Foil Kite vs LEI kite for medium wind hydrofoil

[Peter_Frank]

Btw 12-25 mphs you wrote?
That is 5.4 to 11.2 m/s or 10.4 to 22 knots.

For me that is not medium wind but strong wind, or at least starting at medium ending as strong where you can use a 4 m2 LEI kite.

Meaning, in 5.4 m/s you can ride ANY heavy LEI kite you want, as loads of wind.

Sorry, I got it as medium wind is when so much that you can ride with LEI kites no problem, and before you can ride heavy normal LEI kites, meaning 7/8 to 11 knots.
My mistake...

If 22 knots is medium wind, then you need a 2 or 3 m2 kite in heavy winds

Peter

[dave1986]

Yeah, I guess we all have different perception of what is light/ medium/ strong wind.

I class "strong" wind as 25mph+ because that's the point at which I really start to have fun on a twin tip with bigger jumps and loops.

[TomW]

Short answer: in 15-18 knots, medium wind, a Hyperlink 7 is fantastic. I can use it to 20 knots.
18-25, you'll want a 5m foil kite. 25knots will be too much and you'll be on a micro foil kite like a 3,5 concept air wave.

Long answer :

I was using a quiver of North Monos my first 2 years in a hydrofoil. 7-9-12.
Then I got a Hyperlink UL V1 9m. It was much better for foiling, no fluttering, better range, better depower. Stopped using the 12-9 Mono. A few sessions I was using the 7mono and it felt so jerky and flapping after getting used to the hyperlink. It was terrible experience. ( I was still using Monos on surfboard, but by 2nd year foiling, I stopped using surfboard as I was ridden shitty waves we have on HF.) So I got a 7m Hyperlink. I use it 16- to up to a bit over 20 knots. I find them much easier to control and depower than the Mono.
Finally I bought a used Sonic 2 13 for 8-12 knot sessions ( Hyperlink 9m works well at 10 knots) but too much trouble below 10.) The Sonic was really amazing but too technical to fly and the bridles so long and complicated. So this summer bought a new Hyperlink V2 13m. It goes well in 8-14 knots.
I don’t agree that (Hyperlink) foil kite is difficult to control power at top end, on the contrary they are easier to control power. Also, I can switch from 20m to 15m lines and get additional 2 knots top end, but I rarely do that.
My conditions in 16+ knots is choppy, short period windwaves and confused water, so not easy.
Recently I bought a Concept Air Wave 4,5m for 20+ knots. I've not used it yet. Soon though as fall winds coming.
I've become addicted to the smooth power and ease of setting up and not pumping. I kite solo often, so it's easier to launch and land solo.
That said, I'm the only one around here using all foil kites, everyone else is on lei in 12+ knots. The new Slingshot SST, 2019, looks very good, it seems to flap less than my Monos did.

[joriws]

The fast turning which you mention in that video at 1.10 isn't a "regular" turn, it's a stalled turn. So one side of the kite is stalled and flying backwards. This isn't the way the kite turns normally unless it's forced to do it... and I don't really see a benefit.

Sure foil kites can fly arc turn as you can see on that same video. Turn speed is not about stalled or non-stalled turn but how many rad/s or deg/s kite can turn. Hyperlink on video was over 720 deg/s (no freeze frame counting because not that much interested). Stalled turn is also low power turn on pull because kite is not screaming fast forward. You can also redirect kite quickly to new flight direction in powerzone depending what you need. To convert stalled to pivot or to arc just push bar forward. Foil kites can be flown like 4-line stunt kites without side slip due to control bar.

Also relaunch happens on above video so quickly that you don't drop down with hydrofoil. Flysurfer had instagram video yesterday where 2 Soul kites did same intentional le first to water and both up immediately. More as synchronized dance move.

[cglazier]

Nice trick that those two do in that video.. I've go to try that.

[plummet]

I find myself further out to sea of the foil than the surface board. So the self rescue/float on the bladders if shit goes down option is if high importance to me. So lei wins for further out at sea foiling.

[tomtom]

I find myself further out to sea of the foil than the surface board. So the self rescue/float on the bladders if shit goes down option is if high importance to me. So lei wins for further out at sea foiling.

This is without any question legit. This can be life and death difference. Despite what every foil lovers says - LEI IS LIFE RAFT

[nothing2seehere]

Anyone care to comment on stony beach launches with a foil kite? I can drift launch an LEI on a stony beach happily but you do occasionally have to reset when the lines get caught on something. Is a self launch on a foil something for only sand/grass launch points due to the extra bridle lines?

[tomtom]

Depends... on stones. But basically it is same. I always start foil kite hot and this is much straight forward /less caught/ than drift. You can start LEI hot also but its much less convenient.
Bridless on foil kites are for sure much more prone to caught on something than LEI. But for me is always manageable.

[Mossy 757]

Boosting.

LEI's don't touch foils in that department, the most fun I've ever had jumping a kiteboard was on an 11m Sonic2 with my Delta Hydrofoil totally overpowered, just sending it like a maniac.