Bigdog wrote: ↑Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:31 pm
I agree the simpler the better. Too funny seeing people dragging a foilboard, surfboard and TT plus even different type of kites to match each board style!
Well, I'll play devil's advocate.
I spent 6 years on a two kite quiver. One surfboard 70% and a TT the other 30. One snowboard in winter. Pretty much as simple as it gets. One bar.
Foiling changed everything.
I now have 10 kites. Two surfboards, one TT, one snowboard, one foil, 6 bars. Sounds complex, but in reality it isn't. It's really just way better. I get way way way more sessions. More than double. Almost never ride underpowered, but the real key is having pretty much the perfect set up for any given day. I spend very little time deliberating.
In actual fact, more than ever, I'm on one kite and one board. only its a smaller kite than it's ever been and I'm almost never under or over powered. The range of an 8m kite and foil is so large that it's prime for most of our conditions. Have a bigger foiling kite for the real dry spells and a smaller foiling kite for certain days, and they both overlap the 8m heaps.
Initially with foiling I wanted to keep it simple. Use the same kites and even a multi purpose board, but it doesn't take long to see the light. It's a completely different animal. Deserving of dedicated kites and boards. Doing it 80% of the time ruled out the idea of compromise gear.
That was the turning point that allowed me the freedom to truly embrace specialist gear. The "freeride" kite market is great, but that's where the rat race is. No one rushes to upgrade their C kite quiver year after year. Once I stopped looking for the perfect do it all kite. I was free to leisurely pick away at the used kite market and collect a quiver of specialists that do their thing every bit as well if not better than the latest and greatest jack of all trades. All for next to nothing. C kites, Pure wave kites, winter beaters and ultra light kites for foiling. Perfect short board, perfect wake board, snowboard and foil. There is loads of crossover, and if there is even the remote chance the conditions will change enough to warrant a gear swap you take a kite that will straddle two board types. Again, reality is way simpler than it sounds on the face of it. At home, I nearly never have to change gear. It's foil foil foil, or just very obviously the wake set up. At the beach, its only ever a board swap from surfboard to foil or back. Thats it. Winter, it's obvious. Best part is that I'm super stoked to get on the surf, or wake set up when I can, and It's is absolutely never underpowered. That is key!!
Indecision and wasted time on the beach are not to be blamed on gear. Only a bad carpenter blames their tools.
I have way more gear these days, I spend most of my time on one set up, but I enjoy those few days on the other stuff sooooo much more than I ever used to. They are all highlight session on the right gear for the conditions.
Bonuses:
Most of my gear gets very little use and will likely never wear out. I have one main kite to turn over every couple years to stay safe and current.
When something breaks, I have loads of back up. Not just on the day, but for the leisurely few weeks it might take me to find the perfect replacement.
I have three 6's a 7 and three 8's. Most of which I'm happy to lend to a competent casual faced with the limitations of their minimalist 9/12 quiver !