Light wind Kites - Comparison between Juice Dlab vs Juice vs Core XR7 LW vs Ozone Zephyr

[Silfio]

Hi everybody, I am interested to buy a light wind kite (15m size) to be used during the summer sessions (light thermic wind close to 10-12 knots).
My weight is 75kg and most of times I ride with twintip board (Jaime sls 139/42) but I have also the surfboard.
I am thinking of buying a 15m size, or the 17m if available.
I would appreciate your feedback, suggestion and comparison between the most common lightwind kites (Duotone Juice Dlab, Juice, Core XR7 LW, Ozone Zephyr, etc etc) in terms of:
- Low end capability
- Reactive steering
- Turning speed
- Up wind ability
- Hang timing
- Drift

Ciao

[Flyingseb]

Hi everybody, I am interested to buy a light wind kite (15m size) to be used during the summer sessions (light thermic wind close to 10-12 knots).
My weight is 75kg and most of times I ride with twintip board (Jaime sls 139/42) but I have also the surfboard.
I am thinking of buying a 15m size, or the 17m if available.
I would appreciate your feedback, suggestion and comparison between the most common lightwind kites (Duotone Juice Dlab, Juice, Core XR7 LW, Ozone Zephyr, etc etc) in terms of:
- Low end capability
- Reactive steering
- Turning speed
- Up wind ability
- Hang timing
- Drift

Ciao

Please consider a ram air kite too, like the Soul from Flysurfer. Summer sessions, light thermal winds is exactly its program , if you choose a 15m as well. You won’t believe how user friendly it is, and how performant in the same time

[GregK]

Two suggestions :

1. Consider adding the Ocean Rodeo 14.5m or 17m Aluula Flite to your list of options.

2. If at all possible, try before you buy, as it's almost impossible for a forum member to know which kite will suit you best.

[Trent hink]

You could skip the kite and just get a bigger board.

In underpowered conditions, l'd pick a bigger board way before I would pick bigger kite.

Of course, for the best low-end you will need both, but it's much more fun to work a big board than it is to work a big kite, even if you have to rig down to use the board.

....That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

A big board does not need to be long.

Big means wide, and for light wind, you want the lowest possible low rocker you can stand.

As long as it has a fast rocker line a , regular surfboard is better than most twintips, , but nothing like a short, very wide, "potato chip-style" surfboard.

[Fatso]

Why not just learn to foil? I used to ride a 17m with surf in low wind but once I started foiling (100kg with a 6m peak 5 in 10 knots!) I sold my 17m.

If you have consistent thermals of the sort and can do strapless, it's a no-brainer and would cost about the same and could use your own kites.

[Trent hink]

Yeah. What Fatso said...

[lizards]

I have not flown any of the kites on your list but love my 14m duotone Evo as a light wind kite. I am a little lighter than you at 65 kilos. I’m my experience a regular Dacron 3 strut kite will relaunch in 10kts so if you have the extra money to spend on aluula then great but don’t feel like it’s necessary.
I wouldn’t bother with the core because it’s a 5 strut. I also wouldn’t bother with kites larger than 15m because they really are too large to have much fun on.

[iriejohn]

You could skip the kite and just get a bigger board.

I weigh 80kg.

My regular TT is 40.5 wide (Lieuwe Shotgun) for Ozone Enduro V2/V3 7/9/12m.

I have a slightly wider and longer Lieuwe Shotgun for Juice Dlab 13m. Works from 10 knots upwards and when apparent wind is increased it's a rocket ship!

Have had 14.5 Allulah Flite and 17 Ozone Zephyr, never again want that size. If less than 10 knots I ride my FS mountain bike.

[Havre]

I can’t compare them for you as I have only tried one of them. Still got my old Zephyr. Lovely kite and my guess the newer models are even better. I have used it a lot, but I have grown a bit tired of it. Still happy I bought it though.

It has kept me on the water many times when everyone else have had to get back to shore. So this idea that big kites got limited use highly depends on where you are kiting. I have been to places like Langebaan and Zanzibar on holiday and without a 17 I would have “lost” many hours on the water (I’m heavier than you though - around 100kg). And you can have fun with a 17 as well - even if that fun range for me is quite limited. Unless you are Toby a 17m in too much wind can be a bit “scary” and hard to control. Just before that jumping in strong but not overpowered is great. Hang-time is so good.

[ham-er]

Still happy I bought it though.

It has kept me on the water many times when everyone else have had to get back to shore. So this idea that big kites got limited use highly depends on where you are kiting.

Havre is spot on.

I can't compare to other kites either, but it's worth having a bigger kite whichever you decide.
My Zephyr was the kite I used the most this year.
I'm 95kg and my range for Zephyr is around 12-20kn which was pretty much all the wind we had when I could kite.
You can fly it in less, but it's a struggle to stay upwind (for me at least).

I see it as 12m with extra grunt

Yes, foiling will give you more low end, but it's a different discipline to twin tip imo.

On a side note, I'm curious how much wind Toby dares to use his kite up to...