A review. Someone wanted one ... take it for what it is, your mileage may vary etc etc.

Speed2 19 and the Speed3 21 are the two best kites for low wind hauling, big jumps and hang-time when the big LEIs are just mowing the lawn. IMO :D

Speed3 is obviously an upgrade ...
It has better stability in crappy wind and when I mess things up, turns faster from the bar, stays in the air & is easier to keep in the air and seems less finicky about settings ... equalize the lines which people seem to forget to do :D I found the SA2 19 needed a little bit of fine tuning - all ten minutes of adjusting the knot
These differences between the kites are small, but noticeable.

The Triple Depower System works well, the kite has good wind range up the top end; for me, around 16 steady knots I start thinking about trimming it or getting a smaller kite. I'm already on my smaller board by about 12 knots and having great fun!
The SA2 19 was a little less compromising up the top due to the depower system ...

Bottom end? I find that when I'd usually be running close to the shore and thinking about joining the locals (who stubbornly stick to smaller kites) and walking upwind with them, that with the S3 21 I'm riding longer and just a little easier than the SA2 19. I don't know the wind strength and won't commit to a number but the important thing is I know I've got a little bit more of an edge over the SA2 19 which itself was a little bit more of an edge over the teeny-weeny locals in low winds ...

Jumping, hang-time ... 21 seems better than the 19 but maybe my technique has improved. Both go UP and float real good - even in light winds. More wind and HELLO! S3 needs a little more attention paid to the redirect or it drops me ... S2 I could just hold the bar in and float down lightly. Dunno why ...

Stability ... Speed2 was great once John tuned it. Speed3 is better and I suspect because it's lighter it just floats a lot better when tension goes off the lines ie. I flub a jump. S2 needs more input from the rider to keep it in the air - all that amounts to is a tug on the rear or front lines occasionally!

Gusts ... neither were too bothered by gusts IMO, I never had front collapses or the likes. Both have lobbed me though :D Better depower of the 21 makes them easier to handle ... the 19 needs a little more board control to keep the gust from being converted into straight line speed!

Turning speed. The S3 has a noticeable advantage due to the Triple Depower again - it gets around pretty quick and I *think* the altered canopy shape (more C-like) helps here ... I don't need to check the kite visually and judge distances above the water so much ...

FLS vs FDS ... yikes, have to say I like the FDS better in function but hate the extra line. Only time I've used either was self-landing but I think the S2 reverse lands a little easier cos it keep the long flat shape better so sits into the wind nicer. FLS tends to flaps around, FDS flaps less and settles quicker.

Relaunch - almost identical. Perhaps the S3 is a tad easier cos it's lighter? Dunno.

Setting up - stiffer bridles on the S3 require more attention to shake out tangles :o although S2 bridles were long, they were soft and smooth and just fell out with a shake ...

Launch (side or hot) is identical but the big difference is fill-time ... S3 is much slower and it's flapping around bothers me cos that's bad for the fabric. Now I prefill the S3 (through the dump vents is easiest) a whole lot more than I ever did the S2 ... I do think the S3 goes up easier in lighter winds, with less pulls on the main lines. That, or I'm just not going out in desperation in overly light wind!

Pack-up is a pain in the butt with the S3 - the smaller dump vents take longer to dump. S2 is easier for sure ...

Infinity bar is also an upgrade IMO but the spinning CL needs a mod. Bearings on the way thanks to Stetson! nothing wrong with the old bar though ... except the CL!

...

Am I happy I upgraded? Yes. Both are awesome pulling machines but the refinements of the Speed3 put it ahead of the Speed2 in my eyes.

Best point for me is the extra top-end which works well for the conditions we get here ... thermals that build from just rideable to slightly over-powered near sun-set.

Any questions?

Define "gusts". How much of a windspeed change are we talkin here?

Just curious. The Flysurfer guys get thrashed pretty hard in the gusts. But we're talking windspeeds that sometimes double in a gust.

Nice overview, Kami. Thanks.

Gusts here can do the same, but the flavour depends on the season.
Mostly, they're just like a quick build-up of wind to more than what it was before hold on or boost :D
Sometimes, we get those punchy change of wind direction types, that make the canopy stagger like it's been punched in the nose ...
Once or twice I've had rotors (?) that have picked me up ... the S2 lobbed me good and the S3 just hovered me

I keep an eye on the forecasts though and try to rig for top end ... so gusts are just fun, not life-threatening :o
The lake is a lot more open with cleaner wind than what your ice lakes look like Feyd ...

Thank you for the write up, Kami. I've been curious to see what your experiences have been for these two models.

-joedy