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Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

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Kamikuza
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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby Kamikuza » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:39 am

I seem to remember the Deluxes were lighter cos they used some funky material ... but don't quote me on that.

Despite what PMU believes, foil shapes should be more efficient in light winds. I'd guess due to the true aerofoil and the extensive support from bridles - kite keeps it's shape better so pulls more ...

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby FredBGG » Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:36 am

njrider wrote:Great thread everyone. If i were to purchase a flysurfer, is it worth getting the deluxe version. It looks like it will set me back another $500?

Also everyone talks about foils lite wind abilities, is it because some of the kites are 19M? I don't know of any tube kites that large....
The low end abilities of the Speeds don't only come from the size of the biggest.

The Speed 15 will outpreform bigger LEIs

This is becasue the projected area of the Speeds is very high compared to LEIs.

The DeLux fabric is lighter than the regular fabric and for extreme light air it makes a difference.

First of all it will give you more lulll resistance and give you more time to correct error before the kite falls out of the sky.

The kites will also feel a bit more nimble in the air with the delux fabric.

However the standard fabric does a great job as it is. Armin the desigher of the kites totally recommends the delux for snow and skiing where you can use very very low winds.

IMO if you can afford the extra luxury of the light fabric go for it. It has it's advantages. But if you feel it is more than you whant to spend the satandard fabric will still get you better low end than anything else out there.

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby mv » Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:24 am

I just got my first go on a demo Speed 3 15m Deluxe, I was the first rider to get the kite out of the bag. This is a great low wind kite. The wind was 8-12 knots, a little gusty, and I was able to ride with a Session 141 and a skim board. This kite has about the same bottom end as my old Speed 2 19m used to have.

I was able to get a few jumps and rotations on the kite. The hangtime is insane. I got lucky with a good gust and a small wave for a ramp at just the right time and launched a huge jump for 12 knots. Once I got up there I felt like I was paragliding.

I will passing on the Speed 3, however, as it does not match my riding style. The Speed 3 is awesome for big airs and upwind riding. I prefer riding strapless surf boards and skim boards in the waves. The Speed 3 will sort of work in the waves but not very well. The kite will hold its shape if you ride toward the kite but the pull is not the same as the Pulse and does not give you the same feeling riding down the line. The Pulse and Psycho are a much better wave kites. I will be waiting for the Pulse 3 before I make a new purchase.

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby diraklib » Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:53 am

I learned on "LEI's and then wanted to max my time on the water and got a FS SA-2 19m. I was amazed at how it pulled when apparent wind built up. It definitely goes where the LEI's I have will not fly. That said, the SA-19 is huge and can whack you silly if you let it get down wind of you in a low wind launch. It is downright scary - be ready with the QR at all times if not up and riding!!! I will also say that when I got it, I was beginner/intermediate kiting in a place where no one else had tried a foil. I had no advice except off of foilzone - very helpful by the way. I can't say I agree with claims that you can ride the SA-19 in anything lower than a steady 8 knots. At least, I couldn't keep it in the air. I made a personal choice to not ride the SA-19 any more. It went down twice in lulls and managed to bow-tie on the way down - there was no way to relaunch. I was not as lucky as others that self rescued. My kite was full of water by the time I dragged my very tired and frustrated a$$ to shore. It sounds simple, "wrap the lines around the bar, fold the kite in half, roll it up on your board and paddle in"... noooo... there are lines everywhere under water that wrap around your feet as you are trying to manipulate the kite. You just pray that a gust won't pop the kite up and slice of an appendage. The kite works fantastic when it is flying, but is just too scary when it goes down. I will say that relaunch was possible and reliable when the kite went down backwards or with LEI down - no issues there. But if the kite twisted, I was dead in the water. I am sure alot has to do with not having access to resident foil riders and the fact that I wasn't that experienced to start with. My attitude now is - if my LEI won't fly, I shouldn't be on the water. I just don't have the ability to make the foil work and am now too apprehensive to keep trying. It's not about the kite - it's the rider. Are you the type of rider that's willing to commit, do you have other foil flyers at your beach that can help you out?

Anyone interested in a slightly used SA2-19m??? Cheap???

thanks,
db

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby Kamikuza » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:34 am

Yes I am ... how cheap is cheap :D

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby voodoospirit » Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:45 pm

i was in the same cas as u diraklib", i m the only one with foils around here and had to learn on my own, i was a beginner/intermediate and the speed² 15 was my first foil ( i m using ARCs otherwise), the main difference is , i had a full snowkite season to handle the kite and its behaviour before going to the water. that allowed me to pack the kite in the water without much a trouble, but u just have to wrap the lines cautionly (sp?) in the water , especially the bridles. and never pull the front lines when the LE is towards the water (rule #1) otherwise u will force the water into the kite.
the speed3 has shortened bridles and a more tolerant kite ( can be set up likte that more than the speed²) so it s all good for gusty, unstable condition.

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby Sebastian Bubmann » Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:47 pm

Here's a video of the 6m and the 8m PSYCHO4 in Egypt this spring.


Here's an old one of a 6m PULSE2 also with some loops in it ...


And here's another one that's maybe a bit older even but still with some loops of the 10m PSYCHO4 in it as well...


I don't find that looping a RAM is as bad as PMU claims it to be ... :jump:

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby MonkeyAir » Sat Nov 07, 2009 3:42 am

Hey Fred.
That was fun the other day. Digging the chargers. Hey think you left your helmet and impact vest on the beach. A scuba diver called me to say he picked it up. Might be yours or the B hammocks. Now that dress code does give any kite a bad name...snicker...snicker.. The cut off shorts harness is just plain wierd.. We fell over laughing at that one. Maybe some freindly input from you might help and not destroy a certain kites image? Well that and the two foot jumps. Cheezzzzz, lets give him a lesson. Nothing wrong with the kites themselves. Speeds been light wind tool since the first one. Nothing beats an arcs stability and the latest ones have performance like crazy. Dr Stan just called from Kaui raving about the 8 meters insane low end and performance in waves.. It's a C kite, so that really says a lot about the design. Stan is another from early day kiter like myself and has tried a lot of stuff.

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby FredBGG » Sat Nov 07, 2009 4:55 am

Oh Crap... that was my life vest and Helmet...

Any idea what the diver did with the stuff? Where I can get it?

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Re: Foil kite vs. inflatable kite

Postby voodoospirit » Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:06 pm

Monkey, happy with the Charger, wayy better than the synergy? on every sides?


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