Sizes Available: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 15m
Sizes Tested: 8m
Airush Says:
Five years after introducing the first single strut kite on the market, we introduce the all-new Ultra. This kite is the lightest kite we have ever made and will lasts twice as long with the new V4 Dyneema load frame featuring WebTech. With the radical growth in Hydrofoil riding, the increased trend in strapless drift style wave riding along with the constant search for a kite that flies in lighter winds, the demand for a new generation of kite is clear.
The Ultra introduces a new breed of the lightest and strongest technology ever developed. The ultimate freeride foilboarding kite with incredible relaunching capabilities that can handle gusty conditions. The stability, profile and light weight allows the Ultra to drift down the line, making it perfect for riding waves less powered, parking the kite and going for that true surf feel. The bigger sizes are also ideal for twintip freeriding no matter what your level.
Visit for more info: www.airush.com/2017/kites/ultra
TKB Says:
The Airush Ultra is a new single-strut kite from Airush that offers an all around freeride kind of ride in an incredibly lightweight build. The Ultra is a single-strut SLE medium aspect canopy with swept back wingtips and an overall medium aspect canopy that Airush markets as a freeride kite. When we pulled it out of its lightweight stuff sack, the kite was vacuum bagged and its minuscule pack size in our hands was highly notable, but perhaps the most apparent quality was how little the entire airframe weighed in our hands. The Ultra uses a large diameter Boston valve that requires the larger nozzle of the standard pump attachments and with a fairly thin LE and single strut this kite pumps up quick and easy. There are two wingtip steering settings to choose between low and high bar pressure and the single-setting front bridle has three pulleys. The pigtails are color-coded and labeled with tags for those new to rigging, the front bridle pigtails end in loops and the wingtip pigtails have knots. We tested this kite in both light and highly unimpressive conditions and in massively overpowered clearing winds, both which seem relevant as this seems like a kite for the traveling minimalist that’s trying to get as many sessions out of one kite. The range was fairly impressive, on the low-end, even when the conditions we would consider to be borderline fun, the kite turned fast enough to stay in the power zone and kept us afloat on our surfboard with enough grunt — add a low aspect foilboard and now you’re rocking in the sub-teen range on an 8m. The depower on the high-end was solid and most importantly for a single-strut kite the canopy was relatively controlled even while depowered most of the time, offering minimal canopy flutter in depowered turns. The relaunch was quick and easy; from dead downwind we pulled hard on one side of the bar and the Ultra auto-rotated from the nose down to one wingtip into the air and launched from deep within the window — and just in time to avoid getting slaughtered in the next set of wind swell. The Ultra doesn’t feel extremely fast across the window and it’s turning speed is middle of the road while the steering response is fairly crisp — all qualities which make this a user-friendly active yet stable kite for riders of all levels as well as a good option for foilboarding. The power delivery across the throw was smooth and progressive, the bar pressure was on the light side of medium while still giving the rider tons of feedback on kite location in the window. Are you going to set the next record for big air explosive boosting with this kite, maybe if you’re Bas Koole, but we’d choose this kite as a great all-arounder, for the rider that wants a lightweight travel companion (Let’s face it, airlines be greedy), and a great all arounder that works for the surf, a long foilboard cruise or the generalist freestyle twin-tip.
The control bar we tested with the Ultra is the Core bar. An industry first, the Core bar is a quad adjustable length bar with 45-52-55-62cm bar ends allowing for four different bar lengths. It’s got a PU coated sheeting/throw line, sliding stopper, single center-line safety depower and a low-V that allows for a quick single line flag or self land. Two above bar depower handles (more power/less power) keep the depower strap within the rider’s reach while a push away quick release with integrated swivel that doubles as a quick release guard is on the bottom end. The center lines end in a knot and the outside lines end in loops.
While the PU coated sheeting/throw line offers durability and longevity, the length of sheeting/throw cannot be adjusted. The color coded molded bar floats are attached to the durable rubber molding encased bar tips for a softer bar end and the outside leader lines allow riders to adjust the length of the outside lines for stretch or tuning. The 21mm diameter bar strikes a nice balance between grippy texture and medium plushy grip. The Core features a new leash attachment with an additional kite ring allowing riders attach and detach their leaches while in suicide mode with ease.
Visit for more info on the bar:
www.airush.com/2017/kites/core-bar
