quiver advice: OR prodigy 9.5 vs flite 8/10 for foil + freeride.

[vakiter]

hi, i have a quiver of flites 8/10/12. just picked up a ozone edge 7m for high wind.

i am considering selling the 8/10 and getting a 9.5 prodigy instead. i freeride and foil. i love the flites for their quickness, depower range, and handling when de-powered (especially when on foil). however, they stall a bit when down-wind foiling, and relaunch is challenging when foiling.

thinking to replace the 8/10 with a prodigy 9.5 in hopes that it can drift a bit better, and improve relaunch.

7m edge/ 9.5m prodigy / 12 flite.

open to suggestions, or curious if people have foiled on prodigy 9.5.

(i am 150lbs/68kg and generally ride like a lite-weight, meaning smaller kites then others. )

the flite 8m is kind of a weird kite idea.

[GregK]

Foremost recommendation I'll make it to try before you buy if at all possible. What YOU like in kite is such an individual thing, I doubt anyone here can suggest what YOU will like best.

And IMO I'd forget the Prodigy and replace your Flites with a 10m Aluula Roam.

[vakiter]

yeah if money grew on trees

[adamj2281]

I've flown all of the kites you are referencing, and I'd actually go with either last year's 9.5m Roam or this year's 9. It drifts better than the Prodigy and is great for foiling, the downside is if you are looking to boost, it's not as good as the Prodigy. Roam is a bit quicker I think on pivoting around as well.

[grtlakes]

I own flites (10-12-17) and prodigy kites (8 9.5). I much prefer the flites. I find the prodigy has heavier bar pressure and reacts much slower. Drift is better but self landing can be erratic. To each his own. My buddy loves the prodigy over the flites.
As previously mentioned try before you buy.

[Greenturtle]

Replacing 8 and 10 with one kite,9.5 means less chance you will be in the sweetspot each session, constricts the low and top end range. Unless you rode a prodigy and thought it really clicked for you. Personally I would keep the 8+10 unless they are worn out and in need of replacement.
Ultra light wind relaunch will be about the same with the prodigy, still requiring finesse/opposite front line pull in very light breeze, maybe even a slight advantage to the flites depending on technique used as they are significantly lighter.
Drift would be improved with prodigy, but not like night and day. Flite considering its a higher aspect shape has surprisingly decent drift when its repositioned deep before turning downwind, but yeah the prodigy would drift better.

[vakiter]

thanks for all the useful suggestions. i agree that quiver advice is hard to give, with personal preference so variable, but i learned a lot about kites from reading this forum (like the flite). i kite in rural VA, and trying a kite out is not that feasible. i dont buy new (too much $$), so my method is to buy used around 300-500$, and try sell without much loss if i dont like it.

the flite's light bar pressure is a great feature (especially in winter with gloves).
trying to get a kite that drifts better and still boosts is maybe a lost cause. i was hoping to have one quiver which transitions from foil to boosting as the kite size got smaller. was also looking at dice/enduro 9m.

but maybe i am going to have to have a couple overlapping in the middle. . .

[SENDIT!]

You got a lot of really good advice in here, vakiter. I mostly love boosting on a twintip, but also spend a good bit of time foiling. I've got Flites in 12 and 17 and Prodigy 9.5 and 7. Actually, I just bought a Crave 9, so there's that, too.

The Flites are a little lighter and seek the edge of the window a little easier, which I like for foiling. The Prodigy is a little better at drift, but seems a smidge heavier (I've never weighed them, so that's strictly my gut feeling). The Flites are really responsive, so being active with them can sort of compensate for lack of drift. I've only managed to foil the Crave once (this was a 12m), but it seems to have fairly similar drift to the Prodigy. More time will tell, but that's what I've observed so far. And for what it's worth, I think that GregK has it spot on; that Aluula Roam will fit the bill for both foiling AND boosting. We had guys here at our demo that were getting some stupidly good loops on the 10m while other people were riding 12's and 14's. Pretty good for a "surf" kite.

[vakiter]

thank for advice SENDIT!, i thought your light wind kite comparison video featuring the flite 17 was one of the most useful reviews on the internet. i really like the format of having several reviewers, reviewing several brands of a class of kite.

i could use more common man kite reviews!

[SENDIT!]

Thanks for the kind words, vakiter. We did it b/c we kept getting the same questions over and over about light wind kites and felt like we should just do a review, but use people of varying skills, sizes, etc..to make it more relatable for the "average joe". Glad you liked it. I think you'll be seeing them again.

Also, got another boosting session in on the Crave 12. This just may be my new favorite kite. I'll confirm it if I can ever get out on the 9m!