Both of my Ions are in the Rasta color scheme, contributing to the world shortage.

Now I just need some dreads and some weed, along with some chill reggae beatz, and it will be time to THROW DOWN.

Yo, check out the new bagz I've fabricated for the 15m Ion, as well as Little L's board bag for the Super Phatty...the pink bag is still in progress.

Whoops, forgot the pink one...

Holy Moly Eric
One thousand one hundred and something views. That almost catches our 1,500 views on Flkitesurf (remember the Seinfeld "no topic" post?)

Nice review.

Holy Moly Eric
One thousand one hundred and something views. That almost catches our 1,500 views on Flkitesurf (remember the Seinfeld "no topic" thread?)

Nice review.

No worries--here's a picture of the 15m Ion from yesterday's session that Bryan took. No question, the Rasta Ion looks good in the sky...

Note--page 104 of the June/July 2006 issue of Kiteboarding magazine is dedicated to tips for maximizing the Flexifoil Ion.

A lot of heavy riding in on the 15m, and only one complaint so far--the stickers that come with the kite looked like crap on my ride after 4 weeks, guess they could not handle the Element. If that's the biggest problem I have with this set-up, send more Ions with half-baked stickers.

I am so stoked on this kite that I also bought 9m and 12m Ions. Oh, yeah.

Hi, what do you think the wind range of the 12m and 15m Ions are for 86kgs 131/39.5 board?
I've got the 9m and have the 12m and 15m on order.
The 9m is great and I guess the 12m is also going to be great. Do you find yourself always going for the 12m?

Great review - thanks.

Thank you for the compliment, criticalkiter. Flattery will get you everywhere.

Well, my 12m Ion just got here yesterday and I have not had a chance to try it out yet. I am hoping that it will be my honey kite, but we'll see. I have heard great things about it from people I trust, so I am not worried. My first Ion was the 15m, then I bought the 9m Ion. Based on the performance of the 15m and the 9m and the good reviews I read of the 12m, I decided that it was time to get the 12m.

Because I am in Florida and our summer winds are usually very light, the 15m has been my "go to" kite so far. I fell like it has already paid for itself, I have had so much fun on it.

I weigh 180 pounds. I can ride the 15m on a 130 cm Wipika Abreu in up to 20 mph without worries. Beyond 20 mph, you can still fly the 15m but by then I want to rig smaller just so I can move the kite faster. I am thinking the 12m will cover 20 mph to the high 20s, with the 9 taking over after that. If the 12m is really fast, though, it may cut into the range for which I am using the 15m, maybe down to all the way down to 15 mph. I have to tell you, jumping the 15m in 20 mph is a lot of fun. I usually prefer the smallest kite I can ride, however, so the 12m may take over.

I ride in a lot of different conditions and my mood changes, so you never know what I am going to rig. My main purpose is getting 3 Ions was to provide myself more options, depending on my mood. I might have more input on the wind ranges if I charge Puerto Rico this summer (still undecided). Otherwise, I am not going to face a wide variety of wind speeds until toward the end of the year when we start getting cold fronts down here in Florida again.

With all three kites, I can't help but think that you are completely covered unless you want to ride a hurricane. For real light wind, maybe use a bigger board for the 15m and give yourself a chance to stay upwind (I use a Slingshot Glide), even though it sounds like your board is pretty wide.

Thanks e-bone.

This seems to be a good forum for some straightforward advice.

The 131/39.5 is a Shinn Pro, it's the 13th board I have owned and head and shoulders above any other TT I have used - really great board, so smooth and fast and has an upwind gear that you just select with your back foot when required - also lovely soft landings. I crave using this board! I could go on ...

The Ion 9m has been my first SLE kite and I am very pleased with it. Better at the top end of its range than the bottom. Fast tuning and medium speed through the window which is great for control. Love the one-pump and quality and here in the uk the support is 2nd to none. I broke a batten and Flexi fixed it for free even paying my postage - great service.

Found that if you wang the kite too far back to jump, it can drop you a bit on the return pendulum swing - couldn't work it out at first but now have it dialled - got some great jumps!

Love the 20m lines for the waves - so good to have the choice. Bag is too small and would like an extending one.

I had this kite in some high winds and it is just such fun, If I had been on my old 7m or 10m I would have been restricted for safety reason. The Ion just smooths out all the gusts and gives you confidence - just sheet out abit to regain control!


I've shortened my chicken loop line to 14inches from 16inches and might reduce it further - helps for spinning bar and I only want the kite to fall out of the air if I pull the release.

I will be getting the 12m as well as the 15m - like you, it gives more options and when I kite I like to have just the right kite for maximum fun.

The only problem we have here in the uk is availability! The Ions have pretty much sold out and we are all waiting for the next shipment.

The new North Rebel looks very similar buy not sure about 5 lines on a flatter kite as they are prone to more tumbling - no doubt North have its sussed - we will see.

Any advice on which tab on the front of the leading edge to use?
Front one seems to make kite fly closer to edge of window - better for upwind? 2nd lets kite sit back a bit - better for stability / wave riding / more grunt?


Cheers.

The user's manual that comes with the Ion indicates that the kite comes stock with the forward connection point being used, which reportedly allows for greater depower. By moving the connection points down, you are supposed to gain some pop and grunt at the expense of losing some depower. I have not had the chance to really give the increased pop/grunt option a chance, but I just set my 15m Ion to that setting, so we will see what happens.

criticalkiter said:



I've noticed that about the relative low end power of the 9m Ion. I bought one of the first 9m Waroos sold in this part of Florida and rode it for most our winter season, and then I sold my 9m Waroo and bought the 9m Ion. The 9m Waroo definitely has more low end than the 9m Ion. The 9m Ion struck me as faster, however, and it doesn't flap around as much during kiteloops because of the Ion's trailing edge battens. I also believe that the 9m Ion will have higher top end than the 9m Waroo.

Frankly, I suspect the 9m Waroo is a bit bigger than the 9m Ion. I'll have to put my 9m Ion next to a 9m Waroo the next time I get the chance and see if my suspicion is borne out.

Regardless, I think both the 9m Waroo and the 9m Ion are great and everyone seems to love both. Single point inflation has ruined me forever, though, and was the tie-breaker for me between the Waroo and the Ion (advantage: Ion) as much as anything else.

Some guy in the uk had both 9m Waroo and 9m Ion and said that the Waroo was physically bigger, hence the Waroo’s better bottom end and the Ions better top end.