Feel supremely confident on the Flexifoil Ion 4 and it will help you usher in greater levels of competency whatever riding style you prefer. The Flexifoil Ion 4 (IV) offers an even greater range of wind conditions than its predecessors and size for size you'll find more power with solid driving turns making for great powered kite loops. The Flexifoil ION 4 (IV) has been designed with unhooked riding in mind and offers incredible grunt and pop whilst showing an amazing ability to eat gusts. The Flexifoil Ion 4 (IV) is available in five versatile sizes - 7m, 8.5m, 10.5m, 12.5m and 14.5m offering you a size for all wind conditions. 4 and 5-line options on the bar give you two differing configurations (freeride and freestyle) to suit your riding style and local conditions. Performance Features: New 6 Strut Layout Pattern: The Flexifoil Ion4 strut design has been modified to give the kite an extra strut to match that of the Flexifoil HadlowPro09. The centre of your Flexifoil Ion 4 is the most important part for generating power so the benefit of this modification is that it keeps your central aerofoil top-surface-clean for efficient power generation. The 6 strut layout pattern on the Flexifoil Ion 4 has had a marked impact on the efficiency of the aerofoil and turning sections of the kite helping to improve the feedback you get from the bar as the kite has a more direct feel - this direct feel enables you to instinctively feel how the kite is reacting and where it is in the sky. Optimised Leading Edge Tube: A newly stiffened leading edge has lead to increased structural stability whilst still remaining aerodynamically efficient. This will provide you with no deformation in the kite's canopy giving better gust control and a direct, solid feel. Refined Aerofoil Shape: The new centre section of the Flexifoil Ion 4 (developed in parallel with the design work on the Flexifoil Hadlow Pro Kite) gives even better upwind performance and ensures the Flexifoil Ion 4 drives all the way through the turn producing the constant pull required for predictable kite loops. Simplified Bridle System: To increase the Flexifoil Ion4's efficiency, the new simplified bridle system leads to reduced drag with less chance of tangling, more depower and a faster driving turn. Multiple Front & Rear Tow Point Connections: This feature allows you to adjust your Flexifoil Ion4 to suit your riding style with the benefit of different turning speeds, increased or decreased bar pressure and a choice of where the kite sits in the wind window to control grunt, pop and upwind ability. Use tow point '2. FS' to give the kite more grunt for wake style riding and heavier riders. Use the front tow '1.FR' for more depower and better upwind capability making it suitable for wave riding, general cruising, high winds and gusty conditions. Anti Flutter Trailing Edge Battens: Toughened and flexible battens are sewn into the trailing edge near the wingtips. Reinforced with Dacron® they create a stiffer trailing edge and a clean release for turbulent air passing over the wingtip to reduce drag and provide an increased turn speed. Construction Features: Teijin T9600 Technology: All canopies of water kites in the current Flexifoil range including the Flexifoil Ion4 are carefully constructed from world renowned Japanese milled Teijin T9600 material to give you the peace of mind of a durable, long lasting fabric with the best available coating and optimal UV resistance. 110 micron TPU Bladders: Flexifoil is proud to use 110micron TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) bladders (as opposed to the standard 90 micron) giving you the peace of mind of having a more puncture resistant and durable bladder in your Flexifoil Ion 4. Molten Bladder Technology: 2009 continues to see the introduction of improved bladder welding techniques to Flexifoil water kites. The new welding process has been tested up to a sweltering 120 degrees centigrade to make sure it will stand up to extreme conditions felt in the world's equatorial kitesurf locations. No matter where in the world you choose to fly you will feel confident in the bladders. Increase Protection, Reduced Weight: With each new release of kite, Flexifoil work on improving the reinforcement of your kite to protect it on the beach. The Flexifoil R&D team have succeeded in reducing the weight and bulkiness of the Aerodynamic Bumper Strips developing them to be as low profile as possible to keep the kite fast and light with no minimal extra drag whilst protecting the kite on the beach. Solid & Stiff Wingtip Construction: You willl find an increased diameter of the leading edge tube at the kite wingtip to give a more rigid structure making the kite much less likely to deform whilst turning. With the kite holding its shape better you get a much more direct and responsive feel. You will also benefit from the wingtips being fitted with a small webbing strap that prevents the flying lines from getting caught around them. Standard Flexifoil Features: EZ Single-Point Inflation: As with all Flexifoil kitesurfing products, the EZ single-point inflation system increases the speed of kite setup getting you out on the water faster. Rigid Strut: The struts are mated to the leading edge tube with webbing reinforcement strips giving you millimetre perfect construction, improved strength and increased rigidity in the kite frame. Reinforced Dacron 175 Leading Edge Tube: Dacron® 175 is the most stable material our team have found so far being resistant to stretch in multiple directions over the life of the product and very resistant against the rough beach environment. Reinforced Nylon patches around all leading edge segments increase the stiffness and strength of the tube to help soak up a few slams and maintain the shape of the aerofoil to maximise power. Wingtip Dump Valve: Extremely quick and simple pack down as the valve dumps all the air out of the bladders as the kite is rolled up. Dacron Reinforcements: Dacron® reinforcements support the front and rear attachment points ensuring the load is spread evenly through the kite. The Flexifoil Dacron® cage reinforces the high loaded areas where the struts and leading edge meet the canopy keeping the kite light whilst still retaining strength. Riding Characteristics: Variable Power Setup: Attaching the front toggles to different points on the wingtips changes the performance of the kite to suit different riding styles. Use tow point '2.FS' to give the kite more grunt in low winds or for wake style riding and heaver riders. Use the front tow '1.FR' for more depower making it suitable for wave riding, general cruising and high winds. Jumping: The Flexifoil ION 4 is designed to get smooth jumps and loads of float with gentle, controlled lift plus its nice and easy to feel where the kite is when coming in to land. The bar position on the centre line makes a massive difference in the height of the jump. In strong winds all you need to do is send the kite and pull the bar towards you and you take off - big airs are effortless. If you're into unhooked jumps and powered wake-style tricks then the Flexifoil ION 4 is also the one for you! Keeping power in the turn, you will get constant and predictable pull during kite loops. Unhooked Riding: Both setups are good for unhooked riding, with the freeride setup giving a more pivoted turn, so it's easy to get the kite in the right place when smacking the lip and riding down the line. The freestyle mode delivers loads of grunt and a good, precise driving turn. Both setups can be flown unhooked with tight rear lines so that it's easy to feel where the kite is and steer it one handed without any back-stall in the kite. Stability: The kite is really stable even in gusty winds and when the kite is depowered it remains rock-solid in the sky. There is always a smooth feedback to the bar from the kite, making it great for progressing and learning new tricks. The Flexifoil Ion 4 excels in gusty conditions as the kite remains stable making it great for flying sites that can have turbulent conditions. The kite is really stable even in gusty winds and when the kite is depowered it remains rock-solid in the sky. There is always a smooth feedback to the bar from the kite, making it great for progressing and learning new tricks. The Flexifoil Ion 4 excels in gusty conditions as the kite remains stable making it great for flying sites that can have turbulent conditions. Simplicity: The Flexifoil Ion 4 has been designed to make your life easy and your kite flying fun! All attachments to the kite are simple larkshead knot - colour-coded and labeled - so it's hard to get it wrong. Safety-Freeride Setup: 4-lines with a mini-leash running through the centre hole in the bar which pulls on the two front lines when the safety is activated. This kills 90% of the power from the kite and the kite comes down at the edge of the window, ready for easy relaunch.