Advice on next wing?

[JTKiter]

I have an Ozone Wasp 6m v1. It works but it seems like the tube diameter is unnecessarily huge. Also, mini booms seem like a better idea than handle straps. What's a better option? Thanks!

[StellaBlu]

Im selling 6.2m and 4m Mantis wings. They are excellent all around wings and have mini booms. The listing is in the classifieds section on this forum if you are interested.

Very few other mini boom options out there. Duotone, Eleveight, Vayu.

[foursquare]

Best is quite a bit subjective, so without a sense for where you are optimizing (power, visibility, drift-ability) its hard to make a recco.

As an owner or previous owner of the Wasp v1, Wasp v2, Swing, Strike, Mantis, Nova --- and having tried a handful more, I am finding I don't like wings so rigid that they can't drift when on a small wave (Nova), and don't like the handle implementation on the Mantis (it feels unstable to me).

I don't think a large bladder is necessarily problematic --- BRM is an extreme example but their riders seem to say it makes for a very grunty, light, and rigid wing.

[JTKiter]

Thanks, foursquare! Yep, it's all subjective. But the early iterations of any design are often superseded by better. Not always! Anyway, I feel like the large tube diameter of Wasp v1 adds weight and bulk without any other redeeming element except rigidity. For me, rigidity is not important either. Visibility isn't an issue, nor is pure power. So maybe I want a "drifty", lightweight rig?

StellaBlu: I'll take a look at your classifieds, thanks.

[juandesooka]

Rode 4m/6m wasp v1 as main wings for a year. Really happy with them in all ways. The handle get floppy but that can be a positive...eg the big eva handles on duotone unit at stiff and comfy but give hand fatigue when wearing wetsuit gloves. Also, the floppy handles buys you a little more high end, if it spills power better. But the tube on the 6m is giant! Though nice and stiff, compared to the Gong V1 I had before it -- the 6m wasp had more power than the 7m gong.

I am moving to Ocean Rodeo aluula a-series, I got a 5m first, now switching back to my normal 4m/6m quiver. I haven't got my 6m yet, but I expect the tube will be less than half the diameter and as stiff or stiffer. I will report back once I get it and test it. More expensive, but also more better ... the 5m blew my mind. I am hoping the 6m will buy me that extra 2-3kt I need for the epic surf days.

[StellaBlu]

Rode 4m/6m wasp v1 as main wings for a year. Really happy with them in all ways. The handle get floppy but that can be a positive...eg the big eva handles on duotone unit at stiff and comfy but give hand fatigue when wearing wetsuit gloves. Also, the floppy handles buys you a little more high end, if it spills power better. But the tube on the 6m is giant! Though nice and stiff, compared to the Gong V1 I had before it -- the 6m wasp had more power than the 7m gong.

I am moving to Ocean Rodeo aluula a-series, I got a 5m first, now switching back to my normal 4m/6m quiver. I haven't got my 6m yet, but I expect the tube will be less than half the diameter and as stiff or stiffer. I will report back once I get it and test it. More expensive, but also more better ... the 5m blew my mind. I am hoping the 6m will buy me that extra 2-3kt I need for the epic surf days.

Sorry off topic, but how low can you ride the 5m? Are you getting rid of the 5 and switching to 6/4 or keeping all three? I was going to do 5/4 and am curious around this.

[juandesooka]

Rode 4m/6m wasp v1 as main wings for a year. Really happy with them in all ways. The handle get floppy but that can be a positive...eg the big eva handles on duotone unit at stiff and comfy but give hand fatigue when wearing wetsuit gloves. Also, the floppy handles buys you a little more high end, if it spills power better. But the tube on the 6m is giant! Though nice and stiff, compared to the Gong V1 I had before it -- the 6m wasp had more power than the 7m gong.

