2012 Airush Varial X Race

Rider: 85kg Advanced
Style: Anything and everything
Weather: Cold 9/12knots
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 11/10 (for a race/speed kite)
Disclosure: I work in a shop that sells Airush

My Comments: I don't normally write reviews so be nice
I have been out on the 13m a bit in these light easterly winds we have had in Perth over the last few days. Each time it has blown my mind away! No one kite should have this much power. Not only does it sit nice and forwards in the window pulling you up wind at a great rate of knots but when you round the top mark and turn down wind you can slightly over sheet the kite and it then sits a bit deeper in the window but keeps pulling HARD allowing you to go real fast down wind but not have to move your kite constantly. Not having to focus on waving your kite around as you go down wind means you can open your mind up to other things like chop, tactics and just raw speed.

Some other things that really stood out for me:

High Lift: This kite has huge amounts of lift and even though i have only ridden it on a race board every time the kite comes high (in the window) you can feel the huge potential for boosting and hang time. This is really noticeable when you are tacking. If you send the kite a little to quick then you shoot 12' into the air instead of just getting that 1/2 foot of floatyness while the board spins under you. This took some getting used to but was nice after getting dialed in as it gives you more time to get it right.

Light Weight: Anyone that has kited at Pelican Point in a light Easterly wind will know about the wind shadow on the inside near the grassed area. I have never found it so easy to launch and land in this area with this wind direction as it was with this kite. Yeah it was gusty and the kite was darting back and forth a bit but it just wouldn't fall out of the sky!

Relaunch: I only dropped it twice. The first time it was me douching up a gybe but the second time was me doing it on purpose just to make sure the 1st relaunch wasn't just a fluke! I was expecting a rather average relaunch given that it is a 13m lightweight high aspect ratio kite but it couldn't be much easier that it was. Grab one back line and pull then smile as kite comes up.

Bar: The new 12 bar is much the same as the 2011 bar except it has plastic coated chicken loop line. When i 1st saw this i was not impressed as i have never been a fan of coated chicken loop lines in the past. But after riding with this bar I'm convinced if you couldn't see the coating you would never know it was there except for the fact that it wont wear out 1/2 as fast. I think the new shaped hole in the middle of the bar is to thank for that.

For everyday cruiser and not just for Race/Speed freaks: I think this kite will win races be it course or speed events but it will also be a great kite for the dude that wants to go out and mow the lawn but also throw down the occasional brown splattering big air.

Not so good: Don't bother trying to learn unhooked tricks on this kite as you will not be in for a good time.
It is a race kite but only comes with 25m lines. It would be good to get another 5m extension

Sizes: 10m,13m,15m and 17m

We have a 13m in demo at Airborne if anyone is interested in trying for themselves.

Also this race board thing needs a lot of practice and it is all well and good blasting around by ya self out on the river but to improve i need other people out there blasting along too so if you are suffering kite withdrawal and want to get out on the water then give me a call and come for a race board session. Any wind direction 8knots and is GAME ON!! (if you cant ride a race board yet that's cool i can teach you)

hope this helps

Nice review Damo, love to have a go... Love race kites,
must Have been just missing you on the river, I've been smashing up from point wallter to Peli point on most light wind, freezing, days. See Ya on the river soon dicing jelly fish ... Got a iPhone gps last week $3.99, touchy, but works well, so I don't go too crazy half way to Peli with no out else out for miles ... Apart from large Rotto ferry's & a few friendly yachties occasionally ... The twin tip crew at point Walter think I'm crazy kiting off into the distance upwind in 10 knots ...

hey Marvin,

loved your pics from the event in Sylt. Shame you couldn't quietly put that new 3 fin airush board in you pocket and bring it back for me

what was the most common technique with the kite on the down wind legs?? looping, signing up and down or parked??? or a combo of all 3??

from what i have been hearing most guys are looping their kite continuously on the down wind legs (is this true). i have tried this but it just doesn't work for me? which technique where you using?