Description

The Flexifoil ION - C-Kite Performance with Hybrid Depower !!

 

The Flexifoil Ion offers intermediate to advanced riders a rock solid kite, with fantastic stability and direct feel that will give you tremendous confidence on the water.

The Flexifoil ION has been designed with unhooked riding in mind and offers incredible grunt and pop whilst showing an amazing ability to eat gusts.

The pedigree of the ION range has been kept pure in this year’s ION range. The research and development team have kept the strong blend of C-Kite feel and Hybrid performance of the ION and focused on improving the accuracy and construction techniques of the Leading edge, struts and canopy.

 

Feel supremely confident on the Flexifoil Ion and it will help you usher in greater levels of competency whatever riding style you prefer. The Flexifoil Ion offers an even greater range of wind conditions than its predecessors and size for size you’ll find more power with solid driving turns making for great powered kite loops.

 

The ION has had every panel scrutinised to produce a shape as close as possible to the 3D CAD model and the design process has enveloped the manufacturing technologies to ensure capable, reliable production processes to guarantee quality you can trust.

 

With new reinforcement patch materials, a Leading Edge construction that has surpassed previous inflation test results by 40%, new Strut to Leading Edge joining techniques and new Canopy Construction giving this year’s ION a more fluid, curved panel cut, Flexifoil are confident that the ION will deliver satisfaction to any level of rider.

 

The Flexifoil Ion is available in six versatile sizes – 5.5, 7.0m, 8.5m, 10.5m, 12.5m and 14.5m offering you a size for all wind conditions.

 

4 and 5-line options on the bar give you two differing configurations (freeride and freestyle) to suit your riding style and local conditions.

 

Performance Features:

 

6 Strut Layout:

The stiffer canopy and cleaner centre aerofoil combined with improved panel accuracy mean the ION retains its excellent low end performance. The extra support between Leading Edge and Trailing Edge keep the feedback from this kite alive and direct through the lines and to the bar. Flying an ION becomes second nature faster than ever letting you direct more attention to your next move.

 

Reduced Leading Edge Tube:

Fine tuning the Leading Edge proportions from the centre to the tips is a fine balance between rigidity, stability, relaunch, agility, upwind ability and weight. This year’s ION is honed to perfection.

 

Refined Aerofoil Shape:
A big part of the skill in designing a kite is knowing that when the 3D model has been translated into material patterns, cut using CNC fabric cutters, printed and assembled by skilled seamstresses, the kite is as close to the original 3D model as possible. This expertise only comes with experience!

 

Simplified Bridle System:
Minimal pulleys and bridles help maximise the direct feel of the ION and minimise the maintenance. A perfectly balanced bridle means the pulley hardly needs to move at all and multiple front and rear line connection points let you tune the kite to your particular style or simply learn about how these settings effect the characteristics of your kite!

 

Anti-Flutter Trailing Edge Battens:
The batten material is very flexible and very tough and combined with Dacron® they eliminate resonant frequency vibrations that can occur as the trailing edge changes shape during a driving turn and avoid any unnecessary drag or turbulence.

 

Construction Features:

 

Rigid Strut Construction:

Flexifoil have developed a new strut to leading edge junction which is stronger and stiffer than ever before. Flexifoil have also improved the manufacturing controls to ensure improved accuracy.

 

EZ Single-Point Inflation:

As with all Flexifoil kitesurfing products, the EZ single-point inflation system increases the speed of kite setup getting you out on the water faster.

 

Wingtip Dump Valve:

Now with a dump valve on each wingtip and on the centre of the kite so you can roll either way or open all 3 for faster deflation!

 

Dacron Reinforcements:
The ION can generate a solid pull that is spread through carefully positioned reinforcements to the wingtips and down the lines to your bar, optimising strength and weight. The much copied Dacron cage keeps a strong frame that means if you are unlucky enough to damage your canopy, the repair should be simple and cost effective.

 

Dacron Reinforced 175 Leading Edge Tube:

Flexifoil have taken the Dacron® Leading Edge construction to new levels of strength and durability. The inflation test results have shown a 40% increase in the air pressure required to destroy the test samples and the endurance tests in the Sahara were passed with flying colours.

 

Wingtip Construction:

The Flexifoil ION wingtips give a more rigid structure so the kites less likely to deform whilst turning. As the kite holds its shape better you get a more direct and extremely responsive feel. We have also fitted the wingtip with a small webbing strap that prevents the flying lines from getting caught around it.

 

Standard Flexifoil Features:

 

TEIJIN T9600 Technology:
Flexifoil just won’t compromise on materials and use what they believe to be the best. Teijin T9600 still proves to have the best coating and longevity with excellent UV resistance. Dimensions Polyant Dacron® provides the best combination of fabric stability and stiffness for our Leading Edges whilst a new Kevlar-neoprene reinforcement patch material over every Leading Edge circumferential seam will protect against the harshest beach environments.

