This is going to be a little lengthy and all over the place...
I don't see any magazine exposure for foil kites and information is sparse. It drives me crazy. I looked through my last three mags and found one ad from Flysurfer. Not a single picture in the 3 mags of a kiter using a foil kite. Yet you check youtube videos and they seam to be everywhere, especially Miami and Tampa.
I've been kiting since 2004. Went from 2004 Cabrinha c kites (9,12,23) to 2006 Best bows (9, 14, 20), and in 2017 bought a Cabrinha Switchblade 14 after having problems with all my Best bladders finally falling apart. I love my Switchblade but I'm getting a little tired of the pumping and pack up. I kite on Long Island NY but travel to Lido Beach Florida in April and Cresecent Beach Florida in August. I'm VERY interested in a Ozone Hyperlink V2 to get started and maybe a higher aspect wing once I get going. This summer I'm going to give foilboarding a try with a 2018 Naish KS1 wing and Thrust wing with 40cm and 90 cm masts.
But what gives with the lack of exposure? It's absolutely impossible to find a youtube video with anyone wavesurfing with a foil which worries me. The kites look more durable than a LEI, and I haven't dropped by kite in a few years. That brings me to something else....I don't understand the hoopla about water relaunching. We are not ALL pros trying the latest tricks. Make me a mid-level aspect ratio kite with good behaviors so I can go out an enjoy myself, instead of trying to push the limits of physics and kite in 2 knots of wind.
I need quick and easy setup, quick and easy breakdown, less maintenance, and maybe 2 kites to cover all my wind range.
How do you feel about this? Where is the exposure, where are the advertisers for foils, are they too expensive to make so there are smaller margins and they can't afford to advertise. I think a good LEI can last about 7 to 10 years if you take care of it. Do foils last so long that they can't afford to sell them?
I truly think if they could get these costs down a little more, than more guys would enter this sport. It has gotten WAY too expensive since I started in 2004. I priced a North bar last year at between $650 and $800. Screw that. I bought a Switch Controler 4 bar for 1/4 the price. I try to only buy gear that is end of year closeouts or last years model to save around 20%. Work less to support and afford this sport, surf more.
My 2 cents plus a lot more. What do you think?