NRG liquid force 10m Boost and Drift!!

Rider: Weight,Level (14th season)
Style: Freeriding, Surf
Weather: 18 to 23 knots
Satisfaction: 9/10 ( its not an edge lol!!)
Disclosure: Eppo team rider

My Comments:

Jason from Westoz asked for some feedback on this kite. So I got my mate Lee (10 plus years experience) and we took this kite today for a crack in those north wester weirdo winds. We both agreed on what we found, although that is to be expected as we have similar riding style, flat out!

First thing that comes to mind is this kite sits in a weird part of the kite spectrum. It does have a relatively flat profile (obviously not anywhere near as the edge of course) and yet it sits quite deep in the window when on the water. And yet...yes the power is definetly apparent, but somehow, Farq knows how this kite turns this power into forward upwind drive. Other kites that I have flown that sit this deep create power and grunt but this translates into downwind pull. Not so with this kite. It creates a powerful upwind drive. Nothing like the edge of course, but hey what other kite does?

Then it gets even weirder. A kite that sits this deep would normally take you downwind when boosting, great glide but the vertical dimension can be lost. Well Farq me if this kite actually goes vertical, goes big, and yet gives you decent hang time. As with most kites it needs correct redirection to land, but if done correctly soft as butter. ( not as soft as the edge of course....you guys are gonna hate me after this, sorry I will refrain from now on).

Now we were on a north wester so forget any ramps when riding natural foot as we both are. I didn't want to pull the trigger on my non preferred side as it is not my kite after all. Some discretion needed. Trying to build tension in the lines and release this energy with cross currents and no ramp is no easy feat. And yet up it went, long it went and soft it landed. By now I was seriously scratching my head. Here is a relatively high aspect kite that sits fairly deep in the window giving you immense power, nothing like the edg....oops, and yet behaves exactly as a high aspect kite should. It drives upwind and boosts like a mad machine.

I have kited with lee a fair bit and I would say he was getting as high or nearly as high as he does on his Wainmans and that was in the most ****ty conditions possible for this. I can only I imagine how big he would go out to sea using a ramp! He loads and pops really efficiently so was a shame not to see this.

Okay you still with me...so we have a relatively high aspect kite that's sits deep in the window and yet behaves like as a high aspect kite should..

Then hold onto your hats, because the next part may have the same effect beeblebrox had in hitch hikers guide to the universe when he was exposed to the universe for a few second....

We both agreed this is one of the best if not the best drifting kite we have ever used! Now work that one out your aeronautical bastards! By the second kite it was time for powered carnage, and I basically did whatever the Farq I wanted and could not drop this thing. At one stage heading right on a wave cranked right over on the toes for a heel side slash, and sent the kite way way to far. The kite was sitting well up and over the back of the wave, well and truly outside the window, well close to, and I thought oh sh1t, but it just drifted back into the mix and off I went trimming down the line.

So I thought stuff you kite, and I kept driving myself at speed under the kite, letting the bar basically go and nothing! This high aspect kite drifts....work that one out!!

Lee agreed it drifts better than his Wainmans, which we both rate as a very decent surf kite and a very decent all rounder. Not sure you'd want to bash out any wake style on this sucker though, which you can on the Wainmans if you so please, but in the surf, I think this kite has it pipped.

Some slight negatives. Well like most high aspect kites it has a very light bar pressure, now coming off the edges (actually went out on the 9m earlier when the wind was in the mid to high twenties), I had no concern with this, seems normal enough, but lee said he did find he needed to adjust from his lower aspect Wainmans. Another thing lee commented on was the kite was a tad slow to turn. Again flying edges I didn't really notice this was a problem, comparable to my 11m edge.

Lee also commented on if this turning slowness might affect its looping ability. Well on the last run I did a few down loops, forwards loops with some front and back roll transitions and I didn't find it an issue. Again lee is used to the more direct a very quick turning Wainmans.

Now there is that normal slight delay you get in turning and power delivery that comes with SLEs. You do need to adjust, well I did after riding the direct edges. But once you are familiar with this it isn't an issue. I must admit though when say looping the kite down the line, there was that occasional spongy delay then a fair spike of power as it drove around. Not unlike the VX actually but much more refined. Eventually I countered that as well, through using the depower correctly and edging harder at the right times.

