Forum for kitesurfers
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Bartek_
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- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2023 6:40 pm
- Kiting since: 2019
- Weight: 78
- Local Beach: Hel, Zegrze
- Style: Old School, Big Air, Kite/Pump Foil
- Gear: 22' North Orbit 8/9m
22' North Reach 7/11/13m
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Postby Bartek_ » Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:05 pm
I think wave kites are pretty awesome for beginners, aren't they? And cheaper as well. You just eventually grow out of them at some point if you want to boost/unhook. I get the feeling that people in my area usually want something that will potentially stick with them for longer, and wave kites aren't advertised as such.
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Toby
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 50533
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 1:00 am
- Kiting since: 2000
- Weight: 95 kg
- Local Beach: Cumbuco, Brazil
Barra do Cauipe, Brazil
- Favorite Beaches: same
- Style: Airstyle
- Gear: Rebel 2015 18
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- Location: World (KF Admin)
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Postby Toby » Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:09 pm
Too fast turning for beginners
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Windigo1
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- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 5:57 pm
- Style: Foil foil.. and Old School!
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Postby Windigo1 » Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:37 pm
Bartek_ wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:05 pm
I think wave kites are pretty awesome for beginners, aren't they? And cheaper as well. You just eventually grow out of them at some point if you want to boost/unhook. I get the feeling that people in my area usually want something that will potentially stick with them for longer, and wave kites aren't advertised as such.
I don't think wave kites are the best kites for beginners. As Toby pointed out they are usually fast turning but also they are designed to drift downwind beginners almost always struggle to go upwind. Many don't have good low-end power and that's not what you want as a beginner you want something with easy power sheet and go not a kite that is fast and that you have to work actively to get going.
- These users thanked the author Windigo1 for the post (total 2):
- Bartek_ (Sun Jan 29, 2023 2:31 pm) • zlatko23 (Wed Feb 01, 2023 12:49 pm)
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nixmatters
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 971
- Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 12:38 pm
- Kiting since: 2009
- Style: freeride. started foiling, not there yet
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Postby nixmatters » Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:04 am
Toby wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:09 pm
Too fast turning for beginners
I'd say more direct/responsive than too fast. Beginners often have an issue with steering latency, incl. oversteering and correction and that's where wave kites shine.
Add depower on demand (all wave kites), a bit more low end (Neo) and a large low rocker board to compensate for the lower upwind performance and you have an easy beginner kite.
I was still a beginner when I got the first Drifter (11m) and loved it... after learning on Takoon Nova and Crossbows
But I never had an issue with edging upwind. I guess the alpine snowboard helped a bit.
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Pemba
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Postby Pemba » Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:40 am
nixmatters wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:04 am
Toby wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:09 pm
Too fast turning for beginners
I'd say more direct/responsive than too fast. Beginners often have an issue with steering latency, incl. oversteering and correction and that's where wave kites shine.
Add depower on demand (all wave kites), a bit more low end (Neo) and a large low rocker board to compensate for the lower upwind performance and you have an easy beginner kite.
Agreed. Also sensitivity to backstall can be an issue. But to me it seems most (LEI) kites are fine to learn on these days. The differences are details.
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Havre
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- Kiting since: 2015
- Local Beach: Oslo
- Favorite Beaches: Jericoacoara (area) & Cabarete
- Gear: Ozone Edge v11 13m, Ozone Edge v11 9m, Ozone Zephyr 17m, Ozone Enduro v1 12m, Ozone Enduro v1 9m, HQ Topaz 7m, Shinn Ronson Player, Mystic Majestic X Harness, Mystic Stealth Bar
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Postby Havre » Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:09 am
You are all describing the Catalyst
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Blackened
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- Style: Big Air, Airstyle
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23/24 Orbits
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Postby Blackened » Tue Jan 31, 2023 8:22 am
Wave kites sit deeper in the window and make it harder to learn to go upwind. That's why I would choose an all around vs a wave.
That said, cost would be my main driver for learning.
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