Its that time of year again, kite manufacturers and their disciples start their quest to convince us that last years gear was actually broken and this seasons model is what we have been waiting for. Are they saying the stuff they sold me last year was rubbish? If so then when was the recall on the faulty goods and where’s my refund?

I use two kites and three boards, which covers me for all conditions in both summer and winter that I require. I look after my gear and none of it is broken so why do I need the new technology that is been touted at me?

Is it really that much safer, faster and what am I to do with the extra 10m of upwind I now get and do I actually want to kitesurf in 6knots, what do you do in 6knots of wind, shouldn’t we be surfing instead?

Are we not better off to just work on our technique, replace any frayed pigtails and test our safety systems more regularly?

I have an old kitesurfing DVD with individuals with bad haircuts, and I am not talking about David Hasselhof in baywatch, who are doing similar and in some cases the exact same tricks as guys on the newly produced wonder kites. How did they manage to do that? Didn’t anyone tell them that the kites they were using had a design flaw? Shocking!

Is the new technology giving us a false sense of security, for example when I go surfing mother nature lets me know if I should be out there or crying on the beach with the simple fitness/duck diving/abilities test. I can either duck dive the waves, get out the back and surf OR the surf is beyond me, I can’t duck dive the waves and therefore do the aforementioned crying instead.

With kitesurfing and the new super safe kites, we have people kitesurfing in conditions they shouldn’t be in, lacking obvious kite flying experience and relying on the technology to look after them. This is hailed as the new latest and greatest, until something fails and the very inexperienced kitesurfer who hasn’t been smashed often enough by his kite for getting things wrong, is blown out to sea.

So next seasons kite has better shape, performs slightly better and flies in lighter wind. If I buy it will my kitesurfing be better? No way Jose. The rider will ALWAYS outshine the technology and learning kitesurfing the hard way will better prepare you.

I wonder why poleys sometimes call us funny names and don’t use all their fingers when they wave, but as kitesurfing gets easier and manufacturers do what they can to remove the adrenaline from the sport, I can kind of see why.

I'm not even sure if you genuinely believe what your saying here Meerkat but I will give you a response to a couple of your points just the same. Seeing as how you went to the effort and all.
Do you question it when Holden/Ford come out with a new Commodore or Falcon each year? Or do you think it weird that fridges of 10 years ago were all white and now you can get stainless steel or titanium ones, even though they do the same job? Do you think McLaren and other F1 teams go, last years car was pretty good, lets just go with that again?
It's human nature to try and better ourselves and this includes kiteboarding. The kite this year may be, or may not I guess, be better than the previous years model. I for one think the R&D going into the sport is great. It is a reasonable option now to have a one kite quiver whereas previously it simply was not. In my opinion this is a good thing, making it more affordable and gives us the option to upgrade our gear, through necessity or desire more frequently due to the decrease in money we need to outlay. (i.e 1 kite instead of 2)
You say at one point that the guys with the bad haircuts were on what would now be considered crappy gear, and then your saying the rider will always outshine the technology. As well as saying inexperienced riders get a false sense of security and the adrenalin is being taken out of the sport. None of this makes sense and is contradictory. If the rider will always outshine the technology and you concede that it will not make you a better kiter then how can the Adrenalin disappear. You still require the same abilities to pull off the moves, regardless of equipment and I would say if you no longer get the rush then its time you started pushing yourself again. Doing the same, safe tricks will lose some of the rush so try something new. Never too old.
As for the inexperienced kiters who get it wrong and get blown out to sea analagy. I disagree I'm afraid. Not being "smashed often enough" is hardly the answer. Should we take seatbelts out of cars to minimise the road toll. That'll teach em to drive safer, won't it? Come on. You are always going to get the beginner, regardless of gear, who will end up in some sort of trouble. However, if the equipment prevents them receiving greater injuries than what they once would have then surely this is indeed progress and a good thing.
As for the poleys waving strangely to kiters, I was one for 8 years before taking up kiting, the way we were waving at you was because we had not idea how good this sport was.

