marlboroughman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 6:24 pmThe wing size plays a role in my thinking about it. I just started and have way more fun on big wing. My 8m 3-strut does reverse launch in 12knots no problem. I don't need anything bigger than 11m one strut for super light wind, so foil kite just does't make sense for now.
Peter_Frank wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 5:28 pmI agree with most comments here, ups and downs of both so depends on what you personally prefer.
But indeed it CAN replace two LEI kites, yes.
Only comment I strongly disagree with, is saying a LEI can loop you up better.
This is so not true - if you loop a foil kite, does not matter if a small 8 m2, or a 15 m2, you will get looooooads of powerspike.
This is the reason why it can go so low in windstrength, even if not that big.
By nature they can depower more when flown to the edge and either into the wind or downwind.
Thus both giving a foil kite a much bigger wind range
But going halfwind you can get in trouble faster, because of this, but you will learn to edge or bear away instead.
Also, the peak power when looped is a downside for me personally, loving to play around carving in flattish water, or having fun in the waves, looping the kite a lot, and prefer the smooth pull without powerspikes for this.
Thus I dont like foil kites except for wind under 7 knots, where it is the only ones that works.
They dont really hang better in really light wind, as a strutless or superlight LEI hangs just as good, and even better in "difficult" winds actually - but a LEI has no chance of giving sufficient powerspike, so useless in low wind...
That was off topic though, as you are talking about smaller foil kites.
Locally around here, I have seen riders going both ways - changing to foil kites from LEI, or from foil kites to LEI.
In retroperpective, I can see a clear pattern, that those who like to go fast, go towards foil kites even if not racing, and those wanting to play around in the chop or waves or freestyle, change back to LEIs.
In general of course, nothing is black and white.
And some are using single skin Peak4 kites, and these are, to my knowledge, nothing like a foil kite (not same yank when looped) nor LEI kite - and could also be the choice as drifting incredibly well?
Peter
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