Big kites on twin tips. Are they worth it?

second that was out on a laluz 132 in 12 knts on the fat lady. The fat lady is really nice for unhooked, I was quite impressed with that. I hear the zephyr is similar... I think when you are close to 100 pies it's much better than buying a 12... these kites have real potential with their higher ends nowadays. I did not go for an edge or a dyno cause to me they just were for mowing the grass (race kites not as all terrain than others)... can't unhook really with those kites... but if you just like to cruise then a race kite may be better... In the end ac17 is right, a good sized board defo gives you a couple knots extra on the low end...

Yeah but 15knots isn't exactly light wind eppo. There are some guys out on 12's in 15 knots.

... big kites are not "big" kites nowadays! What I mean by that is they might have a bigger number written on the side but they don't act like "big" kites of yester-year. They are light years better now. I've had mostly big kites as my bread and butter size my whole kiting career and man they are fantastic now. Coupled with great top end, what more do you need.

Oh, and big boards are not "big" boards nowadays too, even boards have made big improvements. Taking my Sector 60 V2 as an example, it goes in near f all wind and when combined with a decent kite, both feel "smaller" when under way. Flying over the water at speed in 10 knots is way cool. Actually, I know I was only mowing the lawn, but recently no matter where I went, I had so much apparent wind it felt like I was going directly into the wind. Only when I stopped did I realize the wind was in fact not shifting, it was just a heap of apparent wind I was feeling. Pointing down wind is pretty wierd.

Having said all that, its still more fun jumping on a small kite in 25 knots!!!

Tropical winds makes things so much harder so for AC17 you'll need a big kite and a big board and as you can gather from most of us, you'll be smashing those NE's impressing the backpackers for sure.

Cheers,

Robbie :)

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kitebt said..

Yeah but 15knots isn't exactly light wind eppo. There are some guys out on 12's in 15 knots.

I think your missing the point. Sure you can get out in lighter winds on a smaller kite.

But are you powered and ripping it up?

15 knots on a monster kite is heaps of fun. Fully powered 16-18 even better. The glide is glorious!

Big kites are usefull for light winds. but they also very usefull for being well powered in moderate winds. Whats more they are nice and floaty and slow which makes them wicked for practicing tricks if your that way inclined.

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Plummet said..

kitebt said..

Yeah but 15knots isn't exactly light wind eppo. There are some guys out on 12's in 15 knots.

I think your missing the point. Sure you can get out in lighter winds on a smaller kite.

But are you powered and ripping it up?

15 knots on a monster kite is heaps of fun. Fully powered 16-18 even better. The glide is glorious!

Big kites are usefull for light winds. but they also very usefull for being well powered in moderate winds. Whats more they are nice and floaty and slow which makes them wicked for practicing tricks if your that way inclined.

I suppose everyone's different mate but in 11-15 im powered up and ripping on my 13 fury ,yea I've got a few different bigger kites but they only come out in the light stuff ,I like to "ride" a kite not just be dragged around the ocean on a monster ,the 13 is quick and nimble and that's what I like but as I said everyone's different and each to their own.

That being said and in answer to the topic yes they are well worth it ,in the light stuff on a big kite with plenty of lift it's great to get out there and practice new s**t without getting hammered too much ,also in head high glassy surf it's awesome cos it's just so glassy and ramping off a couple of meter swells is magic .

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AUS116 said..

Having been a member of seabreeze for a few years now..it still surprises me that so many of us are so one-sighted to kites, I ride both LEI's and Foils..and well, nothing beats a foil in light winds... www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Light-Wind-Big-Board-Massive-Kite/

Cheers.

There is no denying that foils have an amazing low end but... they are really expensive and the range of use is small... 10 knots with a 20 foil ok... picks up to 15 and good luck... I have personally experienced with my fat lady 6 to 20+ knots: in 6 it floats enough to fly and for you to bring it down gently and land... 10 and you can go, 12 and the unhooked and jumps starts 16 and the big airs are easy as... 20+ knots... time to bring the 10 or 9 to have fun with smaller kites at 90kgs I find it to be a complete quiver: a 17 and a 10. Anything above 35 knots and then I would need a 6 or 7... Once again not pimping as I believe other kites like the zephyr do very well too. I'm really stoked with how light wind kites have progressed and really feel mine was a good investment, it's wort trying and making up your own opinion about these bad boys.

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radman4 said..

AUS116 said..

Having been a member of seabreeze for a few years now..it still surprises me that so many of us are so one-sighted to kites, I ride both LEI's and Foils..and well, nothing beats a foil in light winds... www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Light-Wind-Big-Board-Massive-Kite/

Cheers.

Have also flown foils for years in the past and yes they are efficient in light winds but are very limited by turning speed unlike a great number of new generation Large Lei kites ,the new generation kite have far superior turning ability and a much broader top end wind range thus making them way more fun to ride in surf or for a flat water light wind freestyle session,foils might get you out a little earlier but your not really doing anything except mowing the lawn.

Well I rock a 15m speed 3 for my light wind kite. Then I step into 13m edge..... Why the speed? primarily for my landboarding and buggying. There is no doubt a faster turning lei is better for surfing waves. No doubt at all. But the big arse foil can also be heaps of fun once you come to terms with the slower turning. I'm never going to rip down the line drifting my speed like a little inflatable. NEVER. But man I have some boost, glide, downloop onto the next wave scream down wind while she's looping bust a slam into the lip and then haul upwind again sessions. Its truly magic.

Plus you unroll unwind the lines and launch. No pumping of a massive lei. I'm hitting the water by the time the next dude has finished pumping up his monster!!!...

Each to there own.

PS i'd put the wind range of my 15m speed 3 about the same as a 17 zep. Perhaps its a touch better in the lighter winds...

I am 100kg - ride a 149cm chopstick in waves & flat water in the tropics - onshore & crosshore using a 2013 17m Edge & i throw it around like a little B&^ch !, certainly "not mowing the lawn" as I can boost 5-8m in 13 - 17kts easily. Highly recommend an Edge as a light wind kite & freeride boost weapon - can also be ridden in waves easily as I took my 9m out in 20-30kts + NW'ly in Perth a couple weeks ago on a Nobile NHP twintip - does not drift well at all though.... Have 4 x 2013 Edges & I will look at getting different kites to add to the quiver soon - probably North Rebel & Dice as my mates say they are the best they have used. Have heard great things said about the Zephyr & Dyno also....