 

110 Micron TPU Bladders:
Flexifoil is proud to use 110 micron TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) bladders (as opposed to the standard 90 micron) giving peace of mind of having a more puncture resistant and durable bladder in your Ion.

 

Solid and Stiff Wingtip Construction:

With the kite holding its shape better you get a much more direct and responsive feel. You will also benefit from the wingtips being fitted with a small webbing strap that prevents the flying lines from getting caught around them. Whether you are riding a storm on the 7m or battling gusts on a 10.5m or squeezing every last breath out of a lightwind session on the 14.5, every ION is rock solid and dependable.

 

Molten Bladder Technology:
The new welding process has been tested up to a sweltering 100 degrees centigrade to make sure it will stand up to extreme conditions felt in all the world’s hottest kitesurf locations.

 

Riding Characteristics:

 

Variable Power Setup:

Attaching the front toggles to different points on the wingtips changes the performance of the kite to suit different riding styles. Use tow point ‘2.Lo’ to give the kite more grunt in low winds or for wake style riding and heaver riders. Use the front tow ‘1.Hi’ for more depower making it suitable for wave riding, general cruising and high winds.

 

Jumping:

The Flexifoil ION is designed to get smooth jumps and loads of float with gentle, controlled lift plus its nice and easy to feel where the kite is when coming in to land. The bar position on the centre line makes a massive difference in the height of the jump. In strong winds all you need to do is send the kite and pull the bar towards you and you take off – big airs are effortless.

If you’re into unhooked jumps and powered wake-style tricks then the Flexifoil ION is also the one for you! Keeping power in the turn, you will get constant and predictable pull during kite loops.

Unhooked Riding:

Both setups are good for unhooked riding, with the freeride setup giving a more pivoted turn, so it’s easy to get the kite in the right place when smacking the lip and riding down the line.

 

The freestyle mode delivers loads of grunt and a good, precise driving turn. Both setups can be flown unhooked with tight rear lines so that it’s easy to feel where the kite is and steer it one handed without any back-stall in the kite.

 

Stability:

The kite is really stable even in gusty winds and when the kite is depowered it remains rock-solid in the sky. There is always a smooth feedback to the bar from the kite, making it great for progressing and learning new tricks.

 

The kite is really stable even in gusty winds and when the kite is depowered it remains rock-solid in the sky. There is always a smooth feedback to the bar from the kite, making it great for progressing and learning new tricks.

 

The Flexifoil Ion excels in gusty conditions as the kite remains stable making it great for flying sites that can have turbulent conditions.

 

Simplicity:

The Flexifoil Ion has been designed to make your life easy and your kite flying fun!

The package includes: easy and quick single point inflation (rig-up in no time), freestyle and freeride bridle diagrams printed on the bag for easy beach reference, and a freeride to freestyle conversion process that you can do in literally a few minutes.

All attachments to the kite are simple larkshead knot - colour-coded and labeled - so it’s hard to get it wrong.

Safety-Freeride Setup:

4-lines with a mini-leash running through the centre hole in the bar pulls on the two front lines when the safety is activated.

 

This kills 90% of the power from the kite and the kite comes down at the edge of the window, ready for easy relaunch.

Safety-Freestyle Setup:

After depowering the safety system the rider remains attached to the kite via the 5th line which attaches to the Y bridle on the centre of the kite.

 

The 5th line kills 95% power from the kite in a controlled and predictable manner and has all the usual benefits like easy relaunch, self landing and an adjustable tension for controlling the power of the kite during normal flying.

 

TWO KITE "ROUGH GUIDE"

Please note this is based on average rider experience, in average conditions, in average waves on an average day.

Light weight rider (approx 65 kg or less) - 7m & 8.5m
Medium weight rider (approx 75 kg) - 8.5m & 12.5m
Heavy weight rider (approx 90 kg) - 10.5m & 14.5m
XL riders (approx 100 + kg) - 10.5m & 16.5m

 

ION (All-In-One) Control Bar system
The Flexfoil ION Bar is simple, effective and comfortable. You can trim the kite with ease whilst riding. The Bar pressure give great feedback without being too heavy on your arms making for a comfortable session.

 

The centre line and leader lines are all easily adjustable, meaning no matter your size you’ll be able to set the bar up to suit. A number of parts of the bar are also upgradable meaning that as your ability grows you can customise the bar to suit.

 

 

Relaunch
There are two possible relaunching scenarios on the Flexifoil ION, and in both cases it’s very simple and easy to get going again ...

1) The kite has landed at the edge of the window as a result of using the safety system or letting go of the bar. In this case, steer the kite off the water.

2) The kite has landed in the centre of the window (on its front) as a result of steering the kite in to the water. To relaunch simply swim towards the kite to roll it on its back, steer to the edge of the window and then steer off the water. This relaunch technique is the same as a conventional ‘C’ shape kite.

 

Wave riding (Tunable)
The Flexifoil IONwon’t pull you off the wave and the improved profile makes it very difficult to stall. It drives through the turn keeping you powered and ahead of the whitewater.

