Fall 2015 marks the birth of the 7th generation of Liquid Force Envy’s to grace the shelves and hooks of kite stores across the planet. 7 iterations mean this kite has now been successfully ridden and tested on every single continent and ocean in every possible condition known to man (OK, maybe not Antarctica, but if you know someone who has ridden there we would love to know?).
2015 was a big year for the Envy and some rather large changes distinguished this kite from earlier designs. Those of you with 2014 and 2015 Envy’s will know that the 25% reduction in weight made the kite amazingly responsive, precision orientated and a dream to fly. Couple that with simple practical tweaks (added wingtip sweep & better material sourcing) and the 2015 model was a truly versatile all rounder losing nothing of it’s former self and gaining major traction as a top performer for the year. In fact we think it propelled LF into the hallowed grounds of a premier kitesurfing company.
The 2016 Liquid Force Envy is already proving to be a massive hit with testers and team riders. LF have once again gone out of their way to bring you the finest of kitesurfing tools.
1) Shedding Pounds: Julien Fillion and the test team at LF are obsessed with losing weight whilst maintaining structural quality. In this quest they have used only the latest materials . Marcloth once again is used extensively to keep the torsion and flex under control, at the same time allowing for areas once needing Dacron to be slimmed out. A lighter frame means one thing, great range! It was impressive to ride several of the sizes in conditions which were frankly way too strong or light for the given size and for members of the one or two kite quiver community the Envy will be a big hit!
2) More lift: The 2016 Envy has continued the trend of thinning the leading edge and slightly reducing the diameter of the struts. This allows the kite to cut through the air more, in turn meaning it flies faster across the window. When riding this translates to a slightly twitchier ride due to the speed, but when you want to send a jump or carve a big turn the kite will be right there with you and not one step behind. Redirecting for a landing was effortless and you could time it perfectly right away.
3) Further Curve in the Wingtips - Additional curve in the wingtips (sweep) is another trend which LF have carried on with. The 2016 Envy has extra sweep which helps with two things. 1) Range - by having a more gradual arc from the wingtips to the main leading edge you allow for the kite to effectively pivot over the front lines to a higher degree. This gives you more range and controllability over a wider wind band. Something which complements the narrower leading edge to allow for more time on the water if the wind jumps or drops . 2) Relaunch - It is no secret that a square wingtip leads to longer relaunch times. LF’s quest to deliver the perfect all rounder means the added curve in the 2016 Envy’s wingtips also speeds up your relaunch and has you comfortably cruising along in no time.
This year’s kite is sure to be a massive hit amongst the competent rider set (advanced beginners) all the way up to super advanced wave riders and freestyle heads. Flagship features remain such as the Dura-X double rip stop nylon (canopy material) combined with English seams, This gives your kite an excellent chance of surviving a pasting in the waves or multiple tomahawks from practice sessions. LF also make sure they are at the cutting edge of material moves and use only the strongest TPU bladders for longevity.
At Force Kite & Wake we recommend this kite to anyone with at least a season of riding under their belt. It is good for beginners, but for the ultimate beginner kite we would recommend the Liquid Force Solo. As always, the best way to make the right choice is to give us a call. We know that conditions, riding style, amount of water time and many other things go into making the correct decision.