I’m On It: Matt Maxwell – Airush Ultra Team DS

I tried a prototype of the Ultra Team DS for the first time in April last year in super lightwind conditions on a directional. It was an insane first sensation as it is pretty different to what I had been riding before. I then tried the production version on a foil a couple months later and again, it felt very unique – it takes some adjustment to get used to its speed and how fast it accelerates forward in the wind window.

I would say the most obvious use for the Ultra Team DS is for lightwind foiling, due to it being so lightweight and efficient thanks to having just one strut, but also having a lightweight and snappy H2 airframe combined with a double surface. However, where this kite surprised me was how well it performed in the waves too, especially in light wind. I had a wave session on the 9m where I would usually opt for a 12m (around 12-15 knots), and it was so sick because I was powered enough, but the 9m was so much faster than a 12m so I was able to whip it around in the waves and do turns as I wanted without the kite stalling or sitting in the wrong position on the wave.

I mainly use the Ultra Team DS when the conditions are super marginal and I need a kite that will stay in the air when all other kites are dropping out the sky. And then I also like a good cruise around the lagoon on the foil whenever I am up in Langebaan – this kite is insane for that. Also on short lines with the foil can be super fun as it’s so fast through the wind window, so you can throw ‘Around the Worlds’ and the kite just shoots round.

There is quite a lot of tech packed into this kite, but the most obvious one first and foremost is the single strut. Having only one strut dramatically reduces the weight of a kite in comparison to 3- or 5-strut kites, which makes it more responsive and able to fly in lighter winds. The next point is the leading edge and struts, which are super skinny with a lower diameter than usual and therefore a higher pressure – so you can get a very responsive kite due to less drag and increased stiffness.

The leading edge and struts of the Team Series kites are constructed using Airush’s new ‘H2’ Ultra-PE material, which is only 85gsm, and also due to its unique layup of 45-degree PE fibers, it creates a very snappy response, so the kite is both lighter and more responsive.

Finally, what really makes this kite stand out from other kites in the range and in the market is the double surface (DS). This double surface is designed to reduce drag and turbulence as the air flows over the leading edge, which makes the kite accelerate faster and more smoothly up and across the wind window. All of these factors work in harmony, making the kite ultra-efficient.

I’m not planning to do any competitions this year, as I am working full time at Starboard, but if I were to enter a GKA event again, I would use the new Lithium Team for wave riding, strapless freestyle and some Big Air – I really love this kite for that plus for cruising on a twintip or even teaching my friends to kite on. And I would use the Ultra Team DS weapon if it was super light wind like we often used to compete in at spots like Taíba or Dakhla.

I was only involved right at the end of development for the Ultra Team DS with some wave feedback as the kite was almost finalized last year already when I joined Airush. But I’ve always enjoyed being involved on the development side where possible – I studied product design before I started working in marketing, so it’s something I am super passionate about and that’s where it’s also great to be involved with a brand like Airush since they have always been so committed to pushing innovation.

I started kiting when I was 14 years old, about 12 years ago now, and the crazy part is my first kite that I learnt on was actually an Airush ‘DNA’, so joining the Airush team 12 years later definitely feels like a bit of a ‘home-coming’ of sorts. I’ve always enjoyed the brand and its unique, more edgy and innovative mindset, and I became friends with many of the Airush crew over the years while I was competing on the GKA. Although the HQ is no longer located in Cape Town as of this year with the recent move of operations to Tarifa, the brand still has deep roots here where they do a lot of their testing, shoots, marketing and so on – so it still feels close to home to me and we keep a great, tightly-knit team with some crew based down here. ■