Eleveight FS Review

Today we're going to review the Eleveight FS. Who is this kite good for? Whats it good at and what's it lacking? This is a kite I have gravitated towards for a couple of years. It's known as Eleveight's freestyle / big air kite. It's an open C design, so you can expect more direct input into the kite. This gives you an aggressive pull up on the jumps and aggressive kite loops.

Don't expect a ton of loft from the FS. This freestyle-oriented design is made for pop and slack so you will really have to loop this kite to get more airtime, be that a kite loop or even a heliloop to let yourself come down slower.

Who is the Eleveight FS for?

Intermediate to advanced freestyle riders and big air kite loop enthusiasts would most benefit from the FS. If you are a first-year rider, you would have to work a little harder to reap the benefits of the FS. A second-year rider who gets a lot of water time would be able to thoroughly enjoy everything FS has to offer. To give you perspective on where this kite stacks up, it's in line with the Cabrinha FX, the North Pulse and the Duotone FX. This is for a rider who doesn't mind giving up a little ease of use for all-out performance. All of these kites give up some wind range and ease of use for performance.

Jumping

A kite like this jumps exceptionally well for the rider who knows how to use it. It is not a pull-and-go kite. You'll need to work the kite and know how to flick for a good load and pop to get lots of air. The FS loves to be flown; it's not a set-it-and-forget-it kite. It's really aimed at someone looking to perform on a competitive level.

Feel on the water

The bar pressure is light, but when you load the lines you will really feel that pressure loading up. Something nice about freestyle kites is they let you know exactly how much power you are loading into the kite via direct bar pressure. As you load for a jump, you really feel it in your hands. As you release, there is a surge of power and then it gets feather light again. The turns are snappy and the kite responds right when you want it to.

Why do I fly the FS?

The FS is simply a fun kite to fly. It's quick, snappy, and high-performance, for lack of a better word. With the FS, you're flying the kite; the kite's not flying you! There are some things I'm willing to give up for the high performance loops, the extra pop, and the direct feel. It's a next-level kite that asks for a little more from the rider, yet pays off in droves.

Pat Taylor

An avid kitesurfer, foiler and trick ski expert, Pat has been with the shop since he was a 16 year old grom. If you pick something up online, there's a good chance he shipped it your way. When he's not helping people out on the phones or shipping gear, he can be found on the water doing something interesting.