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Who rides both? Any opinion as HF medium to strong wind kite?
Im riding North NEOs 2018.

Many thanks!

Reo is definitely a strong wind kite, as well as medium to low wind.
two guys at our beach have the clouds and reo kites, but have told me the clouds are best in lighter airs and not strong winds,
they rarely use the clouds and nearly always have the ozone reo kites flying.
clouds do look great in the air, but after asking the user owners it stopped me spending cash and adding one to my quiver.
no regret changing from my north neos 2017 and Bandits 2017 to V4 reos.

Perhaps the guys with clouds did not have the right size?
Normally you want 1.5 sizes less than normal leis. i.e. Saturday I was decently powered on a 9m c2 when my lighter weight friend had a 12m switchblade up.
At 80kg I can use 7m with surfboard from 18 knots, 9m from 14, etc...

I haven’t flown the Reo but switched from Ozone C4’s to Clouds when the second generation Cloud C2 kites came out.

I’m now foiling on Cloud D kites from 3.7m to 10.4m. I absolutely love all my Clouds but for me there is nothing better than foiling on the 3.7m.

The Cloud D was a huge improvement in the Cloud for both wind range and drifting. The canopy is much tighter on the D model and it turns much better with slack rear lines.

When comparing Clouds the other kite make sure you know which generation Cloud is being compared.

This is so true: "When comparing Clouds the other kite make sure you know which generation Cloud is being compared." I love the D's specifically because when in high wind relative to kite size I can depower them to nearly zero pull and I can make them turn when very sheeted out....when I want to turn...but not be powered at that moment. Anyway, I apologize for posting because I know you wanted the opinion of those who fly both Reo's and Clouds....but I just wanted to stress that the comparison should be with the current model to be most helpful. The models differ significantly in important characteristics.

Rode both extensively, along with North Neo and a few Drifters.

Reo to Cloud = Civic to Miata

Explanation: Civics are great cars, while a manual Miata feels awkward the first time you try it. However, when Miata is given some love and time, you will never go back to a Civic. Simple as that. BRM Cloud D could easily (and by a long shot) be the best LEI foiling kite out there today.

Horses for courses as they are quite different kites. Rode a mates cloud briefly so maybe not enough to get it dialed but it didnt make me jizz. Personally I think Reos are the best freeride foiling kite out there, so its all about personal preference. The 10 is as big as I ever need and I've had it out in some ridiculous low winds. Its an easy kite to fly, nothing new to get used to plus its also a great wave kite and you know you can onsell it when the time comes. If I had just 2 kites for everything it would be Reo 10 and 8. You wont go wrong with either. Dont overthink it.

Thanks for opinion

And as i never flew any of it - are reos much better than neos? I generally like Neos. What i didnt like that they are absolute PIA to restart. I honestly never had kite which was so bad to restart. For LW foiling they are drop&swim kites. But i drop kite one-two times pro season - so no biggie for me. But how about flying - drift in low foiling wind etc this also interest me about Cloud ? And how about Clouds restart - I heard it can be quite problem restart cloud in LW - as it doesnt open up so easy

many thanks

t.

There are different flying characteristics between different cloud generations, but what they all share is ridiculously good drift downwind. Its just physics - a cloud weighs at least a kg less than regular 3 strutted kites. This makes it the best for light wind wave foiling where you're often riding straight at the kite.
Relaunch is never a problem in > 10 knots. Sub 10 knots, you need a little patience, as the canopy can stick to the water.

tomtom wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:10 am

Thanks for opinion
But how about flying - drift in low foiling wind etc this also interest me about Cloud ? And how about Clouds restart - I heard it can be quite problem restart cloud in LW - as it doesnt open up so easy

many thanks

t.

I had a couple older clouds (c2), sold one, rarely use the other. I have a reo in 4m, but don’t use it much. I probably wouldn’t buy more of either. That said- clouds drift really, really well. Cloud light wind relaunch in flat water is excellent, best of any inflatible I’ve used. Cloud relaunch in waves or even moderate chop is pretty bad.

I’d probably consider more clouds in the future except I don’t trust them in storms/waves. Even though most of my kiting is foiling in flat water, I don’t want small kites that won’t relaunch in waves and I don’t want a second quiver for a few days a year.

If choosing between clouds and something else, I think the main question is how powered you like to ride. Even as a light weight, I found clouds to be poor performers when powered enough for a surfboard- they are great foiling kites, but not much else, at least not for me.