enough. There could have been damage or stretching on the canopy too. Who knows. I hope you find the right balance

[@extraace]

@@LatinoTropico thanks. Going to keep experimenting with it.

[@TylerKaraszewski]

I’ve been happy with mine (9 and 13) over the past year. No regrets buying them.

[@OurKiteLife]

Tyler try the 11m if you can!

[@TylerKaraszewski]

@@OurKiteLife I’m thinking of getting an 11 when I get back home next month. I kinda want one in every size, but the prices add up, hah.

[@ragnaringibergsson562]

I'm looking to replace a well used 21m Speed 3 for low wind conditions on snow. I have a 12m Soul for moderate winds. Still not sure whether to go 18m Sonic or Soul. Any thoughts from viewers with experience of larger Sonics on snow?

[@philgibe]

I am just autonomous, and I have started recently with my first soft kite, and guess what : that is an 18m Sonic-FR :-) You do not know that other kites may be easier so you just manage with what you got without asking too many questions... I weight 95kgs, and only have a Twin Tip :-) What I found is that unless you shorten a bit the B line it flyies over the head. Once shortened, the vertical stability is easier. Then I found out that I need only 8 knots to go out of the water, but 12 knots to stay over the water as the sail is too slow to back up and back down for the acceleration step once out of the water, behaving a bit like a truck... At 12 knots, it is very nice and steady, sweet for free riding. Some people suggested to me to shorten the lines to 12m or 15m, ( I have 23m) and I should find out that it will be a way more nervous kite. That is maybe what I have been missing. One thing it hates : rain. Then water and sand on the beach get super sticky, awful. All in all, that is my only soft kite. I wait for the hybrid to arrive on the second-hand market by 2024 then I guess I will take that route next.

[@gaetanomenzano2950]

Totally agree! I Ve the soul more "suv car" in front of Sonic more "sport car" ...i Like soul because i use the foil only ok tt board and only to try old school/ airstyle in low to medium strong Wind condition..the soul V2 Is more user friendly and its difficult to stall or fall in the water so i Focus on my body during the execution of a trick and less on the kite so the soul V2 had the auto pilot...the Sonic 3 vs soul V2 both have the same hangtime (a Little bit more Sonic but if Jump One Meter more High with the soul both are the same in terms of sospension)...

[@ralphlonghorn5499]

Got a Sonic 2 11m a few months ago to use with a foil board First couple of times I didn't like it. Used it a couple of days ago on 17m lines for the first time and loved it. The speed in light winds is great. What length lines are you using ?

[@OurKiteLife]

Nice! We use 26m lines but that’s because the wind at our kite beach is typically up high.

[@vlassadar]

It's my absolutely favorite kite! I'm using it in all conditions imaginable - snow, land and water. It has quite larger windrange than officially stated. This is the only kite I've been riding all summer last year (the 13 m), simply because it is absolutely reliable. Not a single swim with it. No gust ever shot it down from the sky dead. Even if colapsed, it has always recovered, even from bowties! You just have to develop a feeling of how to pull its strings. Working from 6-7 knots with the hydrofoil and up to 25-30 knots with a small twintip board - giving huuuge airs. Not a single bridle check - it simply flies perfectly. A spectacular piece of a kite! More forgiving and less performance (it was way too much) than the Sonic 2.

[@OurKiteLife]

That’s great! Yes, we would agree the wind range is larger than stated. Sounds like it’s the perfect kite for you :)

[@Ryy22]

Hey guys, I’ve been kiting with tubekites for about a year now and go upwind easily and also trying my first jumps. I am looking to buy a flysurfer soul but I am bit hesitant about the difficulty. How well does your kite control need to be before you cross over? Summer is coming and we will have allot of days with barely 15knots, so a flysurfer soul 15m would be perfect. Greets and keep up the good work, Ry

[@OurKiteLife]

Hey Ry, sounds like you’re ready for the Soul :) there’s a bit of a learning curve with foil kites but you don’t need to be an expert kiter to get started. Like flying any new kite, you will get more comfortable with time + experience. We’d also recommend doing some research on foil kites online if you haven’t already (ex. How to self rescue with a foil kite). Even better if there are local foil kite riders you can talk to. Hope that helps!

[@sanderpsychologie]

What lowend are you getting out of the sonic2 13m with a TT? And what's your weight? Nice vid!

