Back to top

13m fuel vs 14m RPM

Created by snapback snapback  > 9 months ago, 22 Dec 2015
Register to post, see what you've read, and subscribe to topics.
snapback
snapback

68 posts

22 Dec 2015 8:10am
Hey guys

i have 11,9 fuel and i wanna update my quiver with a bigger kite. but i'm nut sure how much morn low end an 13m fuel would give me. does somebody ride 11 and 13 and can tell me something?

how does the fuel compare to the rpm? i reccon it would get me going quite a bit earlier but if the 13 would get me going in 14kn i'd be happy (riding a 144 tona flow, 82kg)

thank you!
default
default

WA

1255 posts

22 Dec 2015 8:46am
If your into wakestyle and like the feel of your fuels, get a 13m fuel.

You'll get a bit more bottom and top end with a 14m RPM but sacrifice the direct feel, pop n slack and stability of the fuel. I've owned both and found it difficult to go back to the rpm after riding fuels for wakestyle

I'm 80kg and found the 13m fuel sweet spot to be 14-15knots.
snapback
snapback

68 posts

22 Dec 2015 9:14am
thanks that's what i thought! you say the sweet spot is 14-15 knots, so when can you ride upwind with it? when do you switch to the 11 fuel?
default
default

WA

1255 posts

22 Dec 2015 9:28am
14-15 is when I'm nicely powered to do unhooked tricks. Probably closer to 15knots. Could mow the grass in less. I'll be swapping to the 11m from about 17knots to be comfortable unhooking and not over powered (for me). Fuels do have a small wind range unless you add a 5th line (will give more top end with ability to trim). I rode fuels on 4 lines, probably should have added a 5th.
snapback
snapback

68 posts

22 Dec 2015 9:58am
so you have 2knots and then you switch? hmm..
default
default

WA

1255 posts

22 Dec 2015 10:39am
Sometimes, depends what the wind is doing. Ranges tell a better story.

I use the 13m in 13-18 knot range. The 11m 17-23 knots, 9m 22+ knots. Add a 5th line and the range improves on each.

Not sure I'd be riding a 14m RPM much over 18 either.

Me with my mediocre ability
dave......
dave......

WA

2119 posts

22 Dec 2015 10:57pm
Select to expand quote
snapback said..
Hey guys

i have 11,9 fuel and i wanna update my quiver with a bigger kite. but i'm nut sure how much morn low end an 13m fuel would give me. does somebody ride 11 and 13 and can tell me something?

how does the fuel compare to the rpm? i reccon it would get me going quite a bit earlier but if the 13 would get me going in 14kn i'd be happy (riding a 144 tona flow, 82kg)

thank you!


Where are you from?

Ive kited a fair bit. Take or leave my advice.

Youre going to get bugger all selling fuels. If your happy with them, keep them, I was. As I was with RPM's.
10-14 knots having power and fun is a different ball-game. a 13 fuel as the last poster said 2knots?

I go from a 10m to a 15m for my next lighter wind kite, and then there's still overlap.
The beauty with higher aspect lightwind specific kites as they are so stable, give you a lot of slack and float time. Things happen so slowly and nice that in stable winds you ride suicide to keep it in the air.

Do your homework, theres some good reviews on many 15-16m kites sometimes not major brands and they all suit differet weights. at 87 kgs in WA winds 15m best TS lightwind, and you at 82kgs in a less than windy location. Try to speak to Joe Millen in Makay. he knows his stuff and will give you a much less biased opinion.

Rails
Rails

QLD

1371 posts

23 Dec 2015 6:06am
I've got both and tend to agree with Dave, something more light wind specific might be the go
The 13m fuel is awesome at about 15-18kn and that's it!
The 14m RPM 14-20 (75kgs)

kemp90
kemp90

QLD

1694 posts

23 Dec 2015 6:52am
Go a light wind kite!. I use to have a 13m razor and you definitely needed 15knots to have fun.
Now I have a 15m best ts, and honestly, it's my favorite kite to do backmobes on. Keep the kite low and it will still slack. And they pull so hard, you get good pop.
Tho its definitely harder to pass the bar if the kite is at 45 or higher.
I think of it like cable. You can head straight down wind with zero bar pressure, load up and boom. Huge pop.

Ozone zephyr would also be the go. Andy Yates lernt most of hit tricks on a zephyr.

I personally wouldn't buy a 13m freestyle kite again.
snapback
snapback

68 posts

23 Dec 2015 9:13pm
thank's guys!
if i get a 15m kite, don't they pull like crazy when it lit's up a bit? would be leaning to the RPM at the moment, especially because they are cheap(ish). or are there any 14m "freestyle" kites that do the trick?
dave......
dave......

WA

2119 posts

24 Dec 2015 8:51am
The fuels are great kites in the 7-11m range. RPM's the 6-12m are the sweet ones.

The extreme sizes of these kites are crap in my opinion. Because of the design and construction they have their sweet sizes. All the performance characteristics are hardly there. They are also prone to backstalling when unhooked unless you get the trim perfect.
default
default

WA

1255 posts

24 Dec 2015 10:30am
I had backstalling on the big size RPMs in lighter wind but not on the 13m Fuel. Just stays there solid unhooked, during a trick for me.

I personally found the biggest difference between each fuel size was between the 9 and 11. The 11m was my fave for learning tricks, then the 13m. Just because they feel so stable, floaty, slow and more forgiving I suppose. I thought the 11 and 13 felt similar.. Solid.

I really like the feel of the 9m too. Probably has that classic fuel feel the most out of all the sizes. Dynamic, wants to be ridden fast, hard and looped. Which is less suited to how I ride

Kite preference is subjective. One has to ask themselves what do I specifically want from a kite and what specific conditions is it for? The 13m fuel worked for me as i liked the 11 a lot but just wanted a few more knots. To be nicely powered at ~15knots of steady WA seabreeze, on flats. That's all (to suit a specific wind range). Plus you can pick up older models so cheap so adding one to an existing fuel quiver is a relatively cheap exercise.

If after something more versatile, better suited to "light wind" with a broad wind range. I'd be looking at something else. Fuels like to be powered just right
NickT
NickT

WA

1094 posts

26 Dec 2015 9:16am
I like my 13 fuel, but it's only got about 3-4 knots of range for unhooked stuff and i ride 7, 9 & 13.

If i had an 11 i wouldn't bother with a 13.
kemp90
kemp90

QLD

1694 posts

27 Dec 2015 8:35am
I got an 11m with a huge rip and a busted bladder. If you pay for postage, you can have it!
dafunk
dafunk

QLD

561 posts

27 Dec 2015 1:12pm
Ill grab that 11m fuel ? pm'd
kemp90
kemp90

QLD

1694 posts

27 Dec 2015 2:27pm
Select to expand quote
dafunk said...
Ill grab that 11m fuel ? pm'd


If nick don't want it, it's yours!
dafunk
dafunk

QLD

561 posts

27 Dec 2015 9:00pm
Sweet
End of posts
Please Register, or first...
Topics Subscribe Reply

Return To Classic site