Mate I fly a 7.5m and a 11.5m Kahoona so I do have some feedback, and was at the same stage as you are two months ago...

Kahoona:

Pros: Extremely fast, grunty kite with an amazing bottom end - At 80kg on a SB you will be lit up at 16-18 knots on the 7.5m. Get as low as 12-13 knots on the 11.5m. Doing downwinders you would get away with even less. I am 85kg and it was only 19-21 knots in mandurah and I was on a old 2006 lithuim TT, and was well lit on the 7.5m yesterday.

...it is not a kite you sheet in and out - it is almost 'old school', use only slight movements of chicken loop, keep back lines taught, and edge hard. Huge amount of power. That being said, the drift oyn waves on a SB on this kite is fantastic, i have tried everything, but I can't drop this thing.

Big boosting kite, simple, strong construction.

Cons: Bar pressure I find quite hard, not crazy, but a little to much pressure for me - although just lately I have learnt to fly as above and it is not so bad - infact I like it. You power up on this thing and it rips you through the water, with consistent grunt.

Not a single pump, some crew like this fact. I'd prefer a one pump.

At the top end - three quarters of the way, it can get a little 'twitchy', you need to fly it with back line tension, once you get that, this is reduced.

Ben Wilson: Never flown one. Everyone seems to like them. Stable as built solely for wave riding. Also really grunty, you use a size down. But if you read between the lines, what comes up is the kites do turn a little slow - comparatively. But with trimming and time this apparently can be fixed - but it is built for stable down the line, big ass surf. But super smooth, easy to use kite.

Both are the most inexpensive kites on the market.

You need to fly both or get the one you have flown and like.

if you have more money I would be trying a wainman, if wave riding is what you want. I think the wainman is good at the bottom and top end, only from what I've heard.

But I am stoked with the Kahoona, like someone said, doesn't do one thing really, really, really well, but does most things really well. And the 7.5m is a super fast bugger isn't it.

Dude they are all good nowadays... unless you are a pro, you make work whatever you fly. You can get caught up in the technical bullsht...

Hope this helps

marno said...


WOndering how it would go in lighter conditions

Exceptional! I normally fly the 7.5 when the others are on 9 and 10s and I'm 90kg. I'm the guy that always does 'upwinders' using Pinnas as a launch I head up to Hillaries, the Island etc.

Bo said...

marno said...


WOndering how it would go in lighter conditions

Exceptional! I normally fly the 7.5 when the others are on 9 and 10s and I'm 90kg. I'm the guy that always does 'upwinders' using Pinnas as a launch I head up to Hillaries, the Island etc.

Yeh man they have soooo much bottom end grunt! Once you learn how to harness it, it's a pleasure.

Mate i see you live in scarbs- more than welcome to have a ride on my BWS Noise kites as i kite there ( brighton/scarbs) most days. message me to arrange a fly on them. for the waves im so stoked with them!

the noise is easy to use and performs great in the surf
great for learning unhooked stuff as its tuned to do it
power is allways smooth
the 8 is the go to kite and my most used (78kg - 16kn to 23kn) for perth
i used delta's but not the kahoona so cant comment on that one

kitertom said...

defs noise, with out a question!!

I got a question - what is defs?

Out on a Jimmy lewis lithuim / 85kg - 14-17 knots with some 20 knots gusts going upwind on a 7.5m kahoona today. As he said amazing grunt and power delivery. I couldn't believe it when i got in and the sand was only slightly moving, so checked the wind on seabreeze, got me puzzled - but the facts are the facts.

marno let us know how it goes interesting to swap notes.

sammyd said...

I tested the kahoona before i got the NOISE -

here is why i didnt buy the kahoona
1 the kite sits too deep and when you turn it it generates too much power and pulls you off your line
2 the kite has no middle strut - and this reduces the chance of a quick relaunch
3 the kite did not have one pump - wtf so boring having to change valves and dick around
4 the noise was slightly cheaper -
5 the noise looks better

I am really stoked on the kite - does everything i want in a wave kite


Reply to point:

1. Agreed totally, but technique can improve this. A great park and ride kite, follow and fly not so good.
2. Bull****, launches incredibly well, and quick.
3. Agreed but lighter, simple construction, but yes one pump more ideal.
4. Not any more!
5. WTF who cares!

The kahoona does a bit of everything to the level that most riders need. But if you are going totally wave orientated then yes a specialised kite like the Wilson is needed. For me I'm no pro, not looking to surf 20 foot mavericks, so get the tool that fits the rider. Where I kite I need a really grunty bottom end as the wind drops in and out (not sure why, the effect of the estuary maybe), so Kahoona suites.

topturn said...

here is why i didnt buy the kahoona
1 the kite sits too deep and when you turn it it generates too much power and pulls you off your line

This is a intersting point, as I find this exact aspect as the biggest difference between the new Core GTS and the older GT model. I have been wondering why turning(a cut back) on the face of a wave (when taking off with a change in direction) feels different between the two models. One could whip the GT around effortlessly where-as the GTS requires finess or else it lifts you off the wave face when doing the same action .
I am in two minds whether the GTS was the right move to make from the GT model.
Note that this is speaking from a pure wave riding aspect, as for freeriding the GTS would be better.

To gain a pure surf kite, eg such as the cabrhina nomad, you lose bottom end grunt and freeride potential. Do you want just a surf kite or something that does everything...

@ Prawnhead, I wil send you a private message, as this is leading to a hijacking of the thread