Rider: Weight, Level - 74kg, Advanced age, intermediate lol's.
Style: Freeriding, Surf, Freestyle, mystyle
Weather: 15-22 knots
Build Quality: 8.5/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Disclosure: Own Kitepower and sell Airush
My Comments:
From the outset I need to say that I really like this kite. As an overall comment, it turns fast, is light to medium on the bar pressure, can be steered easily with one hand, is very well made, and the bar and lines work extremely well and are high quality too.
I think what I like most is the speed and reactiveness of the kite, it feels smaller than a 12M.
At Kitestock I was gobsmacked by what the younger Airush team riders were doing with these kites.
The only negative for me is a slight and slow fluttering (not audible) of the trailing edge between the tip and the first strut. Construction is all flat seams - proven to be the strongest and most durable for kites, and the kite is made with the highest quality German/Dimension Polyant fuse bonded dacron in the leading edge and struts, not the cheaper and weaker chinese made imitation stuff a lot of kites are made from.
Everything about the kites construction is the same on the Flows as well.
The kite is extremely tunable, this could be a negative for a begginer who tinkers too much, but will be a big positive for an experienced rider.
I've fiddled a bit with the length of the nose line (tightened by approx 2cm thanks to input from IanR), and the rear line connection points. I still like to fly the kite on the fastest turning, settings.
5th line safety works well for depower and self landing. Reloading in the water is possible, with care of course, especially in stronger winds. Self landing was a cinch in any wind, best ona wide beach, if not over the water, because the kite can land over a fairly wide angle downwind.
Bar depower is not like a bow/hybrid - does not fully depower when the bar is released, but I like this feature in a kite, provided there is adequate gust munching depower available at the bar, and this kite has plenty of that and easily has the wind range of any bow/hybrid kite.
Did not try unhooking or a 5th line relaunch, but I did relaunch hooked in and it was easy, just like a bow/hybrid, pull one rear line.
I did come unhooked once and it was easy to just let go of the bar and grab the chicken loop and hook back in.
The sliding bar stopper works very well and I did get to use that in the lighter winds I tested the kite in, gusts could be dealt with by edging. I rode the kite 3 times over approx 5-6 hrs before writing this review.
Kite comes with a complete alternative centre line set up, so that the depower throw can be more like a C kite (short centre line and trim strap). Otherwise the kite comes set up with a long depower throw, double centre line system that incorporates below the bar trimming via a chicken loop mounted mini cleat.
Boosts really high with excellent gut dropping acceleration off the water. Hangtime is good if you get some height and steer the kite back and forth a bit otherwise I would say its just average, but in the hands of an experienced rider who can do overhead kite loops hangtime can be extreme! Carving turns from toeside to heelside and opposite are easy with this kite becuase it can be steered tight even with one hand, and I think it would make a good crossover kite in surf and chop/flatwater.
The useable wind range for me is approx 16/17 knots to 25/27 knots, on 1.32/33x39/40 boards (Underground FLX and Cabrinha Caliber).
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
Interesting review will definitely try this kite out although interested to know of those cheap brands which are made in China so I steer away from them.
Good to see Airush are making a quality kite with quality materials.
thanks for the review steve.
would you be able to compare the VIII to a Vegas or RPM? thanks.
Great Review and pretty spot on with my own thoughts. I have the 12 and 8.5 VapIII.
The VIII is a much more aggressive kite than the VII, and the response and turning speed is much quicker. If you think the 12 is quick, you should try the 8.5 in 25kts 
. The VII could be used by a competant beginner, not the VIII - but that is all good from my end.
The only query I would raise is your quoted usable range starting at 16/17kts for the 12 and you at 74kgs (lightweight!!) I run at 95kgs wet and I am easily going on the 12 at 15kts. Granted you are not going to be boosting too high, but cruising and upwind is easy. Perhaps you meant a usable low end in the surf where you need the extra grunt to be on hand.....
Anyway - brilliant kite the VIII, well done Airush, well worth my money!
I am surprised at the wind rating too. I have only tried the VIII 7m in 30+ kts but have ridden the VII 12m on a 136 twinny (with 85kgs of gumby onboard) in 14 kts at the very most most (could well have been around 12kts). It was a downwinder but I did get a few nice float boosts in. Very impressive bottom end on the VII 12m - hope they haven't traded that in for the VIII?
