Feel free to debate but biggest disadvantages of tubes are PIN HOLE leaks, sand in the bladder making said leaks, slow setup, pumping, owning a pump, maintaining a pump, sand in a pump, poor performance, poor upwind, poor float, poor power, small range, poor steering response depowered( different for different models), leaving lines connected is a pain, poor longevity, poor durability, easily damaged in waves, not a smooth feel, rough at the bar, gusts are harder, poor drift particularly in light wind, no hot air balloon effect, heavier weight, more bulky, less safe, poorer flagging, can't flag kite well by pulling on any line, some models can't fly off the front lines, death loops(not something foils really do), bridles get stuck on kite, inverting a kite can severely damage it, rolling a kite in waves can cause lines to cut it in 2, I think I could go on but that's enough for now.
Yes there are lots of disadvantages to foils but adjusting the mixer, or better said just Z, is actually not really a disadvantage. The mixer allows massive changes to kite performance not available for TUBEs. I would say it's a massive advantage. If you think it's a disadvantage well I think you just don't understand it yet.
There you go some more lines for the novel. LOL
kiterocky wrote:U should try a real wave kite maybe....
Yep there are some not bad ones out there, but not without above said disadvantages of a tube. Me personally I prefer a surf kite. U should try one maybe....