Rider: Intermediate - 60ish kg
Style: Freeriding and Freestyle
Weather: 15-25 knots
Disclosure: NO affiliation with any company, team or brand.

Just wondering what you guys find to be the best kite in 09/10 season with riding in flat/ choppy water.
Thinking about purchasing a new kite after tax return and wanting something that is light in the sky, has excellent depower and I could possibly share with my man who is about 80-90kg.

Please no brand bias from companies or team riders.

Thanks
Liz

We're in the same boat, more or less. I weigh 87kg and my wife weighs about 57kg. Our quiver consists of a 12m Switchblade IDS, a 9m Crossbow IDS and a 7m Eclipse Nano. We ride in gusty, mushy, choppy conditions which make relaunch at the top or our priority list. The Cabs have enough grunt to get us going in lighter wind and on anything above 17 kts, she switches to the Nano. If it's nuclear, I get on the Nano and she has a rest. If it dips below 12 knots, I take a seat while she has a go on the 12m.

We didn't want to spend a lot on the small kite because it was going to get used the least; that's why we got the Nano. Happy to say it's turned out to be a pretty decent kite although if money weren't an issue, I'd have gotten another Switchblade.

Hey Liz,

Hope ya been well. More than welcome to come and try any of mine and stacey's gear.... If the wind ever comes back [}:)]

2010 - 10.5m Helix, 7m Switchblade, 17m Zephyr... That's getting lots of use lately.

Chris from Manly.

Rebel 2010 9 m will do the job in 15-25 knt for you and your man.
Have fun.

My Partner and I have shared a quiver of Rebels (08's, 09's, and 10's) for a couple years now - they've worked really well for us.

Hey Liz,

Its Lyatte from North side, you know I get to ride what ever I want. I am in love with the C4 from Ozone. Its light, it moves quick, light on the bar and is sweet for unhooking. If you got a 10 or 11, that would be heaps of power, I am 57kg and I ride a 9. haha and I was trying to NOT sound like a cheap advert lol. Thats my honest opinion.

Am trying to get my head around moving from the flat to the surf and why my current kites (or probably me) wont fly right in the surf. At 100kg I have been using a grunty big Bandit 12 in up to 20kts on the flat, but in the surf I keep getting ripped off my board (rawson 6'4") and the kite just isnt fast enough - keeps back stalling. any ideas on a good fast wave kite that I can still get some air on the flat with? or is it just a matter of time in the waves.

Thanks guys. I will look into some of them when the season kicks back in again. =]

Select to expand quote

cruza80 said...

Am trying to get my head around moving from the flat to the surf and why my current kites (or probably me) wont fly right in the surf. At 100kg I have been using a grunty big Bandit 12 in up to 20kts on the flat, but in the surf I keep getting ripped off my board (rawson 6'4") and the kite just isnt fast enough - keeps back stalling. any ideas on a good fast wave kite that I can still get some air on the flat with? or is it just a matter of time in the waves.

get a 2010 helix and take the 4m extensions off when in the surf, heaps faster kite then put em back on when u need the grunt on the twin tip. thats what i have been doing

Cruza get a demo on a 9m Wainman smoke, it will pull like an 11m of most other brands. Bottom end is really good and it is wicked in the surf. Very fast with plenty of lift and float for the flat stuff. It will definitly make you smile! Such a fun kite.

for freestyle both hooked and unhooked the Hifi Comp wins hands down.
or the C4 next in line

both have more than adequate depower, easy relaunch and excellent performance both hooked and unhooked.