Bar pressure (Tunable)
The bar pressure is nicely balanced to give good feedback without being too heavy on the arms.

Bar system (Tunable)
Simple, effective and comfortable. The control bar and depower system will allow you to trim the kite easily whilst riding - allowing you to concentrate on your kiting without any distractions.

 

Optional 5th Line Attachment:
For riders who prefer to ride using a 5th line system for added safety and self-landing, there is an optional 5th line available. The 5th line is to be used in conjunction with the bridle, not separately. The kite is supplied with the 5th-line top attachment.

 

A Flexifoil ION when purchased with 4-Line control bar for example comes complete with:

• Flexifoil ION Kite
• Flexifoil 4-line set (fully colour-coded pre-stretched lines -20m + 2.5m extensions - 250kg / 250kg)
• Flexifoil ION ‘all-in-one’ bar
• Flexifoil Pump
• Flexifoil Repair Kit
• All the usual stuff including full comprehensive instructions in English, French, German and Spanish.

	* A Harness is required to fly this kite - click for harnesses >>
	* You can learn how-to setup and fly water relaunchable kites using the Kiteboarding Progression DVD - click for info >>

Specs

Model	Wingspan (sq m)	Flat Surface Area (sq m)	Aspect Ratio	Sail Material	Skill Level
5.5	TBA	TBA	TBA	Ripstop Polyester	Int / Exp
7.0	5.8	7.0	4.95		Int / Exp
8.5	6.5	8.5	4.95		Int / Exp
10.5	7.0	10.5	4.70		Int / Exp
12.5	7.7	12.5	4.65		Int / Exp
14.5	8.2	14.5	4.60		Int / Exp
16.5	8.8	16.5	4.60		Int / Exp

 

Download Product / Instruction Manual (PDF) >>

ION Control Bar

Flexifoil ION ("All-In-One") Control Bar:

The Flexifoil ION ("All-In-One") control bar has designed to be easy to use for any level of rider, to have great durability and full adjustability meaning that as your riding style progresses you can adapt the setup on the bar. The bar is available with a full range of accessories so that you can customize the bar to suit your riding style as your kitesurfing skills progress.

 

Design process
Flexifoil use an integrated approach to the design of the kite and bar and strive to keep the number of moving parts to a minimum whilst still retaining complete functionality.

Proven single release system
The simplest yet most effective safety release system on the market. The primary release cover is always where you would expect to find it – just above your chicken loop. This means that it is quick and easy to find and activate. The simple reconnection process is intuitive, possible to do under the water and - with experience - with only one hand!

 

Retro-fittable
As well as working with the Flexifoil ION, the cotnrol bar is compatible with all our legacy hybrid-style water kites as well as future hybrid kites. You can have peace of mind knowing that your bar will work with past, present and future hybrid Flexifoil kites as well as many other brands.

 

Control Bar Ergonomics

The grip on the bar is soft and easy on the hands, so that even in cold weather your bar is far more comfortable and will not make your hands sore - even after prolonged use. Ergonomic bar ends provide a solid connection point at the end of the bar to improve the overall feedback from the kite whilst turning. The soft over-moulding protects your hands when kite looping and enables easy line storage on the bar.

 

Easy adjustability of centre line length
People of all shapes and sizes fly Flexifoil kites. The bar is fitted with a simple system enabling you to adjust the length of your centre line. Flexifoil have clearly labeled the centre line and on the leader lines, enabling you to know exactly where you need to attach your lines when altering the centre line length.

 

Centre Line Wear Indicator
The centre line has a red-coloured secondary internal line which indicates the amount of wear. When the outer Dyneema® line fails due to wear the inner red line becomes visible. This internal line has enough strength to enable you to comfortably make it back to the beach even if you are a long way out.

 

Centre line durability
Through prolonged use, all centre lines wear. Flexifoil have worked hard to make sure that our centerline is one of the best available on the market. Flexifoil use heavy-duty 5.6mm, 12 strand, Dyneema® line which is wax coated to improve durability and resilience.

 

V-Core
The Flexifoil ION control bar is fitted with the Flexifoil V-Core - the angled hole in the bar through which the centre line runs. This vastly reduces centre line wear and helps to lighten the turn. The V-Core also allows you to turn and sheet-in at the same time.

 

Optional 5th Line Attachment:
For riders who prefer to ride using a 5th line system for added safety and self-landing, there is an optional 5th line available. The 5th line is to be used in conjunction with the bridle, not separately. The kite is supplied with the 5th-line top attachment.

Wind Range

Kite Size	Low (knots) in 5-Line Mode	High (knots) in 5-Line Mode	Low (knots) in 4-Line Mode	High (knots) in 4-Line Mode
5.5m	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
7.0m	18	35	20	40
8.5m	17	29	18	30
10.5m	15	25	16	26
12.5m	14	24	14	24
14.5m	12	19	12	19
16.5m	12	16	12	16

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