I ride in WA and want a 9 or 10m kite for the waves.

I ride a surfboard both strapped and unstrapped.
Normally ride hooked in.
Want good depower.
Good water relaunch.
4 lines (will not consider 5)
Fast turning.

Ive been riding a 9m Cabrinha convert on a 1;1 bar for the last year and have been happy overall with the exception of its turning speed which is too slow (ive tried messing with line lengths and attachment points with limited improvement).

What is recommended for this application?

Have you tried the covert in 2:1, that should make it turn quicker,( more bar pressure though). Or you could try a bigger bar. I recently put 20m lines(down from 25) on my 12m sb3 and am now much happier with its turning speed. It made a big difference.
As for a wave specific kite, I have heard very good things about the eclipse Kima. It is also dirt cheap(about $600) kite only. Also the new cab nomad looks good

Hi,

I did most of my kiting on a 2008 Convert a couple of season ago, and they were a great kite, but yes, after a season you're ready to step up to something a little faster.

I was going to reccommend you try out a 2010 Rebel, then I read that you don't want 5 lines (Just incase you do want to try it, 7m, 9m, 11m demos in store from tomorrow).

For a kite thats great in the waves, and has easy relaunch, the Bandit's are perfect. The Bandit 3 is one-pump this year as well, which is an added bonus. The Bandit's should be hitting Australia's shelves within about 4-6 weeks, if you're keen for a demo we'll have a couple of sizes available as soon as they come in.

Cheers

There are a a few kites out there now that go really well as a wave kite. Take your pick from a bunch of companies. I currently ride the Kima & as far as I'm concerned its an awesome kite for the waves. Super fast in the turns & doesn't pull you off your rail either. I could rave on, but your best get out there & demo a few of the new 2010 kites & see what suits you...

Where can I buy an Eclipse Kima for $600?

i would recomend a best kite or blade

cheap and effective kites

Just curious, but why do you not want to consider 5 line kites?

I had a go on a 10m Ozone Light XC (AKS-Kitehard), damn nice kite, would be worth giving him a call and trying that and/or the 8m

Hi Fjordfiend,

If it is for Perth Summer conditions you need something that drifts well and steers with little bar input because you'll be riding predominantly in cross onshore crap!

You need to decide whether you are a park and ride surfer or a power surfer. If you park and ride, look for the drifters

Airush DNA 08/09, Airush 2008 Flow, Ozone Light XC 09, North EVO 09. (All 4 lines)

For powered riding where you swing the kite around and use kite power to "hit it" or are a twin tip rider:

Airush Generator, Ozone Sport II 08, North Rebel 09, (All 5 lines) Core Combat GT (4 line)

Ozone Light II 08 is still the best park and ride wave kite I have ever used. Do a search for Reviews I have done last year. I wish they still made them :-(

What is your aversion to 5 lines? I think you are locking out most of the best wave kites available by not including 5 lines. JMHO

Cheers,

KH

5 lines are fine for flat water.
However Ive not had good experiences with 5 line kites in the surf .
Ive had a couple of epic swims myself when the wave has flipped a downed kite and the 5th line has wrapped around the canopy preventing relaunch and I have pulled friends to shore after the same has happened to them.

the 10m RPM is orgasmic in the surf.
why has no-one mentioned it?

I agree , if you drop a 5 line kite in front of a wave there is alot bigger chance of it tieing it-self into a bowtie and then no chance of a relaunch .

Also the tend to tear themselves apart .

try a NEW (9mtr ) .

I really like mine in the waves .

it comes with 5 lines but i use it with 4 and it works well with20mtr lines

(Flame suit on)

Disclaimer: I have no financial association with these kites at all (honestly) I just bought em (Nannos) recently and love em.

eclipse Nanno for waves and allrounder (great fast but also very stable and a true allrounder. Boosts well, waves very good too)

eclipse kima for waves only (even faster and a wave only kite - boosting is lacklustre though)

I demoed both and went for Nanno cause I ride TTs in the surf and like to boost also. If i was on a Sfbrd I may have been tempted to put my eggs in the kima basket.

On my 9m I get going at 13/14 kts (on a 151 x 43 TT) up to 28kts (on my 136 x 36 TT) I am confident it can probably go a little higher TBH but that is all I have gone to so far and don't want to embelish. The above figures are real and I stand by them. Oh I am 85kgs in winetr and 82 in summer (curse chocolaty treats in the off season!)

