If its of any use I've flown 12m chrono and 12m speed 4 lotus back to back.

Everything is more on the chrono. More power, more upwind ability more lift, more glide, more excitement.

BUT

More difficult to fly. Far easier to tip tuck and harder to launch...............

If you want to rig and ride go the speed.
If you want ultimate light wind performance and like actually flying a wing then chrono.

On a side note. Bottom end of the 12 chrono for me at 82kg in open ocean is 10 knots on a 145x45 TT.

Why is it harder to launch? I thought they filled quickly...

Man this thread is way off topic. I was foiling this morning on the S3 21, a friend and I had tried the S4 Lotus 15 first and also a Core 17m for reference. It was 6 knots gusting to 8, and the 21 came thru as always. Interestingly she was also was a handful on the foil once the wind came in - very quickly was overpowered.

I'm dead keen to try the new Sonic - that will be pound for pound a fair fight against the Chrono.

For now, the Speeds are so easy to fly that the extra performance of the higher AR may not be that relevant. I'm thinking that extra aspect comes at a price. Moreover, foil boards have thrown the traditional rule book out the window.

Time will tell.

If you can hold onto the 21, the jumps just get retarded high, floaty...

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Kamikuza said..
Why is it harder to launch? I thought they filled quickly...

The wing tips can more easily tuck around the bridles. Speed is easy launch. Chrono is technical to launch. Of course once you have adjusted your technique it becomes relatively easy in light wind.

How crazy is this, a thread asking about the new Switch Helium kite that you can say what you want about any other kite in but not the kite mentioned in the thread title.

I'm guessing there aren't many people, if anyone, who actually have the Helium yet. Or maybe they're all waiting for an independent review to buy one? I almost pulled the trigger on it the first day I saw it available but a few hours of thinking about it, I convinced myself that it's not the ultimate light wind kite I was looking for.

Still, it's sitting in the back of my mind. Dropping $900 on a Helium is far easier thank $3k on a Chrono/Speed. I've never flown a foil kite and I'm sure after dropping that much $ on the ground would make me cry. Guess there's always the Pansh Aurora 22m. LOL but according to all the reviews, I would be lucky to get it off the ground.

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tightlines said..
How crazy is this, a thread asking about the new Switch Helium kite that you can say what you want about any other kite in but not the kite mentioned in the thread title.

The first Rule about the Switch Helium is you do not talk about the Switch Helium

Just buy one and try it, if you dont like it you can return it within 30 days for a full refund Nothing to lose except return postage cost.
Wish all the shops would do this service, backing their gear so well.

Yes I am flying one of their original nitros, but no I dont partake in their rewards program,
Dont see the point in advertising their gear for them to save a couple of bucks (cheap enough already) cause I tend to fly a kite I like for years till it completely dies so am not upgrading for the latest greatest every year.


edit: Im not a fan of BIG light wind kites, think they are more hassles than they are worth, rather go surfing/fishing on light wind days,

but if I was I would be looking more at the foil style kites as I think they are more efficient in the light stuff imho.
I use to fly foils(peter lyn venoms) back in the day, they are not as complicated and different to fly as some people seem to believe

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lotofwind said..
Just buy one and try it, if you dont like it you can return it within 30 days for a full refund Nothing to lose except return postage cost.

It is tempting to pull the trigger, however I don't get to kite much and I might not get to try it out in the 30 days. Plus if I damaged it or something...

They have been available for a month now, and they've sold a few into AU so hopefully a somewhat unbiased review will pop up soon enough.

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lotofwind said..
Just buy one and try it, if you dont like it you can return it within 30 days for a full refund Nothing to lose except return postage cost.
Wish all the shops would do this service, backing their gear so well.

Yes I am flying one of their original nitros, but no I dont partake in their rewards program,
Dont see the point in advertising their gear for them to save a couple of bucks (cheap enough already) cause I tend to fly a kite I like for years till it completely dies so am not upgrading for the latest greatest every year.


edit: Im not a fan of BIG light wind kites, think they are more hassles than they are worth, rather go surfing/fishing on light wind days,

but if I was I would be looking more at the foil style kites as I think they are more efficient in the light stuff imho.
I use to fly foils(peter lyn venoms) back in the day, they are not as complicated and different to fly as some people seem to believe

Last season I bought a 14m Fuse and Nugget for marginal conditions. It worked quite well and extended my season by 3 months. Although the 14m Fuse is not strictly a light wind kite the combination with the Nugget was pretty comparable to other guys using Zephyrs and large LW kites of various types. I was interested to see the Helium's development and introduction but after having a reasonable exposure to LW kiting and witnessing foilboarding at my local I decided that foilboarding out guns any huge canopy. Once I receive and learn to ride my foilboard I would still however still be interested in a Helium in a smaller size if they become available.

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snalberski said..

Once I receive and learn to ride my foilboard I would still however still be interested in a Helium in a smaller size if they become available.

When I spoke with the guys at Switch they told me there are no plans to make a smaller Helium at the moment.

Just read on the Switch forum they actually have a 15.5m version ready for production and that production is just pending on market demand.

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Kamikuza said..
If you can hold onto the 21, the jumps just get retarded high, floaty...

what is with people thinking they boost bigger on bigger kites, load of rubbish tbh, you may get floaty jumps but not height... the faster turning speed the higher u will go!

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loftsofwind said..

