Best lightwind kite - Infinity, Zephyr or Turbine?

[jpbed135]

Ok - old topic perhaps - but there are lots of new lightwind kites coming on to the market and I am trying to figure out which out of these three is the best: Epic Renegade Infinity (17M?), Ozone Zehpyr (17M) or Slingshot Turbine (17M)? Any thoughts would be appreciated as I don't really have any demo opportunities where I am?

[grantman54]

Where are you located? What board are you going to use with the kite? What windspeed?

I personally haven't tried the Zephyr or the Turbine. But from a reputable source that tested the Turbine and Infinity head to head here is what I was told:

"The Turbine seems to have a little more power but is slower and takes more time to generate power. The Infinity is fast enough so you can work the kite to get moving relatively quickly. The Turbine might get you going in 1mph less than the Infinity."

I have watched both kites fly and it is pretty obvious that the Turbine is slower than the Infinity. But maybe it does have a little more power? The reason why a fast light wind kite matters is because it can allow you to ride on a larger TT. A slower kite will require a floatier board like a directional because the power strokes are so slow. Plus you can actually do some real freestyle with a faster kite.

Just some thoughts.

[Laughingman]

jpbed

I flew the infinity back to back with the zephyr, there is no way in hell they are the same size kite. Infinity is maybe 15m.
1. Infinity, power of a 15m, turns like a 15m... don't let anyone tell yah different (it might actually be slower then a 15m Monkey Griffin) - disclaimer it was the purple/pink one... not sure if there is any difference except colour? Dimitri would know
2. Zephyr, power of a 17m, turns like a world war 2 air ship.

between the two, I would be hard pressed to pick one because I really didn't like either of them. The infinity was obviously faster then the zephyr but it sits very far back in the window (further back then the griffin, which is surprising since it is touted as an upwind machine...?), so unless you are on a low wind specific board (door, surf board etc) it would be very hard to edge up wind (even with one I was struggling). The zephyr is a f'n big kite, biggest kite I ever flew, it got me upwind when the infinity couldn't, but man its like flying a kite in slow motion. The day I was flying these kites was very light. I was on my surf board and a 154cm door so it was a very good day to test, maybe 10 knots at best.
Never tried the Turbine so no comment, but I would add (apparently) the Switch Nitro 14m or 16m racer to your list. I'll hopefully have a first hand account of this kite after this weekend if they let me try it after what I've said above...lol

[KAWIKA]

Another lightwind thread with Infinity as the first kite mentioned mmm sounds a bit fishy to me?
Laughingman when you see the price of the 16 Race it will be basically a no brainer LOL

[jakemoore]

Why start a "best lightwind kite" thread and limit it to these three kites that are certainly good but not -the best- lightwind kite?

[voodoospirit]

get the one that can be relaunched in sub 8knots....(5th line, ERA, whatever that can help)
and get the one with the higher aspect ratio and the best projected area, flat sizes mean crap

[Laughingman]

Another lightwind thread with Infinity as the first kite mentioned mmm sounds a bit fishy to me?
Laughingman when you see the price of the 16 Race it will be basically a no brainer LOL

Meaning it will be inexpensive or expensive?
Assuming you mean inexpensive...
I hope so Kawika, but an inexpensive kite that doesn't perform the way you want is not that inexpensive if you know what I mean, so performance is my first consideration, availability, then price.
I'd pay the upper end of the price range if #1 the kite performed like I wanted it to, #2 it was actually available (this seems to be a problem with smaller kite companies). I hope that is not the case with Switch, but at the moment, the amount of waiting I've been doing for the site to go live is getting a bit old. Fortunately I know a few people that will have the kites this week. If I get a chance to try the Nitro 14m and I like it, I will want it or the 16m in my quiver before the end of next week so I hope they will be available.

[jpbed135]

Thanks for the responses guys. The descriptions of why the Infinity and the Zephyr were both not great was particularly helpful. In reading online stuff and watching vids (very poor substitutes to actual tests/riding) it sounded like these big kites were starting to fly more like smaller kites and so I was starting to consider one as that would be fun. I have no desire whatsoever to fly world war 2 "airships" and so that description was really very helpful. I'll ride my dirt bike instead on those days - at least it's fast and fun!

[voodoospirit]

actually , for a light wind kite, u don t care if it turns like a WW2 ship....
the job need to be done , parked and ride.
if u work it, it s not a lightwind kite or it s not big enough for your weight.

turning speed= waveriding.

[flipper231]

Ok haven't tried the Zeph 2011 but in 2010 the bar pressure was pretty bad, the kite was heavy to move around the sky so if you could not park and ride you were good for an ice pack on the elbow. Good range though but who wants a 17m in 20 knots...really.

i bought the Edge 15m same range as the Zeph (a bit more comfy at the top end but might lose a knot at the bottom), turns heaps faster...As long as you set the rear lines to the aft (closer to TE) connection point. The Zephyr is a better kite to ride powered up on a smaller TT when others ride their big fat TT whereas the Edge is more a kite that wants to be worked but not too aggressively or you will brake during the upturn, you want a rather flat sine if the kite needs more oomp. The EDGE provides a good grunt to get going on the first power stroke and it feels much lighter to work than the Zephyr... Again I just tried the Zephyr 2010, not sure how they changed it for 2011. In sub 10 knots down to 7, the Edge relaunch is fine, I think the Zeph has a lead there... I think in real low winds, I will try to stick a 5th line just in case... But honestly, I have not dropped it out of the sky so far in 3 sessions: 12-19 knots and 7-10 or 11 knots and one wich I think is the real sweetspot of the Edge: 8-13 (according to local windmeters).

I did not like the Zephyr that much but so far i am very happy with the EDGE 15m, can't wait for those light shitty summer winds to see the relaunch, compare it with Zephs 2011 and to regular but still great 14m like the Rebel... And of course to 12s that pull like 15s and turn like 9s.

Oh I weight a round 87 kg and rode the 15m on my fat bastard 150X48 and on a JL 145x43