What's the smallest kite you are able to use in light/moderate wind?

[bclam]

I have an 11m Core X-Lite which is great in light winds. Problem is relaunch if it hits the water. I can’t get it back up in the air in less than 10kts but some of that is probably technique.

[Fatso]

95kgs Peak 6m on a foil in 10 knots, 17m Blade fat lady 3 in 11 knots on a surfboard, twin tip from 13 knots onwards... This is the lowest of the lows I ever kited with my own kites. Ozone Chrono 18m in 9 knots on a twin tip with a friend's kite.

Foils are easily the most fun one can have in low winds and the Peak4 or Peak5 (as long as you never crash the kite) the best suited for low wind riding fun despite their small size.

[Peter_Frank]

I would say a 3 m2 Peak4 in 15 knots, being 78 kg.

Peter

[leeuwen]

In context question of OP travel for max 20 ish knots I would pack my 6m tube as my smallest kite. Use it from about 16 knots but could start lower, probably about 12 kn.
Depending on your skill, kite, foil, riding style, line lengths and personal preference your mileage will vary a lot.
Rather then going by what other people are doing I would focus first on your own experience up to now.
Only if you expect a significant skill increase during your travel (eg 50+ sessions) and you want to go as small as possible maybe consider packing one kite smaller then you think you will need on current skills.
Although such small no-strut kites don’t really need much room/weight so there is some argument to just bring everything.

eg I personally prefer some power for tacks etc, hence picking the 6m from 16+ usually.
Top end would be around 30 if I was desperate to go out (note that I am flying a 3 strut, half aluula kite).
My next smallest kite is 4m but would not even consider that one under 25kn.

As a very broad general rule of thumb I use: half the kite size compared to twintip.

75-80 kg on the Sabfoil W679 riding strapless, mostly flatwater trying to do some tricks.

[Peter_Frank]

You could leave the 2.8 at home and use your 3.7 m2 in just over 20 knots being 73 kg.
But if closer to 25 then it is too big that's for sure, at least at its upper end, but hardly this wind every day.

Find it amazing you call 25 knots moderate wind

On the other hand, the 2.8 packs down super small so why not bring it?

Peter

[IWantToFly]

Find it amazing you call 25 knots moderate wind

Living in Hood River will do that to you.

The entire last week has been between 40kts and 90kts!

http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-52666.html

[Peter_Frank]

Aaah, sorry, I did not know the OP was from Hood River...

Then he cant use his 2.8 much for foiling as way too big this week, and most other days if this range occurs often.

Here in Denmark we only have 90 knots one time per year or more likely every second year (average wind that is, max wind is often high but doesnt matter)

When 40 knots average and above noone can ride, unless you have kites smaller than 5 m2 or are really heavy, or ride a TT.

25 knots is a very regular wind here, and perfect for a 5 m2 on a surfboard, sweetspot, or a 6 m2 for the heavier riders.
Can be used up to 30 knots although overpowered, and a 4 m2 is better here, few have these sizes so usually noone out from 30 knots and up average wind.
Sea also gets "bad", waves gets messed up by the wind, so only clean pointbreaks or pier breaks works well now, which is the other reason why smaller kites does not make much sense for most riders.

90 knots average is crazy winds, it is a lot above the Beaufort scale level 12 (50 % higher), and defined as a Hurricane level 2, extremely rare, happens here on occasion yes, but not often.

Apparently in Hood River, crazy, but yes we know it is a windy place - didnt know it was THAT windy

If 90 knots average on land our bridges get closed, and everyone is adviced to stay inside because of falling trees and flying roof tiles in the cities, and flying roofs and stuff, very dangerous.
Although cars does not flip over before 150 knots, but here you dont stand a chance.

Peter

[xfact]

6 m2 Peak. Under 5 kn, veeery difficult. 88 kgs, Armstrong 1250/232

[purdyd]

Find it amazing you call 25 knots moderate wind

Living in Hood River will do that to you.

The entire last week has been between 40kts and 90kts!

http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-52666.html

[grigorib]

Depends on rider weight.
I’m 210 lbs and considering moderate/lightwind as “below whitecaps:
- I can ride a TT with 11m and it’ll be boring. I’d rather use 14m which I don’t have and it’d be boring too
- with a foil I’d use 7m and regular 730 cm² wing or 5m and lightwind 1200 cm² wing