Predictions for Ram Airs in 2021

[Janus]

As a long time foil kite user I only agree with Pumpy on one point, unassisted self landing of a foil kite in higher wind ranges. Unassisted meaning no hooks, anchors or other devices, just get to back to the beach and drop the kite on the sand. I keep an Ozone Edge in the quiver for those days when I may have to self land in high winds, much easier and safer but not the performance of a foil kite.

Personally I wouldn't unassist selfland my tubie in the described conditions either..

[Matteo V]

As a long time foil kite user I only agree with Pumpy on one point, unassisted self landing of a foil kite in higher wind ranges. Unassisted meaning no hooks, anchors or other devices, just get to back to the beach and drop the kite on the sand. I keep an Ozone Edge in the quiver for those days when I may have to self land in high winds, much easier and safer but not the performance of a foil kite.

Personally I wouldn't unassist selfland my tubie in the described conditions either..

airsail and Pumpy are right on with this one. I'm also a longtime foil user but use inflatables on water now.

For anchored landing (not launch):

First choice is inflatable in high or gutsy wind conditions.

Second choice would be open cell foil.

Last choice on landing is closed cell foil.

But on the snow, I can usually find a wind shadow to get foils down if it is really crazy.

[Atte]

There is no reason to give up an argument just because you know that you are wrong

[slide]

ram airs have an open vent and mesh , like a flexifoil blade

[Pump me up]

@Pump Me Up - I am impressed with your stamina and perseverance on this topic. You have continued this topic on Kiteforum.com for almost 18 years years now (see viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5659).
Always makes me laugh when I see the topic pop up each year!

Thanks Dave!
But I'm actually approaching the 20th anniversary. I started posting in 2002 as a "guest".
Cheers,
Pumpy ..................

[PrfctChaos]

Wonder what your advice is to the growing number of kiters with both pump-up and ram air kites?...

[Matteo V]

@Pump Me Up - I am impressed with your stamina and perseverance on this topic. You have continued this topic on Kiteforum.com for almost 18 years years now (see viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5659).
Always makes me laugh when I see the topic pop up each year!

Thanks Dave!
But I'm actually approaching the 20th anniversary. I started posting in 2002 as a "guest".
Cheers,
Pumpy ..................

The amazing thing is that this guy was spouting off this stuff back when foils were superior in every respect to tubies (pre-2005 to 2007). There is a lot to be said for someone who is completely wrong, but sticks with it until things change to where he is partially right. Once again, maybe Aluula will make him completely right.

[dave1986]

He will never be completely right. Foils kites will always be superior to LEIs for racing - they have superior lift to drag ratio and this is proven on the race course.

Certainly Aluula is closing the gap for light wind riding compared with foil kites. But I dont think it's quite there yet.

[Matteo V]

He will never be completely right.

I'm gonna steer clear of saying never. Maybe one day.

Really wish I was out in Utah right now up at skyline. That is the spot where there will be 20 kiters, 15 on LEI's, and 5 on foils, all struggling. Then it will drop 1knot and all the foils look the same, but the tubies are all down on the snow.

I'm hoping to see a gold leading edge making it work next to my 2011 foilkite one day. Then it's time to buy a new kite! Till then, I guess I'll just keep appreciating Pumpy's enthusiasm. Ya know, he's just little high spirited, that's all.

[jumptheshark]

Definitely interesting times in kite development.

One year. Well, more like 8 months.

This time last year I was all in on tube kites. Had been for over a decade. Had C kites, wave kites, singlestrut, strutless, a delta and a few beaters for bashing around on the ice and snow. Then Peter Frank wrote a review of the Peak4 5m for freeride hydrofoiling and I took a chance.

Best move ever. Now I have 4 of em and have shed a pile of redundant tube kites. What's so funny, is my preferred kites (by a long shot) are not the highest performance kites by nearly any measure. They don't go faster, jump higher, point upwind better or any of that garbage. They may not be high performance, but they clearly outperform for chasing swell on a hydrofoil and come with a host of convenience and safety features I never could have imagined. Even relaunch has turned out to be a red herring argument I cant really be too bothered countering. If that is your main reason for not getting one.... you shouldn't get one.

Still have a bit of a kite gear museum. Can't part with a few things just yet, but truthfully have no intention of using them until the right novelty day comes along. For how I want to spend my time on the water... they just cant match my low performance single skin foils for fun factor.