Hi all,

Just finished my first full season and am slowly progressing (confidently ride upwind, not tooooo bad on toeside and can do very small boosts.) I originally got into this sport with the end game of wave kiting (surfed for 20 years) and have a bit of spare cash to add to my kite quiver (currently on a 10m rebel.) So any recommendations for a wave kite? I have done a bit of research and I know it's a good idea to trial a kite first but at my level I won't really be able to judge it's performance critically as I'm only just getting into the wave riding side of things. I like the sounds of the Neo but that's really only because I allready have a North kite.
Thx in advance

Cheers mate, why the size up? I'm only 83kgs, so for the wind (or lack thereof) needed for a 13-15 I'd more than likely just go surfing.

marno said..
He probly doesn't realise you are in WA, 8 or 9m is what you want at your weight mate. My advice, get a kite that's a year old and had little use, you can save a bit of dough, spend more then on boards, or get an 8m and a 10m to give you a bit of range for slightly lighter days or windier days.. I have an 8m reo and I like it, but they are probly much of a muchness the good waves specific kites... Mate I have a long surfing background, but trust me, in summer when there is any wind at all you'll be wanting to do downwinders. I don't surf at all in summer, why when I get 40 plus waves per downwind run....

Roger, Sounds good marno, cheers.

I think if you get any dedicated wave kite these days it will work well.

Round here guys use ozone reos. Airrush waves and cab drifters.

Nobody seems to be disadvantaged by their kites.

One defining factor for me is pullies. I try not to have them if possible. So Reo has no pullies, air rush does. Not sure about the others.

Hey DJMWA,
if you're into downwinders the main thing you want is drift and easy looping.
You can go as hard or soft as you like on these runs, the harder you go the less drift you need as you're
usually ''sending it'' prior to your carve and basically under the throttle the whole way. Heaps of fun and
your rebel will do this, as will tons of other kites that are not wave specific. RPM's, Evo's, Razor's, whatever,
most kites will work. It's when you're milking it or slowing down for every wave that you want drift and stability.

If you're on one beach or point break, you'll want stability, drift and good upwind.
You can't beat the Ocean Rodeo Prodigy for this.
Check it out here
www.eastcoastkitesurfing.com.au/
Most stable kite going and kills upwind. This model has a little
more bottom end than other kites their size so on my 12 and a 40 ltr 5'8'' surfboard I can tear around in 12kts doing airs
& rolls looping the kite and it doesn't rip you off the wave riding into the wind. That is the single most important thing I look
for in a wave kite as it is the most common thing I do at any beach. Riding into the wind on a wave, and there are not many
kites that are good at this. The SS Rally does it well as do a few other's but every hybrid kite I've tried sucked at this.

So stick to your guns and go for a dedicated wave kite.

A short list of them are

Pro
Reo
Neo
Drifter
Wave
Religion
Pivot
& the 2 I mentioned.

I am biased but I have tried nearly every kite on the market and the Prodigy is definitely the best for me and it loops great for twintipping
Bonus!

Cheers