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For 2026, Airush is rolling out a brand-new Team Series range. Every kite in the lineup now features an H2 Ultra PE Air Frame, and the Lift Team takes it one step further with Ultra Bond Welded Seams as the showcase technology. Design Director, Clinton Filen, gives us the lowdown on Ultra PE and how the brand has worked with it over the years, plus what riders can expect from the latest materials.
Photos Nomadicsea
There’s been a lot of hype lately about Ultra PE. What makes it such a unique material?
Ultra PE, which most people know as Dyneema or Spectra, has actually been around for decades, mainly in ropes and flying lines. What makes it special is the strength-to-weight ratio – it’s much stronger than polyester at the same weight, it’s extremely abrasion-resistant, and it’s so light it floats on water.
The tricky part is working with it. You can’t heat it above about 160 degrees, which rules out traditional sailcloth processes. It’s taken years of development to figure out how to stabilize it properly and make it consistently at scale.
Where did Airush’s journey with Ultra PE start?
We’ve been using Ultra PE in our Load Frame for over 10 years, so we had early insight into how it could improve material responsiveness and durability. Our first real project was with Dyneema Corporation about eight years ago. That’s when we saw both the huge potential and the challenges – it looked like the perfect solution on paper, but we knew it would be a long road.
From there, we partnered with ALUULA, Challenge Sailcloth, and Dimension Polyant. What’s important for us is a closed-loop process – our designers define the characteristics we need, then we work hand-in-hand with the fabric partner to refine it through long-term testing and mass production.
Ho’okipa worked well for us because of its bias properties, which matched what we wanted in terms of higher pressures and durability. ALUULA Aeris then gave us incredible weight savings through a new bonding process. With H2, we’ve come full circle – back to a primarily woven Ultra PE – but with some major refinements.
So how does H2 compare to Ho’okipa?
Weight is the first big difference. H2 comes in under 85gsm. Ho’okipa is about 120gsm, and regular Dacron is around 160gsm. So both are lighter and more responsive than Dacron, but H2 pushes things further.
The construction is also different. H2 is 100D 100% Ultra PE, whereas Ho’okipa is a 200D blend of 50% Ultra PE and 50% polyester. The manufacturing process has also taken a big step forward – tighter, more stable weave, higher pre-tension stability, less bias stretch, and lower weight after lamination.
On the water, the key thing riders will notice is elongation – or really, the lack of it. H2 shows the lowest stretch in our lab tests, which means the kite keeps its shape under inflation, responds instantly to bar input, and snaps back straight when you let go of the steering.
Some riders are skeptical – can you really make kites lighter and more durable at the same time?
It’s a fair question. For us, weight savings never come at the cost of reliability. With Ultra PE, it’s pretty straightforward. You’re swapping a heavier, weaker fiber for one that’s half the weight but much stronger. That gives you room to cut weight without sacrificing durability.
Another important piece of the puzzle is bladders. A lot of the weight savings in the market come from thinner bladders, and sometimes that gets mistakenly credited to the material. We’ve reduced our bladder weight by about 25% over the last five years, but we don’t use what we’d call “ultralight” bladders because the trade-offs aren’t worth it.
The bottom line is: these kites live in a harsh environment – salt, sand, UV, crashes… Reliability is non-negotiable. Our goal is always higher performance, but with the same, or better, durability that Airush has built its reputation on.
What about canopy cloth? Are we going to see the same kind of shifts there?
Canopies have become pretty standardized. Teijin is still the benchmark. The important thing for riders to understand is that increased “ripstop” doesn’t mean performance – it just helps stop a tear once it starts. It doesn’t reduce stretch, add abrasion resistance, or stop flapping. The real enemies of canopy are flapping and UV. Manage those, and you add years to a kite’s life.
Looking ahead, what’s the next big step for Airush materials?
Welding and bonding. That’s why we’re excited to be introducing Ultra Bond Welded Seams on the new Lift Team. It’s a Dimension Polyant technology that allows us to bond key sections of the leading edge, delivering unparalleled stability and precision.
We still keep the stitching in place – both for precision during assembly and as a backup reinforcement if anything were to fail – but welding gives us a stronger, more consistent seam overall. It’s another leap forward in the material matrix. ■
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