Ah Kitehard,

Release your anger. Feel better?. Good.

Did spend more than 5 minutes, did spend more than five days actually, on different models.

Did recommend the enquirer to look at what a reputable school was using to teach with and to go with that.

If your technique in wave riding has improved, then fantastic. I stated that to get the "freedom" of wave riding that many might like to seek, you might like to prefer being unhooked as opposed to having the hips restricted by pressure from the kite. aka remaining hooked in.

That's all.

If you don't like my opinion, then disagree with specifics so people can hear what your opinions are and why.

My opinion may be beloney to you but then your opinion of fifth line systems is not what I agree with.

Keep it civil.

Yeah, Lets all buy NORTH Rebel 07's and keep most people happy, (except surfers, windsurfers, peterlynn riders, 'real' C riders and jetskis).
Buy a kite that is exponentially better than the one you're kiting on and will challenge yet help in progression of this crazy sport.

If you notice the best wave guys in the world who are all riding mostly unhooked they grab their trim strap and depower the kite whilst doing bottom/top turns... To Martin Vari, Ben wilson and Jeff tobias who are obviously imputting into this thread, thanks for the info

quote:

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Originally posted by mtcan

only the best learner to advance kite peter lyn foil check it out

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Ahhh fer Petes sake get a Peter Lynn twinskin! So much easier for L platers. If you go bow or C you risk losing interest in the sport out of frustration.

Yes it inverts, it bow-ties, and it even sinks after 10 minutes. But there are also ways to recover from these situations. The up side is that it self launches, always homes to zenith and stays put there, and doesnt use a bloody pump. You can also self land the kite by lowering it then quickly pulling the lines on one side in (watch yer fingers tho). None of these valuable learner features are available to Bows or C's.

PL's need skill in the surf, but if you're learning you want to stay out of deep water and surf anyhow.

Stay in the flat shallow estuary water with a PL and a big board for your 1st season and you'll be laughing yerself silly with a permanent smile on yer face for weeks on end. Well at least I have been.

Oh, and always were a lifejacket (waterski type is best). This outa be mandatory for all offshore kiters.

Sorry Gav, have to agree 110% with Kitehard.
I run 2 schools and 2 busy kitesurfing shops, bows are the safer kites to use, end of story.
I have been involved in kiting since before kitesurfing "happened", this will be my 17th year involved with kites and power kiting.

But the kite is really only "safe" when it is locked in the boot of a car. I see dumb people all the time, on C's and bows.

For sure the incidents and injuries in the areas I operate have drastically dropped as the number of kiters have switched to bows/high depower (SLE or hybrid) kites.

On one arvo this week, I saw an experienced rider on a 2007 "french" 5th line kite pedulum into the water, and he was not able to relaunch (there was no gear failure, it came down LE towards him and tangled). On the same arvo and actually every day literally dozens of various bows hit the water and every one of them relaunched, almost every single time.

Big wind range, high depower on the fly, drop the bar 95% depower and simple and reliable relaunch are the biggest reasons people buy, use, and convert to these kites.

The biggest selling bows are the cabs, they are simple to relaunch and have a 12 month warranty, and are widely supported by an experienced retail network. Other excellent widely supported brands that make good bows/High depower kites are Flexifoil, Best, Slingshot, North, Naish, Ozone, Airush, stick with any of them and you cannot go wrong.
Get something that is sold by your local retailer, if you live in a remote area get one of the brands mentioned because if something goes wrong they will sort you out.

If you buy new, $1500 to $1900 will get you any of the above in a 11M/12M size.
If you go for one of the "cheaper" brands, you might save a couple of hundred, but you will also get less for your money.
If you buy used, be very careful, call or speak to an experienced kiter before handing over your cash. Avoid kites with large repairs or replaced panels. Check that all the parts of the safety system are intact and in working order.

Get a couple of lessons, and keep flying a trainer kite for the first few months. Get on the water as much as possible in the first few months, don't stop kiting regularly until you can ride upwind and land small jumps!

Kitesurfing is not a once a month sport, you get rusty and dangerous too easily, then no safe kite will save your ass.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Large leading edge repairs would be the number one thing to avoid on a used kite.
Its a sign that more trouble can develop, some repairs are better than others, but it needs an expert eye to tell the difference.
Does the bladder leak, genuine bladders, and Usticks are very expensive, and will turn a bargain into a money pit very easily.

Large panel replacements, often will mean a saggy, poor performing kite.

Small repairs are susually no problem, in the sail.

Worn out cloth is another issue, I see plenty of worn out kites sold for crazy prices, the noew owner rarely gets more than a few weeks to months before it is torn and needing more repairs (which really are pointlesss on worn out cloth/kites).

Kites wear out, if used frequently 2 years is about all you can expect.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

quote:

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Originally posted by t o b y

quote:

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Originally posted by Kitepower Australia
Avoid kites with large repairs or replaced panels.

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why steve?

repairs often make fk all diff apart from cost.

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Steve no offense for next time you see a 5th kite LE down problem.

Hold the 5th
Good fast pull of the front lines solidly at the depower stap.
The kite will flex pop into the sky and land on its back.

Its a proven technique in 40 knts.

I saw some guy on the weekend invert his SLE and eventually got it tangled and had to self rescue. Those bows must really suck!