It's good to see all the reviewz that Daddy of Skye does on kitez. Of course, what about us mere mortalz who can't throw a 40 foot handle pass in 5 mph?

I am glad to report that the 15m Ion I purchased from Daryl at Extreme Kites in St. Augustine, FL is a sick kite. I always have some angst after plunking down coin for a new kite. After 5 hours on the 15m Ion Thursday and 2.5 hours yesterday, however, I have no more doubts.

The 15m Ion is built like a truck in true Flexifoil style--the quality in construction is obvious. The single point inflation makes packing and unpacking a breeze. The stock bar and line set is sweet--the bar is perfect for this kite, is comfortable, just the right size, and clean. There is a new type of swivel on the center lines that keeps things from getting wrapped up with rolls and loops, etc. A real nice touch was a velcro tab on each of the two small struts closest to the wing tips, which allow you to secure the bridle before packing the kite so the bridle has less opportunity to tangle.

Also, the 15m Ion's safety system is versatile and can be changed on the fly with a bungee leash. There are three leash attachments, one on the left back line, one on the chicken loop, and then a green line that runs through the chicken loop hole in the bar up to a point just below the swivel. The green line is the most sensible place to hook after launching hooked to the back line and is what I will be using.

If you buy this kite, do yourself a favor and buy the stock bar and lines. They are worth the money. I am really digging the bar. For a kite of it's size, there is not a lot of bar pressure. 7.5 hours in the last two days and my forearms are not hurting at all. Also, the green line running through the chicken loop provides a little resistance to sheeting out and helps me to keep the bar pulled in when I want to, without defeating the safety with a stopper ball.

In terms of range and performance, the 15m Ion is unreal. I've had a lot of high wind this year, so I've gotten used to the idea that when I ride, I am entitled to be riding in 20+ mph and tearing upwind at will on a small board and a 9m kite. Summer in Florida doesn't provide such wind often, however, so I was busting out my 16m North Rhino lately. Flying it after great winter and spring seasons, I was stunned to remember how fat a big kite feels in the air, especially in gusts. Even the better big kites tend to handle like a blimp in a windstorm.

The 15m Ion is a big kite, so if you expect it to fly like your 2006 flat 9m, you are deluding yourself. Compared to a 2005 C kite, however, you are going to be blown away.

The 15m Ion turns well for a kite of its size but is not twitchy. It is extremely reliable and stays where it is told to stay until you tell it to do something else. This is particularly noticed and appreciated when unhooking. The kite stays where it us, for example, as you throw a chill surface handle pass. After coming around and grabbing the bar with your leading hand, however, it is child's play to downloop the kite through the power and transition to the other direction. I am not sure how Flexi did it but the steering on this kite is high performance without the high anxiety. I've put the Ion in the water several times already, but it was a result of eating crap when I was trying to go big, not because the kite got weird on me.

When the wind gusts, the 15m Ion just handles it without a lot of drama. You feel the gust loading the kite and just sheet out a bit and it is all good. The kite has a ton of depower and I have been able to hold it down, at 180 pounds, in 15-17 gusting to 20 or so with no worries. I think the kite will max out for me in the 20mph baseline wind range (in terms of being manageable and enjoyable), but if it is blowing solid 20, I am getting my 9m out and doing some kiteloops anyhow.

After two days, I am starting to figure out how to jump the 15m Ion. It is similar to my 9m Waroo in jumping technique, namely, get some speed, sheet out, send the kite, and then slam the bar down just before you leave the water. Be careful at first about going out and sending the Ion in anger to impress everyone on the beach. I did that on Thursday and went much higher and further that I expected and ended up pounding the water hard after I landed hot on my back. This kite has some power! The jumps on the 15m Ion involve some serious hang time, as well, so you might want to bring a magazine to read while in the air so you have something to do.

Relaunching is easy once you get the hang of it. Again, it's not like relaunching a 9m but the 15m Ion flips over easy once you get the hang of it. I've had to relaunch in windy conditions in deep water and managed to do it after getting used to the bar set-up.

The only criticisms I have for the 15m Ion are: the bungee included with the stock bar feels a bit short (although I have not measured it against a Slingshot bungee) and, while perfect for regular riding, is a bit tight during handle passes, so I am using a Slingshot bungee for a leash; also, the stock chicken loop is a bit cluttered with a donkey dick and a removable leash attachment point (which I removed after my first session), which makes unhooked riding more difficult, but I have already learned that Flexi offers a larger loop without the mess for unhooked riding , so I have one of those on the way. So the only downsides I could identify are not a big deal, easily remedied, and won't matter if you are not unhooking.

I handed the 15m Ion off on Thursday to a much better rider here who flys foils so I could take a break. He was ripping it up and didn't seem to be in a hurry to give the kite back to me. After running through a series of technical moves, he noted that the kite was awesome, particularly its reliability in the air, which will make this kite a big fan of those into freestyle riding.

If you are a fashionista, know that the colors on this kite are sick. I got the Rasta, which means I need to grow some dreads instead of shaving my head bald. That should only take 5 years or so.

