Have lei kites gotten any better in the last 6 years?

[edt]

Ok fair call. Ill define what a call better. I see kites getting more specific and getting good at one specific goal. But there overall performance hasn't increases.
Ie make it drift better it just worse or goes upwind worse. Makes something and awesome jumper it becomes a worse drifter.

What I had hoped would have happened in 6 years is that a particular kite model would have improved in all areas. Ie jumps better, turns better, has more depower, drifts better. But this doesn't appear to be the case.

It's bullshit that they make kites jump higher but get rid of everything else I love about a kite brand, in particular the linear response, direct feel, smooth handling. I don't care if a kite drifts, but that too, they want to make it jump higher and don't care if it drifts well. I guess it's give the customers what they want and all they want is a garbage kite that jumps higher than it did last year. I wish I could afford to buy ozone kites, they know how to make some really fantastic kites. It sucka cs too that North got rid of the 5 line rebel what a great kite. Anyway, the sport is new, I'm sure there some crazy new development that is coming nobody will foresee, as big in the sport as the bridle, someone tinkering in their garage will bring it out and change the sport.

[GraemeF]

In my daydreaming and pencil on back of serviette scribblings I've often pondered on a sort of twin skin foil lei hybrid, to give the foil platform more protection against wind sheer and shifts. Probably be a bit too expensive for mainstream use but could possibly find favour in race foiling.

[PullStrings]

Why stop at 6 years let's go 16 years back.....i had one of those....Wipika Hydro 2002...and the next year 2003 the much improved Hydro + ...gets better every year !

Read reviews then....and it sounds same as now



http://www.realwatersports.com/news/wipika/

http://hanglos.fr/news/25792/test-wipik ... +-111.html


We need a time machine to go check the future kites of 2034

[Tone]

yes. End of argument.

[FLandOBX]

I see kites getting more specific and getting good at one specific goal.

Perhaps that's what the market increasingly wants?

I agree. Changes are generally market driven. There's always a need for all-around beginner kites, but, after that, experienced kiters develop specific needs and desires as they develop their riding styles. My kite requirements 6 years ago are different from today (wish I could buy a new quiver every year!). Most manufacturers try to have a kite model that addresses the beginners and each advanced niche (waves, wakestyle, airstyle, etc.).

I think Plummet is right that an improvement in one aspect of performance may decrease performance in another area, but the market seems to want those trade-offs because experienced kiters develop specialized styles and, in turn, want specialized kites.

One area that has seen great improvement over the past 6 years is durability. The material used on today's kites is stronger and lighter. The valves and one-pump connectors are also more reliable (max-flow inflate/deflate valves are a big improvement, IMHO).

[wingnut]

If you were to compare apples to apples, as they say, my experience with the North Rebel has been that there have been significant improvements in that particular design over the years. I happen to have some 6 year old Rebels and have ridden on the new model and it is definitely better. Most of the development came in the first 4 years of the SLE kites. I flew my old 6m 1st generation Naish Boxer (2007?) in the summer and omg it was not exactly fun. twitchy with high bar pressure, we have come a long way in my opinion. By 2011 almost every manufacturer was up to a reasonable performance level whether they did the R&D or just copied other makers designs. Since then it seems there has been a tuning for purpose to accommodate more styles that's been a bonus for the sport.

[plummet]

You need to try a few more then, and with my salesman's hat on I'd point you at a GTS or XR series from Core, there's many a surprised Ozone rider not believing that there could be such an improvement.

No core kites at my local to test. But I'd have to test 2012 core compared to 2018 core. This is not a thread about what brands a better. More about what improvements have been made over the years.

[GraemeF]

You need to try a few more then, and with my salesman's hat on I'd point you at a GTS or XR series from Core, there's many a surprised Ozone rider not believing that there could be such an improvement.

No core kites at my local to test. But I'd have to test 2012 core compared to 2018 core. This is not a thread about what brands a better. More about what improvements have been made over the years.

Can't help you there, back in 2012 I was telling the world to buy Slingshot and how much better they were this year than last but in truth still riding 2009 RPMs, that kite was a bit of a game changer, but before the 6 yr cut off. These days Core is my only point of reference and then only since 2014 so I've experienced only minor improvements, but improvement nonetheless, the XR3 to the XR5 seems quite significant and enjoyed by customers. Whereas the 2012 Rally to the 2014 to all intents and purposes was retrograde in many folks eyes, it's also rumoured that Naish have something a little special this upcoming season but I'm that out of touch I couldn't for the life of me tell you what it's called.
But the fact remains, lots of brands are making lots of improvements constantly, I would imagine there is a world of difference between the Bandit dos and whatever version Bandit they are on now for instance.

[knotwindy]

Let's look at established brands who have been manufacturing the same model kite for years.

My direct comparison is comparing the 2012 8m catalyst (which I own and need to replace) with the 2018 8m enduro. The Enduro is slower to turn, drifts worse, has more reinforcement and doesn't hang in the sky as well. It does have more power and jumps better than my old 2012 kite. All and all for me it's a decrease in performance from my old banged up 2012 kite.

If it has more power and jumps better but turns slower, maybe get one size smaller for a better comparison?
just sayin’

[LiquidXtasy]

I think the changes over the last couple of years have been very minor. I see some companies offering better canopy materials that are stronger and lighter, and other companies are changing their kites to make them fly better. But besides these minor changes, no ground breaking technology has really happened within the last 6 years, except for maybe the click bar and the introduction of foiling.

l honestly think that we have reached a level that we are going to be on for a very long time. A inflatable bladder seems to be the set cornerstone for all kite construction, and I just can't see it going any other way. Because if we start making kites out of any other materials, then they wouldn't be able to fold them up and put them in a back pack, or they won't be as durable.

That's why I don't give into the hype that any company tries to sell to me, because as soon as you by something new what's going to happen next year? They will come out with a brand new kite that they will try to sell you again.

Now I can understand buying a good board and a good harness, but for a kite and bar and lines, they will always come and go.

Enjoy your gear, and make the most out of it, and when it eventually breaks, just buy new gear.

All these guys that worry about having the latest and the greatest all the time are the ones that are trying to find excuses as to why they suck so bad. No, maybe if you get out there and make the most out of your gear you wouldn't have this problem...