Toby wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 17, 2023 11:56 am

That’s why everyone should launch with one hand on the QR.
But 99% don’t do it. Rather have their board in their hand…

When self launching, I'm not even hooked in and just hold onto the chicken loop. Hasn't been a problem even in nuking winds, and makes me feel a lot safer.

I wear a "stinger suit" in Aus - fits fine at 6'2 100kg. Straps for the feet and hands to stop the sleeves riding up. Moderately stupid looking, but not that different from a full wettie, and does the job perfectly.

I wear a "stinger suit" in Aus - fits fine at 6'2 100kg. Straps for the feet and hands to stop the sleeves riding up. Moderately stupid looking, but not that different from a full wettie, and does the job perfectly.

I wear neoprene shorts as extra padding for my seat harness - both without a wetsuit and underneath one. Honestly I'm not sure how much of a difference it would make warmth wise unless you're getting particularly cold bollocks? My impact vest makes a much bigger difference to warmth.

Hat plus hood works for me. I started out with a baseball cap style hat, but the bucket style hats work better. I use a thin rash vest (or stinger suit) with a hood, which can go either above or below the hood. This is for keeping the sun off my neck.

I prefer the PU coated depower lines for exactly that reason - I had some tangles with the naked centrelines, and the PU helps prevent that. I was thinking about maybe going back to the naked setup (easier to mod to give myself a long throw), but this does make me think! I self launch by holding ont...

I use it in waves, but I ride jump kites not surf kites and don't get the chance to ride without kite power. The size I have wouldn't plane any more easily than my old normal sized kiteboard, you have to size the tronics up a heap because of curved outline and extra rocker. The shape of the board ke...

It is one of these, with the pocket. I just hand sewed it shallow with needle and dental floss -- the surface vest has a thin stretchy nylon layer on top, just pierce that not the padding below it. Looks terrible but it has held in there for years, vest is rotting and falling apart around it. :thum...

I sewed in a line cutter sleeve on the inside chest, as that's where you need it should there be an emergency. As for bright colours, reflective tape, etc...all good ideas for safety. If you ever need to be sighted at dusk from a helicopter, that could be a lifesaver. Could you tell me how you did ...

I'm 95kg 1.88m, and ride an older 145x43 tronic. This was the size recommended by the shop when I was a similar weight to you, and seems to be a good allround size. I sometimes wish it was a bit smaller in nuking winds for jumping, and larger in light winds, but I don't think the gear is holding me ...