Tkb Review: 2021 FLYSURFER Soul 2 – Kiteboarding & Kitesurfing (2023)

Available sizes:6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 21 m
Sizes tested:8, 10m

Flysurfer says:

Overcome limits with the ultimate all-rounder! The legendary flight characteristics paired with the highest level of user-friendliness offer maximum performance for every style. Sporty or comfortable, a kite that will take your riding experience to the next level. The SOUL offers confidence-inspiring stability, intuitive handling, maximum durability and lasting value over many years. Always choose the right kite and turn your free time into pure pleasure!

Visit for more information:https://flysurfer.com/project/soul2/

TKB said:

When it comes to reliability, the Soul offers all the advantages of ram air kites while offering the more demanding characteristics that LEI kiters typically pilot from foils. Four years after the debut of the Soul, Flysurfer is now releasing its second update for the kite that has captured hearts and minds in light wind spots around the world. With incredible power generation and crisp steering response, the Soul is a great first step into the world of foiling.

inflation valve:Not applicable - self-inflating foil
Flying line attachments:Center Bridle: Knots / Wingtip Bridle: Knots
Center line pitch:Low-V
Front Bridle Options:single shot

design and functions
This year, Flysurfer made subtle changes to the Soul's wingtip geometry while adding a new system for evacuating water from the inner fins, as well as introducing a new fabric meant to improve the design's durability at a slightly higher weight. The bridle and mixers where the leading and trailing edge risers come together are largely the same with some minor color changes, but the bridle cordage appears to be slightly thinner. Because the Soul is a closed cell foil kite, you can pre-inflate the kite by holding the leading edge into the wind and allowing the wind to enter the vents on the leading edge, which trap air. This gives the kite its shape and allows it to float on the water during relaunches. When you are done kiting there are two Velcro straps on the trailing edge that can be opened to deflate and pack the kite.

impressions
When hot launching a foil kite, you often have to wait for the air to disperse from the center airfoils to the wingtips for the kite to fully inflate. Sometimes you have to stall the kite by stalling and then let it accelerate to the zenith to help that process. It seemed like the Soul v2 was quicker and easier to inflate as the wingtips inflated much faster without intervention. The first thing we noticed about the updated Soul was the light to medium bar pressure, which feels really comfortable. For foil standards the bar pressure might be a bit higher than on higher performing kites but compared to a standard LEI the bar pressure feels very light and easy on your arms as the bar pressure increases the closer the bar gets fully strung. Racing against the wind feels amazingly easy and casual, as the power generation comes from the apparent wind. While the Soul doesn't have the sheet-and-go feel of a progression inflatable, it does provide a great power-up effect once the kite starts moving through the wind and/or you start increasing the speed of the boost boards. The Soul v2 is very similar to the v1 in terms of range and performance, however we found the v2 to have slightly quicker steering response. Steering initiation is very crisp and the head angle is quite tight when you're aggressive with the handlebars. If you grab the leader line and pull hard, you can cause the kite to spin in place, allowing you to fly the kite as aggressively as you like. When jumping, the Soul seems to require slightly less adjustments, borrowed from LEI dragons, to get the optimal boost performance out of the design. The controls are so intuitive that we started sending out big airs when people were walking upwind on the beach with their surfboards.

Usually foil kites prefer to be flown at the edge of the window, but we really enjoyed shaping our hydrofoil with the wind and looping and sweeping the Soul through the center of the window with incredible drift and spin control. Zenith stability was super reliable on the Soul; The kite did not fly over the window and hovered even in the greatest calm. As we played around, we managed to flip the kite so that it folded in mid-air, but each time we managed to get the kite flying either in the air or with a quick restart on the water. Surrounded by cold water and large sharks, we were never as comfortable dropping the foil in the water, but each time the Soul stayed inflated and reliably propelled a tip to pull itself out of the water.

Overall, the Soul v2 stays true to the Soul v1, with durability and inflation being the biggest changes. The highlights are the low-end pull that regains the fun factor in light-wind sessions, and the super-comfortable bar dynamics that make handling this power feel light and responsive. While we're not ready to give up our LEIs for surfing just yet, the Soul is a real eye opener for light wind twin tip sessions and big jumps.

Recommended control bar
Completely redesigned last year, Flysurfer's Force handlebar returns with a solid blend of function and comfort in a clean package. The Force is available in three different length sizes with double adjustment; small, medium and large (small 40-48 cm, medium 47-55 cm and large 55-63 cm). The bar features a single depower center line with dual plastic coated throw/power lines. The push-away quick release features a pivot above the bar that also doubles as a quick release guard. The quick release is fairly easy to reassemble using two hands: simply lift the gate, insert the loop and press down on a stainless tab with your thumb and slide the gate back into place. The Force features a low V and clam-clam power adjustment with a bungee at the end of the power line so the toggle stays relatively close. The bar features a nice EVA padded handle that offers a medium diameter grip that gets a bit thicker towards the middle. It features a replaceable plastic nylon center insert that features a smooth transition between the insert and the handle to prevent discomfort. The grip has a rubbery feel with an indented pattern that's a little firmer but works well for good grip balance. The bar ends have built-in foam floats and the ability to adjust the effective bar length by pushing in the triangle knobs, pulling out a plastic tab on the bottom of the bar and changing the orientation of the insert, and choosing one of three knots to tune the length of your outer lines. It also features bungees that tuck away but are easy to access and keep the lines nice and clean. The flying lines on the Force bar are crisp and thin and feel efficient in the air. Both the outer steering lines and inner lines terminate in lark heads, so there's no foolproof connection scheme. The Force's control rod features add comfort, durability and security for a premium system that's comfortable to hold at a comfortable light to medium weight.

More information about the bar can be found at:www.flysurfer.com/project/force-control-bar/