Best kite for hydrofoil?

[jumptheshark]

But its not buyer beware, its buy the sizes everyone agrees are great for hydrofoiling.

[GregK]

What’s the kite weight of the 5 mtr Roam?

My 5m Aluula Roam is 1.450 kg, measured on an 11 kg max. / 1 g resolution digital mailing scale.

It's not only the weight that's unique, it's the very small diameter but also very stiff Aluula leading edge and strut pockets.

Try one if you prefer apparent wind kites over sluggish, grunty kites.

[jumptheshark]

Firstly, I sincerely hope OR have hit the motherload with Aluula. A super stiff and ultra light airframe is amazeballs for kiteboarding.

They have some solid products and some of the best people in the business, but while they chase one particular avenue of development, they have lost the pulse. No foil game whatsoever. That is just so whack. They don't have to try and develop a carbon foil or anything, but it would have been a money maker to put a foil mount into the joker or jester or even the mako king.

A three strut 5m aluula kite won't hold a candle to a single strut or (shocked face) ..... strutless version for hydrofoiling.



1.4 kg for a 5m kite is heavy. Power wise its likely a close swap for the Peak4 4m (700 gm) and the low end of the 3 (600 gm).

[Kitehume]

Aluula 10m roam.
1050 foil
8-14 knots.
Love this combo.
Can’t fault this kite. Perfection.

[PrfctChaos]

Aluula 10m roam.
1050 foil
8-14 knots.
Love this combo.
Can’t fault this kite. Perfection.

Compared to which other kites?

[Wazza Foil]

What’s the kite weight of the 5 mtr Roam?

My 5m Aluula Roam is 1.450 kg, measured on an 11 kg max. / 1 g resolution digital mailing scale.

It's not only the weight that's unique, it's the very small diameter but also very stiff Aluula leading edge and strut pockets.

Try one if you prefer apparent wind kites over sluggish, grunty kites.

A 4.8m Cloud kite is 1.25kg and 1.4 kg for the 6.2m

[Kitehume]

Aluula 10m roam.
1050 foil
8-14 knots.
Love this combo.
Can’t fault this kite. Perfection.

Compared to which other kites?

Soul 12m, flite 10m, old roam 9.5m.

The things I think are perfect after about 15 sessions (30 hours)on the Aluula roam 10m. For foiling.
Relaunch 10/10
Pivotal kite turns/loops 10/10
Drift 10/10
Depower 10/10
Kite responsiveness 10/10.
Extremely stiff airframe.

New Aluula material. Does not stain. Repels water. Really tough. Does not show scratch marks. 10/10
My kite spot is not a sandy beach. An inland lake. Ground has small sharp stones and red clay. Dacron kites look new for about 3 sessions. My Aluula roam still looks like new.
Performs just as well at 8knts as it does upto 14 knots. Using my 1050 foil.

Really don’t like it for TT riding. Prefer the flite 10m or flite 14.5m.

[PrfctChaos]

Cool. I missed the part where you mentioned 8-14 knots. It probably is great fun kite for those pretty light winds, where it is pretty easy to slack even the lightest of kites (like peak or cloud), reducing their advantage. I like a 9m chrono V3 for <15 knots, but its peak time >12 knots!

I think there is a bit of cross talking in the thread where some are thinking best kite for <15 knots. Others are thinking 15-20 knots and some are thinking >20knots.

[leeuwen]

You guys should try a small Ocean Rodeo Aluula Roam.

I've had a 5m Aluula Roam for several months now - does everything just as well as my previous favorite surf-sized hydrofoiling kites ( BRM Cloud E's ) and covers a wider wind rage ( easily covers the range of the 3.7, 4.8, & 6.2m Cloud E's ).

Need a few more cranking winter storm days to decide if the 5m Aluula Roam works in 2.8m Cloud E conditions.

I wonder how the Roam compares to single struts at these sizes.
AFAIK the no struts must sit deeper in the window because there is nothing to support their profile on the edge of the wind window. I guess that would explain part of useable wind range difference you experience.

At 5m I would expect the 2 extra struts compared to a one strut probably don’t add much since the kite is so small already. Eg flutter is not much of an issue with a one strut on these sizes.
Also the weight is pretty much similar comparing the roam
to a non aluula one strut.

The roam is likely to be a faster kite due to the smaller tube but I, currently, don’t mind a bit of slowdown in these very small sizes.

At least so far for my theory I bought my kites on
So I got a 10m aluula roam but on the small sizes I decided to get three kites for the price of a single 5m roam.
( 4m ghost, 5m ultra v3 and a 6m kauper)
Makes me less nervous about damaging or losing one of these.
I am just starting out foiling so I am probably not the best to judge but these small one struts seem like very nice kites.

[drsurf]

I use Peak4 kites mainly 3m, 4m, & 5m sizes which covers my 65kg on a good surf foil from 8 knots to 30 knots. Can't go back to other kites, both twin skin and LEI, as they feel dead in the air on a surf foil by comparison to the Peak4. I also sell the Peak4 kites so I do disclose some bias.

However The Peak4 kites I sell are to surf foilers with a range of LEI kites, (including Clouds), and other foil kites and I rely on their feedback as to what they think with regard to their respective weight, foil and wind/water conditions. So far without exception they love their Peak4 kites
Not only do they love the Peak4 they buy, but they often buy another Peak4 in a different size to cover more wind range and sometimes a third or fourth Peak4 as well!
With the cost of a Peak4 being relatively low, you can buy two or three for approximately the same price as one medium sized brand name kite.

There are a couple of provisos with the Peak4. Number one is don't start with an 8m or above unless your wind is always under 10 knots. The essence of the Peak4 is experienced with sizes 6m and lower. Although some say the Peak4 is in some ways not a light wind kite, it flies better in light wind than virtually any other kite due to its very low weight. All of the Peak4 kites from the 6m down weigh less than 1kg. If a given Peak4 kite can get you out of the water then you'll have plenty of power for foiling. It's amazing how much power one of these small single skin kites can develop.

The drift of the Peak4 can't be exaggerated. Virtually nothing except a spiders web in the wind will drift as well. This makes down the line waveriding relatively easy and mistakes in timing your turns and cutbacks are much more recoverable compared to other kites. Yes, you will drop the Peak4 and sometimes you won't be able to relaunch. But you really have to steer the kite into the water, it won't fall out of the sky like an LEI or twin skin kite with low wind or low line tension.

The bridles are relatively simple and durable as is the kite. No-one I know has worn a Peak4 out yet and due to being an open cell single skin kite crashing it into water, sand or grass doesn't hurt the kite, it just collapses. Therein lies another Peak4 advantage, safety. Crash the kite and it's lifeless. For snow you can attach the supplied B-Safe system for the ultimate in 5th line safety. The Connect bar Flysurfer makes for the Peak4 range is probably the best, simplest and least expensive bar for the Peak4. However most of my customers just use any equal length line bar they currently have with no problem.

I haven't tried an Ocean Rodeo Aluula kite and I believe with regard to LEI kites it's a massive advance. For the same reason that the Peak4 is great the weight savings of the Aluula kite give it an advantage over other LEI kites. However the cost of one Aluula kite would buy approximately 3 Peak4 kites, is still much heavier and needs pumping up.

So if you have a surf foil, approx. 1000 sq cm plus, reasonable wind and a desire to have massive fun at a relatively low cost try a Peak4. You can't go wrong as even if you found it wasn't for you there are plenty of buyers who'll happily purchase it from you!