TESTERS – MATT PEARCE AND CHRIS BULL
TEST TEAM NOTES
Straight out of the bag the Union is good looking and clearly a very well made bit of kit. The Aramid load frame is immediately noticeable in the canopy, supposedly vastly increasing a kite’s lifespan – in fact, Airush claim that since implementing it they haven’t had a single leading edge to trailing edge rip on one of their kites.
Here’s an interview we did with Airush MD Clinton Filen at Surf Expo to find out more about the load frame idea.
There are all the bells and whistles you’d expect – quick inflation, one pump, good fixtures and fittings, a series of set-up options and overall the design looks very neat. The kite was so fresh that it wasn’t shipped with the 2016 bar, so we used the 2015 system, which sits fairly wide in the hands and is at the grippier end of the spectrum. For 2016 Airush have apparently reduced the diameter and implemented a new colour scheme, so overall the Airush bar will remain very uncluttered, functional and durable.
Airush reckon that this brand new model brings together aspects from the Razor C kite, the Wave and the Lithium freeride kite and this year it replaces the Varial-X in the line-up. We are real fans of these three strut medium to high-aspect bridled C style kites as their general handling and design is so focused on the all-round riding that so many people want to do.
Last year the 2015 Varial-X was less grunty and generally softened, and we’re pleased to say that the Union feels much more like the 2014 Varial-X in terms of power. It’s got the juice back, but the manageability is now better for more riders.
There are three attachments on the back lines and two on the front which provide a useful difference. In the light winds the closest attachment to the back helps manoeuvre for power and then as the wind picks up the kite settles beautifully on the middle attachment on the back and the most forward on the front line.
Sitting forward in the window, the Union creates good forward turning power. If you have efficient steering skills you can get going in relatively low winds and we were really impressed with finding power and getting out through a decent sized shorebreak in about 15 knots – and Matt’s about 96 kilos – so the low end is impressive thanks to the manoeuvrability. The Union also looks very compact for a nine, and people commented that they were impressed we had got going on what looks like an eight or even seven metre kite.
One of the Union’s most positive aspects is its’ stability with smooth and progressive depower and powering up. The bar throw is fairly long but there’s good feel for the kite throughout its length and at the far end of the throw there is almost an absolute shut-off of power. For wave riding and for intermediate freeriders this is useful and inspires confidence.
The medium bar pressure is greater than the Lithium but it’s not fatiguing and offers the positivity that progressive riders are looking for. Sheet in and there’s a nice surge in power when you need it. Relentless bar pressure, particularly when strapless, isn’t very helpful, but the Union offers the power when you need it as well as that nice shut-off availability.
It’s in the movement of the kite that we enjoyed the power generation the most, however. The kite also generates pull more deeply into the loop than many a hybrid kite but it doesn’t pull your arms off either. There’s a good level of feel and engagement throughout the performance. Getting on a smaller kite on a wave board and being able to generate power and feel through a turn is a really pleasing characteristic. When you’re working for power in waves – particularly in a bottom turn – the Union develops steady power through the turn that you can manage at the bar while the turn itself is responsive to positive input without being twitchy.
Also, for freeriding and freestyle the Union’s combination of power, feel and intuitive turning reaction will feel natural to many. We were pleased with the performance when slightly underpowered on a surfboard, but the kite really comes into its own the more powered it gets and we also had a great flat water session fully lit.
The jumping is stable and dependable with the kite planted over head and there’s a decent trajectory to the hangtime too. While it’s not an aggressive freestyle machine and you won’t be wanging C-kite mega loops, for the typical riders wanting to punt about doing airs then the Union’s power delivery, manoeuvrability and steadiness makes jumping progression easy and fun for intermediates and the intuitive handling in stronger winds mean that good riders can really be rewarded by treating the kite aggressively at the bar.
In terms of unhooked abilities the Union gives you a solid feel, but it’s more difficult to get a genuine slack line for technical passes, but for the average rider looking to throw the more basic unhooked tricks then the combination that this also offers in a range of different conditions make it a winner.
The length of the bridles were a bit of a concern when crashed into the water and it got rolled by a couple of waves, but there were no tangles and it relaunched fine each time.
SUMMARY
We enjoyed the 2014 Varial-X a lot and this Union has headed back in that direction, but we are now also really impressed with how adaptable the Union is in a range of conditions for general wave riding, freeriding and freestyle. We can’t comment on what the Union will be like across the range as each of the eight sizes are designed as different kites for different wind conditions, but this nine metre is really clean in terms of its performance with a very refined air frame.
KW LIKED
Intuitive bar pressure, predictive steering and power and real performance in a variety of conditions.
KW WOULD CHANGE
The bridle is quite long – some people are fussy about that, but it wasn’t an issue for us at all and certainly contributes to the large depower.
UNION BALANCE POINTS
Build quality: 9
Full package: 9
Low end: 7.5
Top end: 8.5
Steering speed: 7.5
Turning circle: 5
Power through turn: 4.5
Bar pressure: 5
Water relaunch: 8.5
Drift: 7
Boost: 8
Hang-time: 8
Unhooked: 7
Cross-over: 9
Ease-of-use: 9
SIZES
16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6m
More information at www.airush.com
Here’s the official Union 2016 product video from Airush
2016 AIRUSH UNION feat. JULIEN KERNEUR from Airush on Vimeo.