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks! For sonic3 13 low end on TT for me is 11-12 knots at 57kg

[@sanderpsychologie]

@@OurKiteLife thank you so much :)

[@kamoitr]

Please mention about line length, because that make sense in each weather conditions. Typical such kites behave like +3/4 meters are pumped kites, considering the same length of lines, meaning super slow!!

[@OurKiteLife]

Yes - with same length of lines, the Sonic will be more powerful than an LEI of the same size but slower turning speed. That’s not a bad thing - just depends on your preferred riding style

[@timgrossnickle5951]

Accurate analysis of Sonic vs Soul. Sonic flies faster, goes upwind better and produces amazing power for size due to its speed. For me it took some getting used to the speed which I learned to control with the adjuster strap....slowing it down. Overall an incredible kite. The overall stability of my 11m Sonic very impressive...

[@OurKiteLife]

overall yes Sonic is a very stable kite, it handles medium gusts well, turbulent wind is tricky even for Soul, but on a Sonic it can be scary

[@activex7327]

How much???

[@nicolasboudet9302]

As a 15m2 Soul user, I am looking for an even more stable kite in very gusty conditions, especially fast drop from 18kts to nearly nothing, possibly with major change of direction, as it happens on the small like nearby home. 😰 In rather stable wind in the 10/20kts range the Soul is so easy that I don’t really need more performance. 😎 So definitely the Sonic is not for me. 🧐 If you know more stable than the Soul in my lake conditions, I would be pleased to see it!🤓

[@OurKiteLife]

More stable than the Soul? That’s going to be tough to find :P honestly though, we don’t have much regular experience in extremely gusty situations like you describe so it’s hard for us to recommend another kite for that

[@nicolasboudet9302]

Indeed I am kidding ! I must improve my pilot skills , or use a pedal boat on this lake which is for sure not made for kites, but I am a bit persevering , up to obstinate...😜😎

[@OrlandoMulder]

Hi is the sonic race also good for jumping ? 😅🤘🏻

[@OurKiteLife]

Not sure, we haven’t tried it!

[@OrlandoMulder]

@@OurKiteLife okay thanks 🤘🏻 do u know the difference between the sonic and the race version ? 🔥🔥🤙🏻

[@LatinoTropico]

God yes!! But don't pull the bar in when sending it. Go easy on the bar and you will be shocked how much boost you get. When in the air let the kite breath and only pull in the bar when about to land.

[@Pahabarabaha]

My main takeaway from this video is that this kite is very moody. And I like background music very much!

[@OurKiteLife]

high performance kites are tricky, or as you say moody, but they do fly nice

[@Pahabarabaha]

I have a question why so many people on your spot ride on parafoil kites instead of inflatable kites? Low wind in your area? Buy bigger water kite and ride with more comfort with much more safety. No more long swimming needed, absolute safety on water. I can't understand people's choice of parafoil kites + twintip kiteboards.

[@OurKiteLife]

Light wind. Trust us, before most of the kiters here at our beach switched to foil kites, we ALL rode large inflatable kites. Yuri and I had 16m North Rebels for years. But the nature of the wind at our spot is that when it dies, it’s very quick. With a foil kite, the combination of light wind performance and power means you can make it make back to the beach as long as you realize the wind is dying. LEIs fall from the sky with no chance of relaunch. Again, that’s just our beach. For most people and places, an LEI is a great choice - no argument. That being said, after we got our first foil kite, we loved the performance. There are lots of benefits to foil kites (hang time, upwind performance, speed, no need to pump, easy to travel with, etc). If you’re hung up about the fact that they don’t act as a floatation device then the answer is simple: don’t get one for yourself :)

[@LatinoTropico]

@@OurKiteLife it's the same here in Townsville Australia

[@cefirmeza]

Nice video. As a light rider I use a 6m soul for freeride foiling so I wonder how the smaller size sonic behave. I am a bit scared of being overpowered on a foil kite so only ride the 6m up to 18 knots. On this clip I ride a 6m soul in 10 knots: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6K4nqCJiaibgqM

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks! If you can demo the Sonic 9, give it a shot. I enjoy it for foiling - definitely a fast kite that’s a lot of fun in light to medium winds. Great acceleration and nice hang time too :)