Im working a bit much in the arvo and seem to miss the good days especially early in the season. Im 85 pies, got 2 surfboards and a 139 custom 2015. Ride best TS 8,10 mostly sometimes a 5m on the SB.
Ridden a lot of big kites pre 2012 and thought they were crap, good for wakestyle but a lot of kite for 2-3knots less usable wind range.
Im based at woodies, like to ride powered and so many good days are 12-17 knots early in the season. Interested in the TS 15m, edge, Zephyr or anything else.
Guys from Qld ride a lot of big kites in this windrange, Prefer an all rounder as it wont be used much. Something than can turn well, can jump and flies rather than pulls.
All good advice needed. A new kite aint an option, but if you had $1300 to get a 12-18 knot kite what would you buy second hand on seabreeze?
Thanks in advance.
P.S. PM if you want.
Hi Dave, if you want to jump and fly......are you open to trying foils ? For that price you should be able to find a second hand Flysurfer Speed 3 or Ozone Chrono.
I can demo you on the newer Speed 4's but they won't be in that price range. I also got an email from Flysurfer yesterday, they are currently running a stock clearance online & are offering free shipping wordwide. They have a bunch of Speed 3 "Coloured Editions" in 12, 15, 19 & 21 available.
shop.flysurfer.com/?___store=english&___from_store=deutsch (in the second hand section)
Hey mate. I have I 15m ts. It's such a good kite for waestyle. It turns quite quick for its size, that's on the mid size bar too. Probably turn quicker on the big bar. I feel with this kite to get good unhooking pop I need 14-15 knots. I have been out in 10 knots but not doing anything fun.
The only bad thing about this kite. The bridle can get caught a out the tip on a heavy crash, (this only happens if you relaunch a perticula way).
They do make a 17m bur I haven't used it myself.
Ozone zephyr is a sweet kite also.
I am the same weight and would definitely recommend the 2013-2014 zephyr for free ride. I used it as much as my 10 last season. Its great for 13-20 knots . boosts big and floaty. i would recommend getting a 12/13m if you planning on unhooking as the zephyr at about 17 knots its a little heavy on the bar and pulls hard.
Turning wise its fast i can kite loop it and downloop it with ease... i also ride a TT in the surf and it drifts well and loops well when ridding directly downwind.
you can definately unhook on it tho. ive learnt railyes & raily backroll, riding blind all in last two weeks after i got some boots (friends 2015 ronix in the pix) - just got the new 2016's!
the 2015 model is changed a lot and there is more low end. i have heard unhooking is good on it but its much slower and the top end isnt the best..
I am sure one will pop up on the buy & sell
I have a 17m North Dyno... Its aimed at racing..but from my experience on it, it's not a super high aspect fast kite, it actually sits back in the window a bit with plenty of park and ride power, and excellent top end. Not sure what the 15m is like. but it'be indefinably worth a try.
Select to expand quotekemp90 said..
Hey mate. I have I 15m ts. It's such a good kite for waestyle. It turns quite quick for its size, that's on the mid size bar too. Probably turn quicker on the big bar. I feel with this kite to get good unhooking pop I need 14-15 knots. I have been out in 10 knots but not doing anything fun.
The only bad thing about this kite. The bridle can get caught a out the tip on a heavy crash, (this only happens if you relaunch a perticula way).
They do make a 17m bur I haven't used it myself.
Ozone zephyr is a sweet kite also.
I got a 15m TS too...I always thought big kites are boring and just pull you downwind until I tried it. At your weight I'd say min 12 knots on surfboard and 15-16 knots for a twintip.
Never had the bridle caught but I can see how that could happen. Only thing I found is that you have to pump it up to the max or it might jellyfish quite a bit in gusts...
Hi Dave. I bit the bullet a few years ago from small kites only... To getting a large kite in my quiver. Over here towards the end of the season or when winds turn more East, you can ride a bigger kite especially if there is a current running. I demo'd a blade fat lady 2nd generation which was new out then, and ozone zephyr. I can't remember which model zephyr (2013 I think,) but the zephyr was much improved the following year. I went with the blade which I have since sold. I had 7 & 10m 2014 reos that year (the grunty ones) and the fat lady gave an extra few knots of bottom end over the 10 reo. Fat lady was 9-17kn. I felt overpowered at times on it, and the comment you made about not pulling, makes me think this may not be your best option especially if the wind kicks a bit. I now have a 2015 12m reo as my light wind kite which I love. It has great range and gets me out if it's the least bit kiteable. 11-20kn for me, comfortable on a surfboard. It's range surprises me and the '15 reos still fly well when depowered. I am 10 kegs less than you though. Not sure how grunty your best are, but maybe a cheap second hand 12-14m may do it. I found stepping up to 14 to 17m kites was only getting me 1-2kn max more for a significant loss of performance and reduced top end. For onshore waves, I could pull slack to get the lip easily on the reo, where as with the fat lady you end up more where it wants. I felt like I was just doing too much mowing on it! One of my mates purchased an old 14m Nash seagull new for $100 on here, and he makes it work. Mind you, he goes red when he has to fight the octopus to pump it up. There are some decent brands of kites that have poor resale, maybe look at one of those. I know nothing about switch, but for price alone, I'd try and demo one from one of their riders. Sorry for the rant, but maybe something you can use. 
thanks for all the replies. Seems its still the same thing that you sacrifice a hell of a lot of performance after 13m kites for 1-2 knots extra.???
Got a few options in mind now. 
Hi Dave,
I like my switch helium 18m for anything under 20kt. When the white caps build I move to my 10m nitro4. I'm in Esperance at the moment but in a week or so I'll moving to Perth thru the summer if you want to give mine a go. Can't beat it for $1000 delivered and no tax.
