Hey

What do you think is the most reliable kite on the market? I suppose I would be willing to have a small compromise in performance for better reliability.

naish helix!!! the best

Ozone. Zero pulleys.

for me switchblade 2. third season now, original bar no mods original bridal.

i have been really impressed with the north rebel... no pulleys, very simple set up, it seems to be a compromise between a true SLE and a C kite, so it has the power of the C, but the ease of use and relaunch of a an SLE...

cRAZY Canuk said...

The one with the least amount of lines, least amount of bridals and least amount of moving parts.

Which is the ................... (insert name here)

Vapor ?

North Evo

Cant go past the Airush Flow FT for simplicity...

1 pump = quick pumpup.
4 struts = less hoses, clamps and nozzles.
4 lines.
Direct connection, no pulleys.
Very simple bar (some kites are horrible eg Ozone)

And very forgiving way of flying. I can **** up so much, and you just pull the bar in fully and the kite floats back into position and keeps going. I've never had my flow invert and fall out of the sky.

there isnt much difference as it all depends how you lookafter it. all bars and lines wear, pullys seize and bladers leak but they can all be fixed. How long were you thinking of keeping the kite? If i was you i would just buy one that suits your style of riding look after it replace the lines when needed (before they break) keep a good eye on the stiching etc. keep it out of trees and carparks and you should have a kite that is still ok 5 years down the track.

But warning.........dont demo new gear after you have decided on what to get because the kites get that much better every year its hard to imagine what they will be like 3-5years down the track. and its so hard to say no to a new kite each year.

good luck.

waxman said...

there isnt much difference as it all depends how you lookafter it. all bars and lines wear, pullys seize and bladers leak but they can all be fixed.

Interesting. Reliability in my opinion is in having a kite that wont leave you stranded out to sea, in front of a bomb set or busting to bits in 40 knot gusts. Reliability is in the design, and the materials. By eliminating fatal flaws you increase the reliability. So really a 4 line C kite with 800pd lines and a fixed bar is about as reliable as you can get. You just don't get the benefit of depower and range. Other kites offer the same reliability, but with range and depower.

Imagine if your leg rope had two pulleys and had to be lubed up and serviced before you went surfing? How many of those would you sell, how many "dudes" would be spewing seeing their board smashed on the rocks when it let go?

I see reliability as a kite you pack up, and unpack on the beach for the next session with out any "maintenance" work.

Suit yourself guys, but there are a lot of kiters like me that treat their kites with contempt and often wear the consequences. Get a kite that suits your personality and you'll be right.

If you like cleaning and preening your kites - go with whatever
If you like to ride, pack up and go home, then think carefully.

I don't mind occasionally rinsing my lines, but pulling out a 13m kite to "lubricate" it in the shed is just one massive PITA! And spending $100 for a new bridle and pulleys is bull****.

I've almost died many times due to chicken rope, pulley, line and bridle failure.
I am sick of maintaining poor design and crappy materials so I now fly Ozone.

and no I don't sell them!

kites r as good as the rider !!!!!!

riders make kites good not the other way round

North evo?? i didnt think that kite had even been around long enough to say.

The most reliable kite is clearly a carney kite.

||| Naish TORCH hands down |||

||| Naish TORCH hands down |||

my training kite has been reliable, still going strong after having the sh1t flogged out of it by the wife and kids.