They will help. I usually ride 25m lines but have a set of 20m lines. Maybe adds 5kts top end. Real benefit is in wave riding and kiteloops.

10m is to short I think...I have tried down to 15m and didnt like it. 18m was a good length.

shorter lines wont magically make your 12m into a nice stable 30-40kt winter kite though. Rather buy a small kite

Hi Kadkhah,

Shorter lines are a good experience, if you have the skills and experience to use them. Shorter lines do the following:-

1. Make your kite a little faster through the air
2. Make your kite react more quickly
3. Shorten the distance from one edge of the window to the other
4. Make your kite sit higher in the neutral (depowering your kite)
5. Shift your useable wind range up about 5 knots per 5m

A 12m will fly badly on anything less than about 20m lines unless you are using it for wave riding on a surfboard and need the speed in moderate winds.

The power becomes very "on and off" and may really annoy you in gusty winds. Wave riding is better because speed and timing are improved which are essential to wave riding.

Kite loops are more radical because the kite does a normal sized arc in a loop turn, but has to do it in a greatly reduced wind window thus forcing your kite down lower to the water essentially allowing you to get as high and often higher than the kite! Good fun for the brave!

The other guys are right, buy a smaller kite, like a 9m or an 8m for winter and enjoy the speed, it will quikly become your favourite kite.

If you do decide to get shorter lines, buy a second bar with 20m lines and get a 5m extension set too which will give you far greater flexibility to tune and change. Don't cut down your current normal length set, you'll spew once you get to lighter winds with the hugely decreased bottom end power.

Good winds,

Hangtime?? What's that??

Hi Alex,

If you want a foil kite for water and snow, you limit your choices significantly. From the brands available in Australia, I'd say you have to look at Flysurfer, probably the Pulse 2, or the new Peter Lynn Synergy.

You can use inflateables for snow and even ATB riding, but you will have more issues with Inflateables on land than a foil.

For Snow/land only then the Ozone Frenzy FX or Manta 2 would be better suited or even an Access XC, especially if you are comparing them on a cost vs performance basis against Flysurfer, but FS has both land and water sorted.

Just a few ideas, all of the abovementioned kites are good in their own rights. You just need to work out which one best suits the way you ride and your personal requirements in terms of where and how you want to use them.

Good winds,

BLOWN AWAY said...

Hangtime?? What's that??

When you get back from a kitesurfing session and your partner proceeds to moan about how much time you spend kitesurfing

Just come to NSW, no problem with too much wind here...
Wind.. what wind

moon waxing said...

Shorter lines = less hang time in jumps

How would you explain that? More swing across the window when flying is larger, but when you park it at 12 for a jump that becomes irrelevant .Also if your lines are short it generally means greater response from the kite... makes it easier to time sending your kite from the peak of a wave. If anyone has seen that video where two guys use kites as to hang above the dunes on some beach using thermals, they use very short lines and no.. not parasailing, they were actually kites lol.

I have 18m lines, I get really nice hangtime on my 14m TD2 compared to guys using other 14m with far longer lines... but then again I guess the kite itself is a big variable.

coz we all know; nothing looks or feels as good as a nice long swinging dangley hang