Why doesn't someone make a classic C-kite that also has attachment points for bow-style bridles and a bridle system that can be easily attached or removed? This kind of "convertible" kite would have the proven stability of the C-kites, and with bridles would have enough depower for beginners or wave...

I've been riding the Cabal SX 51 for the last two seasons, and it is the most fun I've ever had kiteboading -- flat water, surf, high wind or light wind. My local shop (Storm Warning) has the Cabal Fire 50's in stock, but I'm going to wait until next week, when they're supposed to be getting the Cab...

Kite loops are easier apparently but don't look as extreme. Just my 2 cents. Unhooked kiteloops with a bow kite are just as extreme as unhooked kiteloops with a c kite. But with a bow, intermediates can do the lame hooked-in sheeted-out kiteloops while they're learning, so that they spend less time...

I started out on 2-line Wipika Classics. When the 4-line kites came along, I absolutely hated the chicken loop, so I rigged my new 4-lines on a bar with a fixed harness line and no chicken loop. I rode for a full year that way before I took the time to get used to the chicken loop, but now I love it...

The longest lines that I've used were 65 meters on a 19m Fuel. Super long lines are great for light wind. You can do really large power strokes to generate apparent wind from the kite, and the cool thing about such long lines is that the whole time that you're sining the kite, it's still very much i...

I don't think my riding style is really compatible with the Crossbow. It requires you to use sheeting more to control your power, I would rather use edging. Wouldn't it be easy to add a fixed harness line for powered wakestyle, then just unhook for psycho gusts, or when on a wave at the coast, or l...

I have no doubt that SS are going to bring out a Bow type kite. It just does not exist yet. It has existed for some time -- much longer than you would guess. Real people have been testing them in the Gorge this summer, but mostly in very low visibility areas. It's not damage control -- they just li...

http://www.sskiteboarding.com/6-preview-freeride.htm

Maybe this new bar for the Slingshot Turbo Diesel will be the answer to all of the bow bar complaints.

http://www.sskiteboarding.com/6-preview-freeride.htm

The cat is out of the bag.

The Cabal SX51 is really cheap (about $219 in most shops) and is great for super light wind, or even super high wind. Jaros, in my experience, the very large SX 51 is NEVER too big. I actually ride it in 35 Knots+ on a 3m LEI with 12m lines, and it never gets out of control. One board that is extrem...