Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Forum for kitesurfers
SpaceRacer
Frequent Poster
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:27 am
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby SpaceRacer » Thu Mar 14, 2019 2:42 am

Hi, which free ride kites are the most shoulder friendly; i.e. with the lightest bar pressure and shortest throw?

Sun
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 541
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:03 am
Local Beach: Tybee Island
Favorite Beaches: Cape Town, Cumbuco
Gear: 12m, 10m, 8m Dice SLS
6m Dice (2017)
Reedin Dreamstick X
Reedin Kev Pro 136 board w/ North Straps
Nobile XTR LW board
12m Hyperlink for LW
Mystic MajesticX Hardshell
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 185 times
Been thanked: 146 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby Sun » Thu Mar 14, 2019 7:47 am

I have flown many kites in on the lighter side of the spectrum, including ones which some people find too light like the Best TS.

Lightest by far is the Ozone Hyperlink. Depower throw is short too. Does require more turning input than LEI kites, but it should be the easiest on your shoulders. I am sure the FS Soul is similar.

Otherwise, look below and find a kite rated 10/10 for bar pressure:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2402298

Macster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:16 am
Local Beach: Melbourne
Gear: Moses and Ozone
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby Macster » Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:11 am

Bandit and Ozone Enduro have light bar pressure but not freeride kites

Macster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:16 am
Local Beach: Melbourne
Gear: Moses and Ozone
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby Macster » Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:14 am

Also my wife flies the enduro on the 45cm wakestyle bar which has a short throw (still 4 lines) without any performance issue in sizes below 12m and the kite has a freeride setting which I haven't tried.

Macster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:16 am
Local Beach: Melbourne
Gear: Moses and Ozone
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby Macster » Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:17 am

Lastly, I also owned the ozone hyperlink and I think the enduro is similar if not lighter but you need long bar throw on a foil kite to control it. I also own the 8m and 12m soul but they have heavier pressure than both IMHO.

User avatar
iriejohn
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2618
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:04 pm
Weight: 80kg, 1.78m
Local Beach: West & East Wittering (UK South Coast)
Style: Make it up as I go along
Gear: Bars, Kites
Twintips, Directional
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Noviomagus Reginorum
Has thanked: 554 times
Been thanked: 284 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby iriejohn » Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:55 am

Macster wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:11 am
Bandit and Ozone Enduro have light bar pressure but not freeride kites
The Ozone Enduro isn't a "freeride kite"? Have a word with Ozone about that. :wink:
Ozone website wrote:FREERIDE: For Freeriders the Enduro excels no matter what board you choose to ride. Whether on a twin tip, surfboard or foil board the smooth power delivery, refined predictable handling and excellent de-power allows you to relax and enjoy the ride.
Macster wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:14 am
Also my wife flies the enduro on the 45cm wakestyle bar which has a short throw (still 4 lines) without any performance issue in sizes below 12m and the kite has a freeride setting which I haven't tried.
The Freeride setting is the default factory delivered setting (the middle of three settings in the centre of the kite) so unless it's been changed since delivery that's what she's using.

matth
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2135
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:18 pm
Local Beach: Revere, Nahant, Chapin, West Dennis, Hardings , Kalmus, First Encounter, Dog, yerril, Wing
Favorite Beaches: Wing, West Dennis, Kalmus, Chapin, Revere, Nahant, Dog, Horse Neck, Good Harbor, Yerrill
Style: Freeride
Gear: 7m Slash, 10m Pivot, 10m Slash, 12m Pivot. Firewire Vadar, Duotone Profish, Crazyfly Raptor ltd
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 100 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby matth » Thu Mar 14, 2019 1:23 pm

I'm pretty sure the Bandit is also considered a free ride kite..

User avatar
purdyd
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2301
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 1:00 am
Has thanked: 281 times
Been thanked: 345 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby purdyd » Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:02 pm

I think the three strut north/Duotone evo is on the light side especially when flown with the most rearward knot attachment point for the steering lines.

I don’t think it is a short throw kite.

And I have found some kites to be quite light when on the powered side and can be a lot of work in the lighter side of their range.

foilholio
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3429
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 3:20 am
Local Beach: Ventura Beach
Favorite Beaches: Tarifa
Style: Airstyle
Gear: Foils
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 227 times
Been thanked: 148 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby foilholio » Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:35 pm

Light bar pressure and short throw are opposing functions. To reduce the effort you must increase the distance.

For example the A15 has the lightest bar pressure but longest throw.

Macster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:16 am
Local Beach: Melbourne
Gear: Moses and Ozone
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Shoulder friendly freeride kites?

Postby Macster » Fri Mar 15, 2019 10:31 pm

iriejohn wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:55 am
Macster wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:11 am
Bandit and Ozone Enduro have light bar pressure but not freeride kites
The Ozone Enduro isn't a "freeride kite"? Have a word with Ozone about that. :wink:
Ozone website wrote:FREERIDE: For Freeriders the Enduro excels no matter what board you choose to ride. Whether on a twin tip, surfboard or foil board the smooth power delivery, refined predictable handling and excellent de-power allows you to relax and enjoy the ride.
Macster wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:14 am
Also my wife flies the enduro on the 45cm wakestyle bar which has a short throw (still 4 lines) without any performance issue in sizes below 12m and the kite has a freeride setting which I haven't tried.
The Freeride setting is the default factory delivered setting (the middle of three settings in the centre of the kite) so unless it's been changed since delivery that's what she's using.
Yes, I mentioned it has a freeride setting but that we dont use that. We use freestyle or wave (foiling).

I always thought free ride kites are detuned and slower to achieve a park and ride feel. The Bandit (surf oreintated) and Enduro (crossover) are fast and dont fit those characteristics. But anyway, call them freeride.


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Aberdovy kiter, arjas, Bing [Bot], bragnouff, bshmng, Chriz76, DanielorDani, Devonkiteboy, Dirk, funalex, plasma180, SolarSet, suisd12, thatwildtype, voodoospirit, Windwarrior and 621 guests