Light wind inflatable kite

[GregK]

... To me flying high in the air is the true kiteboarding ...

You may find that in light wind with straps or foot hooks on a foilboard you can jump a lot higher than with a twin tip :

[bragnouff]

To me flying high in the air is the true kiteboarding so instead of going after foil and wide door style boar I will go with 15 m kite.
(...)

That's YOUR goal, what you'd love to do, but unfortunately the laws of physics are against you on that one. And a XXL kite in sub 14kts winds is not going to make you high! You need speed, and a lot of upwind capital.

A good part of happiness in kitesurfing is to learn to adjust your expectations to the conditions available. As much as I want to ride my favorite board at every session, there are days where it's just doomed, not gonna happen, not enough wind, not the right angle,.... whatever. Instead, learn some other skills on a different board (ex: surface passes on a skimboard?). Instead of a frustrating session on the board you love, you can have an awesome fun session on something different. Whether it's obvious or not, it'll be all beneficial in the end as the acquired skills cross over and make you a more competent kiter.

If you set your expectations to jump 4-5m at every session, I'm afraid you'd be setting up yourself for a heavy dose of frustration.

[Peter_Frank]

Thank you everyone for your comments and replies! I really appreciate your help and imput since I am doing my research for a couple months already. To me flying high in the air is the true kiteboarding so instead of going after foil and wide door style boar I will go with 15 m kite. After I will be experiensed enough my next step will be 9 m with twin tip for those windy days and after that I will plan to get 10 m cloud (or any other no strut to single strut kite) with foil board. That is my game plan

It might be the right choice as you are pretty new Dean, with a really big inflatable kite.

But you have to distinquish the alternatives, as they are NOT equal.

If you opt for a door, or your normal TT, you can NOT jump high, no matter how big a kite - a foilkite will help, but only a bit.

If you opt for a hydrofoil you can jump much much higher than on the other boards, even with a smaller much more fun kite.

So if "flying high in the air" is your goal, there is absolutely no disscusion what will be the best, in your low wind conditions.

I assume you mean a hydrofoil when you write "going after foil" and not a foilkite?
Although both one or the other, and even better both, will give you much bigger jumps

Again, if new and you want to keep it easy, a 15 m2 kite will get you out in lower wind yes.
Not much jumping, but you will be able to ride, so maybe you should start here, and later you can sell your big kite and advance to hydrofoiling for max jumps.

Peter

[bigtone667]

Thank you everyone for your comments and replies! I really appreciate your help and imput since I am doing my research for a couple months already. To me flying high in the air is the true kiteboarding so instead of going after foil and wide door style boar I will go with 15 m kite. After I will be experiensed enough my next step will be 9 m with twin tip for those windy days and after that I will plan to get 10 m cloud (or any other no strut to single strut kite) with foil board. That is my game plan

10.4m Cloud with 32m Ozone Race lines will get you going in 9/10 knots easy @ 100kg on a foil.

[cglazier]

Yes but be aware that the no-strut kites do not jump particularly well if that is what you want to do.

CG

[jumptheshark]

Yeah man, would never recommend a strutless kite for jumping.

[DeanM]

Yes but be aware that the no-strut kites do not jump particularly well if that is what you want to do.

CG

Is one strut enough for flying high or there should be minimum of 3 struts?

[Peter_Frank]

I think this is a generalisation, that strutless kites can not jump - I think it is quite kite specific and not necessarily a thing directly connected to how many struts like some seem to conclude.

There could be kind of a relationship yes, but dont see it as a given - there could be huge differences on different brands, just like there is on strutted kites regarding this very thing.

I have great fun jumping with my hydrofoil on either a 12 or 13 m2 strutless or 1 strut kite in 10 knots

Doesnt help you much, I know.

When really powered on a twintip though, any jumping differences might be more predominant.

Peter

[tomtom]

If you want to jump high /i mean really high/ in low wind - race foil kite is best tool... But it also most demanding option

[kiter4fun123]

... To me flying high in the air is the true kiteboarding ...

You may find that in light wind with straps or foot hooks on a foilboard you can jump a lot higher than with a twin tip :

Amazing air control with a hydrofoil, it might look easy but it's not.
Any foil jumping vids of this canadian kitesurfer (Jason ghostrider on woo)? According to woo he's doing 15m+ jumps in really light winds.

From the vid I notice that taking off for jumping with a hydrofoil it looks like you push down your rear foot and at the same time you point your board upwind.
(maybe like a skateboard jump one used to do as a kid )