OK Dumb question

[steveb]

Buddy of mines 190lbs has a 15m and is getting ready to buy a smaller kite. I keep oscilating between get a 9, get an 11m.
My concern is when he's ready to get off the 15m will the 9 will be big enough.It's harder when you're heavy like me to judge what's perfect for lighter riders.
So here's the question, how many meters do most of you find a good size step from your big kite to the next one.Especially if you're 190lbs.

[Mike W]

Steve, unless the 9 is a grunty bow kite, I would say 11. But, of course, there will be some days where it is too windy for the 11. Tough to do it all with 2 kites. Ideal quiver= 7,11, 14/15

[JERRY]

Hey Mike,

I disagree with the quiver size of 7, 11, 14/15. I believe a 9,11,14/15 would be better choice. I weigh less then 190 lbs. & a 9m. would be used much more then the 7.

j

[JRN]

Steve, I just replaced my 16 with a 17. It is GREAT on light wind days, but gets too big tooo fast when the wind picks up. Then I switch to my 12. I now think that the 5 sq. m. gap is too large between sizes, but somehow 4 m. seems to be about the right interval. Can you believe I'm now hauling around 4 kites: 17, 12, 9 & 7? I'm thinking about replacing the 12 with a 13 when the end of season prices drop. Maybe some rangier kites like the TD's would allow say, a 14 & 9 quiver, if you totally maxed out the 14 and the top end, and then flew the 9 at the very bottom extreme of it's low end, but I thimk you's sacrifice comfort in the mid-wind range.

[mdh01]

Steve,
I'm flying a TD2 14m for my "big" kite. When that's too much, I switch to a TD3 11m, then a TD2 7m. I weigh 185.

The range on the TD3 11 is amazing. This past weekend (Sunday) at Reddy I was nicely powered on the 11M TD3 but also saw kiters in the same weight range on 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14's....

As you know, board size is going to make a difference too!

Mark

[Mike W]

Jerry, I agree that a 9 will be used more than a 7, but if you want to get out whenever it is windy, then there will be some days where the 9 is too much. Having said that, I am currently using a 9 as my smallest kite. I worry about the big day this fall when I have too much kite though

[Kevinousdigian]

I didn't believe Tighe or Mike last year when they told me to go 14m TD2 then 9m. At 175lbs I thought that was too big of gap but then what did I know - I was new to kiting. I took their advice and have never wished I had an 11. That 14 has so much range it easily gets me to the 9m, even on ML and even on a bigger board. I could be out on the 9 on days I'm enjoyed the 14 because there is plenty of overlap on those 2 kites. I also bought a 7 but I agree with Mike that is a nice kite to have in the backpocket but usually that is where it will stay. It was great to have the weekend of the gathering when it was real windy and I also like that kite in the winter time - it is so fast it really doesn't take that much wind to keep going on it. I think a 14 and 9 m TD2/3 would allow you to kite very comfortably in 95% of kiteable days. I think the 14m is has the range of windsurf sails of 11m down to 6.5/6.0 and the 9 goes from 6.5/7.0 down to 4.5. I think there is only been 1 day out of about 25 on the water with the 14 that I had to come in to rig down to the 9m.

It's tough to go wrong with any of these quivers. I think he'll be happy with whatever he picks.
KO

[Tighe]

Depends on the kite type. Turbo series, 14, 9, 7. Though the 14 and 9 will get you 97.3% of our winds.

[scottman]

Who 97.3%, thats pretty specific.

[Tighe]

Well you know when you triangulate the multitude of factors and take into consideration global warming and the reoccuring El Nino effect, I probably should have put a +/- .004 at the end of that.

Most bows seem to work with the 14/9m quiver, if your 220lbs+ go 17/11m, if you're under 160lbs I'd go 11/7m. If you want to ride those few nukin days, get one size smaller without skipping a size.

Hybrids and Cs I'd go 3 kites. 15,11,9, or 17, 13, 9.

it all good

[steveb]

Many thanks to you all for the feedback, he flies a hybrid so the 11 s probably the best choice with a 7 in the future.
Can't thank you enough as I was going back and forth and couldn't decide what would be best, second guessing myself.

[JimPat]

Having been a windsurfer first I was a little concerned about a 14m, 9m quiver (it seemed like a huge gap). I am used to having sails that are 1 to 1.5m apart in size. I asked Tighe and several others that are tremendous kiters and they felt the 14m and 9m in a T3 should be adequate for a 205lb guy like me. I have used the 9m this summer more days then the 14m and thats a surprise in itself. The range in these two kites is incredible. There have been days when I see guys out on an 11m or 13m bowe and felt I could go out on my 9m with a bigger board and it worked great! I have found that more boards are the key. Much easier to have several boards on shore than aired up kites. I like Markie feltons idea of throwing a sand filled bottle with a line in 3 feet of water and tying your alternative boards to it. When the wind changes-just grab a different board(hard to change kites that quickly). I know that I am just an Honarary Team Rider and a big Rookie but I haven't had the day where I wished I had bought the 11m. Thanks Guys!

[Prof Marc]

Yes, 97.3%. Also, studies show that 78.4% of statistics are invented on the spot.

--Marc

[TomG]

Steve .. you know how it goes ..

Bigger is always Better !!

That's what she said !

[Tighe]

Mark, I have to disagree with you. They are made up on the spot 78.6% of the time. ; )