I agree that some of the new kites have sanitized the sport and the adrenaline rush from thinking you are going to die is lost but some people want to kite and their bodies only take so much punishment so these kites are good for them. My new kite has given me the confidence to try tricks that I previously wouldn't have, it has me powered in 12 to 15 knots on a twin tip and does big jumps.

I love new kit, you just have to find what works for you. If you're happy with what you've got stick with it but by your close mindedness you may be missing out on something you would really enjoy.

PS Fozzy the kite you want is the one you are thinking of- make sure you demo it soon, you'll see

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Originally posted by meerkat

Its that time of year again, kite manufacturers and their disciples start their quest to convince us that last years gear was actually broken and this seasons model is what we have been waiting for. Are they saying the stuff they sold me last year was rubbish? If so then when was the recall on the faulty goods and where’s my refund?

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I don't think anyones trying to convince me they are just letting me know they have some new stuff -fine. If you don't want to upgrade, and like me have no intention too, just watch with interest and borrow any of the new gear that interests.

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Originally posted by meerkat
I use two kites and three boards, which covers me for all conditions in both summer and winter that I require. I look after my gear and none of it is broken so why do I need the new technology that is been touted at me?

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We don't get over it. I've got 2 boards and 2 kites 1 of each new and used and I expect them both to see me through this season, still keen to try a couple of the new offerings but.

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Originally posted by meerkat
Is it really that much safer, faster and what am I to do with the extra 10m of upwind I now get and do I actually want to kitesurf in 6knots, what do you do in 6knots of wind, shouldn’t we be surfing instead?

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Safer - prob not, faster yeah maybe that Helix I've seen looks fast, easier upwind = more lift i reckon so easier upwind nd bigger and longer jumps = cool. Thats my main interest in the new stuff
If you don't like lihte wind kitesurfing then dont diss the guys who do who are you to tell people what they should do?

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Originally posted by meerkat
Are we not better off to just work on our technique, replace any frayed pigtails and test our safety systems more regularly?

I have an old kitesurfing DVD with individuals with bad haircuts, and I am not talking about David Hasselhof in baywatch, who are doing similar and in some cases the exact same tricks as guys on the newly produced wonder kites. How did they manage to do that? Didn’t anyone tell them that the kites they were using had a design flaw? Shocking!

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Yeah but that old dvd does not have mobes and kite loops and all the newschool stuff does it and thats all been done on new kites, surfing waves has been opened up with new kites and new safety systems, boards etc don't fight progression are you an old fart?

quote:

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Originally posted by meerkat
Is the new technology giving us a false sense of security, for example when I go surfing mother nature lets me know if I should be out there or crying on the beach with the simple fitness/duck diving/abilities test. I can either duck dive the waves, get out the back and surf OR the surf is beyond me, I can’t duck dive the waves and therefore do the aforementioned crying instead.

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blah blah stop your crying meerkaty just be grateful you can kite with nyour 2 sweet kites and 3 boards drive round your city one night look for the people sleeping rough, then come and complian - not.

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Originally posted by meerkat
With kitesurfing and the new super safe kites, we have people kitesurfing in conditions they shouldn’t be in, lacking obvious kite flying experience and relying on the technology to look after them. This is hailed as the new latest and greatest, until something fails and the very inexperienced kitesurfer who hasn’t been smashed often enough by his kite for getting things wrong, is blown out to sea.

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Give people some respect, if they get trashed its their fault not mine or yours or the shops or the brands.
promote safety be a good example and helpful

quote:

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Originally posted by meerkat
So next seasons kite has better shape, performs slightly better and flies in lighter wind. If I buy it will my kitesurfing be better? No way Jose. The rider will ALWAYS outshine the technology and learning kitesurfing the hard way will better prepare you.

