I cant look back on that many years of kiting experience but maybe thats why im not so hell bent on LEIs.
Just check out this video i taped during january 2004 in hurghada - on of the many windless days there during that time of year. Then tell me you can do the same with a equally sized LEI at 4 knots.
Yeah right, the foils (and im talking of foils made AFTER 2002) weigh more than LEIs... NOT.
http://www.computerprofessional.at/radi ... oo14.wmv
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Thats quite funny, I wonder what you think it proves? I could get an open celled foil like an Ozone razor 11M, 4lined on handles to fly in that "wind", no problem, just by walking back and forwards, and downturning at the edge instead of the upturn you tried to do.
I can actually fly that Ozone razor indoors in no wind.
Its not just about weight. And I doubt there is much difference between the 2 types of kites anyway, as I have weighed them before.
Its more about the foil shape, a/r, etc, and how the pilot actually, actively flys the kite, and controls the aoa.
I'm so crazy about kites I once spent $480aud on an indoor stunt kite that weighed 112 grams and had a 2m wingspan.
I have travelled over 15,000klms in my buggys, all done on foils or stacks of stunt kites, foils rock, but do not yet have the tractability of the inflatos, for on water use.
The point is that the new LARGE inflatable kites are very good performers, and at the moment they outperform bridled parafoils.