Boost 1 18m

2 sessions so far on it. The second time I tried putting up a speed3 15m and pulled in the bar and wasn't getting any power so out came the 18m. Definitely more power than the speed3 15m. This kite is a session saver for when you just need to kite no matter what. Jumping wise, the s3 15m jumps MUCH higher. I couldn't get the 18m boost to jump to the moon like I can the s3 15m. It does jump better in its upper wind range trimmed down, doesn't jump much with the trim out even if you feel like you have plenty of power. The first session we went from 10 or 12 knots up to around 17 knots. I went straight from the 18m to an 11m ozone edge and didn't feel underpowered on the edge.

It felt slightly better than a cabrina contra 19m I tested a few months ago, both are slow, pull hard, jump poorly, and get easily overpowered, like any kite that big I guess (except for foils that jump huge regardless). The 18m goes upwind MUCH better than the contra and I didn't feel out of control when the wind picked up with the kite trimmed. I did feel out of control with the 19m contra when it picked up, I quickly went from hardly going upwind to "I need to put this thing down". To be fair, it definitely was a more steady day with the Boost 18m than the contra 19m.

This is a good kite to cruise the shoreline in light wind, do some rolls and things like that. Boosting is not it's strength but maybe I can tweak my technique to get it to jump better. Also, if you have to drift launch, this would not be the kite I pick, I can drift launch just fine with the speed3 15m but this kite is huge and I would be worried about the trailing bridle getting caught up on the wing tips as the kite spins around (already have that issue on the boost2 with no trailing bridle).

Boost2 13m

PROS

Fun kite, jumps great, loops fine, and goes upwind well too. When it is time to replace my ozone edge's in smaller sizes I will get boost2's. They loop better than the edges not as fast as RPMs but that was obvious. Doing backroll transitions with kiteloops is very easy on this kite compared to the edge (boost2 turns faster and generates steady pull through the turn). Looping the ozone edge I felt like the power went up too much in the loop compared to the boost2 that has more steady power and loops faster.

In light wind, I could keep up with people on 14m and 15m cabrinhas and RRDs in upwindability but we were all mainly mowing the lawn or loosing ground if we tried anything. A guy on a 12m switchblade and my exact same board kept having to walk back upwind while I could get away with a small jump or surface trick every now and then and still make it back upwind. I can milk more power out of it by working the kite than I can with an edge. The edge might still go upwind slightly better though.

The kite jumps high, I need to try it maxed out to compare to the edges, I have jumped higher on the edges but I think that is in the upper wind range. I never got to the upper end of the wind range on the boost2 to really take it to the moon.

Pumping... Say what! SOOO effortless with the SUP valve! Just make sure the button is clicked out. If not when you detach the hose you kite deflates in about 2 seconds. (ask me how I know). Pumping up the 13m twice was not that hard. Also, if you happen to loose the SUP adapter that is tied to the kite, the kite has a regular valve you can use as a backup.

CONS

Durability-wise, the kite has no LE reinforcements to protect from dragging on rough ground. Slingshot and most other brands have some LE scuff patches along the LE. It would be nice for them to add this in the boost3. I would like to see thicker line attachment points at the bridle since those wear out faster too. The entire bridle has very thin lines, which is ok but may wear out faster. Also the thinner bridle lines make it more uncomfortable to grab the kite by the bridle when drift launching or self landing in the water. On the flip-side, the Bridle is pretty simple with no pulleys so you could probably make one if something breaks, I imagine flysurfer also has the bridle line lengths listed somewhere just like their foils.

When drift launching the center line bridle keeps getting caught on the wing tip causing the kite to loop until you are able to shake it out (by violently shaking the line). I modified my drift launch technique so the kite is already almost completely spun around before the lines gain tension and that seems to avoid that issue (spin the kite around more before letting go, making sure the lines are also floating away from the kite, and walking side/downwind as the kite drifts so the kite is "turned around" even more before gaining line tension). I never had that problem drift launching other kites, maybe it's the thinner bridle lines. If you hindenburg the kite or anything like that I would imagine the same thing would happen when trying to get the kite to spin back around.

..... Contra 17m ??? right ? not 19 .....

I liked Boost ...... Nice floaty jumps , a bit longer then on most LEI , big depower for LEI and good bar feel .... but as you sayed .... foil kites do better
Contra I did not like at all .... It seats way too deep in a window and its hard to go upwind with it ... hard to jump tooo ..... I would choose Boost every time

Not that many Boost kites out there .... good to see someone posting opinion on forum .... cheers

Contra 19m, yeah sits deep so doesn't go upwind well even powered up. I currently fly edges, FS speeds, and now boosts as well so I am spoiled in upwindability. I also flew an apollo 14 for a few hours recently and like the boost2 13m better. Not sure why but the 14m apollo tires me out faster, I think I feel the gusts more through my harness. Water relaunching the apollo is tough, boost2 is easy, edge is in between. The aspect ratio on the apollo is so high that it's tough to get it to turn on it's wingtip. I just try to never drop my kites in the water but in larger sizes you need something that will relaunch ok.

The 13m boost2 jumps nice, I still need more wind for a fair height comparison to the edges. The 18 I can't get to jump big no matter how powered up I am, best jumps were like mediocre ones on the edge 9 or 11m (older model edges). But the boost2 18m is definitely floaty with soft landings so probably good for surface tricks requiring low height hangtime. I think I'll try to learn the jesus walk or barefoot with it. Pulls hard, floaty, not much height, turns much faster than a speed, sounds perfect for learning those tricks!