Picture is worth a thousand words... (maybe not this one as the PNG didn't load too well)






Left is the projected area described by others above, right is the flat area of the material. Aspect ratio is a measure of the ratio between the two.

As mentioned the actual numbers aren't that relevant, more whether the relative aspect ratio suits your purpose.

At least the measurement is now relatively standard - back in the day different manufacturers would quote their kite size using projected area or flat area, so you'd get a kite that you though was a 6m but was actually a 12m!

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cauncy said..
You walk in a pub
There's a guy he's a 50 year old john bon jovi lookalike, he's chatting up the young chicks
But hasn't a furkin chance
That's a high aspect kiter
Then over in the corner there's 2 sus looking blokes drinking cocktails, theses are mid aspect
Kiters
Then you go for a piss and there's a bloke banging some hot chick in the cubicle with the door open, he's a c kite rider
That's about it

Hahaha... I agree with that except the C kite rider is in the toilet banging another dude in the ar##.
You left out the group of stoners guys out the back of the pub smoking weed. That's the low aspect wave kiters searching for the perfect wave.
Then there's the yuppi in the suit buying cocktails. Thet the foilboard/kite racer........

Jesus what am I then since I have all of those kite options except the C kite..... I'm glad I don't have the C kite in that pub.

Then there is the dude sipping a beer by himself thinking "what the **** is Patent Area"

Thats when a mother knows there child is hungry thru some sort of deep bond.

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eppo said..
I suggest your focus on aspect ratio to be way down the list in priority regarding choosing a kite. Aspect ratio is implicit in its design, but works with all the other attributes of a kite. Ridden plenty of so called high aspect kites that are pigs (relatively) for all round jumping style freeridin..for me anyway.

Good points there Eppo. I guess where I was coming from was "is there a way to look at a kite and avoid the hype" type question. Some kites advertise as being a certain "size" but turn out to be less or more than that size in comparison to other kites. Yes I know all kites are different, but I thought by looking at Aspect Ratios, all kites "are the same"? Cheers
-Connor

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cbulota said..

This may come as a surprise but manufacturers are known to lie about kite measurements starting with kite size. It's a common hidden marketing practice that's been around for a long time. So you may think, for example, that the 7m you bought has more power than your friend's 7m, only to realize from measuring it that it's much closer to an 8m than a 7m.

If you're actually upgrading from a North Rhino...get ready to be super stoked flying just about any popular modern kite model

Christian

Thanks Cristian.

1. Yeah that's what I meant by shopping with an AR figure in mind, but you're both right - ya have to feel the kite and know really.

2. Nah, I've got foil kites and more modern Hybrids and Bow kites, so all good there. But I do love the Rhinos for their power at the lower end. My biggest board is a 136 x 40cm Cardboards.

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Plummet said..

Then there's the yuppi in the suit buying cocktails. Thet the foilboard/kite racer........

Agreed ^

Every foiler I've met thinks they are the ants-pants of kite surfing, but before they took up foils they were the nicest guys on the beach

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Plummet said...

cauncy said..
You walk in a pub
There's a guy he's a 50 year old john bon jovi lookalike, he's chatting up the young chicks
But hasn't a furkin chance
That's a high aspect kiter
Then over in the corner there's 2 sus looking blokes drinking cocktails, theses are mid aspect
Kiters
Then you go for a piss and there's a bloke banging some hot chick in the cubicle with the door open, he's a c kite rider
That's about it

Hahaha... I agree with that except the C kite rider is in the toilet banging another dude in the ar##.
You left out the group of stoners guys out the back of the pub smoking weed. That's the low aspect wave kiters searching for the perfect wave.
Then there's the yuppi in the suit buying cocktails. Thet the foilboard/kite racer........

Jesus what am I then since I have all of those kite options except the C kite..... I'm glad I don't have the C kite in that pub.

Your the bloke in the dunny with the C kiter! Hahahaha

Nah there's no one in the dunny with the Ckiter, just himself and his ego, batting off, thinking there is someone in there with him and the door open with everyone watching.

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eppo said..
Nah there's no one in the dunny with the Ckiter, just himself and his ego, batting off, thinking there is someone in there with him and the door open with everyone watching.

you mean no one watching.
i swear you can have some bloke throwing down mobes no one bats an eyelid ****ing old todger the coffin dodger does a 5m jump and all the grannys and kids on the beach loose there ****

if you want to avoid the hype think it was ass CLOwnCLOwn wanted to know, simple buy your kite on what you plan on doing with it. whatever it is your goals are and what level you are currently at then that decides the STYLE of kite so you got your top 5 companys north cab ozone naish slingshot they all have a style of kite to fit your needs and requirements whatever style that may be. seeing as your asking a question in the first place your all requireing a FREE RIDE kite.

so from these 5 free ride kites you want to go for durability and resale and most importantly cost. most likely of these 5 (north cab ozone naish slingshot freeride) kites your local brick and mortar may only be a DEALER for some what you want is a DISTRIBUTOR not a DEALER there is different requirements that have to be met to become a top end brands distributor. one of these is SALES they HAVE to sell XX amount of kites a season just to keep there rights as a distributor! SO they get the kites CHEAPER and they HAVE to SELL them ALOT of them! (think about that for a minute) now each of these 5 are relatively equal they basicly duck and weave patants but they are all well established there factorys pay cloth and feed there workers they have top notch rnd and designers yadda yadda yadda so it all comes down to your closest distributor and the price they are willing to go down to. an important fact to remember is its ILLEGAL for them to sell equipment below a certain cost or percentage. they cant legally sell you it for less then what they sell them to a dealer for example. because that wouldnt be fair to all the dealers would it? there is only a few of each in the country so figure out who and where they are and have a game plan ready, and be nice flowers and chocolate nice with a call back later not buy a bottle wine drink more then half and try ram it in.

minds a wandering

so yeah 5 strut (if the pricks even still make them anymore) freeride big 5 closest distro choclates and wine distributors of all sporting goods generally pay 50% RRP so aim for around 75% ? i dont know depends on how much game you got and your dance moves.

