6 Meter Varial X Maiden Voyage

Rider: 72 kg / Intermediate
Style: Freeriding - Surf
Weather: 15-35 knots / GUSTY
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Disclosure: No affiliation

After a long wind drought here in the Northeast (States) a front moved through bringing us 15-35 (knots) plus winds.
It was lighter when I first arrived and looked to be a 9 meter day, so I pumped my 2013 Airush Lithium. After I set the lines, sand began to blow up the beach filling my ears with sand in every gust. Ahhh, the forecast was becoming a reality. It's time to try out my recent purchase, a 013 6 meter Varial X (per recommendation of Mike Birt & Eppo thanks!). Being crazy gusty, with huge holes I wondered if I wasn't making a mistake putting up too small a kite. Looking out on the water I could see a range of sizes, anything from 6 -10 meters. It was just going to be that kind of a day. From gust to lull, you're either working the kite to get going or lit in any moment on the water.

With the six in the air it felt as if it was going to be waaaay too small. I thought about using the surfboard for good measure, but the shore break was too close together and I didn't put straps on the board. It would be too much work with water chaotic the way it was - voodoo chop. So I chose the twin tip and off I went.

It took me few swipes of the kite to get used to it and start moving. The small size aside, the Varial feels quite different from the Lithium in terms of "plug n play." In the winds lighter moments, to my surprise the Varial generated surprising power when sined, even for six meter. It's been mentioned before that the Varial is like a "bag with strings" when it's not moving fast enough. I can attest to this, but this isn't a bad thing. In fact this is it's strength, especially for smaller riders and or higher winds....

Yes I did have to work the kite actively in the lulls, but it did produce the necessary power; instantly, smoothly, and with a precise powerful yet fabulous control. Borrowing from another's comment, the Varial felt like an extension of my body. Also to my surprise, being marginally powered, I was going upwind most efficiently. By contrast, my Lithium doesn't share this trait. It's decent upwind, but it's just not it's forte and it can sometimes be work.

Then the wind moved up a couple of notches. Wow! I saw those same riders on nines and tens pop their kites up trying to cope with the monster gusts. Even some on seven meter kites were in trouble. The water was frothy and spray blowing off the tops of small waves and shorebreak, but the Varial just moved over the to front of the window under complete control. I sheeted out a few inches when I wanted less power, the kite fluttered a moment or two, and sat there at forty-five degrees like a rock. When it came time to turn, a slide, turn the kite, dive a little, and there it was that controlled "bamm"; just enough, precision, stability, control. It was if the kite could read my mind. In terms of comfort and control, it mine as well been a 18 knot day on my 12 meter. If it wasn't for the wind and water all around, I would never would have believed it. The amazing thing is I believe the kite could have taken even more wind, but this was enough for the time being and I didn't care to find out.

The conditions were onshore and I now understand how the Varial can also be a great wave kite as well.

Water relaunching the Varial? This is suppose to be its lesser quality. While it wasn't pop and go ready like the Lithium, it just needed a slightly different technique to get it ready to lift off the water. It wasn't daunting or hard work. Just let it breathe a bit, drift downwind toward the kite and get it on it's side. From there it pops right up and once in flight it has even better control than the Lithium in it's assent.

Bar pressure? Less than the Lithium but a very solid connected feel. Bar pressure is there but not overly so. It's also a six meter so it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison either.

Stability overall? VERY. Whether it's sitting there at 12 in massive gusts (still must be careful esp. in high winds) or depowered at all angles on the water or land.

Turning response? Medium to fast (but never overly so). And very precise steering. You always know where the kite it moves exactly where you want it to. It's a bit like a highly tuned sport suspension on a car, but without overly sensitive steering. For a six meter kite, the turning speed and responsiveness was like in "Goldilocks" just right. I highly recommend this as a storm kite as well.

Power? It is a 6 meter so this is relative, right? This being said, it's not a powerhouse in the way the Lithium pulls from 12 to 2 /10. It does however pull smoothly when sined through the window, and it does so under full control. There were no surprise oomphs, Smoooooth. And there is power, plenty, just not in the way you'd expect it.

