just learning to ride in the surf , looking for the best kite for waves. Got enough things to worry about without the kite flopping face first into the surf.
Lotsa kites say they are good in waves but I 'm really chasing some kites designed for down the line surfing.
Suggestions???????

Ozone Catalyst
review here
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/search.asp?mode=DoIt

North Rebel
review here
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/search.asp?mode=DoIt

RRD Religion
review here
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/search.asp?mode=DoIt

Also look into Wainman and best kahoona. Generally a hybrid delta shaped kite will allow the drift and turning speed you need. Ben Wilson noise obviously designed around surfing. Dude they are all pretty good nowadays. I fly the kahoonas and I just cannot drop this kite out of sky. Tried everything. But bar pressure is great and top end twitchy. But if stability is what you are after this kite is simply amazing.

the BWS noise

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kitertom said...

the BWS noise

My bro is looking for a new kite 11-12m, how do you rate the BWS noise and why? What's the bar and lines like. is it well made? Crew seem to think if it is cheaper it is inferior, but my new best kahoonas have incredible construction.

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eppo said...

kitertom said...

the BWS noise

My bro is looking for a new kite 11-12m, how do you rate the BWS noise and why? What's the bar and lines like. is it well made? Crew seem to think if it is cheaper it is inferior, but my new best kahoonas have incredible construction.

Been riding the BWS Noise for a couple of months now, & I have to say I rate it pretty high. Best thing to do is try one out for yourself. But for wave riding (that's all I do) it's the best kite I've ridden. I've had some really good wave kites, but they all lacked in something. Some turned super quick but had no real grunt, & others had the low end, but the turning suffered. Other's floated down the line well, but were dogs in the other departments. The Noise seems to do all.

It was a super stable kite & felt great to fly from day one, but it also took me a few sessions to get it totally dialed. At the start I thought it didn't turn fast enough, but after talking to the guys at BWS & realising it takes a bit more bar input than my previous kites to initiate the turn, then I was happy with how it performed. They are pretty grunty kites as well. As a heavier rider, I usually ride a size up from everyone else on surfboards, but with the Noise I'm either on the same size or a size down. And they also float down the line really well allowing to concentrate on the wave rather than the kite.

Bar & lines are simple but well constructed & works really well. I like how there is nothing that gets in your way above the bar.

As for durability, the noise is built tough. I found out for myself after coming unstuck on a decent sized wave & then having the kite & myself cleaned up by another 4 sets waves after that. I though the kite would be totaled especially after getting worked on the shorey as well, but to my surprise the kite came out of it totally intact.

That's my experience with the Noise anyway - other's might differ, but see if you can get a go on one & see what you think for yourself...

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gkram said...

eppo said...

kitertom said...

the BWS noise

My bro is looking for a new kite 11-12m, how do you rate the BWS noise and why? What's the bar and lines like. is it well made? Crew seem to think if it is cheaper it is inferior, but my new best kahoonas have incredible construction.

Been riding the BWS Noise for a couple of months now, & I have to say I rate it pretty high. Best thing to do is try one out for yourself. But for wave riding (that's all I do) it's the best kite I've ridden. I've had some really good wave kites, but they all lacked in something. Some turned super quick but had no real grunt, & others had the low end, but the turning suffered. Other's floated down the line well, but were dogs in the other departments. The Noise seems to do all.

It was a super stable kite & felt great to fly from day one, but it also took me a few sessions to get it totally dialed. At the start I thought it didn't turn fast enough, but after talking to the guys at BWS & realising it takes a bit more bar input than my previous kites to initiate the turn, then I was happy with how it performed. They are pretty grunty kites as well. As a heavier rider, I usually ride a size up from everyone else on surfboards, but with the Noise I'm either on the same size or a size down. And they also float down the line really well allowing to concentrate on the wave rather than the kite.

Bar & lines are simple but well constructed & works really well. I like how there is nothing that gets in your way above the bar.

As for durability, the noise is built tough. I found out for myself after coming unstuck on a decent sized wave & then having the kite & myself cleaned up by another 4 sets waves after that. I though the kite would be totaled especially after getting worked on the shorey as well, but to my surprise the kite came out of it totally intact.

That's my experience with the Noise anyway - other's might differ, but see if you can get a go on one & see what you think for yourself...

Cheers for that great info. can you tell me what other kites you have flown in the surf and also what sizes you use. My bro is thinking the 12m for a lightish wind wave kite. (he ways only 78kg).

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gkram said...

eppo said...

kitertom said...

the BWS noise

My bro is looking for a new kite 11-12m, how do you rate the BWS noise and why? What's the bar and lines like. is it well made? Crew seem to think if it is cheaper it is inferior, but my new best kahoonas have incredible construction.

Been riding the BWS Noise for a couple of months now, & I have to say I rate it pretty high. Best thing to do is try one out for yourself. But for wave riding (that's all I do) it's the best kite I've ridden. I've had some really good wave kites, but they all lacked in something. Some turned super quick but had no real grunt, & others had the low end, but the turning suffered. Other's floated down the line well, but were dogs in the other departments. The Noise seems to do all.