Build brilliant. Bar great. Love the quick inflate system and I would say on first use it is superior to ozones. But hey minor crappy detailed they both work fine. Although embarrassingly I actually had to get lee's help to deflate it...ha ha ha. Thought sh1t dot leave yet mate got this inflated kite and I can't work out how to deflate it. What a dumb ass.

In summary this kite has its own space and seems to transcend some parts of the spectrum.

It is indeed a kite that drifts and boosts big. Didn't think one existed really, well one that drifts this well. Well it does.

You free riding gangnam stabber dog stylers you might wanna check this one out. Liquid Force have done an excellent job.

If I had the money I'd definetly have this sitting alongside my edges for those big wave days.

All the advantages of a high aspect kite without the issues.

Ps there aren't any really, you guys just have to ride harder and faster and stop being pussies. Lol.

Eppo

Ps and plummet mate, I know you love ozones like I do, but I reckon this might just be the ticket to replace your C4.

Pss anyhow finished the long day on my brothers 11m edge and couldn't stop smiling. Great day. Tomoz Lks intense boys. Lock and load. Lets ride....corny I know, sorry.

Oh crap, yeh it was the 10m. Turning wise it was probably between my 9 and 11 edge on the factory settings, maybe a tad quicker.

Control bar is very good, but I must say the floats look like Universal joint rubbers, they are huge. Anyhow I found this amusing, most won't. Push away is the best for sure, but in still rate the ozone bar, simple and effective and I think the doomsday Sayers are a bit over the top.

Yes it is indeed an alternative to the edge, powered riding, a very very good boosting kite with that high aspect hang time we all get addicted to and its drift is remarkable. Personally it doesn't have the hang time of the edge and I much prefer the power delivery of the edge. It is smoothness, power redefined, which provides much better control under high intense speeds. The nrg is more grunty as it sits deeper in the window. But it still manages to fly you forward which perplexed me. Not like the edge though. But yes for more all round performance for wave riding lets say the nrg is easier to use. The edge requires more technique in the waves. Nor can the nrg match the direct feel and steering of the edge. You can never get completely away from that spongy delay feel when using a pulley, but the nrg gets bloody close to eliminating it. Nevertheless it is there. Also when looping the nrg not unlike the rebel ( another higher aspect kite) it can develop immense power as you come out of it. Believe it or not you have much more control on the edge with this as even in mid air as you bring it around and then land you can really push it quickly to the edge of the window and bleed of speed. That may sound counter intuitive with the edge but this has surprised me, no end.

Yeh hopefully plan on dropping the nrg to a local liquid force team rider who has been on the envy for a number of years now and will be interested to hear his thoughts. Lee has ridden the envy and much preferred the nrg, but then again we both like high powered riding.

I did forget to mention the nrg forward turns rather than pivot, which is very nice in the surf.

Well I'm no wave rider, but the forgiving drift on this kite kept me afloat. Lee came in after the first time and it was the first thing he mentioned, how he can't believe he didn't drop the kite as one stage. So in the hands of a really good wave rider I could imagine it would be a sick kite.

Yeh as I said, of all the other kites I've flown, this would be the one sitting next to my edges for big wave days. definelty suites us speed, height and hang time junkies but is bullsh1t good in the surf.

Lee said the same, he loves his Wainmans and is a bloody good rider ( one of the best down here) on this kite but he was convinced about the merits of this design. Which is weird considering it is a very different design to the Wainmans another kite I also highly rate.

Yeh that would work. Haven't ridden the envy but the guy I demoed the kite with has and preferred the nrg. But he's a power junkie like me. It will out boost your envy, out glide it and land better. Not sure on the drift. Heard the envy is a bloody good drifter as well. Yeh this kite it seems is very targeted towards a section of the market. A high aspect jumping kite that will work awesome in the surf. Most crew go for lower aspect in the surf, so its a bit different. M, give me high aspect anyday. But it doesn't sit forward like a high aspect kite and sits back like a good surf kite, and yet doesn't pull you downwind, somehow pushes you forward and upwind. Still trying to nut that one out!!