2012 Liquid Force Envy

Description

Customer Reviews

1. Great Kite!

   by Chris Dunkley on February 5, 2012

   From the colors on the kite to the ease of setup this is the best kite on the market! The max flow system makes inflation super quick and deflation even quicker.
   
   This is perhaps the most fluid flying kite on the market. It is super light in the air, yet very powerful when ready. The kite stays up wind well and is easy to relaunch.
   
   I would like to get a full quiver of Envys except I can't afford it! The 12 will do for the time being however a 15 and 9 may be in the works...
   
   Thanks LF!
2. Best 15m EVER!

   by Nuzzi on January 4, 2012

   I taught a 220lbs guy in NW 8-15. It was really marginal and this kite performed great. Super stable. Easy Easy Easy relaunch even for a true beginner. Plenty of speed and power to get him up and riding. I am very impressed with this kite and highly recommend it for any ability level in light winds.
3. An awesome kite- 5 Stars!

   by Stellato on December 8, 2011

   Rented the Envy from REAL and had it out for 2 great sessions. The kite is really easy to fly and allowed me to focus on landing new moves rather than worrying about where the kite was.
   
   It is stable and consistent. Stalling was never an issue, the Envy always recovered even when the kite was low and the lines were slack. The depower is also very easy to use.
   
   There are so many little details that make the kite even better, like the Max Flow inflation system, the molded foam bar ends, and the very nice kite bag, just to name a few. The construction is super solid and the Envy feels very durable.
   
   I would recommend this kite to anyone from beginner to pro. This is also a great surf kite because it drifts perfectly with slacked lines and has smooth power through the turns.
4. Did't expect it to be so good

   by Joanna on September 30, 2011

   I am really impressed with new envy. Despite that the wind was light (around 9 - 13 mph) I decided to go out and I didn't expect that the new 2012 15m envy would work that well. Stable in the air, enough power to go upwind without any problems, it also turns really fast
   (for this size kite) and the most important thing it is relaunching is way better than last year's model. Can't wait to go out in regular wind condition and check how the smaller sizes work. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.
5. Envy better then ever

   by Kevin on September 25, 2011

   I have been a fan of the Liquid Force Envy since it first came out in 2010. It's been a bullet proof all around kite. I have used it in teaching lesson, personal riding, ocean riding, and snowkiting.
   
   2012 is the best one yet. The first difference I noticed was the stability over my head while getting my board on. The 2012 is faster turning then the years prior which I really ups the kites overral performance. It still has the great wind range of the 2011 that everyone loves.
   
   Some didn't like the relaunch of the 2011 I didn't think it was bad but this years does seem to be dummy proof. The Envy is not a boosting kite if that is what you are looking for this is not it. The NRG by liquid force is the kite for that.
   
   I have nothing but good things to say about the 2012 Envy. Liquid Force 2012 cpr bar is killer. Best bar on the market this year in my opinion. Functions great and comfortable. I had a quiver of 2011 Envys and will be ordering my 2012 quiver now!
   
   A great all around kite for any level of rider is what the Envy comes down to.
   
   

6. Envy session report

   by Pat Duca on September 13, 2011

   Just wanted to say that I just scored a killer session out at Davenport on my 9m Envy and I am stoked!
   
   Hands down that is the best kite I have ever ridden. Perfect blend between Havoc and former versions of the Envy.
   
   The new bar is solid, bar pressure is good with some good feedback and I love the new foam bar ends.
   
   My session was fairly onshore and the envy handled the conditions impressively drifting back better than anything I have flown to date. The best improvement over last year is how much smoother the power curve is! Butter from down stroke to parked.
   
   Killed it on this one guys and I am stoked to grab some more sessions and get the 7 out of the bag soon.
7. I am leaving Slingshot for this kite!

   by John Bruno on August 24, 2011

   I have been a Slingshot guy since I learned on Fuels. I eventually moved on to the T2, Revs, Octanes and now RPMs. Iv'e been aware of LiquidForce for 6 or 7 years, but the branding focused on the teenage skate park rat-n-ocean rapper crowd didn't exactly draw me in.
   
   Last week I rode the new 2012 Envy (9 and 12 m) in Peru (in the ocean, on a strapless 5'10" Resign 8) and loved it. Result: goodbye Slingshot.
   
   Assuming I haven't been influenced by the LF marketing and team riders that repeated it, the new Envy really does feel solid and smooth; delivering very predictable but not jerky power.
   
   The first thing you notice, especially coming from Slingshot, is the lightweight and soft (literally) bar; no blister-inducing hard plastic grips. Time will tell if the new LF soft rubber grip holds up, but it sure feels great when new! I really liked the bar set up; the safety systems were intuitive and simple. The below the bar trim is great, especially the extended "handle" to work it. I only wish they hadn't bothered with the swivel that we all know isn't gonna work and will be gone from kites by 2013.
   