I am moving to Ocean Rodeo aluula a-series, I got a 5m first, now switching back to my normal 4m/6m quiver. I haven't got my 6m yet, but I expect the tube will be less than half the diameter and as stiff or stiffer. I will report back once I get it and test it. More expensive, but also more better ... the 5m blew my mind. I am hoping the 6m will buy me that extra 2-3kt I need for the epic surf days.

Sorry off topic, but how low can you ride the 5m? Are you getting rid of the 5 and switching to 6/4 or keeping all three? I was going to do 5/4 and am curious around this.

Seems quite on-topic, in discussing alternatives. I have been riding 4m/6m ozone combo with no complaints. All my buddies are on 3/5 combos and rocking it. So I figured I better get on the smaller wing train too. The 5m aluula has a way better low end than I expected. I had one very marginal wind day, 10-14kt (great surf), where my buddy was on his 6m fone and I was able to keep up on 5m to maybe 80% level (on a very large GL240 foil). At times we would both be dead in water slogging, then you could do a few quick pumps and get onto wave, even without enough wind. I am super impressed by how stiff the canopy is on the aluula, amazing pumping. But there were also a few days where I just felt a little under powered ... I tend to ride on the powered side both kiting and winging, I like power on demand. So I decided that I want a 6m again, to chase the lower end and to be fully powered on those 12-14 days.

The other side of my decision: I found a 3m frustrating in the 20-25kt wind range, where it's almost enough but just barely not quite. I really missed the 4m as my go to for 18-30+. And yes, a 5m is awesome as the mid wind go to, but I don't want to run a 4 kite quiver, 1m differences feels too close to justify the cost, and I have been making a 4/6 combo work til now. I often end up rigging both and switching back and forth as wind conditions change. So ... I have given up my 5m, I may regret it, we'll see!

Back to OP: depending how low you want to chase it, and your feelings about being lightly powered, I think a powerful 5m can replace a 6m for many riders. It is similar to kiting, a lot of riders got rid of their 12m's as they don't like flying such a big kite, when wind is that low they don't bother. Or they ride a foil where a much smaller kite is doable. But me, I kept my 12m, and actually have a 17m "anti skunk kite" too. Though what to do about dust-gathering kites is whole 'nother topic.

[StellaBlu]

Rode 4m/6m wasp v1 as main wings for a year. Really happy with them in all ways. The handle get floppy but that can be a positive...eg the big eva handles on duotone unit at stiff and comfy but give hand fatigue when wearing wetsuit gloves. Also, the floppy handles buys you a little more high end, if it spills power better. But the tube on the 6m is giant! Though nice and stiff, compared to the Gong V1 I had before it -- the 6m wasp had more power than the 7m gong.

I am moving to Ocean Rodeo aluula a-series, I got a 5m first, now switching back to my normal 4m/6m quiver. I haven't got my 6m yet, but I expect the tube will be less than half the diameter and as stiff or stiffer. I will report back once I get it and test it. More expensive, but also more better ... the 5m blew my mind. I am hoping the 6m will buy me that extra 2-3kt I need for the epic surf days.

Sorry off topic, but how low can you ride the 5m? Are you getting rid of the 5 and switching to 6/4 or keeping all three? I was going to do 5/4 and am curious around this.

Seems quite on-topic, in discussing alternatives. I have been riding 4m/6m ozone combo with no complaints. All my buddies are on 3/5 combos and rocking it. So I figured I better get on the smaller wing train too. The 5m aluula has a way better low end than I expected. I had one very marginal wind day, 10-14kt (great surf), where my buddy was on his 6m fone and I was able to keep up on 5m to maybe 80% level (on a very large GL240 foil). At times we would both be dead in water slogging, then you could do a few quick pumps and get onto wave, even without enough wind. I am super impressed by how stiff the canopy is on the aluula, amazing pumping. But there were also a few days where I just felt a little under powered ... I tend to ride on the powered side both kiting and winging, I like power on demand. So I decided that I want a 6m again, to chase the lower end and to be fully powered on those 12-14 days.

