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I used my Naish Flash 4'10 the other day and was blown away by how fast it is - so much faster than anything else short of my Aguera Kite Slalom Board. A great board, fast for boosting and still loose enough for waves. V tempted to get a carbon custom replica made !

Old kit is fine, the marketing department and instructors are doing their combined job if people panic into buying kit under 2 seasons old.

If you are going for value for money then he/you should know your brands and models. Recently I retired a 2009 ozone light xc, fixed 3 valves on it over 4 years. In that time it game me well over 100+ hours for less than 150 dollars. When I consider this against local wake park time, its saved hundreds!

Their limit is when they cease to be enjoyable and increasingly bring frustration, mainly from bar pressure paired with poorer performance as the canopy inevitably dies.

As previously mentioned its the bar/lines/safety release that really matters, and correctly pairing it with older kites that have single front line designs.
Get a nice modern bar, kites only really get weird before 2007.

I started flying old kites as there were too many uncertainties with new kite for such a long time. You only knew that a kite is a good kite after it proved itself through general use for at least one season. Now these times are mostly a thing of the past but I really dont see a difference between the new generation of kites for me as a standard user. I am the limit and not my equipment. I am fine with that.

Now everyone needs to find their own balance on what they want to spend and what equipment they like to use. Remember its not about who goes upwind the furthest / the fastest / the whatever but who has the biggest smile on the face after a session. Typically this are beginners after a great session mowin the lawn ... Perfect.

G

Also conditions. I am much more likely to take an older kite in 15-18 knots than trust one in 35-38 knots. Same for the bar and lines. Just sayin’

OK - REALITY CHECK TIME.

If valves are good and material is good, No problem at all

Take Lou Wainman - he can do stuff 95% of the Kiting World will NEVER be able to do

What year was he Rockin with the 2 line bar ?

New gear and you Pussies still cant do shit

Agree, old gear if not worn/damaged works just great when talking about TT and kiteloops

In terms of depower range for waves (or in general), and in terms of lightwind foiling tubekites, old kites are pretty useless though.

Peter

I have 2008 nemesis kites still in great shape. Would a newer OR bar work with them. The best bar is a low y. I looked at the compatibility chart posted on this forum awhile back and best sites weren't listed.

Meant to say, the best bar is low y