What is best light wind kite?

[Tom183]

The ultimate setup for a rider your size is a Speed 2 15M (you are too light for the 19M) and a Spleene Door. This combo will have you riding around 7-8 mph.

If money is not a concern... In which case you could get the S2 15m in the Silverarrow fabric and have a kite that stays up in 2-3kts.

[biggins]

hmmm, if you don't like foils(which the SA19 is just amazing) then I'd say the contra and a BIG board.

Spleene has a monster door that's 164x50 and is pretty flat.

I used to own that Olry you have and it has a lot of rocker making it pretty damn slow...yes it's floaty, but the flatness of the new boards gives you more speed.

Another option, since you mention surf is to just get a longboard(surfing) and go strapless with a 9-12m kite and enjoy! That's your cheapest option with a used board probably.

But for actually kiting with speed and maybe even jumps...big/wide board and I guess the Contra would probably do you good at your weight if you don't like foils.

j

[windyway]

Am I getting the message that no LEI beats the Contra in lightwind?
I thought the Sonic was a contender. Anything else before I buy?

[endorphin]

Ram lovers keep circulating their lies. We know ram lovers are prone to exaggeration and just plain misinformation eg see the following thread: Ram airs jump 8m in 8 knots ("The future is bright, the future is foil")

Ram airs are NOT better light wind kites than inflatables. Modern inflatables perform MUCH better than ram airs in light winds.

If you read any of the threads on this forum, even some from Toby himself, you will see that inflatables outperform ram airs in light winds. eg I think it was Toby who described how a Rhino2 20m was staying upwind while equivalent Titans were drifting off downwind.

Ram airs are inferior light wind kites because they:
1 Have excessive drag, compromising the Lift/Drag ratio
2 Turn VERY slowly
3 Have incredible inertia. The Speed 2 19 contains over 11kg of air in its pockets, compared to about 3kg in the Waroo 20m.
4: In wind dropouts, you're much better off with an inflatable.

Despite what anybody tells you, you won't really have fun on any kite (ram air OR inflatable) unless the wind is over about 8 knots. This is the starting point for BOTH ram airs and inflatables, but because of the reasons I've outlined above, inflatables are vastly superior. And this is just the starting point. You won't really be having fun until it hits about 10 knots on an inflatable OR a ram air.

For the definitive light wind comparison, check out the thread on the light-wind show down in San Diego.

Ignore the lies. Ram airs are aerodynamically inferior compared to inflatables.

you can still go upwind with a silverarrow 19m and a big board while no tubekites on this planet will stay in the air or fly.

[endorphin]

Am I getting the message that no LEI beats the Contra in lightwind?
I thought the Sonic was a contender. Anything else before I buy?

imho, the contra is the best light wind inflatable on the market!

[rossc]

I just went through this. I fly an Ion2 quiver, but the 16.5 Ion2 really needs 10+. That means when you hit a lull, you can't ride through it. When I look at a low wind kite, I look at relaunch. Who cares if you can ride the kite at 5mph if it won't relaunch. My solution was a 17m TD2. It relaunches in nothing. If you can feel wind, it will relaunch. I'm 240lbs and I can ride that kite at 6mph on a JL Flightdeck.

[BJkitesurf]

Am I getting the message that no LEI beats the Contra in lightwind?
I thought the Sonic was a contender. Anything else before I buy?

imho, the contra is the best light wind inflatable on the market!

Second to Endorphion !!!!

[DrLightWind]

imho, the contra is the best light wind inflatable on the market!

Second to Endorphion !!!!

I confirm that's true, no sh!t, it makes you hmmmmmm........
Because I just had first time an hour session on the 14m Contra Bow3
in 8 -10 mph average winds, gusting once in while 12 so take this with a grain of salt.
The best L.E.I. Type I've flown so far of this size.
Upwind better than last year's of the same size.
Steering speed improved also, believe it or not it is close to the last year's 12m what I used to have.
If sine it only couple of times the apparent wind acts on your kite = shredding
I don't know why because it doesn't feel big like a 14m as multiple loops are so easy.
No more Transition Stall-Outs even in light wind.
Better low end with pulling power.
No bar pressure in light winds but you start feeling in higher gusts,
still much less than the X-Bow 16m.
Normal relaunch is easy so as from the Trailing Edge by pulling the front lines.
Boosting about 10 feet in 12 -13 gusts is incredible (with my weight)
That's it for now, no + or -

CU: DrLightWind

[ian c]

The best light wind kite is the one you sell to fund your move to somewhere windier

less than 13 knots? sounds painful...

[DrLightWind]

The best light wind kite is the one you sell to fund your move to somewhere windier

less than 13 knots? sounds painful...

Hhaha...for me 13 knots is already bliss from heaven,
So what if U have the right kite and combo for the conditions
Therefore, why not leave it to one's own will to decide what is painful or what is plesure