Kamikuza said..
If you can hold onto the 21, the jumps just get retarded high, floaty...

what is with people thinking they boost bigger on bigger kites, load of rubbish tbh, you may get floaty jumps but not height... the faster turning speed the higher u will go!

I tried that theory with a trainer kite…

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Subculture said..

loftsofwind said..

Kamikuza said..
If you can hold onto the 21, the jumps just get retarded high, floaty...

what is with people thinking they boost bigger on bigger kites, load of rubbish tbh, you may get floaty jumps but not height... the faster turning speed the higher u will go!

I tried that theory with a trainer kite…

hahaha nice one, u know what i mean tho, u need to crank you kite to 12 fast to get launched skyward... unlike doing the old POO stance with big SLOW kites...

Poo stance with a big kite will not help either ...

I've been told that poo stance helps learn foiling - ie lower CoG.

It seems the old is now new - foil kites and Poo stance are back !

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loftsofwind said..

Subculture said..

loftsofwind said..

Kamikuza said..
If you can hold onto the 21, the jumps just get retarded high, floaty...

what is with people thinking they boost bigger on bigger kites, load of rubbish tbh, you may get floaty jumps but not height... the faster turning speed the higher u will go!

I tried that theory with a trainer kite…

hahaha nice one, u know what i mean tho, u need to crank you kite to 12 fast to get launched skyward... unlike doing the old POO stance with big SLOW kites...

Yeah you're dead right. I just couldn't resist having a laugh

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loftsofwind said..

Kamikuza said..
If you can hold onto the 21, the jumps just get retarded high, floaty...

what is with people thinking they boost bigger on bigger kites, load of rubbish tbh, you may get floaty jumps but not height... the faster turning speed the higher u will go!

I'd like to see that tested. I know there's a tipping point for a smaller kite to be better, but at the upper limits of a kite, assuming you can handle it, you'll go higher. Or I will, anyway

No poo stance required - edge hard, sheet out, get the kite up the window and diddle along behind me. Spot your kicker, sheet in, lean back and go for it. Seat harness helps.

I'm not convinced turning speed is vital for straight boosts... Makes life easier though, for everything.

Biggest load of crap, 8/9 mtr in premium winds will out jump any kite, pro /rata

A new kite brand called the pyramid is coming out soon. You buy 3 at discount cost and sell them to your mates. The sooner you get in the higher up the pyramid you get. Sign in now. Made in the same chinese factory all all the other brands. Just like other kites the valves will fall off, lines will stretch or shorten, the QR will not disengage properly under load and the bridles sill shorten after 6 months and distort the canopy.

Pyramidkites@kitesucker.com

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dave...... said...
lines will stretch or shorten, the QR will not disengage properly under load and the bridles sill shorten after 6 months and distort the canopy .

Now that's how you boost

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cauncy said..
Biggest load of crap, 8/9 mtr in premium winds will out jump any kite, pro /rata

Wind power is the key ingredient - you're going to boost higher in stronger wind, regardless of the kite. But at 18 knots, I'll put the 21 up against your 8 anytime...

what does pro /rata mean?

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Kamikuza said..

cauncy said..
Biggest load of crap, 8/9 mtr in premium winds will out jump any kite, pro /rata

Wind power is the key ingredient - you're going to boost higher in stronger wind, regardless of the kite. But at 18 knots, I'll put the 21 up against your 8 anytime...

what does pro /rata mean?

All this latin is giving me a pro-boner

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Kamikuza said...

cauncy said..
Biggest load of crap, 8/9 mtr in premium winds will out jump any kite, pro /rata

Wind power is the key ingredient - you're going to boost higher in stronger wind, regardless of the kite. But at 18 knots, I'll put the 21 up against your 8 anytime...

what does pro /rata mean?

18knots, was what I was in today with my 9m, was getting awsome megaloops. Can't do that with a 21m

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Kamikuza said..

cauncy said..
Biggest load of crap, 8/9 mtr in premium winds will out jump any kite, pro /rata

Wind power is the key ingredient - you're going to boost higher in stronger wind, regardless of the kite. But at 18 knots, I'll put the 21 up against your 8 anytime...

what does pro /rata mean?

i will take u on the 8 anytime...

This thread is so far off track now, it should be 'Switched' from 'Helium' to the 'hot air' thread..

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Kamikuza said...

cauncy said..
Biggest load of crap, 8/9 mtr in premium winds will out jump any kite, pro /rata

Wind power is the key ingredient - you're going to boost higher in stronger wind, regardless of the kite. But at 18 knots, I'll put the 21 up against your 8 anytime...

what does pro /rata mean?

If your seriouse I'd have a few hundred$ on it, money goes to charity though, just been watching the king of air, I was surprised they weren't on 21mtr kites, retards hey

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cauncy said..

Kamikuza said...

cauncy said..
Biggest load of crap, 8/9 mtr in premium winds will out jump any kite, pro /rata

Wind power is the key ingredient - you're going to boost higher in stronger wind, regardless of the kite. But at 18 knots, I'll put the 21 up against your 8 anytime...

what does pro /rata mean?

If your seriouse I'd have a few hundred$ on it, money goes to charity though, just been watching the king of air, I was surprised they weren't on 21mtr kites, retards hey

Sure, but 18 knots not 30.... my 18 knots, not yours.

and you have to wear a backpack full of rocks so we weigh the same. I don't think I could even get on a plane in 18 knots in an 8m kite...