What Is / Is There an Ultimate High Wind Kite?

[johnz]

Yesterday at the Wac was really fun.

I think I've seen it blow harder in the past, but it was up there. Wunderground said Hutch for the day was something like 25 with max gusts in the 38-39 mph range. Don't know how this translates to what was on the lake yesterday, but it seems pretty close.

There sure were a lot of kites out to try yesterday - it was fun to try a few different ones.

My question is: What is the ultimatte high wind kite? My criteria are:
* good depower range - when it is that windy, you are almost always talking a differential of 10, maybe even 20 mph from the lulls to the gusts.
* stability
* safety and relaunch in case you get spanked
* reliability and durability - snapping a line in those conditions would really be a bummer.

For the record, I'm 210 lbs and was riding a larger board - 146 Misfit.
Also for the record, kiting in these sorts of conditions is rather scary and only meant for experienced riders.

I'm curious what others think. As a SS team rider, that's all I know. I've flown Fuels and Revs in this range and here are my two cents:

Rev 9 - way too much power
Rev 7 - doable, but a little squirrely
Rev 5 - very controllable, but zips around so fast you can barely track it.
Best of the Rev's for this range - the 7, IMHO.

Fuel 9 - Very stable, very predictable, not as much low end, but more than I would have thought. No total depower could be trouble in really big gusts, but the 5th line, power stroke bar, and the fact that they've been tweaking that kite for 8 years make it my favorite for these conditions so far.
Fuel 7 - Almost too small - controllable, but rather squirrely (kind of like the Rev.), but lack of surface area really reduced it's low end. Might be o.k. if the wind range wasn't so great.

So, my choice would be the Fuel 9 based on what I rode so far.
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I know Jeff G. was on a 7 Bularoo yesterday and he rode almost all day - Jeff, what are your thoughts about that kite?

When I asked Tighe what his preferred ride was, he thought a 7 m2 TD3. I didn't get to try that, but the depower and extra range compared to the Fuel make it sound like an attractive option.

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I'd love to hear other people's comments.

- z

[Eric P]

I was out in some crazy stuff yesterday on our 7 meter bularoo. All I can say is I will ride that kite till it is in pieces. It is my favorite kite of all time. That said, yesterday I rigged the rev bar up to it for the below the bar safety, and when the poop really started to hit the fan (swurly wind, down drafts, gusts over fourty, wind shifting off shore) I simply pulled the red pin, while riding, and powered, kind of as an experiement. The safety worked perfect for the best type kite as well. Instant zero power and easy kite retreaval.

So my pick would be the bularoo 7 meter with a rev bar. HTat kite is just so stable, and I always know where it is. For the record, sling shot is having a sale for the rev bar at $299. I think everyone with an eye for safety who rides four line kites should get that bar. It is by far the best system out there.

[Barry P]

Ok I'll bite too.

Yesterday I flew my 12M Caution Answer and a boarded with a 5' 10" directional and then a 128 Session. Some of the gusts definitely took me to the very top of the normal de-power range... but I love that kite. I am NEVER out of control. I like that. As a wave kite it's heavier than a Crossbow or TD, but at the top of it's wind scale who cares? It can take a beating and still smile.

Part way through the day the 'dick' on the chicken loop broke so occasionally it would slip off the harness hook for MAX power, which was way too much. I'm happy to say all I had to do is drop the bar. It de-powered, dropped and waited on the water (even in the gusts) until I was ready to hook in again and go.

With hindsight I should have probably been on my 9M Answer instead, but I had a great day on the 12. I'm really looking forward to a Father Hennepin day on my Answer and directional this summer.

P.S. the 9M Answer has topped 50 knot runs (see Tilmann Heinig)... not that I have any plans for that kind of insanity.

[tyson]

i have to say that after a session on an 07 11m fuel in padre in 40+ makes me think that it's a pretty amazing kite. granted, i like riding big, but it still held down and i felt completely in control. great jumping, great stability for unhooking, all around feel-good.

