PLKB Leopard V3 with Ozone snow bar v4

[polarwilson]

Hi, everyone.

I am preparing some Arctic solo crossing expedition next year. I practice snowkiting with my Ozone CONTACT SNOW V4 & explorer V2 10m

Therefore, I need one light wind kite, thinking about - Peter Lynn Leopard V3 Snowkite and one strong wind kite - Peter Lynn LYNX V5 Kite

I would like to ask :

1. What is the difference between Peter Lynn Leopard V3 Snowkite and LYNX v5?
2. I can't find the manual of Peter Lynn Leopard V3 Snowkite, Does my Ozone CONTACT SNOW V4 bar fit with the 5 line system of Leopard V3?
3. Do you recommend LYNX V5 as a strong wind kite? Is it fit my Ozone CONTACT SNOW V4 bar?

Kind regards

Wilson

[pstkk]

I can't answer any of your questions, but I do have some other advise: The Ozone Explore has a weak upwind angle, resulting in slow progress on long kite tours. A high aspect foil kite will work much better unless you'll mostly be going across and downwind.

[Matteo V]

I can't answer any of your questions, but I do have some other advise: The Ozone Explore has a weak upwind angle, resulting in slow progress on long kite tours. A high aspect foil kite will work much better unless you'll mostly be going across and downwind.

Good point! Are there any foil kites with really good upwind capabilities, but still super stable?

Hq matrixx v1 was extermely stable. But that was only after really getting used to it.

Maybe a niche market for "expedition kites"?

[Hardwater Kiter]

Hi, everyone.

I am preparing some Arctic solo crossing expedition next year. I practice snowkiting with my Ozone CONTACT SNOW V4 & explorer V2 10m

Therefore, I need one light wind kite, thinking about - Peter Lynn Leopard V3 Snowkite and one strong wind kite - Peter Lynn LYNX V5 Kite

I would like to ask :

1. What is the difference between Peter Lynn Leopard V3 Snowkite and LYNX v5?
2. I can't find the manual of Peter Lynn Leopard V3 Snowkite, Does my Ozone CONTACT SNOW V4 bar fit with the 5 line system of Leopard V3?
3. Do you recommend LYNX V5 as a strong wind kite? Is it fit my Ozone CONTACT SNOW V4 bar?

Kind regards

Wilson

The Explore, like most single skins, is designed for exactly the duty you are describing. As a low AR wing, they obviously aren't going to have the upwind capabilities of an R1 or Sonic race but they go upwind respectably for what they are and at a much lower bulk and weight penalty than you would get with some upwind hammering race variant.

Ask yourself, what do you gain with a race variant? Upwind efficiency and higher speeds in light winds. What are the negatives? Bulk, weight, unneeded lift, and durability. Bulk is obviously not desirable. Weight, unless the kite is small is going to be an issue even in UL material. Lift is a liability as you may accidentally put the kite in a state that will loft you and your pulk and that can have dire consequences when you are on your own away from any chance of speedy rescue. Durability, especially if a closed-cell, gets snagged on some nasty sastrugi and tears the canopy, it becomes a big problem. If you are unable to repair in the field you then have a kite that is no longer efficient and either needs to be carried just adding bulk and weight or abandoned.

A single skin, much easier to resolve.



This all said I love touring on high AR kites. They are extremely efficient and with experience, a very good option. My kite of choice is the Ozone R1 V1. They are exceptionally high performance even for their age, and unlike all the other race kites, they were made of non-UL material. So for my kiting environment, they are a solid option in terms of the abuse they will take. But they are heavy and bulky. But they allow me to do 100+ mile tours in less than 5 hours. I personally would consider risking the downsides of such a kite in my expedition quiver but I also have a lot of experience with them to offset the potential risks. If I were to play it safe, I'd look more towards single skins and a good ski edging technique which in my experience most people who complain about upwind kite performance, are really just lacking in efficient ski edging ability.

Additionally, in events like VAKE, the majority of the participants used High AR kites. But these are not solo endeavors and they are hitting checkpoints along the way.

Maybe this will help... Admittedly this is for two-person teams but it may point you in the right direction.

https://www.vake.no/index.php/packing-list

A v4 Bar can work on your Peter Lynns but will require some tuning.

Leopards are higher AR and higher performance freeride type kites while the Lynx is lower AR and lower lift entry to mid level kite.

For high winds, there are better options than a Lynx. An Ozone Explore 4m, Flysurfer Peak 3m or Ozone Access 4m will manage higher winds better and have more effective safety systems. Especially if you set all your kites up with a modular lineset to allow for shortening or lengthening as conditions require. I can teach beginners on ice in 30kts quite comfortably with a 3m Peak 4 on 17m lines. This wasn't the case prior to the 3m being produced. Makes my job a lot easier and eliminates the cancellation of beginner lessons on high wind days.

Hope this helps.