   Fearing wrecking a brand new kite, I kept it out of the water, so didn't test the water re-launch. My hunch is the full wing tips are going to make re-launching challenging in high current ocean conditions (they tend to catch water and stay glued down).
   
   I was trying to compare the turning of the Envy 9 and 12 to my RPM 8 and 10, which wasn't entirely straightforward. But my sense was that the Envy turns a little slower and the steering is a bit less responsive than an RPM and there is slightly less bar pressure. The Envy turns a lot like a C kite (full arch, powered turning) and does not pivot turn like so many new kites thanks to the full wing tips. The shape, features and feel of the Envy reminded me of the new Ben Wilson Noise. The de-power was plentiful and the kite was easy to trim.
   
   One thing the Envy does well is set itself up in the sweet spot very far forward in the wind window, which makes it easy to go upwind. The wind was perfect for the kite sizes I was on when I tested them, meaning I had to turn the board downwind a bit and pump the kite a few times to get up on a plane, ie, I wasn't overpowered. When powered up, the Envy quickly locks itself into position and even seemed to move forward in the window (lots of kites drift back, necessitating more working the kite to build up power and speed again).
   
   The "Max Flow" pump system - essentially a giant hole to put air in the kite - makes pumping up that much easier (at least 50% faster). A significant downside to this is that you now need a LF pump (or an adaptor) to pump up your kite. Good luck if your pump breaks.
   
   The new LF kite bags are a big breakthrough: awesome sizes, shape, materials, features and look. Slingshot makes their kite bags about 3x too big (primarily too long) for a folded kite. Which is great if you want to stuff in a wetsuit or put 2-3 kites in a backpack. Otherwise the top just flops over. The new LF bags are much more compact and I like the really heavy/thick material.
   
   Overall, I really liked the new Envy. The marketing description actually seems to match the kites characteristics (so rare in the kiting industry) and the overall flying feel and several innovations make the Envy the new benchmark in kite evolution. I plan to pick up my first LF (an Envy 12) in early September!
8. Great Product

   by Nuzzi on August 23, 2011

   I love this kite. It works for everyone. I have yet to have someone test it and not like it. The only thing not to like is that the swivel doesn't work. The new bar is really plush too.
   
   Things I like about this kite:
   Water Relaunch is a no brainer. This kite pops up and gets you out of trouble where other kites would leave you hanging.
   
   Stability and drift down the line: The Envy feels really solid in the sky. It doesn't matter how funky the breeze it works and stays in the sky. When you carve at it, the Envy drifts with you.
   
   Jumping and Wakestyle: The boost is really easy up and down. No surprises. You won't go as high as some other kites, but you will land a lot more tricks.
   
   Power through turns: The 2012 Envy has a really nice carving power through the turn. It does not kick your ass when you down loop it, but you feel the kite pull through the entire turn. The smooth power makes you less fatigued, and you can ride longer.
   
   The look and the finish: These things are great quality. From the Max Flow to the colors/graphics on the kites and bags, the Envy is a really high quality product that looks great.
   
   Great job LF, I know what I am riding this year!
9. Love this kite

   by Robert Kilpatrick on August 23, 2011

   I got to ride a few of Matt’s 2012 Envy’s last week in Peru (overt brag), and loved this kite. I am 6’1”, 175# and currently ride 2011 Havocs as a reference point.
   
   I think comparing the two is like comparing an american muscle car to an european sportscar: the Havoc has power, grunt and pull, but you have to be more aware of it or it may get away from you in the curves, whereas the the Envy has just as much power, but feels lighter, nimbler, and you can pretty much forget about it and ride. I found the power to be about 1m bigger (9Envy about the same power as my 10Havoc), the looping to be more precise and tight, and the overall feel to be lighter and brighter. This made it great in waves where you could pretty much forget about the kite after cranking a bottom turn loop that was plenty powerful to accelerate you onto the wave.
   
   The Envy is so smooth that I suspect you forget how truly powerful it is - I never really felt like it was trying to tear me off the water, but I wasn’t trying to jump it so I cannot really comment on how it is going to work from that angle.
   
   The build quality appears as solid as recent LF years. Over the trip various Envys took brutal poundings in the impact zone like champs and relaunched instantly and without bridle tangle issues every time. The control bar is pretty much the same solid simplicity of years past except for the Darth Maul bar ends, which I don’t really get, so someone else will have to comment on that. The line spinner still doesn’t work well, but who’s does? Personally I think they all should just remove it to reduce clutter and potential slackline snag points: the new LF Comp Spinning Spreader Bar is a much more elegant solution and appears solidly built.
   
   In summary, If you want a nimble, responsive, user-friendly kite, I have no hesitation recommending the Envy - especially in waves.

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