[Jeff G]

Saturday was the third time I've flown a kite in 30-40 winds. I flew a 7 or 8? Fuel in padre and loved it. I tried to fly a 7 Rev in spain but the winds were over 40 and I got too scared. The Rev seemed to have a lot of lift, great if you're comfortable and want to go sky high, not so good if you just want to stay on the water.I know the Rev would work because I saw our host Nicolli take it out and have a great session. I'm guessing it was mainly that the wind was just too strong. And Sat. I flew my 7m Bularoo. I really had to work the kite in the lulls. It felt kind of silly, like flying a trainer. But the nice thing was that the kite behaved well even in the biggest gusts, and there were some smoke-on-the-water moments. I'm still recovering from the mishap so didn't try jumping. At least that's my excuse this time.

[steveb]

A good kite to look at as a high wind specials the Ozone Instinct Light.
This kite was originally designed as a school kite, but it caught on with the surfers so they upped the systems on the kite to match the other Instincts.
As a school kite Ozone deliberately slowed down the steering response, so the 7m turns like a typical 10/12m. Fast but not super twitchy. It was designed to be super stable in the air which is why the surfers jumped on the kite, you can carve hard towards the kite on a wave face and it''ll just stay where you left it, difting back waiting for some input from the bar again.
It has huge depower and is very stable when it's shut off. Easy relaunch and great safeties.
It's not a super booster, but in 30 mph + getting airs pretty easy regardless of what you're using.
The other nice thing is they're very competively priced, Larry either has them or can get them.
I don't have one in my demo fleet I'm afraid, there is an Ozone demo on the 31st May in Duluth at Park Point, I think they'll have some of them there then, but not much good if we don't get the super high winds again.
Still http://www.flyozone.com or http://www.windzup.com both have info on the kite. It comes in 3/5/7/9/12/14m

[Tighe]

Don't have enough experience with enough small kites to make a "best" judgement. The thing I look for in those nukin sessions is gear that calms things down. When I was windsurfing I always loved the weight and feel of the small glass boards, specially those with bonzer fins, that make the nukin sessions manageable and allow you to enjoy the ride. I know there are others who thrive on the intensity and risk involved in those conditions, and most likely their gear of choice would be different than mine.

When it comes to kiting in those conditions, I look for something that calms things down a bit. Usually in those nukin conditions the swell builds and offers a rare experience. I want a kite that I can ride in those swell with freedom without the kite holding me back. If I have to edge hard through them it's not a lot of fun. What I have found is that bow kites do this best. The range thats available from the bar because of the pulleys, allow you to head right downwind on a wave face, or slash huge turns into the wind on the glossy trough with out the kite playing a roll. Other kites tend to luff and not follow you as well downwind, or surge forward in the window when you carve into the wind. I'm sure there are other new kites that don't do this but my experience is that the bows give you the most freedom when riding waves or swell.

I don't do much jumping in these conditions, quite frankly cause it usually scares the bejesus out of me. Those small kites are so small and fast, things go wrong so quickly. I tried a few pops on Saturday on the T3 7m and it was quite behaved overhead. I was flying with my hands right up against the CL line in the center though.

Right now the T3 7m does everything I want it to do. Haven't flown many other newer generation small kites though so hard to compare.

[scottman]

For me it's the 9m 2008 Rebel, I have not reached it's max yet and so far I have been in 37mph winds gusting to 42, super stable and turns just right in the high wind stuff, another one is the Rhino 12m, this is by far my favorite kite of all time, great in high winds and has the low end when the wind lightens up, I road this kite for most of the time I was in Padre, it's been my all around kite, I hope I just don't push it and end up breaking it?

[davec]

If it was more durable I'd say my 10 octane, don't even have to sheet out to depower, just edge harder and it goes right to the edge of the window and I still feel safest on a 5 line c kite. Since it tears just about every time I use it I'm still looking. I'd probably replace it with a new fuel.

