My first kites include an 8m Ozone Catalyst and an 11m Ozone C4. I am keen to add a light-wind kite to the quiver to get me up in 8-15kts. At the moment I am on a 140 x 41 Cab Tronic for everyday use, and have my regular paddle-surfboard for when I eventually learn SBing, but will add another epoxy sb soon for lighter winds.

Question is, with all the nice new bigger kites, which is a good option for beginnerish kiters? I don't think I can be trusted to keep it in the air the entire session, so something re-launchable would be nice. Don't really care so much at the moment about huge boosting or loops, would just like to cruise around on days where I would otherwise be sitting on the beach.

I have had no real problems with my current Ozones, although I still find the pull-release a little weird. I wouldn't mind going with another Ozone for the light wind kite (Edge or Zephyr?), but would like to explore other options as well.

I thinking about going to test the Airush Lithium range of kites to replace my Ozones when my noobish skills eventually ruin them. Any word on the Airush Lithium 16m One strut? Having a quiver made up of the one brand / model is an attractive prospect.

I'd spend some time on that surf board before spending more hard earnt.

Will get you going in a few knots less and improve ur skills with a more agile kite that you already know.

Just my 2c

My current SB is not an epoxy, just a regular glassed foam board. Its my bigger-wave board so it's pretty narrow and thin - it might not give me a massive advantage in lighter wind would it?

If its a board ur happy to ding with ur bar and spreader bar,then go for it. Light wind kiting is more skill then simply having a bigger kite.

Keep in mind winters coming up and its either normally 13 or 30kts

Airush Lithium 16m One amazing kite go buy one.

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gcdave said...
If its a board ur happy to ding with ur bar and spreader bar,then go for it. Light wind kiting is more skill then simply having a bigger kite.

Keep in mind winters coming up and its either normally 13 or 30kts

Or as I found out today, a lovely warm 18kt breeze - blowing in completely the wrong direction

I'm totally happy putting by bar right through this board... it's worn and on its way out from my surfing quiver hence being assigned kite duties

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SirGayley said...
Airush Lithium 16m One amazing kite go buy one.

Thankyou mysterious stranger. Care to elaborate a bit if possible?

Relaunches nicely? Good bar system? One-strut works ok? Or do you just have one to sell?

Come up and test the new Zephyr or look at the ex demo 15M Edge?
The new Ozone chicken loop will retrofit to all previous bars from 2009 onwards.

I think the zephyr or the ozone would be fine stability wise. Sure demo other kites why not, I do but I keep coming back to ozone. The blade fat lady seems to get good reviews maybe try that one.

the zephyr is a great kite for a beginner, ive given a heap of lessons in marginal winds and when the rider needs that little bit extra grunt, they are very predictable and stable, depower superbly, and easy to relaunch above 10 knts, they have the grunt to pull you through a lot of your cock ups without slumping you back in the water, not sure of your weight but 8 knts aint a great lot of fun , im 88 ish and get it out of the bag from 12 knts and still ride it to the low 20s, i have ridden it around 8 knts but i think i fell asleep, it highly underestimated as a trick learning kite imo, as it wont spank your arse when you balls up your moves, and gives you time to finess the tricks or moves, as ive said before it has been my best kiting purchase,

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Kitepower Australia said...

The new Ozone chicken loop will retrofit to all previous bars from 2009 onwards.

What new chicken loop? Still can't find it on the Ozone website (or on your website). Is it ever going to get released before 2020 ?

+1 for the Zephyr

yes for beginner look at zep over edge. the edge is harder to relaunch in light winds.

Thanks for the tips guys. Steve I might just take you up on your offer to demo a Zephyr. I should be back up your way in June, so I can test them in a nice 10kt winters day [}:)]
Like I said, happy with my Ozones although I can only really compare them with BWS and North Fuse.

Sounds a good plan zarb. Try and get on as many kites as you can in general gives you an appreciation for different designs and feel. Most kites are excellent at what they do nowadays. let us know how the Zephyr goes.

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Plummet said...
the edge is a bitch to relaunch in light winds.

fixed it for you plummet

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eppo said...
Sounds a good plan zarb. Try and get on as many kites as you can in general gives you an appreciation for different designs and feel. Most kites are excellent at what they do nowadays. let us know how the Zephyr goes.

You'll be waiting a while unless I can find one to demo down here in VIC (visiting) now that Kitepower Geelong is gone

I might see if Zu @ St Kilda has any larger Lithiums to demo. Word on the street is that Airush even have an 18m 0-strut kite on the way.

zarb, one of the local crew picked up a core xr2 and IMO it is streets ahead of the zephyr. It turns really fast and he is powering in 6-8kts on the same tronic you're on. The zephyr won't do that. Even the Edge will stuggle to do that, and the edge in that size is a clydesdale for turns. I don't think you'll ride it to 20kts though, but if you trim it out it might do 16 or so. (old mate was o'powered at 16kts the other day but for some reason he refuses to use anything other than the depower strap to trim his kite? lol. Middle knots all the way for some.
If you wanna get into LW cheaply grap an old Cabrinha. Same ol m8 scored a 15m convert 2009 under $500 for another of the crew and and that thing was more powerful than the core. Didn't have any high end but, 13kts and it was on skitzoids. danger will robinson. Also, that was fully trimmed out. It turns quick enough to catch the odd wave and hit a few foamies. Something like that is a great fun way to suss out your board quiver for LW b4 forking out the biggies for a spanking 013 model. A 16 crossbow or a big old XC instinct light or something similar should do the job too. Just try and get one with one pump....