Before you buy your big flat kite for this summer, consider seriously the 15m Ion. You are going to have to spend some money to get a flat kite in this size, so you might as well spend your dough on a kite that will take abuse and perform. For me, the proof is in the session. I had more fun over the past two days in relatively light wind than I ever had on a big kite before and I am stoked!

E-bone great review! Flexifoil has the greatest construction of any kite there is. PERIOD! One of the signature qualities they offer is the "lips" on the inflation valves. They feel almost as they are built right into the kite. I say this because over time every single kite I've ever owned the bladder will tend to slip down into the kite. This has never even tried to happen on any Flexifoil kite I've owned.

The stock leash that comes with the bar isn’t the "handle pass leash". Flexifoil (especially with a bow kite) probably sets the bar up for the common rider. If your riding requires unhooking you have to purchase “super cool dude advanced stuffâ€

Forget Lunesta, I will just read Ebones review. LOL Just kidding Eric.

I wonder what the wind range is like on all the new ION kites. I have been looking for info on this and haven't found it yet.

I am looking at the impossible 2 kite quiver. I think we are almost there.

i'm thinking a 2 kite quiver is going to be tough.. especially if you want to get the sweet spot for the kite.

these last number of months I've been swapping between an 11, 13 and 15 c kite. A few times I needed a 9 or so.. but for the most part.. the 13m kite has been my main weapon of choice.

That taken into consideration.. I picked up a 12m bow kite an think this will cover about 70% of all kiting days..

i also got a 9m bow to cover those days when i am pushing the 12m to its top end point. I like to ride a bit overpowered, but i also know that with bow kites you increase the odds of inverting when you have to ride sheeted out so much.

i figure to get a 15 or 16m bow as a low wind monster and call it good.

maybe later I will pick up a 7m or something for those nuking days.... who knows..

I think I have a two kite quiver now. If it tells you anything about how much I like the Ion, I am thinking about picking up a 9m Ion--and selling my 9m Waroo!

I rode the 15M Ion for a total of approx. 10.5 hours over last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Saturday, I was still riding in super light wind, so light that the kite would almost stall at times when I stopped moving, but I was still able to unhook and screw around with some surface tricks. I put the kite in the water several times while trying new things and the relaunch was simple and amazing, especially now that I am getting practice on it. Other kiters on the beach noticed how quickly I was able to relaunch the kite, as well, and were talking about it when I finally rode in after everyone else (except for one newbie) had given up on the session because of the dying breeze.

I have no doubt that I can hold this kite down in winds up to 20 mph. When I have had it out in windier conditions on Thursday, I didn't even have to use the depower strap at all, I just used the bar.

Unreal. The flat kite revolution continues.

I had a two kite quiver with the 14 gk sonic and a 10 RRD. I could ride the 10 from 22 to 35. This was a pretty good setup until everything was stolen.

After you get the 15m Ion, you might be glad that your other kitez were kitejacked.

i think a lot of it boils down to kite skill.

Ebone, Ive seen you out on your 12m C kite w/pulley bar when all others were suffering trying to get upwind on 15m Cs.. you are a much better than average kite pilot and the pay off is your ability to roll with less kite equipment.

over the last month of so I have been trying to ride smaller kites than i normally would and have been doing OK with it. its made me be a hell of a lot more conscious on how i fly and sheet out as opposed to running a large kite where i just sit the thing up there and edge as hard as i can to keep from getting ripped from the water. I am hoping that by mid-next season I will be able to cover more wind with fewer kites.. maybe a 2 kite quiver will be possible...

good thing with my situation is that my riding partner Dan and I share all our kites.. he is about 25 lbs heavier than I so if i am on the 9 he will be on the 12. if i am on the 12.. he will be on the 15/16 flat kite we pick up.

if its super light.. one of us will be on the 15/16 kite and one of us on the 20m C kite with a fixed loop (or powerlock bar!!)

I think kite skill and the board you are riding make all the difference if you can get away with less kites... With a good light wind board, you can ride a 12m kite when others are on 18m kites... If you always like to ride a small board, then you will need more kites.

Flew the 15m Ion for almost four hours yesterday in 10 to 20 mph. No worries the whole time. Smacked a hundred lips, jumped a hundred times, kiteloops, downloop transitions, simple relaunch. I also kept riding when everyone else dragged ass in the lulls. One of the first kiters on the water and one of the last kiters off of it.

The 15m Ion is simply awesome. I can't say enough about it. Thankz to Daryl again for encouraging me to try this kite.

Ebone,
Good feedback and we just finished boxing up your 9m ION with special label and packaging
Let us know what you think of the pictures on the outside of the box

You sleaze!

The last time I got a special package from you guys, a substitute UPS driver was working and he was not in on the joke. He was a big gorilla and looked like he wanted to kick my ass for having ordered a package from inflatablefarmanimals.com or whatever.

Well, my new 9m Ion just arrived. I'll spare everyone the gory details. Just know that my UPS man wears gloves to handle any of the "special" packages sent to me by Extreme Kites.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. Your day will come, boyz.

Ebone - did you make any modifications to the 15M ION, such as setting the bridal on Tab 2 instead of the stock set up. When unhooking, how much depower strap do you have to pull in to make it ride nice but not flare out? I have a 15m on order with Pat.

