Description

The Flexifoil ION 4 - C-Kite Performance with Hybrid Depower !!

The Flexifoil Ion4 offers intermediate to advanced riders a rock solid kite, with fantastic stability and direct feel that will give you tremendous confidence on the water.

 

Feel supremely confident on the Flexifoil Ion 4 and it will help you usher in greater levels of competency whatever riding style you prefer. The Flexifoil Ion 4 (IV) 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 Flexifoil ION 4 (IV) has been designed with unhooked riding in mind and offers incredible grunt and pop whilst showing an amazing ability to eat gusts.

 

The Flexifoil Ion 4 (IV) is available in five versatile sizes – 7m, 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:

 

New 6 Strut Layout Pattern: The Flexifoil Ion4 strut design has been modified to give the kite an extra strut to match that of the Flexifoil HadlowPro09. The centre of your kite is the most important part for generating power so the benefit of this modification is that it keeps your central aerofoil top-surface-clean for efficient power generation.

 

The 6 strut layout pattern has had a marked impact on the efficiency of the aerofoil and turning sections of the kite helping to improve the feedback you get from the bar as the kite has a more direct feel - this direct feel enables you to instinctively feel how the kite is reacting and where it is in the sky.

 

Optimised Leading Edge Tube: A newly stiffened leading edge has lead to increased structural stability whilst still remaining aerodynamically efficient. This will provide you with no deformation in the kite’s canopy giving better gust control and a direct, solid feel.

 

Refined Aerofoil Shape: The new centre section of the kite (developed in parallel with the design work on the Flexifoil Hadlow Pro Kite) gives even better upwind performance and ensures the kite drives all the way through the turn producing the constant pull required for predictable kite loops.

 

Simplified Bridle System: To increase the Flexifoil Ion4’s efficiency, the new simplified bridle system leads to reduced drag with less chance of tangling, more depower and a faster driving turn.

 

Multiple Front & Rear Tow Point Connections: This feature allows you to adjust your Flexifoil Ion4 to suit your riding style with the benefit of different turning speeds, increased or decreased bar pressure and a choice of where the kite sits in the wind window to control grunt, pop and upwind ability.

Use tow point ‘2. FS’ to give the kite more grunt for wake style riding and heavier riders.

Use the front tow ‘1.FR’ for more depower and better upwind capability making it suitable for wave riding, general cruising, high winds and gusty conditions.

 

Anti Flutter Trailing Edge Battens: Toughened and flexible battens are sewn into the trailing edge near the wingtips. Reinforced with Dacron® they create a stiffer trailing edge and a clean release for turbulent air passing over the wingtip to reduce drag and provide an increased turn speed.

 

Construction Features:

 

Teijin T9600 Technology: All canopies of water kites in the current Flexifoil range including the Flexifoil Ion4 are carefully constructed from world renowned Japanese milled Teijin T9600 material to give you the peace of mind of a durable, long lasting fabric with the best available coating and optimal UV resistance.

 

110 micron TPU Bladders: Flexifoil is proud to use 110micron TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) bladders (as opposed to the standard 90 micron) giving you the peace of mind of having a more puncture resistant and durable bladder in your Flexifoil Ion 4.

 

Molten Bladder Technology: 2009 continues to see the introduction of improved bladder welding techniques to Flexifoil water kites. The new welding process has been tested up to a sweltering 120 degrees centigrade to make sure it will stand up to extreme conditions felt in the world’s equatorial kitesurf locations. No matter where in the world you choose to fly you will feel confident in the bladders.

Increase Protection, Reduced Weight: With each new release of kite, Flexifoil work on improving the reinforcement of your kite to protect it on the beach.

 

The Flexifoil R&D team have succeeded in reducing the weight and bulkiness of the Aerodynamic Bumper Strips developing them to be as low profile as possible to keep the kite fast and light with no minimal extra drag whilst protecting the kite on the beach.

Solid & Stiff Wingtip Construction: You willl find an increased diameter of the leading edge tube at the kite wingtip to give a more rigid structure making the kite much less likely to deform whilst turning. 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.

 

Standard Flexifoil Features:

 

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.

 

Rigid Strut: The struts are mated to the leading edge tube with webbing
reinforcement strips giving you millimetre perfect construction,
improved strength and increased rigidity in the kite frame.

 

Reinforced Dacron 175 Leading Edge Tube: Dacron® 175 is the most stable material our team have found so far being resistant to stretch in multiple directions over the life of the product and very resistant against the rough beach environment. Reinforced Nylon patches around all leading edge segments increase the stiffness and strength of the tube to help soak up a few slams and maintain the shape of the aerofoil to maximise power.

 

Wingtip Dump Valve: Extremely quick and simple pack down as the valve dumps all the air out of the bladders as the kite is rolled up.

 

Dacron Reinforcements: Dacron® reinforcements support the front and rear attachment points ensuring the load is spread evenly through the kite. The Flexifoil Dacron® cage reinforces the high loaded areas where the struts and leading edge meet the canopy keeping the kite light whilst still retaining strength.

 

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.FS’ to give the kite more grunt in low winds or for wake style riding and heaver riders. Use the front tow ‘1.FR’ for more depower making it suitable for wave riding, general cruising and high winds.

 

Jumping: The Flexifoil ION 4 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 4 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 Flexifoil Ion 4 excels in gusty conditions as the kite remains stable making it great for flying sites that can have turbulent conditions.

 

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

 

Simplicity: The Flexifoil Ion 4 has been designed to make your life easy and your kite flying fun!

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 which 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.

 

TWO KITE "ROUGH GUIDE" Please note this is based on average rider experience, in average conditions, in average waves on an average day.

If in doubt please consult your local Flexifoil kitesurf retailer or distributor for advice.

Light weight rider (approx 65 kg or less) - 7m2 & 8.5m2
Medium weight rider (approx 75 kg) - 8.5m2 & 12.5m2
Heavy weight rider (approx 90 kg) - 10.5m2 & 14.5m2
XL riders (approx 100 + kg) - 10.5m2 & 14.5m2

 

The Flexifoil Ion 4 is available ‘kite only’ or complete. The kite is delivered in the freeride setup, with the full freestyle bridle enclosed in the bag pocket.

 

A Flexifoil ION 4 Complete package with 4-Line control bar for example comes complete with:

• Flexifoil ION 4 Kite
• Flexifoil 4-line set (fully colour-coded pre-stretched lines -25m x 250kg / 250kg)
• Flexifoil ION 4 ‘all-in-one’ bar
• Flexifoil Pump
• Flexifoil Repair Kit
• 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
7.0	TBA	7.0	TBA	Ripstop Polyester	Int / Exp
8.5	TBA	8.5	TBA		Int / Exp
10.5	TBA	10.5	TBA		Int / Exp
12.5	TBA	12.5	TBA		Int / Exp
14.5	TBA	14.5	TBA		Int / Exp

 

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
7.0m	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
8.5m	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
10.5m	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
12.5m	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
14.5m	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
16.5m	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA

 

 

Download Product / Instruction Manual (PDF) >>

Flexifoil ION 4 Control Bar

Flexifoil ION 4 ("All-In-One") Control Bar:

The Flexifoil ION 4 ("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 4, 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 4 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.

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