Forum for kitesurfers
-
Osprey1
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:38 am
- Local Beach: Golden Gardens, Richmond Beach, Double Bluff
- Favorite Beaches: Double Bluff, The Hatchery, Damon Point
- Style: Freeride
- Gear: Naish, Board Riding Maui
- Brand Affiliation: None
- Location: Seattle
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
7 times
-
Contact:
Postby Osprey1 » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:23 pm
What do you think kiting will look like in 2023? Please give your thoughts
What will the gear look like?
Will it still be a growth sport or will it be waning in popularity? (Will there be more beach bans, etc?)
-
Toby
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 50528
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 1:00 am
- Kiting since: 2000
- Weight: 95 kg
- Local Beach: Cumbuco, Brazil
Barra do Cauipe, Brazil
- Favorite Beaches: same
- Style: Airstyle
- Gear: Rebel 2015 18
- Brand Affiliation: None.
- Location: World (KF Admin)
-
Has thanked:
842 times
-
Been thanked:
2404 times
-
Contact:
Postby Toby » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:48 pm
50% of the companies offer a microloop as add on
-
Osprey1
- Frequent Poster
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:38 am
- Local Beach: Golden Gardens, Richmond Beach, Double Bluff
- Favorite Beaches: Double Bluff, The Hatchery, Damon Point
- Style: Freeride
- Gear: Naish, Board Riding Maui
- Brand Affiliation: None
- Location: Seattle
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
7 times
-
Contact:
Postby Osprey1 » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:56 pm
I think the tube LE might be gone and 3 line kites will be in vogue. Plus we will have configurable kite sizes and kites that adjust better to how you want to ride that day ie freestyle vs surf. Also canopies will get lighter and tougher. Just wonder if the sport will die like windsurfing has
-
BWD
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 3849
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 3:37 am
-
Has thanked:
2 times
-
Been thanked:
81 times
Postby BWD » Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:00 pm
Technology let kiting explode: pc, internet and a loft in china = fast cheap prototypes, less capital and fast growth compared to old style manufacturing.
It seems like the need for seamstresses and hand finishing keeps the model where it is. Along with tariffs, surf or garment type marketing, distribution channels....
Future:
Better software hardware and materials change the industry.
More knowledge = getting the job done (often better) with less materials (5 to 3 to 2 to 0 struts may be a contemporary example).
Local laser cutting of panels and assembly with more glue and less stitching reduces hand-finishing to the point it becomes economical to do it in US and europe.
One piece seamless braided tubes.
Download free or paid design files, tweak to your needs -perhaps with guidance from a local pro- and transmit to the loft. A week or two later, your new custom kite is done.
Some might choose to save half the price and have glued together panels shipped in 3 days to to finish themselves, if they have the knack but not the cash.
But if/when a good enough glue and cloth combination arrives, it could become a cut and paste proposition.
-
JGTR
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 1547
- Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:28 pm
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
0
Postby JGTR » Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:39 pm
Kites will still be faster, quicker turning, better low end than the previous years
-
kazama-fury
- Medium Poster
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:21 pm
- Brand Affiliation: None
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
0
Postby kazama-fury » Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:02 pm
power of a 20m, fast as a 7m
-
Peter_Frank
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 12795
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:00 am
- Brand Affiliation: None
- Location: Denmark
-
Has thanked:
1022 times
-
Been thanked:
1193 times
Postby Peter_Frank » Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:12 pm
Osprey1 wrote:I think the tube LE might be gone and 3 line kites will be in vogue. Plus we will have configurable kite sizes and kites that adjust better to how you want to ride that day ie freestyle vs surf. Also canopies will get lighter and tougher. Just wonder if the sport will die like windsurfing has
???
Windsurfing has not died here...
There are still some going 100% for windsurfing.
AND, most of the former windsurfers has converted to kitesurfing now, so the number of "active" surfers are not going down at all
So a change for the majority of windsurfers into kitesurfing, and still some windsurfing - so here nothing has "died", just converted to kitesurfing as it has more advantages in our area
Peter
-
peterheirman
- Medium Poster
- Posts: 170
- Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 10:17 am
- Local Beach: 2002
- Brand Affiliation: None
-
Has thanked:
0
-
Been thanked:
0
Postby peterheirman » Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:37 pm
As price of crude oil will rise kites will become expensive
As China will no longer be cheap production kites will have to be made in other countries
As the dollar will at least have halved in value thanks to:
- money printing of the Fed (QE3, QE4 = $85 billion-a-month program)
- loss of trust in Dollar resulting in the Dollar is no longer used for international trade.
This will make kite surfing an exclusive sport - the poor better go playing gold or soccer.
Think $4000 to $5000 for a kite + bar
Kite design: in order to lower production costs 2 strut kites for high winds ad zero strut kites for low winds.
Hence let's all go SUP and paddle on woodies made by a local wood shaper.
-
Eduardo
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2003 2:41 pm
- Kiting since: 2003
- Favorite Beaches: Anywhere with a left break
- Style: waves and foiling (X big-air junkie)
- Gear: Ocean Rodeo and Cabrinha kites. North and Slingshot boards. Lift foils.
- Brand Affiliation: None
- Location: World Traveler
-
Has thanked:
23 times
-
Been thanked:
31 times
Postby Eduardo » Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:51 pm
2003-2008 saw huge changes in every aspect of design.
2008-2013 less so - I wouldn't cry if I had to keep using 2008 kites but I would never want to go back to 2003.
So I think we'll see slow evolution. Maybe more flexibility for riding styles so that one kite can be re-tuned or adjusted to make it go from one style to another and manufacturers could consolidate their product lines into 2-3.
-
Toby
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 50528
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 1:00 am
- Kiting since: 2000
- Weight: 95 kg
- Local Beach: Cumbuco, Brazil
Barra do Cauipe, Brazil
- Favorite Beaches: same
- Style: Airstyle
- Gear: Rebel 2015 18
- Brand Affiliation: None.
- Location: World (KF Admin)
-
Has thanked:
842 times
-
Been thanked:
2404 times
-
Contact:
Postby Toby » Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:17 am
kazama-fury wrote:power of a 20m, fast as a 7m
please not!
Better this way: a 7m as slow as a 20 !
Less injuries for normal riders!
Return to “Kitesurfing”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Baidu [Spider], BillyGoatGruff, Bing [Bot], Brent NKB, Cheoz0r86, chidism, Da Yoda, dp19, Google [Bot], GregK, ham-er, jjm, max, MKM, notamondayperson, Peter_Frank, Pitu, PullStrings, Sander O and 384 guests