De-power? Short, instant and smooth. It doesn't take much to depower this kite.

Jumping? Aside from the ridiculous jumps created by the steep rolling two to three foot waves near the shoreline, the Varial feels like a coiled spring. I mean you can be happy buzzing along and to get airborne just wind it up and go. Whoa! The Lithium likes to boost but the Varial means it. Granted you have to mean it by whipping the kite, (doesn't take as much in the gusts) from let's say eleven or so back past twelve and over, but it responds like an elevator going up on steroids. I did this few times and kept it down to earth given the conditions. Given my relative level of skill, I expected to drop like a stone with a little kite, but it also has a nice deft landing as well. Not bad for a six meter.

Fun Factor? I had to think on this one. It was gusty, crazy so. The kite needs to be more active to get going than something like the Lithium. Once it's moving however, then it's just Nirvana riding. When you slow down on a wave/swell/ or transition, you'll need to get active with the kite again (less so when the wind is strong enough) but it's not something you have to constantly maintain. Once it's going, it's going. Just think in terms of getting your apparent wind up. It's kind of like a sports car that needs winding up to reach a certain speed. The Lithium on the other hand is more like a sailboat spinnaker. It's always eager to pull. Perhaps this is better when you're trying to acquire basic kiting skills, but once you're there, the Varial will feel quite natural as well. So yes, I give the Varial a thumbs up in fun factor department.

Upwind Performance? I already mentioned this. YES impeccably. Any kite can go upwind when powered, but the Varial did a surprising job when marginally powered; and when the wind was up - whoa!

Now I'm rethinking my kite preferences. I love my 12 & 9 meter Lithiums. While the 12 m is my perfect go to light(er) wind kite, the 9 meter is also a joy to fly, but, but, I'm ready for something that closes the gap between it and the 6 m Varial. The Varial size for size doesn't quite have the bottom end of let's say a Lithium, but it does have a solid top end that is sometimes the Lithium's soft spot (but not a reason to dislike the kite - you just don't take it as far as some). Besides, I can always work the Varial up to speed at the lower end of it's range, but it's more difficult cope with a kite when you've hit it's top end. My previous set up had my gap filled with a 7 meter Cabrinha Vector and 5 meter Cabrinha Convert (almost never used the 5 m), but after flying both the Lithium and now the Varial, Cabrinha's progressive models aren't remotely as dynamic as the two Airush models...

I'm going to replace my beloved 9 meter Lithium with either a 9 meter Airush Wave (most likely ) or a similar sized Varial.

Btw, the Varial isn't as plug n play as the Lithium, it's by no means a difficult kite to fly. It's a little like going from an SUV (Lithium) to a turbo charged sport coupe (Varial). You love both, but it's a matter of what you're looking for and where you're going to take it.

While storied experiences, recommendations, can't replace actual experience (I highly recommend a demo when considering a purchase of any gear) it can paint a picture so to speak, and hopefully point someone in the right direction.

Thanks gokid. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Glad ya like it man. Could have used it once up in exmouth. Lol.

Be careful though some crew feel I don't know what I'm talking about on this forum.

Just got back man. Then got a session yesterday and today, heaps of swell running, but man the tide is low!! I'm almost kited out!! 11 out of 10 days up there...more windy than normal at that time of year. Temp stayed at that magic 28 to 30. The fisherman were rightly pissed!! Lol.

How far north was that spot man? Sounds awesome.

I'm looking forward to it JayP. I won't have an opportunity to demo the Wave, again breaking my try before you buy rule. But I'll once again trust both Mike Birt's and eppo's recommendation/description and buy on faith. Yesterday I was on my 9 meter Lithium, thinking to myself, "Awe this kite is my binky! Hey I can always keep the Lithium in the Wave 9 m, doesn't work out.

I take it you either tried or own the Wave - works well enough as an all around kite for you? What size?