Another "what should I buy?" post, I´m sorry
I´m 53 yo, 68 kg. / 150 lb. My place is is usually 10 to 25 knots, with some very odd days above these values. The common kite here is 12 - 14 for a 75 kg / 165 lb. rider on a TT.
I´ve been riding since 2007, but there have been lapses with quite few sessions a year due to relocations, work and so on. My progression has been locked in the "intermediate" stage for long. I can ride pretty much any condition, ride toeside for long, different transitions and some basic jumps. Nothing fancy. I´ve been mainly a vacation warrior for some time, riding the odd day at home and using holidays to travel to kite destinies with flat turquoise water (my current place is cold, choppy and waves).
Things have changed and now I am able to ride more frequently, and want to update my gear and progress.
The kite I´ve been using almost exclusively is an old Bandit 2 10 m (yes, velcro QR :-/ ), which I´m quite happy with. I can ride with my 136 TT when people are struggling with their 12s or riding hydrofoils, and I find it powerful, stable and easy to manage. I bought it used and I think the quality was very good (I used other brands back then and were way worse). I´ve only ridden old kites so no real references of how modern kites behave. When I read this or that kite has a light bar pressure, I have nothing to compare with. I´m not sure, but I would say that the Bandit 2 has a direct feeling with a hard bar pressure. I feel it quite direct when I steer, and don´t feel too slow for its size.
So many brands, so many options, so many reviews (and sooo different), I´m really overwhelmed by the information. Just read the 2019 Test Guide from The Kite Mag and it seems the Bandit is the favorite amongst the freeriding kites, but I´m very skeptycal when I see tests wrapped in expensive full-page ads.
I know that asking for comparisons between old and modern kites is probably a nonsense, but I want to at least point in the right direction.
Travelling with my 10 has kept me from renting other kites and had no chances for demos or borrowing, so I´m a bit stuck.
Since most of the spots here have waves and I surfed for long time, I´ve just started to try on a strapless surfboard (just one day), so freeriding + waves will be my aim. I´ve read and heard that specific wave kites are very stable and quite forgiving, so it seems that using one will be the right tool to learn with the directional.
Bandits and Neos are my main options. I´ve found some good deals in 2018 models. But I´m open to other suggestions. I think Evo could be another option, but didn´t find anything from test / used and don´t feel like buying the 2019 Duotone.
Any Bandit users / ex-users out there who can provide some perspective on what to choose from my "old Bandit happy user" point of view? Do current Bandits have the low end of first models? Will them help me to learn on the directional?
Thank you in advance!
). I also have owned Epic, Airush, Blade, Liquid Force and Ocean Rodeo... All that to say my favorite kite to fly is still Bandits. I like a bunch of other kites and models, I own several other brands and models, I own a couple different F-One model kites besides the Bandits. I like all my kites and how they fly in the different styles and conditions I use them for, but for a great time and a do everything really great kind of kite the Bandit kills it and you cant go wrong....