Flysurfer SOUL4 Kite

The SOUL⁴ replaces the SOUL³ as Flysurfer's do-everything closed-cell foil. The brief has not changed — one kite for freeride, freestyle and foiling, across the widest wind band the class allows — but the numbers behind it have. Aspect ratio now runs 4.7 on the 7m, 4.8 through the 10 and 12, and 5.7 on the 15 and 18. Cell count is 39 on the three smaller sizes and 43 on the two large ones. Canopy with full bridle and mixer weighs 1.52 kg at 7m and 3.26 kg at 18m.

What actually changed. The kite sits a little deeper in the wind window than its predecessor. That one shift is behind most of what riders notice: take-off comes easier, the descent is more predictable, and the landing is considerably more forgiving than on either the SOUL³ or the SONIC series. Flysurfer's own framing is that you end up jumping more often, because the landing stops being the part you brace for. Alongside it they list reworked aerodynamics and profile balance, a retuned bridle and steering response, and faster inflation.

In the air. Power builds progressively rather than in a hit. Upwind drive is strong and lateral load is reduced, so long reaches cost you less. Backstall — the foil kite's classic vice, where the trailing edge loads up and the kite stalls backwards — has been dialled down. Turning is precise and the depower is finely adjustable, which matters more on a foil than on an inflatable because the trim window is narrower.

On the water and off it. Launch and relaunch are straightforward, the canopy fills quickly, and the drainage system clears water out of the cells. Construction is built for the abuse a foil takes on a sandy beach — relevant in Mui Ne, where the kite spends as much time on sand as on water.

Sizing. Five sizes: 7, 10, 12, 15 and 18. Flat span goes 573 / 692 / 758 / 924 / 1012 cm; projected area 5.52 / 7.88 / 9.46 / 11.83 / 14.19 m². The jump between 12 and 15 is where the aspect ratio steps up, so those two do not feel like neighbours — treat 15 and 18 as the light-wind pair.

Who should look elsewhere. Racers: the SOUL⁴ is not chasing the SONIC⁵ or the VMG³ on speed or upwind angle, and it is not trying to. Complete beginners: a closed-cell foil punishes a careless water landing in a way an inflatable does not, and it costs more to replace — the PEAK⁶ or the STOKE⁴ is the cheaper first season. And if your spot only ever delivers strong, steady wind on small sizes, you are paying for range you will not use.

We are an official Flysurfer dealer and we fly these kites ourselves, in Vietnam and on snow. Send us your weight and your conditions and we will pick the size and the bar with you. Worldwide shipping.