You'll probably guess from the ignorance of the rest of this post but I'm no Aerospace Engineer. That said, there's seems to be no way of quantitatively describing the characteristics and performance of both kites and boards.

I understand that aerodynamics is very complex and still an area of research but is there not a way that a kite can be described mores systematically than, "it turns pretty fast" or relaunch is "easier than pulling Jessica Alba but harder than tying your shoelace"?

Thoughts?

For example, cars are rated by their fuel consumption, 0-100 time and top speed. Could there not be a some sort of standardised tests?

Yeah but for a four wheel drive you'd use a different metric such as departure angle, ramp over or wheel articulation.

Some people are using quantitative measures....

"This kite turns like a 7, but has the power of 14 and is like a 4 to pump up!"

just got myself a 2012 10m rebel. man what a kite! she's going in for a dyno next week ill let you know....

mitch88 said...

just got myself a 2012 10m rebel. man what a kite! she's going in for a dyno next week ill let you know....

PERFECT PIMPING... So much better than the 2011 I bet... It's got a new doover-lacky and a thingemy watchit...

thestig said...

Yeah but for a four wheel drive you'd use a different metric such as departure angle, ramp over or wheel articulation.

Dont worry about any of this metric stuff.

The best way is to just get out there.
When you come back have a look in the mirror and see what size smile you have.
This will be the best measurement you can use

thestick

Sorry to burst your bubble of joyous kite development..... if youve read a few posts on here, it will become very apparent that the same few people seem reply yay or nay to what they think is good/valid info followed by a whole bunch of dribble - easy marketing targets

So as far as getting a standard from kite companys - they just happen to market / make up all sorts of crap - to hype their gear for $$$ sales...

see the pattern formed..

Let talk a walk down kite memory Lane

"Our new model has better bottom end, more Plop, fast turning and top end power than the previous model" what a load of CRAP

If the above were true, after 8+ years of any major kite company being in business - the kite should be able to pull you at a 1000mph, jump to the freakn Moon and do turning tricks faster than a prostitute

Sadly the good natured faith you have will be better utilised in taking the so called Ferarri's (ooohhh ) of kites for demos before buying - to realise your actually riding a Hyundai Getz in drag

The more you Demo - the more the truth becomes 'Very' apparent... that there can be no standard

Maybe after working this one out the same gurus can come up with a definitive way of scoring tricks in competitions......

... I seem to remember a few years ago some euro kite mag did some tests where they put a kite in the air and had it tied to the back of a ute with a pressure guage, then drove the ute at a constant speed (upwind) while a rider moved the bar in/out etc. I vaguely remember it was when the 'bow' kite revolution started and 100% depower was the key. Anyway, I think they some how measured power by the weight pressure that they got.

I like a nerd fest too and I would like to see some numbers. It might help chosing or narrowing down what kites you wanna try which can be difficult when you have limited access to other brands. And it might be for the fun of it too.

Smile factor can be brought into dispute when describing kites performance 'cause what is one mans love is anothers hate, 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' sort of stuff. I like lots of power with a bit of bar pressure on a twin tip, this could be a strapless surfers nightmare, so does that make the kite no good, bad or ugly (North still win on the ugly IMO).

Anyway, its all ment to be fun.

cheers for now,

Robbie

Skid said...

Some people are using quantitative measures....

"This kite turns like a 7, but has the power of 14 and is like a 4 to pump up!"

What colours do your kite come in?

There are just too many variables that come into play when testing a kites performance. User level, board, tide, choppy, gusty , to name a few.
Only when a completely stable environment is created, then this might be possible.

it would be easy if performance was as cut and dried as a car or motorbike, the problem i see is skill. give one kite to 2 different riders and one loves it and the other thinks its so so, is it the kites fault?

generally no, most brands out there these days are decent to excellent. judging if a kite is right for you depends on how it feels for your style of riding.

Now the trick is to correctly match the kite to the conditions.

you can very easily go from to juts by putting the wrong kite in teh sky for the conditions.....

my speed 3 gets a for stupid jumps and glides but a for wave riding. my reo is in the waves but for air time....

horses for courses.

Plummet said...

The only quantatative measure that matters is GF.

Grin Factor.

For this we can use the grinfactometer.

Goes like this.

F@#$%Sh!t i'm selling this peice of shiit right now!
Scowl ggrr this kite is crappola.
Frown: Hmm not feeling the love
Expressionless kites ok but i'm abit bored. maybe i'm underpowered?
Smirk Not bad... having abit of fun.
Grin this fun... Nice!
FBG F@KN Big grin yeah!
The wholey grail FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArk yeah !whoot holla scream....

I kind of relate some of this to surfboards, I have a board at the moment that the first time I rode it my response was somewhere between frown/scowl but persisted with it and a few surfs later some playing with fins and I loved it (still do and am still working it out as well). I think this experience is also true of kites, my current kite has the same story as the surfboard above I guess in both cases the style/skill level required to get them to work meant I needed to adapt/learn, once I had this sorted I was rewarded for it with gear that well.....whatever does it for you (hoot holla scream or otherwise).

Obviousy this isn't always the case but it's worth understanding why if you don't like something.

Plummet said...

Andrash said...

Plummet said...

Now the trick is to correctly match the kite to the conditions.

you can very easily go from to juts by putting the wrong kite in teh sky for the conditions.....

my speed 3 gets a for stupid jumps and glides but a for wave riding. my reo is in the waves but for air time....

horses for courses.

Do you know why?

Of course i do!... do you wish me to bore you with explicit reasoning behind my quiver?

... sure I do, I may learn something... why the speed 3 has such glide, and the reo has hang time etc...

i dont see how they could improve the 2012's non reversible turmie pipe connection to the differential girdle spring on the upper end of the grannies.. or what ever he said..