Disagree. Same weight as you. Get a wider board if you are struggling.

Glug,

I hear your pain.... I dislike kites that don't suit heavy fellas. You have to make sure your kite is pumped up nice and hard, but this can cause other problems. At the moment I have North Rebels and the reason I got these is because they don't do strange things when heavily loaded and only need 6 psi in them...

B

I'm 97kgs

And mostly on kites bigger than the rest. But as my technique has improved the kite sizes I use have been getting smaller
My first year I lived on a Zephyr & King George in winds up to 25, the following year I got a Shinn Luigi 2 and a 14m Catalyst. The past 18mths I've been using my 9m Wave & Shinn Dundee 135x44 when I can. Low end is 20mph up to 35. I can use my GF 8m Varial X from 25, more fun from 30 - 40

It is mainly down to being light on your feet and having an efficient kite that you work. Instead of a delta style kite you park & ride IMHO

I have been out many times on the same size kite as lighter riders. Sometimes when I'm on my 9m Wave & TT others of the same weight are on 8 or 9's with the SB

My GF weighs 60kg, there are many days we can share the same kites, she depowers them a little, when I take them over i power them up. We've shared a Zephyr, 14m Cat, 12 Reo(sold), 12m Wave, 9m wave, 8m VX
We are mostly TT riders. I do have a SB as well, but in all the above scenarios I am talking TT

Clearly, you are trying the wrong kites and you are too heavy on your feet

<edit> As Kam says, pump the kite up as hard as you can, pump till you can pump no more. That will make a world of difference to the heavier guy

All kites are designed for 75kg riders as that is the majority of users

The other day, GF was on the 9m Wave, I was on the 12m Wave, winds were 16 - 20mph
Many days she can be on her 8m VX and I'll be on the 9m Wave. Bottom end of the 9 is 20mph for me on a TT

I have yet to see any of the Airush kite we own fold on me. We have a 6 & 8m VX 2012. A 10m 2014 VX. A 2013 9m Wave & a 12m 2014 Wave.
We also have a 14m Cat from 2011 and a Zephyr from 2010

Many times I used to be on the 14m Cat and she would be on her 8m VX. But the Cat isn't that powerful, more like a 12m Bandit

Seems pretty spot on

I ride a 12m core that likes about 22-26knts. Doesnt really like high 20's though or flying too depowered.

I've only ever folded it once. Last weekend when I couldnt pump it up hard enough due to a small leak in the pump hose. I thought it'd be ok but wasnt.

It makes sense that they dont design kites around us super heavy weights as we are most certainly a rarity. Same with shoes i guess. Most places barely stock size 14 let alone size 16

I'm only 82kg. but I know the folding you talk of. I can get my kite to fold if I ridiculously load them up.

I think kamizuka is spot on. Look for 5 strut kites not 3. pump those bastarrds up hard.

As a kite designer its a great idea to have team riders and testers who are different skill levels and builds, riders/testers from 50kg to 115 kg its the 115kg riders that give the most feed back. Every brand should have 120kg+ team riders!

I have never heard of.... or experienced a hard leading edge pressure effecting turning ability if anything I think it makes the kite more responsive less spongy... happy to be educated

Highwinds and high kitespeed can cause some kites to fold in the leading edge if is not firm enough........I have seen mine do it mid loop... not something I want a repeat of.

I pump up mine to the point the pump really cant go too much further otherwise it'll break. Once the struts are hard, i lock them and put a few more pumps in.

I'm really surprised the handles on my ozone pump havent broken as they feel pretty flimsy.

The guage said 11psi but i dont think it was ever really accurate. Its cracked now anyway.

If Core want a 125kg kite tester they only have to ask .

at a 100kegs i use my island pump to inflate my edges to 9psi . never had any deforming of the kite.

Depends on your wind - higher wind speed and colder air gets me closer to the little guys, but summer will see me on my Speed3 21 while they're riding 12 and 14m LEIs...

Less C-shaped kites need more pressure in the LE. I pump the Crossbows up so they don't deform too much when I try to fold them on the beach... I'm starting to see "ballooning" around the seams on the LE of my most used kite though - had 66 sessions so that's what, almost 200 hours? $7 per session :D

... jellyfishing to me is when the kite is outside its upper wind range, and the tips jellyfish in and out. That's usually when I'm not having fun and need a smaller kite too.

Also found that the waist harness is more efficient - I can ride in lighter wind, better, than with the seat but can't handle as much power out the top.

My boards - Flydoor2 and Flydoor3 XLs, both. I damaged the 2 jamming it into the car and so bought the 3 but I've used the 2 for another year or so, and while it's cracked and getting worse, it's not actually broken! The 3 is lighter weight and has the center fin - it tracks upwind like mad and is lighter than the 2; much easier on the knees when flinging it around.

Lost my Flyradical3 138x42 which was my high wind board last year... lovely board, sorely missed. Replaced it with an Ocean Rodeo Origin 142x47 which is better through chop and has better bottom end, but isn't as stiff so the pop is a bit flat.

Also have an Aboards 2014 Z-series 140x43 but I just couldn't click with that... it's for sale by the way, check the classifieds :D

Have a Mako 150 which I used for powered wave riding (or my feeble attempts at) and a 5'10" SS Dialer for lighter wind and more feeble wave riding...

I way 95 and I ride a 9m when everyones on 12m I ride a 136

hi all I'm 95kg,5 years into the sport no problem with my kites I use the seem kites like everybody even i go with my 10 park from 16-23+ my boards are 135 crazyfly buldozer 2013 and naish wakeskate 2010

I find it funny you guys think 95kg is heavy for a kiter. I am 108kg and have never had a problem with a kite folding or performing badly because of my weight. I ride both twin tips and surf boards and have kites in my quiver that get me from 12knots+ kiting without a problem. Pump them up hard and go for 5 strut kites. As a heavier kiter you are always going to struggle a bit more at the low end but there is no reason to struggle at the top end. With my surf board I can get out on my surfboard in 23knots with my 11m switch blade while everyone else is on a 12. Then when they are getting dangerously over lit I am on my twin tip watching them blow up yet another kite while I am comfortably kiting in 28 to 30 knots.

Glug said..

Rider: 95kg intermediate
Style: Surf, Freestyle

Being a bigger guy, I'll often ride a 12 when everyone else is on a 9. I'll ride a 9 when everyones on 7's etc.

I have a bro in the industry so have been fortunate to borrow and test a heap of different kites, and am dismayed to see their performance with a bigger guy. They often jellyfish when loaded. I have one kite that literally folds in the corners.

I believe most kites have been designed for, and tested by 75kg pro riders. Anyone 95kg is potentially sailing the kite outside of its intended wind range?

Anyone else have this problem?

Crap... bulldust. my weight is 100kg just touching it... pump the kite to 8psi nice and hard stop the jelly fishing. and when I stayed in cape town south africa all I flew was a 7m fuel and the wind range was from 18knots to 35knots, with a 132 misfit board
in light winds the lighter guys all ways can kite but when the wind blows its tits off they have to fly a bee sting where the heavier guys fly the right kite for that wind range.
It all has to do with skill level and the better u get at it the smaller the kite starts getting for the wind range.

here in perth I fly a 12m rpm with a 137 nobile board most of the times as the wind is just under 22knots most of the times and a 10m rpm when the wind is between 22 and 27knots and then I am on my 7m after 27knots which is not that often anyways

AndyHansen said..


KiteSize = Windspeed / (Rider weight) / 2.5) and round up the number.

I think you mean:

KiteSize = ((Rider weight) / windspeed) * 2.5

That was the only way I could get realistic numbers to pop out anyway.