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Sizes Available: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14m
Sizes Tested: 7m

Airush Says:

Perfect drift, agile turning, and effortless boost, the Session is for the rider wanting a versatile surf-oriented kite with performance freeride capabilities. Interchangeable fixed or pulley bridles let you choose between more direct steering with an on-off power delivery, or smooth and progressive gust response with light bar pressure. Either way, your Session is bound to be all-time.

Visit for more info: www.airush.com/kites/session/

 


 

TKB Says:

When it comes to precision control and user-friendly power delivery in both the surf and in the general freeride category, the Session is really hard to beat. While we’ve tested the Session V1 in our surf kites test last spring, our Baja Test week was a great place to put the Session V1 through the full spectrum of twintip freeride, big air boosting and hydrofoiling disciplines beyond its well-known performance in the surf.

Inflation Valve: Boston Valve
Attachments: Center bridle: Lark’s head loop / Wingtip bridle: Knot
Centerline Split: Low-V
Front Bridle Options: Two separate bridle configurations

Design and Features
The Session V1 features a 3-strut lower aspect canopy with a swept back leading edge that terminates in boxy wingtips. The Session features Airush’s D2 ripstop and its load frame seam technology which helps distributes tension while keeping the airframe and canopy weight down and maneuverability and performance up. Small details like the double ripstop trailing edge and use of dual density Dacrons in the canopy demonstrate the attention to material placement and usage that translate to in air performance. Rigging and derigging are quick and easy with a large-diameter Boston valve that requires the larger nozzle that comes as one of the standard attachments with most pumps. The Session comes with a noticeably smaller leading edge diameter and a front bridle that utilizes three pulleys in the cascade. In your kite bag, you will find two replacement bridles that are fixed (no pulleys) that you can swap out for a more direct feel. The front bridle connection points end in loops and the wingtip pigtail connection points end in knots. The Session offers three rear wingtip attachment points for adjusting bar pressure; the stock setting is in the middle.

Impressions
The Session doesn’t fall in the category of the heavy-handed grunty style of surf kite, but rather this kite shines due to its extreme maneuverability, surgical steering response and good power delivery that never overwhelms or takes over the wave riding experience. The first thing we noticed with the stock bridle and three pulleys is that the Session feels super luxurious with light to medium bar pressure. The kite’s controls are really easy on your arms while still providing enough feedback to key you into kite position. The throw along the bar is solidly progressive, although compared to Airush’s freeride kites (One, Lithium) it’s not quite as sheet and go. At the end of the bar’s throw you get complete depower, which is one of the Session’s high points. In the 7m we tested we appreciated the fast steering response and super quick looping abilities; the canopy spins in a tight pivot style turn that makes it easy to down-loop and keep the kite positioned where you want it at all times. While the Session doesn’t generate a ton of grunty pull during its turns, it does have a steady, reliable power that works best for riding waves with its intuitive delivery and ability to dump power at a millisecond’s notice.

When it comes to boosting big airs, the Session delivered when it was ridden a bit over-powered, but in general, its jumping ability was solidly fun. While the 7m didn’t equal the accelerative lift that you get out of the new Lithium or the Lift kites, it is very manageable and user-friendly to control in the sky for jumpers of all skill levels. For riders working on strapless freestyle, we found the Session has just the right amount of boost and tight steering that accompanies the challenges of keeping a surfboard connected through spins and airs. The Session offers up incredible drift due to its lower aspect airframe that likes to sit a little deeper and its lighter construction. It does a great job of rocking back into the window and sucking up excess line slack on hard carves and botched jumps. When you combine the excellent drift with the canopy’s quick access to depower the Session becomes one of our top choices to straddle the surf and hydrofoil disciplines. Because the Session likes to spin tight pivot-style turns with a steady supply of power, it makes it incredibly versatile when doubling down on basic or advance kitefoiling maneuvers.

With its small leading edge, careful use of materials and super drift abilities, the Session scores super high points with its swift handling and casual, comfortable feel at the control bar. As a master of the middle of the window flying and adroit depower, the Session is first and foremost a surf kite, but the skillful blend of intuitive steering and power delivery makes it a top crossover for kitefoiling and a fun enough boosting kite for the casual twintip session.

We rode the Session with Airush’s Ride Bar. Read the review here.

 

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