[JRN]

My "BEST" high wind kite isn't a BEST, but it is the least costly kite in my quiver & the oldest design: It's my Peter Lynn Arc 6.3 circa '02 ($150 on Ikitesurf). I've had it out in white -out blizzard conditions on WBL with no problems or out of control feel. Remember the NUKING session at Malmo the day before the crossing this year? It handled it without a hitch & at times it was the only kite still flying.
Maybe in a few more seasons, I'll even figure out how to launch it! JRN

[Dean Rizer]

I was at Malmo last Saturday. It was on shore and around 2:30 it was a steady 30 easily gusting to the low 40s. At that point I decided too much for my 9 TD2. Eric started on an 11 Rev and switched to a 7 Bularoo with the Rev bar. At one point there was a huge gust we could see comming half way across the lake. It was blowing stright down like a helicopter was over Eric's head. Eric saw it coming and was able to put his kite down fast and keep it down. He credited the Rev bar for keeping him out of a potentially nasty situation. I'd highly recomend that tyoe of instant depower for that type of situatuion. I was looking forward to a crusing easy riding day. Didn't happen but it was fun seeing everyone!

[Tighe]

Motz always raved about the Peter Lynns in the super nukin gusty winds. They sound nice for the calming factor. They seem to prefer a beach to preinflate (in the summer). How do you launch and ride around here in the summer, Jim?

[Karl B]

Hi guys,

I've flown a few different small kites in various high wind conditions and I will say the 8m Switch blade 2 or 3 from Cabrinha is my fav. It has tons of depower and steers well when sheeted out. I had problems with small TD's both with lack of steering when sheeted out and with inverting with high wind gusts. The TD's and the Cabrinha bows seem a bit twitchy like I have to keep my eye on it a bit more and I just don't feel as comforatable in the air. I only flew the Rev's a little and I love them when your dialed but they don't seem to have the depower of the SB's which comes in really handy in high powered gusty situations. Its also nice when you loose the bar during normal situations as well. BTW, I am about 165 lbs have never needed a kite smaller than the 8m in the last few years.

Just my 2 cents.

Karl

[RobH]

Not jumping into suggest a kite, cause if I did it would have to be Cabrinha! Actually jumping in to add some comments about the kites that convert from 2:1 to 1:1 modes. I was thinking that the TD3 had this option ? I found it very interesting as I flew the 7m cabrina Omega in high winds, when in 2;1 mode the kite felt very fast but mushy, in other words I didnt feel like I was ever going to get boosted or in trouble with the kite - it made riding high gusty wind enjoyable as it kept me in my comfort zone and that is saying allot, when I did the conversion to 1:1 mode the kite didnt have the de-power and I felt I was going to get boosted and couldnt control the gusts - made the riding very scary. Most everyone that rides the Omega do not like the 2:1 mode due to the mush feeling, Im just saying there is a time and place for it. Nice to have a convertable kite when you want the boosting power vs safe mush feeling depending on conditions and ability.

[JRN]

Being the safety concious guy (translate chicken) that I am, I have never tried flying a foil on the water...closed cell Peter Lynn or otherwise. I was AMAZED
a couple of seasons ago when Nate was flying an open cell SS Ranger on a down winder at Padre! Now that's what I call (crazy) having a LOT of confidence in your kiting abilities & skills. I think Rudeboy preinflates his on the beach and then positions it right at the water's edge, or gets help for launch assist. I'll throw it in the truck & we can try it next time it's nukin' @ Milly!

[Geo]

The ultimate high wind kite....

was hardly to be found on Saturday for a while (OK, there were 3-4 out).
So I'd have to say: windsurfer. (at least 'till I learn how to hold down a 9 in 35+).

[Chris B]

I would have to say.....mmmmm, 9m Fuel! My fav is the 11m Fuel but the 9m is still killer. If you like a gut churning rocket ride up when you send it then you have to give one a try.

I had one of my best sessions on Saturday with John's 9m Fuel.

[djmadmike]

I don't have much experience flying different smaller kites, but I picked up a 2007 Cab Switchblade 2 last year and I've had a few high wind sessions in Padre on it and I absolutely LOVE it. Very stable, fast, but predictable. I felt very "comfortable" on it. The depower is also great. Good times.
I am about 215 lbs or so and I normally ride an SX 151 type board (new smaller board will be here soon!)

Rock on
Mike N