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Kozzie said...

eppo said..
Nah there's no one in the dunny with the Ckiter, just himself and his ego, batting off, thinking there is someone in there with him and the door open with everyone watching.

you mean no one watching.
i swear you can have some bloke throwing down mobes no one bats an eyelid ****ing old todger the coffin dodger does a 5m jump and all the grannys and kids on the beach loose there ****

Yep. That makes sense. Boosting is way cooler!

Back to the serious side of high vs low aspect kite ;-)

A mate flies an Ozone high aspect kite and says he cant tether launch - the kite just wont sit on its wing tip apparently ?? PITA for me cuz I have to launch him all the time .....

I tether launch my delta shape kites all the time (always fully depower the sucker before launching) and generally don't have a problem ? In very strong wind my kites can fly off the ground while I'm heading back to the tether to hook in but they usually settle back onto their wing tip

So - the question is - can high aspect kites be tether launched ? (my mate thinks not) Surely if you let go of a bar on a high aspect kite when out on the water they fall to the water and sit on their wing tip ?? maybe not ?? Are they really that technical to fly ??

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Lambie said..
Back to the serious side of high vs low aspect kite ;-)

A mate flies an Ozone high aspect kite and says he cant tether launch - the kite just wont sit on its wing tip apparently ?? PITA for me cuz I have to launch him all the time .....

I tether launch my delta shape kites all the time (always fully depower the sucker before launching) and generally don't have a problem ? In very strong wind my kites can fly off the ground while I'm heading back to the tether to hook in but they usually settle back onto their wing tip

So - the question is - can high aspect kites be tether launched ? (my mate thinks not) Surely if you let go of a bar on a high aspect kite when out on the water they fall to the water and sit on their wing tip ?? maybe not ?? Are they really that technical to fly ??

Yes. I teather launch my ozone edges.

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Kozzie said..

Plummet said..




Yep. That makes sense. Boosting is way cooler!

ive said it before and ill say it again plums. theres bloody NO ONE watching you on your beach its to god damned cold and miserable! may aswell live in friggin england mate .

That was probably the case today.
5m washing machine swell and gusting to 45 knots. Twas a tad cold and better.
But you do feel alive wrestling with nature in those conditions.

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Plummet said..

Lambie said..
Back to the serious side of high vs low aspect kite ;-)

A mate flies an Ozone high aspect kite and says he cant tether launch - the kite just wont sit on its wing tip apparently ?? PITA for me cuz I have to launch him all the time .....

I tether launch my delta shape kites all the time (always fully depower the sucker before launching) and generally don't have a problem ? In very strong wind my kites can fly off the ground while I'm heading back to the tether to hook in but they usually settle back onto their wing tip

So - the question is - can high aspect kites be tether launched ? (my mate thinks not) Surely if you let go of a bar on a high aspect kite when out on the water they fall to the water and sit on their wing tip ?? maybe not ?? Are they really that technical to fly ??

Yes. I teather launch my ozone edges.

He's pulling your leg - just doesn't want to go kiting alone?

Yes they can be tether launched - I have ASV race kites that are very similar to the ozone edges.
They probably sit better on the edge of the window, than the lower aspect kites I also own.
I've only been kiting for a season and a half and I love the way my race kites feel compared to my other kites.
So they are obviously not that technical to fly.

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Lambie said...
Back to the serious side of high vs low aspect kite ;-)

A mate flies an Ozone high aspect kite and says he cant tether launch - the kite just wont sit on its wing tip apparently ?? PITA for me cuz I have to launch him all the time .....

I tether launch my delta shape kites all the time (always fully depower the sucker before launching) and generally don't have a problem ? In very strong wind my kites can fly off the ground while I'm heading back to the tether to hook in but they usually settle back onto their wing tip

So - the question is - can high aspect kites be tether launched ? (my mate thinks not) Surely if you let go of a bar on a high aspect kite when out on the water they fall to the water and sit on their wing tip ?? maybe not ?? Are they really that technical to fly ??

Teathered my edges literally thousands of times, in high winds with just a tad of trim, in low winds 3/4 to full trim
In winter squall conditions I spike me steering line , so kite steers toward the ground
Only in squalls does it give a hint of setting off
Somethings out of wack with his trim or settings if the kites surging during a launch in normal conditions, sometimes a scetchy location can be to blame with headlands / dunes etc etc

OK, got a fair few comments earlier in this thread when I said that I can't boost on an Ozone Edge and that my Naish Park was way better. I've sold my Park so only had my 9m edge left when it picked up yesterday and today. After reading earlier explanations of how to get the best out of the Edge I headed out in 16-25 knts, current weight 84kg. Took a bit of practice, but I did get some great air today. The key as most of you said was kite speed and not sending the kite too far back. I still prefer the Park in terms of allround ability for how I ride, but will admit the Edge gets great air and nice solid pull.