Seeking Single-Strut LEI Advice

[blerpogram]

Hey folks!

I'm up and riding on my Naish jet 1050 (2020) and I'm officially addicted to foiling. No longer am I worried about getting back upwind! I can go anywhere! Scraping out ground to spend on jumps is a thing of the past (or 20+ days when that's gonna be super fun).

Anyway.

I'm working with 9 and 12m Pivots. Would getting a Boxer or some other 1-strut substantially increase my low end?

What would folks usually consider for sizing with that size foil for a 165-lb rider? With my Pivot 12, unless the kite is just barely hanging in the air, I'm usually a little overpowered on reaches and going upwind, and then downwind is a fun game of "oh no if we drop the kite it's swimming time".

So 2 questions:

1. Is a single-strut a big win over my 3-strut pivots (which are pretty agile for all-arounder kites)
2. At my weight, should I size down? At the 9-10 lower limit for LEI kites, do I need a 12 to waterstart a 1050cm fairly low-aspect foil?

Thanks peeps!

[leeuwen]

Less weight make things easier for sure.
Eg having a full slack line moment won’t immediately turn into a kite crash. It’s not just about adding some low end but it also just makes things more forgiving.

However, there are many low weight options.
What’s the aim for wind and riding style?
As low as possible? 10 knots ? 12 knots?
Do you want to catch waves? Freeride? Race? Jump?
Depending on the answers to these questions the best size and type of kite will differ. Eg you might want to look at single/no strut, single skin or double skin foils.

[Windigo1]

I'm a bit heavier than you about 180lbs I own a 12m Ultra and 9-7-5 m Boxers. Single strut kite are not about more power they would not have much more power than the pivot the big advantage of the single strut is the reduce weight. The single strut will stay in the air in lulls so it doesn't drop in the water in wind that would make it difficult to relaunch but even more important is that a light kite will drift downwind. If you are riding in 10 knots and and going downwind at 5 knots there is very little wind to keep your kite in the air a single strut or a foil kite will stay in the air and drift a heavy kite will want to backstall and you have to move it around aggressively to keep it flying.

If it's below 10 knots I ride my 12m single strut I can ride around 6 knots with it. If it's light but mostly above 10 knots or with strong gusts I ride the 9m Boxer it work good from about 8 knots to 20 knots. A lot of people have a 10m single strut as their go to foiling kite. So you gain about 2 knots with the 12m that's been my experience with my wings from 900cm to 1250cm.

[Dirk]

73 kg, also riding 1050 Jet Foil. I usually go foiling when it is around 8-10 Knots and use the 11m Boxer for this. It works very well for me. I have the 11m and 8m Pivot as well. I have used the 11m Pivot in around 10 knots which is easy, but below that I feel more confident on the single strut. Due to its shaping I feel that the Boxer has more low end power than a similarly sized Pivot. The Boxer is also a lot of fun as a freeride kite on the TT, so when the wind picks up and I get overpowered on the Foil I just switch boards.

[getnair]

I am 235 lbs and ride the SlingShot Hover Glide mast and rear wing with the Infinity 76 front wing. I was using a 9M Drifter and that worked well but I just got a 9M Cabrinha Contra Single Strut and it has been a game changer for me. I can ride in 10-12 knots and the kite is amazing. I was having trouble with transitions but now I am getting about 75% of them. The first thing I noticed about the Contra is how very light it is. It also steers great whether powered or slack and drifting. Just my 2 cents. Cheers !!

[junebug]

So 2 questions:

1. Is a single-strut a big win over my 3-strut pivots (which are pretty agile for all-arounder kites)
2. At my weight, should I size down? At the 9-10 lower limit for LEI kites, do I need a 12 to waterstart a 1050cm fairly low-aspect foil?

1. Yes. I used to have a Pivot 5m. Low end was around 15kn. Any lower and it was a constant fight against backstall and Hindenburging because of its weight. Switched over to 5m Boxer. Low is end is 13kn. I usually break it out around 14/15kn. In my mind, the real advantage of single strut kites is at the low end of the range. You may only gain 1-2kn over a 3 strut, but they are so much better to fly in that low end. I now have Boxers in 12m, 10m, 7m, 5m and 3.5m.

2. I have a 12m Boxer, but I could get by with a 10m as my biggest kite. I am 195lbs and ride a Lift 150 (967sq cm) and use my 10m Boxer down to 9kn comfortably. 12m Boxer will take me to 7/8kn.

[blerpogram]

Thanks for all the help folks! Hah sounds like I have to budget in a 11m boxer soon!

Thanks again for all the perspectives and sharing your gear setups/knowledge!

[Slappysan]

I'm working with 9 and 12m Pivots. Would getting a Boxer or some other 1-strut substantially increase my low end?

A Boxer 12m wont give you anymore true low end than your Pivot 12m, but in reality is what it will give you is less sessions that end with swimming in. You should be able to go out in 8 knots on that setup but when it lulls to 6 the Pivot isn't going to hang in the air while the Boxer might. Sure, with aggressive downlooping you could keep the Pivot in the air but while setting up for water starts and dealing with your board that can be challenging.

The Boxer will probably be more fun when riding downwind than the Pivot also.

[dave1986]

I'm working with 9 and 12m Pivots. Would getting a Boxer or some other 1-strut substantially increase my low end?

A Boxer 12m wont give you anymore true low end than your Pivot 12m, but in reality is what it will give you is less sessions that end with swimming in. You should be able to go out in 8 knots on that setup but when it lulls to 6 the Pivot isn't going to hang in the air while the Boxer might. Sure, with aggressive downlooping you could keep the Pivot in the air but while setting up for water starts and dealing with your board that can be challenging.

The Boxer will probably be more fun when riding downwind than the Pivot also.

100% agree with this. Power of Boxer vs Pivot isn't significantly different. But the Boxer will stay flying with little input in about 2mph lower winds than the Pivot... If you want to get riding in much lighter winds (6knots+) then choose a lightweight foil kite like Ozone Hyperlink or Flysurfer Soul. The size you choose will depend in your style of riding and hydrofoil type.

[SENDIT!]

I would also suggest the Ocean Rodeo Roam Aluula. It’s a bit pricier, but it is super light. And you get the stability and increased range of a 3 strut. I don’t know the weight of the aforementioned Boxer or Pivot, but the 12m Roam is 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) and the 10m Roam is 4.4 lbs (2 kg).