3 or 5 strut for bigger riders

[NotsoShort]

Hi

I’m 105kg. I have 3 strut RPMs .I’ve been getting into boosting. Today I was on m 12m in winds 25 , max 30knots. Maximum height I got was 4.2m

I know RPMs are not the best in boosting but should I be able to get higher?

I have a 5 strut zephyr which I manage to get higher results than my RPMs

Would a 5 strut kite be more suited to progress in jumping higher? Being a heavier rider

Thanks

[Havre]

Yes. Kind of similar weight - and I would say the answer is yes.

If it is the struts or the shape I couldn't say, but I got the same experience with my Zephyr. And whenever I have tried 5 struts I definitely go higher and longer hang time.

[BillyGoatGruff]

There are loads of big jumping 3 strut kites out there (Naish Pivot & Dash etc). Your issue is technique, not the number of struts. Youri zoon and Sam Light jump huge on the RPM.

[SENDIT!]

I’m in agreement with BillyGoatGruff. I weigh 105 kg as well, and I’ve had some of the highest jumps in my life on 3 strut kites. In light winds, it’s the Ocean Rodeo Flite and in stronger winds, their new Crave is a ROCKET SHIP! Based on what you described, you should have been a little OVERpowered on a 12 in that. Sometimes you can do better to go out with less power, but better able to hold your edge and really load and pop for take off. And as mentioned already, the RPM is not so much of a big jumper as it is a little more edged towards freestyle. I’d say just work on your technique a bit, brother.

SENDIT!

[Havre]

Obviously world class kiters will be able to jump whatever, but there is a huge difference jumping with 75kg and 105kg.

But if it is the struts or the general shape I'm not going to have a strong opinion on. I'm definitely going 5 next time around.

[NotsoShort]

Thanks guys for your opinions. Technique and timing is a lot to do with it. Seem to be stuck around the 4m mark at moment.

[Kristan]

When I've been at one of our most crowded spots I observed lot of kites. Most of which were 3 strut kites. I saw how they flatter and deform when people jumped on them. Considering my heavy weight, over 100kg as well, and aim for bigger jumps I came to conclusion that I need robustness of 5 strut kite, so it won't flatter that much, something I can rely on. Shame I still can't quite test my newly bought E8 XR to see if that worked out for me or not.

[McLovin]

NotsoShort - Great question, take it for what it's worth...my .02

I'm 125kg just a few years into my kiting life so maybe similar timelines... I won't say you NEED to have 5 struts to accomplish your jump goals but as I frequently say, " DON'T LISTEN TO THE LITTLE PEOPLE." They really don't have any clue no matter how well intentioned or informed their experiences.

This year I had the opportunity to ride a bunch of brands via demo's in my area - the good news is there are a ton of great kites out there but I can tell you as a bigger kiter there IS a big difference in stability with a 5 strut kite. Full disclosure, I do have a 3 strut OR Flite 14.5m which amazingly works well for me but it's my light wind machine -

From 12m down to 7m I have a full quiver of North REBELS all from 2017. Yes, there are getting old but the direct feel and stability of these kites is unmatched and they are made for BOOSTING, so there's that. No kite is right for everyone, but as you said - a heavier rider wanting to BOOST could do much worse than a REBEL, try one and you'll see...part of why they work for peeps like us is they are EASY to BOOST meaning not the most technical but if you get speed, set your edge and pull the bar with some pop - you will go HIGH every time...100%

Best of Luck!

Mc

[mplamplampla]

Maybe 100% percent of the 5 strut kites are also high aspect ratio kites made mostly for boosting and jumping that's why Havre jumps higher with 5 strut kites. So the number of struts does not have to do anything with jumping but because of the decision of the marketing teams it seems this way. But because of your weight , when you change kites I would strongly advise to get a 5 strut kite. But don't be in a hurry (you are 105 kgs not 125 kgs), work on your technique and when it is time go to a 5 strut high aspect kite . All the companies offer one of these and the differences are mostly marketing.

[Herman]

^^ I think the last 2 posts sum it up pretty well. I don't mind kites distorting but buckling is horrible and so if I was designing a kite for a heavy guy I would have a leading edge that could handle high pressure for its size. I would also have the struts pumped separately so there smaller diameter could be run at higher pressure. Trouble is the market is probably too small to support a separate approach like this.