Heaps of great kites out there and you are spoilt for choice so don't stress it too much. Get one and get out there.

Good luck.

I do not use safety line when in big swell at all.
If you drop a kite in or close to the impact zone you are stuffed regardless whether it's 4 or 5 lines kite> it will be ripped by a wave or even worse you will be dragged under ( can actually drown).
Best you can do> free the kite and surf back to the shore!!! (advantage of using the surfboard :))
You will be able catch your kite later on the beach.

get funkys on the money.....for surfboard only, the eclipse kimas are excellent...for an allround wave kite using a tt as well..go the nano 09 models.....they are fantastic kites

what about the new ss octane

much better than rpm in surf

May be a different story with the aussie distributors with stock; I'd make some enquiries about the eclipse before buying one. I certainly don't want to bag the brand; they sound like good kites but.....there is talk on kiteforum from people paying for kites and not receiving them, and financial problems with the company.
Interesting read anyway!
kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2359354&sid=69476f3c0922f07d2d62a0c3f186466e

How do we know the Octane is better in the surf than the RPM? Are we just going with the marketing blurb or has someone actually (apart from BW) ridden one in the surf enough to give an informed opinion?
Constant winds,
Baz.

The company are awkward for sure but the (NZ) distributer has been excellent, going out of his way for help. The kites cannot be faulted by any who have put their dough on em (or open mindedly tried them). I aint swimmin on spendies and am super stoked with performance and cost.

I'll leave it up to fjordy if he wants to PM to get the dist bloke's contact.

BTW I gain nuttin from lettin people know how good the kites are but the warm allover glow that another kiter has clued into great kites.

I havent tried the RPM but the Octane is awesome in the waves, or try the Rev2 also very good.

havent tried the octane, but RPM is for unhooking.
all revs are sweet too.
cab switchies suck a55 though.

I have the NEW OS 7m and 2008 9 m & 12m Eclipse Nano which is very similar to the 2009 Kima. Nano's are very grunty and sit back in the window. If you are goofy or can go switch the Kima's are the way to go for down the line riding.

I got the NEW 7m because it flies very forward in the window and I am natural so I reckon I can go right against the SW'erly a bit better (thats the theory, only tried the 7m once on a NW'ester). Tried the other sizes and really enjoyed the response.

Jeff2, would like some details from you in how the 9m handles without the 5th, relaunch and flying across the window, etc.

My point is: if natural go for kite that sits forward or a kite that sits further back if goofy (thats my theory, hopefully going to prove it this weekend ).

Cheers
Rich

Hi Pearl

This is a really bigggg Plug for Eclipse NZ !!!

Based on credibility from the fact that myself and 5 other crazed kiter friends have all bought between 1 & 3 kites each - in the last month and they arrived on our Perth doorstep exactly 5 days later Thats excellent service by anyones book !

So there you go - Credit where its due

I've now got a smile bigger than GetFunky's hairdo

Cheers

Thanks for all of the input.
I eventually went for a 6 & 9m Kima as the price was good!
The Kima sounds like its exactly what Im after.

I'm a bit biased as I ride for the NZ Eclipse distributer, but he is an awesome bloke that will certainly go out of his way to help you...And yeah I do have an 11m 09 Nano as my lighter wind kite, & it performs pretty impressively in the waves too. I hope you like the Kimas fjordfiend!

Select to expand quote

fjordfiend said...
I eventually went for a 6 & 9m Kima as the price was good!

If the price is good...
then having no warranty is of little importance, hey ?

Just get a mega fast kite, I heard they are sick, the faster the better, you can really get it at max power while you "ride" that wave.

Which are the top 5 fastest turning bow/sle kites? shame the manufactures don't quote a turning speed.

1. RRD Type9
2. Bandit
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?

^^take the bandit of that list^^
that kite is slower then my grandma.
why does everyone say it is soooooo fast.
add the rev.

Thats interesting! people say the bandit is very fast! whats the real deal? how does is compare to type 9?

You'd have to add the Core Combat GT and also last years 2008 Ozone Sport II.

The Eclipse Kima is fast but gutless. Works well as a wave kite though. Smaller size DNA like 6m in the 08/09 range are quick on shorter lines ie 20m.

Cheers,

KH