Hi Skwinty, I fly 06 flows also. I had a go on me mates 9m waroo today in about a 15knot gust with a 128 board. I weight 95kgs and got going. My mate has just started kiting, I can see a huge difference in his learning compared to mine on the C's. The depower being the most obvious. I will be going to Best kites at the start of summer, I'm looking out for a 07 bularoo.

IMO bows appear good to learn on. Yes they do have a bigger wind range, info is best found on the manufactures websites.

My 2 cents

P.S you've opened a can of worms with this topic I hope you know. Do a search, I think you'll find almost all the answers from both styles

This is the big drama everyone seems to have at the moment, i fly c kites and i'm glad i do. Learn to take a spanking on a c kite, forget the new kite's. learn on what you'v got. Only c kiters will know what i mean. slower learning curve but more experianced for it. Oouch but good Ouch. Just get out there and flog the cr#., out of it. Oh and keep smilin couse ya kiten.

yes i have seen the light, i been speakin 2 my matez in nz n they say the same, ther goin back 2 cs aswell, theyr excellent 2 learn initial basic stuff but wen u get to intermediate level their nto as good anymore.
i rekin bows are more of a phase in kitng rather than a change

i could upgrade from my 06 C but i dont want to, the main reson being there isnt much out there thats better than what i have, i have tryed many kites and always come back to loving what ive got, sure had i had a kite that turns into a flag and learnt twice as fast but i wouldnt have learnt how to hold a real edge.

your only learning faster because your not learning everything you would need to with a C.
As a seasoned kiter im not sure if i want to update (notice i didnt say upgrade) my kites yet. there are people who love their bows, i have a few friends who have switched back from bows.
to each his own but i wouldnt recommend switching for the sake of it unless you are loaded and/or really hate what youve got

some o4 gear is a bit dodge tho.. if your not gona swap atleast make sure ur safety systems are up 2 scratch. but yeah 9m waroo wil own ur 12m c and ur 9mc aswell. i got my 13m waroo for those days where it is 12-20 knots depending on the baord im using

hey stamp when you back in the water?

i learn on C's and switched to Bows......I regret switching cause once you have been on the bows for a bit - its very hard to go back.
You get lazy on a bow - instead of edging for control - you just push out with the bar.
Kiting with bows is much easier, and safer.

Kiting on C is much more fun, you will learn more skills, and at the end of the day be a better kiter...

If you are a nervous kiter - a fragile kiter (over 40), just want to tack up and down type kiter.
go for BOW.

If you want to kite like LEN10. stick with the C's....

I totally agree, I have been on first generation Nova's for too long now. Bow kites are great for newbies but will erode your more developed kiting skills.
I have just ordered 9m & 13m 08'Tribals to get back to my roots over summer.

Hey Hammer

looking at the 2008 kites the BOW - C thing is starting to look like it misses the point. A lot of guys liked there C's and initially the industry was nervous about the Legaignoux patent on bridle kites. Most of the smaller manufacturers just went bridle without paying a cent. Now I hear Legaignoux is been sued by one of the bigger manufacturers who paid the licence fee for not defending his patent so it sounds like the patent is dead.

Bridles have several advantages
- more depower
-leading edge stability and possibility of a thinner diameter tube [less drag , faster]
- 5 lines are more fiddly to unroll and attach, screw up the lines, and often the kite, when the kite rolls in the surf, and is in my view obviated by a bridle

Now I think we are seeing 3 types of kite, all hybrids.

For learners there will be slow [deep profile] maximum depower 'bows', for freestyle guys fast and boosty [flat profile] hybrids with small tips [less drag and but slower turning] and for waves, hybrids with bigger tips [basically a c kite with a bridle]. If you can get the turning speed of a C with the stability and depower of a bridle why wouldnt you go hybrid.

The new 2008 RRD Type 9s certainly feels like a C when you turn it but a bow when you depower it. I wouldnt be surprised if traditional Cs dissappear within 3 years, with the same riders switching to C shaped hybrids.

Thanks Niall,

All your comments sound pretty fair to me. Had a look at the Hyper last week with John. Very flat looking draft. Will just have to demo a couple of bridals and make the call then.

Hey Skwint,
wrt wind range of bridled vs c-kites... the bridled kites will increase your ability to handle gusts but in terms of effective wind range ie range in which the kites turning ability is maintained, you will find only minimal difference. All kites require rear line pressure to turn well and when you depower you lose that.

Mate they are all good its just Bow kites have a larger wind range and are easy to use in the surf, Try befor you buy.