The other side of my decision: I found a 3m frustrating in the 20-25kt wind range, where it's almost enough but just barely not quite. I really missed the 4m as my go to for 18-30+. And yes, a 5m is awesome as the mid wind go to, but I don't want to run a 4 kite quiver, 1m differences feels too close to justify the cost, and I have been making a 4/6 combo work til now. I often end up rigging both and switching back and forth as wind conditions change. So ... I have given up my 5m, I may regret it, we'll see!

Back to OP: depending how low you want to chase it, and your feelings about being lightly powered, I think a powerful 5m can replace a 6m for many riders. It is similar to kiting, a lot of riders got rid of their 12m's as they don't like flying such a big kite, when wind is that low they don't bother. Or they ride a foil where a much smaller kite is doable. But me, I kept my 12m, and actually have a 17m "anti skunk kite" too. Though what to do about dust-gathering kites is whole 'nother topic.

Thanks! Sounds familiar to my wind ranges. Ive been on 6/4 and find myself going to the 4 as soon as possible (often underpowered), hence why Im thinking of 4/5. 4 feels like a magic size for me and I don't want to lose it. A 3.5/5 combo could also be interesting. Still deciding whether to keep my 6.2 mantis for those truly marginal (12-15kt) days or whether I can get by with the 5.

I'm also considering an inexpensive (second hand, discounted, or Takoon) 3 or 3.5m for days in the high 20s to 40. Those days aren't frequent for me, but when they do they are epic, and Im often wishing I had something smaller than my 4. Agree that a 3 wouldn't be enough for me in the 20-25 range and I don't find myself wanting for less than my 4 in those conditions.

[foursquare]

Thanks, foursquare! Yep, it's all subjective. But the early iterations of any design are often superseded by better. Not always! Anyway, I feel like the large tube diameter of Wasp v1 adds weight and bulk without any other redeeming element except rigidity. For me, rigidity is not important either. Visibility isn't an issue, nor is pure power. So maybe I want a "drifty", lightweight rig?

StellaBlu: I'll take a look at your classifieds, thanks.

Drifty + LW ... I would consider the FOne Strike 5m !

[juandesooka]

Thanks! Sounds familiar to my wind ranges. Ive been on 6/4 and find myself going to the 4 as soon as possible (often underpowered), hence why Im thinking of 4/5. 4 feels like a magic size for me and I don't want to lose it. A 3.5/5 combo could also be interesting. Still deciding whether to keep my 6.2 mantis for those truly marginal (12-15kt) days or whether I can get by with the 5.

I'm also considering an inexpensive (second hand, discounted, or Takoon) 3 or 3.5m for days in the high 20s to 40. Those days aren't frequent for me, but when they do they are epic, and Im often wishing I had something smaller than my 4. Agree that a 3 wouldn't be enough for me in the 20-25 range and I don't find myself wanting for less than my 4 in those conditions.

Heheh, ditto....a "cheap" 3m that only gets used once in a while, but when you do it's both super needed and "wow". I have been able to cheat without it, as my semi bagged out 4m ozone was ok into 40s...a struggle but doable. Today I got nearly blown off the water with 4m unit in high 30s. I figure there's no way I will hold down the aluula in that, assuming the frame is as stiff as the 5m was. Of course this leads to us all having 6 wings

Though there is justification for that: if you go with a single wing quiver, you will wear it out in a season and it's beat and worth little used. 2 wing quiver each wing gets used half as much, last 2 seasons, hold their value better. 3+ wings same argument, and the least used wings can get re-sold at a high % of value, you can turn them over and get new latest/greatest, with only a small additional contribution. As much as that sounds like addict justification strategies,the math actually checks out -- same reasons for why a 20 year old car and a 5 year old ultimately cost you the same, you either pay more upfront for little ongoing repair cost, or pay little upfront with more ongoing cost. If we end up paying $x per session regardless, you may as well have newer more reliable gear! [just avoid doing the math on that per session cost...you don't want to know, trust me]