Thanks for the questions! Here are some thoughts...

I am riding the 15m stock as is without bridle modification. I haven't messed around with it because the kite turns fine as is. I was doing kite loops on it yesterday.

There are some velcro tabs on the inside of the kite that you can use to secure the LE bridle when packing the kite, which are a useful touch.

On the bar, I replaced the stock loop with a loop that is a little bigger and does not have a donkey dick on it, which makes for easier unhooking and rehooking. Order one from Pat now so he can send it with your kite, you will want it if you don't get it now. The stock loop is a little small for unhooking.

When unhooking, I have been depowering about 4 to 8 inches with the depower strap, depending on how windy it is, to keep the kite from getting too flared when I am trying to pass the handle. I am still dialing that in but it is already manageable. You will like the power/depower system on the stock bar. It is clean and easy to grab on the fly.

There is a green line that runs through the bar next to the chicken loop and connects to the center line swivel. After launching the kite with your leash attached to the back line (so you don't get worked if there is a rigging problem), switch to this leash connection point. It makes a lot more sense after riding the kite and it keeps things clean. If you clip directly to the chicken loop, you will lose the kite if you hit the QR above the chicken loop. You will see what I am talking about when you get the kite. I thought this line was stupid when I first got the kite but I now love it. It is a great feature of the Ion bar.

The QR above the chicken loop and under the bar is a hard, rectangular plastic piece. When I first saw it, I said "WTF?" I am sold on it too, now. I think Flexi must have added it to make hooking and unhooking easier because the loop stands straight out from the bar when you are hooking back in. No more floppy loop problems.

The Flexi bungee leash that comes with the stock bar is a little short for handle passes, so I have continued to use my Slingshot bungees. If anyone is not doing handle passes, however, the stock Flexi leash that comes with the bar will be perfectly sized.

I rode the 15m Ion for 2.5 hours yesterday in marginal wind with a Slingshot Glide and was cruising upwind while others were slogging. I stayed upwind until the kite almost fell out of the sky because of dying wind. I was also unhooking and sliding the board downwind toward the kite in a reverse butterslide (for 50 to 100 feet at a time) and the kite stayed at 45 degrees in the window like it was nailed there and stayed powered. Relaunch in super light wind was easy. You will be extremely stoked by this kite and congrats on a great purchase.

If you've flown a Machine 17.5, could you compare it to the ion 15?

I have a 17.5 machine and love it so I have 12 ion on order to complete my quiver. Now with all the good feedback from the Ion 15 I'm considering going for both a 12 and 15 ion (i'm 85kgs, winds tropical 10kts to 25kts and very very rarely up to 30 or 35kts, one board so far 140x42)

Will the 15 ion outperform the machine in lightwinds (low end grunt, turning speed?)? How about constant pull? I've learned most of my tricks on the machine because it's always pulling...

what do you think? ditch the machine for the ion 15?

thanks for your help, oh I can't demo them before my decision...

I have not ridden a Machine, although several close friends who have one swear by the Machine and I don't doubt them. Maybe someone who has flown both will post a response here.

Maybe you should try the 12m Ion out first and see how you like it. It seems to me that you should be able to meet your low wind needs with a Machine. Of course, there is a lot to be said for consistency in your kite quiver, which I why I prefer to stick with one brand and model of kite. This year, I am going with Flexi Ions. I am very happy with my decision to go with the Ions across the board, so maybe you would be too. Make sure you get the stock bar, as I indicated before. It will add to your enjoyment of the Ion.

Thanks for the reply E Bone,

it's just tough you know when you just gotta buy everything up, and then it's still not enough... gotta get more gear....

I'm going stir crazy cause my 12's been on order for almost a month and guess flexi is having some shortage problems... Good thing there hasn't been much wind yet...

I think I will check out the 12 first cause it's pretty tough to sell your gear down here (french polynesia), not many kiters around. A group of us are getting a nice batch of ions (when flexi decides to ship them), then maybe i'll get to try the 15 before I buy...

still curious to how the 15 stacks up to the 15 ion though...

aahi,
The 15m ION will not be as powerful as the 17.5 Machine. That kite has some power. It will turn about 2 times as fast and be more efficient, but if you ride in a lot of winds where you need ever ounce of power in that 17.5 Machine, then don't ditch it for a 15m ION. If you find yourself over powered a lot on your 17.5 Machine, then the 15m ION would be a good choice.

Where are you waiting on your 12m ION from? We have had them in the store for several weeks now....

I'm getting it through my local distributor in french polynesia aka tahiti. He just started working with flexi so maybe he's not very high on their priority list... He's put together a nice deal on the first shipment/pre-orders to promote the kite, that's why I'm wondering about getting the 15 right away.

Maybe you can clear up some things for me... What are the shipping schedules like for the ion (batches every couple of weeks, or is it more like a month?) I also heard they had shortages in the rasta color, is that true? they should've known that that one would've been in high demand.... I would be content with a petrol though, sh*t screw th color, I just want it now....

Thanks for the info on how the machine stacks up to the ion, i'll be keeping it for a little bit longer.... till an 18m ion 2 someday?....