Has anyone tried the Liquid Force NRG (2012)? I've got one on the way in the post. I've read slightly mixed reviews about it. I'm a relative beginner (can get up and going alright but that's about it), weigh 90kg and have a 138x44 board.

^^^^^Hey Giles I heard about them from the rep! It was all good from there of course lol.
can you post up how you find this thing? It looks an awesome kite for the job.
It's the 16 you're getting ? I also have a 2012 Infinity on it's way for next week so i'll let you know here how it goes. fingers crossed for both

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dusta said...

Plummet said...
the edge is a bitch to relaunch in light winds.

fixed it for you plummet

hehehe.... who crashes kites in light wind anyway? ....

I have has it drop out of the sky though!! on a stupid wind lull...long swim in.

Depends on what you are looking for in light winds, your riding style and board selection. To say a core is better than an edge in light winds to me is missing a lot to the story.

It all depends...

i find the core lw very easy to fly and relaunch. great wind range too from 8-22kn with different boards. (@88kg)
when its superlight breeze the reverse launch is a godsend.

you should try to get out there and fly a few different brands and try relaunching them on water. you will soon see what feels comfortable to you.

Man I have a lot of demoing to do before next season

My LF NRG is a 16m. Apparently it has heaps of power..kind of hope its not a bit too lively. I wanted something with a slight Xover with my 10m Naish Park. It will be annoying if there is actually a gap of a couple of knots.

Giles the NRG is a super underrated kite. Never flown a kite with as much boost potential and yet incredible drift. It truly needs more recognition. But at 16m not sure my day on this kite was on a 10. Can't comment on a 16m.

I have had a few beers so here goes....

FOR GODS SAKE DONT BUY A KITE BECAUSE IT RELAUNCHES WELL ! W T F

I owned a LA 17 fluid kite for one year- it pull like a truck on 8 knots. One day I race a mate on his 14 meter 2013 NRG and he left me way behind . I sold the LA kite the next week. Sold my cabrinha 13 meters and bought a 10 meter NRG 2013. It gets me going from 10 knots. I am buying a 14 meter for next summer. Test a kite before you buy - it is the only way to buy what you want and not what other like.
cheers

How much do you weigh?

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castill0jf said...
I owned a LA 17 fluid kite for one year- it pull like a truck on 8 knots. One day I race a mate on his 14 meter 2013 NRG and he left me way behind . I sold the LA kite the next week. Sold my cabrinha 13 meters and bought a 10 meter NRG 2013. It gets me going from 10 knots. I am buying a 14 meter for next summer. Test a kite before you buy - it is the only way to buy what you want and not what other like.
cheers

Yep how much do you weigh and what board are you on. I am 75kg and was on a 140 mako in 15 to 18 and could have done with some more power, but then again after being on the edge I'm a power junkie. It did drop to 14!-15 ish and yeh was still holding ground. Great great kite, I'm still baffled by its drift for such a high aspect kite.

80 kilo Epic Oxygen 134x47 + 26 meter lines the 2013 10 nrg meter pulls but no jumping at all

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eppo said...


I have had a few beers so here goes....

FOR GODS SAKE DONT BUY A KITE BECAUSE IT RELAUNCHES WELL ! W T F

I wasnt just meaning it relaunches well, but that is a big plus when the wind is around 10kn and then you hit lulls and the kite falls out of the sky.
I watched a guy this week on a different brand 17m drift 500m down wind because he could not relaunch.
I had a go of his kite and was able to relaunch it but it required a lot of finessing and then when flying, the kite was so slow to turn I had the bar fully cranked and felt like grabbing another half a meter of steering line to get it around.

test ride more than one and you will see there is a big difference

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kitcho207 said...

eppo said...


I have had a few beers so here goes....

FOR GODS SAKE DONT BUY A KITE BECAUSE IT RELAUNCHES WELL ! W T F

I wasnt just meaning it relaunches well, but that is a big plus when the wind is around 10kn and then you hit lulls and the kite falls out of the sky.
I watched a guy this week on a different brand 17m drift 500m down wind because he could not relaunch.
I had a go of his kite and was able to relaunch it but it required a lot of finessing and then when flying, the kite was so slow to turn I had the bar fully cranked and felt like grabbing another half a meter of steering line to get it around.

test ride more than one and you will see there is a big difference

I hope that wasn't directed at me...I'm notorious for testing too many kites. Lol.

But yeh of course that is true, test.

But if your criteria of launching is above that of performance then I feel one needs to re-think their approach. I will sacrifice relaunch any day for performance.

Then again in the context of the posts topic, beginner friendly large kite you make a very good point man.