Big air and waving quiver advice

[Jvwesemael]

Hi All,

Combining big air with wave is a real brainer to me, really hope to get some nice insights!

I currently ride EVO 2019: 11, 9, 7. I am mainly into old school big air and want to pick up on waving. Ride north sea waves, so they are not to big. For my twintip big air its a combination of sea and lake [choppy] Am really happy with Duotone kites, so want to try and keep riding this brand.

Now I am struggling how to combine wave and big air in one quiver. The EVO will be good in waves, but as it has a lot of power in the turns so could be more difficult to keep the rail, so a small NEO might be the better option.

Let me tell you my choices and thoughts on the quivers: [I am 80 KG, 6 years kiting every week]

EVO 11 and 8 plus a neo 5: Think I can hold an 8 up to 45 knts and the 11 meter should get me going soon. Think the 8 might be the best boaster in the EVO quiver and can be great for waving as it has a little less power in the turn than the 9m. Lastly the neo 5 will be great in waves on the high wind days.

EVO 12, 9, 6: Pro the 12 will give me more lowend [does it make a big diff? Heard that as the 11 is faster it will jump just as high as the 12 in low winds.] and the 9 and 6 will be good for waves and big air as well. Although I will be missing out on the 8 which I think is a pitty as the high end is
better than the 9 and the 6 is I think a bit small for big airs.

EVO 13, 10, 8 plus a neo in the future : Will an EVO 13 jump nicely, or is it to slow and is build mainly for heavier riders? I flown a rental cabrina switchblade 14 in light winds and that did not jump at all. Positive of a 10 is that it will give me more hangtime for oldschool trickery and the 8 will allow me to practice my waving nicely although it does mean that I will have to buy a smaller wave kite in the future when my skills develop and I want to fly in bigger winds.

Thanks a lot for your views!

Jeroen.

[Exal]

Hi Jeroen! I am not an experienced kiter but I talked to a lot of riders, shops and watched a lot of kiting since I started the sport last year. What you should be focussing on is your riding style in my opinion. If you need a kite that drifts really nicely, meaning you have a smaller kite and want to surf the waves mainly and not get pulled to much, then a Neo might be a great addition. If you don't need that I can't see why the evo wouldn't be perfect! I ride the 2018 Neo but only did a couple downwinders so far and am still learning wave riding. I am getting a 12m Evo this weekend and will be in the netherlands

[nothing2seehere]

Just an observation but it looks like you want to do big air in the light winds when the waves are cleaner and then surf in strong winds when its easier to go big and the waves are lumpy. Have you considered swapping that around? You'd have something like Neo 12, Evo 9, Evo 7?

[Jvwesemael]

Hey N2SH,

Actually I like to boost in lighter and more wind. I boost in wind from 17 to gust 45 knots.

Most time the waves are big on the north see when the wind is up, so that is also when I wave.

[Matteo V]

I ........ want to pick up on waving.

So you said that you want to combine big air and waving? At the same time?

Most aspiring kitesurfers look to strapless. This is pretty much the opposite of big air and being strapless really restricts you to "Bottom turn, smack the lip, bottom turn, smack the lip, repeat, repeat, repeat" in the waves. I highly recommend trying this just a little bit, but only do it later in your directional experience. First, you should learn the strapped jibe. By doing this, you also get some experience with how straps change the equation when used to their full potential. And if you go strapped with a directional board that has good "pop", you may like boosting with a kitesurfboard enough to break the board - along with 1 or 2 of it's replacements. Still fun though.

The next thing I would say is that you should not change your kites until you have a really good strapped jibe down, along with at least a bit of experience strapless. Stick with what you know and change only one variable at a time. If you do get new feeling kites, spend some time on them with a familiar board before you move on.

I flown a rental cabrina switchblade 14 in light winds and that did not jump at all.

There are still kites that I fly occasionally that I can't make jump. But others do fine with them. More experience on those unfamiliar kites will help you understand the timing unique to each design. Don't discount a kite (or board) just because it does not feel good on the first day you ride it.

[mkNY]

I dont think your issue is the kite type. EVOs are pretty good at everything (including drift).
On days you want to ride waves just pick one size smaller kite, so that you are slightly underpowered on TT, but comfortable on a surfboard.

If your 7 is still to powerful on days you want to surf just get a 5 (could be EVO or NEO).

By the way move your steering pigtails to the soft setting on days you want to surf, it makes the EVO a bit softer and faster turning, which should help on a surfboard.

[purdyd]

I have the 9,8,7,6 meter 2018 evo’s and pretty much use them only in waves on surfboards or light wind foiling.

I had the 8 and 6 neo from the same year and prefer the evo in waves. They both drift well, but the neo has a bit more turning ability when drifting.

The evo is faster turning, has lighter bar pressure, and hooked back up faster after a drift.
I really didn’t like the neo when it was slightly underpowered, and the high bar pressure would wear me out.

I didn’t notice as much difference in the 6meter size, that’s generally a lot of wind and doesn’t happen that often for me.

Anyway I don’t think the evo is going to limit your wave riding. The power is very manageable in a turn or off the lip.


I’d go 11 8 6

I’d hate to give up the 8 which as you noted is a sweet size.

Back in my big air days a 10 meter kite would have been my goto. I’d be tempted by the rebel 10 meter for a big air kite.

I personally think the bigger kites I were to slow to really boost and were really for bigger guys.

An 11m or 10m on a surfboard gives you some pretty good low wind capability and the evo 8m is a real nice size for beginning foiling should you decide to add that option.

If you are holding the 8m down in 45 knots, that is impressive. I’d be staying home in that wind.

I think the conventional wisdom is to build your quiver around your most used size.


10 rebel and 8 evo?

[Jvwesemael]

Hi purdyd!

Thanks for your experience. Sounds good. We get storms here where the constant wind is in de high 30ties and the gust easily over 40. When they reach high forties I stay home as well.but the last time the constant wind was high 30ties I had an epic session on the see here, super stoked! The evo is so stable, just gives you a lot of confidence.

Very good to hear that you only wave with it. Was rooting to hear someone with that experience and good to hear that you like them so much.

The 8 and the 6, what do you think my wind window would be on a surfboard?

And you say the 10 rebel. I thought about that as well, tested it once but found it had so much power. Do you think it is lively enough? In for example 23 knots on a sea? I like the evo as it is very playful and have the feeling the rebel isn't of should I revisit it?

Thanks!

Jeroen

[Jvwesemael]

Hi Jeroen! I am not an experienced kiter but I talked to a lot of riders, shops and watched a lot of kiting since I started the sport last year. What you should be focussing on is your riding style in my opinion. If you need a kite that drifts really nicely, meaning you have a smaller kite and want to surf the waves mainly and not get pulled to much, then a Neo might be a great addition. If you don't need that I can't see why the evo wouldn't be perfect! I ride the 2018 Neo but only did a couple downwinders so far and am still learning wave riding. I am getting a 12m Evo this weekend and will be in the netherlands

Hi,

Nice. On holidays? The wind might pick up this wind, so you can take that kite for a spin!

[plummet]

Wave and big are opposite goals. You will have to compromise one or both. Try a 3 strut multipurpose kite. I fly ozone. In that range it's the Enduro.

Ps look at getting a mutant then you can do wave and boost at the same time.