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Agree with you here mostly. BUT we don't have to go back to wrist leash rope safeties mate, we can learn smarter and faster these days but nothing counts like experience just keep puching that message

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Originally posted by meerkat
I wonder why poleys sometimes call us funny names and don’t use all their fingers when they wave, but as kitesurfing gets easier and manufacturers do what they can to remove the adrenaline from the sport, I can kind of see why.

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Most poleys are great the few oldies that dom that wave at you are schittwits.
Those foos would not know anything about our sport they hear it all secondhand from other fools ignore them mate!

Imax

I agree with all hat has been said.

However

There is nothing like the feeling of having new kit.

They give it the 08 technological edge

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plus new stuff smells good !

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too right. got a new wettie yesterday, mmmmmm that smell.

Its not new technology, it planned obsolesence. Change for the sake of it (well may be your dollar). My '04 fuels were the best kite I've flown. Bring them back please.

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Originally posted by getfunky
.........
Tomorrow however I will be posting a newer, far superior sermon (with better range, safety and handling) that surpasses the old in every way (but cost) and yesterday's will be cr@p of course...

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Absolute Gold - LMAO
Very funny very clever - I like it.

And I agree with rellie - love new toys whenever possible just dont get them often enough .
How crap would it be if the kite cos all just said "We reckon last years kites were good enough so we arent offering you anything new this year." Boooring
Even small improvements are good & the hype is just part of the game.

Fly it a few times and then try to give it back, then you'll know

Daz

Anyway, coming to the end of the thread, I sliced a panel of my (now paper thin) 04 13m fuel from ear to ear on a sign at Pinnaroo last Tuesday. I think it's a sign. Yes, it was a sign. The only question is, do I replace it with a new 07 13m fuel...

power to all the Mc Kiters out there,updating every year.So much
excellent,cheap second hand gear out there. I'm lovin it
ps have noted many people who have updated to latest and greatest
kites have not progressed,in some cases they have gone backwards (i don't mean blind either).

It's all about the w**k factor ....although when it goes digital - I'm out. I've seen it in skiffs...too much tech = too much cost, shorter life span & too many breakages. (kite,body and relationships).... and the winner is...self-inflating, self-untangling and self-cleaning !!! I need that ! K.I.S.S.

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Originally by Ray Q:
So if you think your old 3 year old kites are just as good as new stuff, your probably kidding yourself and cant feel the differance, or a schit hot talent who can kite whith any old rag.

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Nope I wasn't trying to suggest that after 3 seasons the kite will be performing as new.

Will it be unusable - very unlikely (all being equal and no mishaps with signs etc).
Will it fly well - probably.
Will it feel like a new kite - of course not.

Do we grab a new car every year as soon as the new car smell fades? - Only if you enjoy giving away handfuls of $$$.

My main kite has definately stretched a bit (due to both use and abuse - probably a bit more of the latter ). It is a bit inefficiant, but here's the key, my skills have gotten better so I rely less on the kite's ability to stay upwind (in decent breezes o'course). Really I have no reason to ditch it for probably at least another season. BTW it is not a dog, only a marginal change after heaps of use/abuse. I want to do more downwinders too so horse for courses and my nag is ok for me.

Each to theirs, I just laff at the cut n paste blurbs that get everyone juiced up in the off season, that result in large $$$ outlay for less result than alledged.

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Originally posted by getfunky


Here endeth my sermon for the day... something in that for everyone don't you think?

Tomorrow however I will be posting a newer, far superior sermon (with better range, safety and handling) that surpasses the old in every way (but cost) and yesterday's will be cr@p of course...

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What are you saying man? Tomorrow = today and today = yesterday. Doesn't that mean tomorrow = yesterday and today's kites are already obsolete? Just checking.

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Pat you can borrow my Tardis if you wish to make sense of the time shifting in my post. Right now I am setting it for November so i can get a decent kite in. Bugger my old nag willbe a few months older then... wonder if i should buy a new one??

Here endeth todays sermon, of course it was much improved on yesterdays, which has no relevance and I would now be embarrassed to be associated with...