Predictions for Ram Airs in 2019

[bragnouff]

Well, as much as I prefer the feeling of riding with LEIs in the snow, mostly because that's what I'm used to for 95% of the sessions in the year, I can't argue that good foil kites like Ozone's are very well suited to backcountry snowkiting, and some days there's a definite advantage with those.
Foils have and will retain their place in niche markets, like snowkiting, landboarding, top performance sailing. And apart from racing kites, their affordability is pretty much on par with tube kites.

[Surfkiternew]

Foil Will stay on top on snowkite for sure expecially backcountry, thats for sure, in water maybe only for race competition. But very small % care about race competition. For All' the rest they are useless and very Dangerous if in self rescue in water. Luckily 99% people use pump kite in strong Wind and flysurfer are doing good pump kite too like stoke and boost.so Who care about foil decline

[Carlos_C]

Decline....on our beach their use has gone up...mainly for use in sub 18 knts.
and I contest about dangerous - never seen a foil in a death spin......I agree a bit more awkward in self rescue but not dangerous.

[Surfkiternew]

Here until 1/2yrs ago a lot foil kite with foil board now all use strutless or One strut for light Wind ..the Dangerous side is when outside in cold water and Wind drop...in Summer time everytime foil kite cannot relaunch Need to call rescue Emergency boat...pump kite can self rescue most time to the beach...the Emergency service start to complanin due to this problem...this can close the beach to all kiters(here). The advice is please if u are not a pro Racer please buy a pump kite Easy to self rescue and we can kite in the future

[Carlos_C]

When I have had to self rescue - roll kite up - put on board and swim - we don't have rescue boats....but then I learnt how to self rescue - sounds like your foil riders didn't

[Surfkiternew]

When I have had to self rescue - roll kite up - put on board and swim - we don't have rescue boats....but then I learnt how to self rescue - sounds like your foil riders didn't

Probably they cannot swim from more than 1km away from beach...takes hours and in cold water u Can die..with pump kite u Can use as a Wing to come back easy and with less Energy...plus extra floating if Need and visibility from far....so many reason to avoid foil kite when safety its important

[mgs]

Probably they cannot swim from more than 1km away from beach...takes hours and in cold water u Can die..with pump kite u Can use as a Wing to come back easy and with less Energy...plus extra floating if Need and visibility from far....so many reason to avoid foil kite when safety its important

Can we get serious now!
I personally wouldn’t be kitesurfing 1Km from the beach no matter what kite I had unless it was a waist deep lagoon or an organised event that had rescue boats on hand to deal with any incidents.
I have seen kitesurfer's at my local beach being so far out they could drop their kite irrespective of kite type and potentially not be noticed.
The need to be so far out is beyond me...

[Toby]

you should never kite as far as you can swim back. No matter the gear.
And specially in winter don't mis under estimate the cold! Here your energy can drop from 1 km swim to 100m.

I had only to swim 50m back in medium warm water and had no more power...a force wanted to suck me under water...because of the lack of energy.
Luckily it was during an event and the rescue boat rescued me!

BE WARNED!

[Surfkiternew]

you should never kite as far as you can swim back. No matter the gear.
And specially in winter don't mis under estimate the cold! Here your energy can drop from 1 km swim to 100m.

I had only to swim 50m back in medium warm water and had no more power...a force wanted to suck me under water...because of the lack of energy.
Luckily it was during an event and the rescue boat rescued me!

BE WARNED!

The problem is 99% of the time in my spot but not only in mine, i see foil kiters ride far from the beach and in cold too..most of the people dont undestand the risk...thats why maybe a pump can help a bit more in Dangerous situation...i personally stay close as possible to the beach in winter

[Pump me up]

Make them aware of the danger.

Then at least you tried...and if they die one day you did your job...can’t stop real stupidity and ignorance.