It was a super stable kite & felt great to fly from day one, but it also took me a few sessions to get it totally dialed. At the start I thought it didn't turn fast enough, but after talking to the guys at BWS & realising it takes a bit more bar input than my previous kites to initiate the turn, then I was happy with how it performed. They are pretty grunty kites as well. As a heavier rider, I usually ride a size up from everyone else on surfboards, but with the Noise I'm either on the same size or a size down. And they also float down the line really well allowing to concentrate on the wave rather than the kite.

Bar & lines are simple but well constructed & works really well. I like how there is nothing that gets in your way above the bar.

As for durability, the noise is built tough. I found out for myself after coming unstuck on a decent sized wave & then having the kite & myself cleaned up by another 4 sets waves after that. I though the kite would be totaled especially after getting worked on the shorey as well, but to my surprise the kite came out of it totally intact.

That's my experience with the Noise anyway - other's might differ, but see if you can get a go on one & see what you think for yourself...

One last question: bar pressure and top end performance. Two areas i don't like about the kahoona is the bar pressure and top end, it's gets mighty twitchy. How does the noise compare. i

Blade Vertigo,

Its was designed for waves only.

Ive given the noise a thrashing in the waves and it still is perfect.
But then you'd expect that coz they have made it for the waves.

The noise is not twitchy as it's made to be stable, although you'll probably find the Kahoona turns faster, but then the top end would be better on the Noise.

Light wind wave kite shouldnt need more than a 10m these days at 78kg. Bandit 4 is grunty... kahoona, rebel, and the list goes on.

The Wainman 9m smoke is the best wave kite known to mankind!! this kite will make you a wave legend!!!!

I happen to have a white one for sale, check it out on the seabreeze buy and sell section. The best place a second hand barely used kite in tip top condition. I'm not a shop.

Here's a few boxes I think need to be ticked for a wave kite:
Not twitchy and needs to be stable in all winds
Not twitchy
Not twitchy
Lots of bottom end grunt, rather than having a thoroughbred that you need to work a lot
A kite that drifts when you surf towards it downwind or when you have no idea where the kite is
Tuned for unhooking, ie for bar against chicken loop
Super easy relaunch and depower
Medium bar pressure
tough but not too heavy
Nothing on the bar to whack you in the head, when it goes pear shaped
Easy quick release and final quick release


I think an sle style does these. Most of the above kite do it.

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eppo said...


Cheers for that great info. can you tell me what other kites you have flown in the surf and also what sizes you use. My bro is thinking the 12m for a lightish wind wave kite. (he ways only 78kg).

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eppo said...


One last question: bar pressure and top end performance. Two areas i don't like about the kahoona is the bar pressure and top end, it's gets mighty twitchy. How does the noise compare. i

Previous kites I've used flown in the surf are Slingshot REVs, Eclipse Kima's & more recently Takoon Furia Ltd's. All great kites in the surf, but at the moment I'm liking the Noise better over all.

I never usually bother heading out in anything under 15knots for the surf, & for your bro at 78kg, a 10m would probably do the trick - they are grunty kites...I'm 20kg heavier than that & I'm powered up on the 12m at 15knots on a surfboard.

As far as bar pressure. The pressure isn't the lightest I've used, but also isn't heavy at all. It's just enough so you can feel where the kite is at all times. The kite is very stable & the top end is rock solid & not twitchy at all.

If I suggest the best kite is a Crossbow do I get green thumbs?

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bjw said...

If I suggest the best kite is a Crossbow do I get green thumbs?

Nope, the nomad is the Cabrinha wave kite

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daggy said...

just learning to ride in the surf , looking for the best kite for waves. Got enough things to worry about without the kite flopping face first into the surf.
Lotsa kites say they are good in waves but I 'm really chasing some kites designed for down the line surfing.
Suggestions???????

where are you riding?
what are you riding with
average size waves
is it a shore break
what style of wave riding , a depower and drift or more turn the kite for power surges as you do your top or bottom turn


all the kites mentioned are prob great for riding waves for the poster that suggested the kite.. try them all out if you have time, but to narrow down the demos work out what your conditions are and your type of wave riding style you have the most fun in then ask what kite.....regardless of self opionionated knob heads any style goes if its fun for you.

RPM

Try the ATV-wave, designed specificly for the surf but can do alot more!
www.fluidkiteboarding.com/kites.php

i like the naish park in the waves, ticks the boxes.

The Rally is not twitchy, turns fast and has good bottom end, maybe not as much as some kites but there very stable and predictable.

i have been riding the 9m nomad for a few months now about 10 hours a week, awesome surf kite for turns and responsive with the bar although i found when riding the line the kite falls off to the side really easily. i have the 9m although ive decided im selling up and downsizing to a 7m

is kite size a big issue with wave riding? i am just over 70kgs

Depends how you ride , two different styles park and ride or fly the kite (fast moving and turning ) both are good for different reasons myself love RPM ,VEAGAS for the fast turning style, stable easy to use, dosnt pull you off the the board and easy to keep in the window even in cross on wind conditions .
Park and ride north fuse , rally,fone Revolt ,bolt, Evo,Switch blade good esecialy in cross shore
Then there is the kites that do some of both, Bandit and Rebel smaller ones fast easy turning bigger sizes park and ride
These are just some of the kites around but in the surf i like a kite i can get back down wind, of me quickly when things go wrong, so for me the fast moving and turning kite set up is better in the surf .Bandit Rebel 10 and down in size Rpm ,Veagas in any size
Hope this helps
George