MDSXR6T said..
Do you think we're better off using 5 or more strut kites puetz? My core GT has never had an any issues unless its under pumped but next summer I'm going to buy 3 or 4 new kites and it'd suck to drop 6/7k on kites and do my money. Would the XR3 cores fold I wonder.

4XL, have you been on an edge (19?) or just the zephyr?

... thats sort of hard to answer as I haven't used many low number strut kites to say but from what I have used, 5 struts seems to do the job for us big boys. A few of the kites with 3 or even 2 struts that I tried were very bendy for me but then again so was the Edge and thats a 5 strut kite so doesn't really sit with my basic formula that 5 is best. Really, the only way is to try. I think Naish were on to a good idea having less struts for the big kites such as the Draft but the draft just didn't cut it for me. As the wind picked up the steering got heavier and heavier and I noticed the kite had constant bend in the LE with increasing wind. I tried to adjust a bunch of things and even pumped it up to even higher psi but it still got this bend so had to take it off my list of kites.

Yes I've tried the 19m Edge and Zephyr and both really nice kites but the Zephyr is the more stable of the 2 with the big Edge definetly having the horse power over the Zeph. The 17m Edge was nice enough too but it folded constantly and just didn't have the balls I wanted and needed way too much apparent wind to work for me. Both kites have great topend by the way.

I used to own a Core XR 17m which is a nice kite too, great in waves but I could fold him too, not as easily as the Edges and just didn't have all the power delivery I really wanted. The newer ones might be different, dunno. I changed over to a Dyno 18m which was perfect for me, no folding super stable and never bent under load but,,,, there is always a but, was a bit slow to steer when using with surfboards, but great on TT. The latest Dyno is much better for steering speed, agility and stability too but isn't quite perfect for TT, good on directional though. The important thing is its is stable when loaded up.

Rebel's seem to handle me no worries so you should put them on your list of kites to try. Only time I've bent them is in servere conditions when I've sea anchored myself from a crash.

cheers,

Robbie

Kamikuza said..
The Naish erm... 2-strut light-wind kite, whatever that's called - that did nicely for me. Not much of a light-wind kite but as a 15 it did quite well.

Dyno Dyno Dyno... I'm going to have to try one, aren't I?

... for sure if you get the chance to try Dyno, you never know you might like it.

The Fly was nice enough but I wasn't a fan of the bar pressure changing at different wind speeds and the interesting thing is the bunch of guys who tried it on the same day didn't get nearly the same differences I got so it looks like if you 'aint in the clydesdale class you never will. My son for example didn't find it a problem where as the missus did and all of us are different sizes.

Yeah I know I keep mentioning the Dyno but thats because it does all the things I need, well most of what I need,,, so did the Zephyr mind you,, except in the horses needed in the very bottom wind range!

Like alot of things in life, some you take too and some you don't! And some times even time can fix it, so best advise is test it and see for your self.

cheers,

Robbie

Gotta try it before cos I'm sure it's Just. So. Good. that I'll have to buy one. At full retail. In fact, I bet it's so good I'll pay over retail just to have one sooner.

Kamikuza said..

Gotta try it before cos I'm sure it's Just. So. Good. that I'll have to buy one. At full retail. In fact, I bet it's so good I'll pay over retail just to have one sooner.

You just can't let it go can you? You've made yourself look like the most immature knob on here by a long shot.

I am 115 kegs and for light wind I use a Spleene X19 kite and a North Spike 163cm board. The spleen is a foil kite and it feels like you are under the wing of a jumbo jet. It is very slow to react but I liken it to holding an elephant by the tail. Once it gets going it pulls harder than anything else you could imagine. I can be out in next to no wind when even the kids using dad's big kite call it quits. The down side is that it has so much power that even at my weight a gust can just pick you up and then dunk you like a tea bag. For heavy winds I have a couple of Ben Wilson Noise kites, 10m and 8m. They are built quite strong. both are second hand but still perform well. I did have a Best Kahoona 13.5 for those mid range days but it has had a lot of use and now my weight pulls it out of shape so I am up for something new. I have just bought a Peter Lynn Charger 15m. It flew really well for two days then on the third it hand clapped (the tips slapped together) turned upside down and crashed into the water so hard that it tore in four places. So now I am in discussions with them as to whether they will replace it with one that doesn't hand clap. Up until then it was and interesting kite to use. Really pulled upwind. In heavy wind to I use a very small board, 132cm and the BWS 10 has no trouble keeping me up and no folding so long as it is pumped up properly.

Subseaos, where do you kite in the Philippines? I have been there years ago before I started kiting and I am keen to get back there and go kiting.

I am 98kg, so am just in the heavyweight category read no further if you think I am a middle-weight

I have had a full season on the Liquid Force NRG 12m & 8m and it they have worked really well for me. Its a flat LEI with 4 struts and lines with a high aspect (phew... all technology in 1 sentence!). Anything over 15 knots is fun with a skim or surf board.

What works for me is putting heaps of pressure into the LEI (forget the recommended 6-8 psi!), struts that go through the canopy (adding strength and solidity to wing) and the kites are fast enough turning to be a suitable wave kite and fun in the chop. Am surprised that I am yet to see another one out on the water...

My previous kites include Slingshot Octane, North Vegas, Best Kahoona and Griffin Argo & TRX... all purchased new.

I have been choking the kite by 1 set of pig-tails so that the kite almost stalls on any boost and flares nicely. A mate of mine recommended the change to the out-of-the-box setting, yet he sold his hardly used NRGs after his personal version of a kitemare. Fair enough, but I love the rush of being on my limit!

PS - my mate moved back to his favourite Cabrinha Switchblade... "fits like a glove" is how he describes it and he weighs >90kg too.
PPS - His hardly used kites went to Victoria...