Hi Folks,
I learned on early Arcs in ~2004 and haven't bought a new kite since 2008 but I've been looking at upgrading to new kit recently. I've been considering a few options including some modern bows but I kinda miss the floaty locked in power of a foil, I'm just a bit out of the loop with sizing, depower and maybe sanity so I'm gathering opinions from users.
I'm a heavy 240lbs currently (getting lighter but won't ever be <200) and don't really want it for a light wind kite (would be a bonus), but I have a range of boards from 120TT to 180cm celeritas which might help at the low end. I do have local winds in the region of 12-30kts, often gusting 8kts in any situation, and a few tight launching spots with grassy or very lumpy line paths.
I'd been considering the 12m to start with as it seems this will cover the bulk of the range I need (almost a one kite quiver with the board options) from the FS tables but some users suggest launching it toward the upper end would be a no-go (worrying in gusts) and that maybe the low end isn't as usable as the tables suggest either. I've been taken out by a gusty downwind launch of one of the original 1120 Arcs (lofted a LONG way!) and I've been tied in knots with edge launches and front line safety jams too, I've a hefty respect for them and gotten lazy with LEIs being able to be thrown up in any conditions and easily self launched/landed. I know pre-inflation helps but if you don't get it fully pre-inflated and it heads downwind in 25kts I'll probably end up a field away on road!
Does anyone have any opinions from a similar position on the realistic wind ranges and how hard it is to launch in the upper end?