Hey,

Just finished some lessons body draging and a few attempts at board starts and getting going for short distances but not for long yet I blame light wind (probably my lack of kite control:). What a fun sport want to go all the time now. Great site also have spent many hours reading the forums for any info I can get

Any advice on a kite would really be appreciated. I weigh 100kg and instructor reccomended a 12 and seemed very biased to north kites. I have had a bit of a look on the forums and almost think for my weight a 14+ may be the way to go for bris/gc winds (got a 138x43 crazyfly allround board). A friend strongly reccomended a new kite since he has had some bad experiences with 2nd hand gear but is not sure on size etc as he is much lighter and rides a 10. The kites I have seen that I could afford are a 15m octane from kp, a 14m cab vector 2012 otherwise maybe an RPM or Swithcblade 14m or possibly even 12s of any of the kites mentioned. Any advice on reccomended size or experience with some of the 14m+ kites for turning speed and duribility for if you drop it in surf would be really appreciated or even 12's or other reccomended last season or 2011 kites. I will only have a 1 kite quiver for at least a year. Would like to get into wave because of surfing background (springtime sucks for waves so want to kite when no waves or blown out) so a versatile kite would be good.

Also any spots reccomended for learning would be really appreciated, prefferably somewhere where i can stay a bit of room away from kiters, I live in Yatala.

Sorry for the long post just dont want to stuff up on my first kite purchase and would like to be riding it for some time so something that would be sgood later on would be great not just a good kite for learning. Lot of $$ to stuff up for me.

Thanks again

Hey JJ, im 187cm and 100kg, just a bit confused because of the different wind ranges of different kites like someone was saying a 12m sb would be as effective as a 14m vector. I got my crazy fly board at kp bris its 138 x 43 maybe a little small for learning but maybe good for later.

Not sure if i should go a 14m because of my weight just heard a lot of comments about anything over 12 turning like a truck and being no good for wave but then again a 12 and i might be stuck on the beach on some marginal (not light wind) days. Maaybe at 100kg a 14 would be ok to hold onto up to 25kts ish??? Also dont want to be stuck with a beginner kite some forums have indicated vector etc as mainly for learning and slow turning??

had some pms re advice which is really appreciated and am really interested if anyone of similar weight has some reccomendations of a 12 or 14 or how some of the kites mentioned or others fly. Heard some good stuff about griffin also which mayb good?

thanks again

I'm just a little heavier and was told to buy a 12m which I did. There will be a few days you won't be having as much fun as everyone else but it will have you covered for 15 to 25 kts. The days I am struggling guys of a similar weight and skill level do not seem to have a huge advantage and then if it does pick up you can hold on a little longer.

Also you should consider second hand, a local shop will make sure it's not a lemon and you can get some good deals from guys who upgrade each year or so. There is some risk but everything can be fixed and you should be able to save a fortune.

I went with north and am pretty happy in general. One thing I notice out in the water is there is a huge selection of kites and everyone is doing pretty similar stuff with them. Go for something that will be easy to relaunch.

Thanks for the advice bazinga and tom, leaning towards a 14m then maybe get an 11 after a season or so. What top end winds would you be limited to with a 14 and is bris winds normally strong enough to warrent a 12m for my weight? thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts.

briskites, maybe i will be 150 one day all the work to kitesurf needs a lot of beers afterwards:). Im guessing you think 12 for 100kg and brisbane winds? any other kites you recommend? instructor gave me some good spots to learn but perth is a long ways from bris so a little limited as to how usefull they were. I had a go sat on a mates 12 he has given me lessons/advice at sandgate but is is also not a local but brighton sandgate ways looks good for learning with the shallow water. felt like i was underpowered and couldnt go for much longer then 30 od meters but maybe that will improve with kite control or maybe wind was light sat not sure.

anyways will keep looking at kites in the meantime and am def open to any reccomendations

I'm 115 kg and my main kite is a 13 m rebel. Gets me going 12-13 kts and comfy up to 25 kts easy. Sweet spot is 15-18 kts . You have a larger board than me so with some practice you should be powered in 12-13 kts.
Honestly most kiteable days in Brisbane you will get 15 kts so for a 1 kite quiver this is the size you will get the most use out of.If you go a bigger kite you will lose the top end .

It's one of those things. You always wish you had the kite size for the conditions on the day. The easy answer is own a few kite sizes.
If you turned up this afternoon with a 14-15m kite you would be sitting on the beach watching with it gusting to 27knt.