I love my c kites, I ride the fuels and find there range and depower to be the equal of any bow i've riden with out the bar pressure. Yeah they don't quite relaunch as fast, but they will relaunch in lighter breeze.
With the advent of the hybrids will the c's disappear entirely?? Who other than slingshot this year has produced a full c shape kite?
I have people who say i have a 04 or 05 c kite and rode a friends 06 or 07 bow or hybrid and they always tell me how good the kites are, of course they are!! the're 2 or three years newer. I give them a run on my new fuels and they like them as much if not better.
This years fuel is more stable then any other kite I've flown fast turning and light on the bar plus the range is incredible.
The shops tell us this new bow kite is the best, this new hybrid is the best, yet are they really that much better or is it all hype to sell more products??
I here rumours of no more c's makes me think who dictates where the future of the sport goes the consumer, the companies, the hype??

Hey Sorce, there will always be c kites, they are just going to change form a bit like the new Airush Vapour which will replace the Lift. Like the Rhino etc.

They are just undergoing a bit of a performance upgrade to make them have bigger depower and easier relaunch.

They may disappear in the future but the current SLE/Hybrids need to undergo a bit of an overhaul to make them as fast as C-kites and as hassle free.

Hybrids and Bows have only been around a very short time and if you compare it to the length of time 4 line c's have been around, you'd have to allow them another 5 years of refinement till we see their full potential.

Ride what makes you happy and don't worry about the future, "The future's so bright, I gotta wear Shades"

Good winds,

I agree with kitehard. I wouldn't worry about the the future. there has gotta be a reason why alot of pros still ride the c's. And as long as they do, they will keep selling them and we'll keep buying them.
It's a bit like Girls and cars. You know what YOU like, don't let others dictate what makes you hard.

Luv or H8 them.[}:)]

Cz will not go, cause progressive kiters will always need a proper reliable design to improve with.

C's are gone ,aren't they ??

Hey i have gone back to using 2004/5 LF spectrum 2's. They cater for what i need and i would not swap them for any bow kite!

I think C kites will be around forever.
When you look at it ,I have bow kites to thank for the improvements in c kites.

They now depower nearly as much as a bow , they have the range and they have not lost any performance.The torch has been one of the most popular kites worldwide and has been a big seller and has been voted the best kite of the year by numerous kiteboarding magazines.

99 percent of the pro's still use c kites because of the performance.
I think its a win for everyone ride what you like Bow C or hybrid remember the best kite is the one you like and feel most comfortable on.

if you all see the light and switch to matteresess you wont have to worry about c's,bow's or hybrids.




i know i will get a lot of bites here,,,,,,where are you kite boy[}:)]

dave dave dave, oh dave.

We all know the octane was under sized which is why it depowered so well.
2 people that rode octane's here got rid of them and now ride hybrid's.

The C's are fading away.
See ua this weekend

paul j

Paul is that a photo of your dog??

Grab a TORCH and FUEL and we will have a bow kite bon fire.

Camo

Can the Torch be ridden without the 5th?

Anyone else besides Naish (Torch), Airush (Reactor) and Slingshot (Fuel) still making a decent C (ie can be ridden 4 line, no mandatory hybrid bulls**t).

Thank the lord that some companies have stuck to their guns and still make decent performance kites.

if you like quantity then yes.
i think it is much better hauling around 1 sle as opposed to hauling around a car full of c kites to cover the same range.
yep im a convert.

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The torch must be ridden with a 5th line as the y connection actually flattens the kite out, I once launched the kite without the 5th line and the kite looked like a u shaped kite instead of a c shaped kite, the kite looked really out of shape without the 5th.

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Exactry what I have found with my 9m Yarga! 13m jellies a bit but rides nice but 9 is an unruly little bugger!! Trying to get the 5th line happening for tonight.

Boy I wish bows/hybrids had come out a couple of years ago - how cheap is to set as a newbie now!!

Cs are still very relevent I reckon. Lets face it they fly real nicely just don't have the mega range of the latest gear. I ride 2nd hand Cs due to budget and in another season (hopefully 2) I will probably go the bow etc, but you won't catch me whinging about my 'prehistoric' 2005 Cs one iota... (even if the 9m has been disappointing - it is mostly my setting up at fault) So much joy from really inexpensive gear

If I get a ctn of nice suds for them come trade in time then so be it. Most likely a mate will inherit them to learn on and they will be just fine. Well after all it's what most of us learnt and were stoked with only 2 years ago!

Are c's on the way out?

I dunno? I do know that c's are out numbered at least 10:1 around here now.

quote:

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Originally posted by danza

The torch must be ridden with a 5th line as the y connection actually flattens the kite out, I once launched the kite without the 5th line and the kite looked like a u shaped kite instead of a c shaped kite, the kite looked really out of shape without the 5th.

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Sorry for my ignorence but why would you want/need to fly it 4 line? what are the advantages? (with a kite that can go 4 line).

cheers, Leo