Way over-researched/over thought this decision - forum, shops, manufacturers, kiters. Going to buy an 08 kite this week, third post (and hopefully last) this week.

Final choices:

OR Rise / Waroo or Nemesis / Rebel


My stats: 180, just leaving beginner and going to intermediate status - can get out and back without a problem, will be buying a light wind board.

Local conditions - on windy days 2/3rds of time 11-15mph, 1/3 15-21.

So any suggestions on which of the above would be appreciated, and size - 12m or 14?

MC

Ps. Finally, I'm limited on days I can ride - so I'm leaning toward the 14 for better low range, but after all the post it seems the 12 and a good light board like a 140 Mako might do.

Hi

Better a 12 and a dedicated lightwind board like a Splene Door or a SS Glide , out of the 4 kites mentioned the Nemesis may be a bit to advanced for you , the rest are just fine . Maybe the OR has a tad better low end than the rest ...

Kites come & go but a good board is ( almost ) forever and a good LWB is useful many years from now so it´s worth the investment specially in your area .

Have fun

Saludos

Franz

I have ridden 3 out of those four kites extensively - waroo, hp, rebel. I think you can't go wrong with any of them performance wise. For your rider level, I would take the hp out of the equation. I don't think you will gain much over the waroo, and I had many failures of the leading edges of my 08 hp quiver. Best handled them all generously, but it was frustrating nonetheless.

The Rebel has better low end than the waroo, and I think the build quality is better. I find Best kites need more wind to perform than North kites.

If you rig the 5th line on a stopper ball, the Rebel relaunch is better too.

Rebel is faster, North bar is much better than the 08 best bar. 09 Best bar is nice, tho.

I think the waroo flies a little better unhooked, but neither of these is a true freestyle kite.

Waroos are significantly less expensive. But make sure you are getting a new kite WITH Best warranty.

Thanks to both of you. Baller - I will think again about the Rebel.
MC

MC,

I am pretty much in the same boat as you-intermediate,180, etc. I kite at Hood River, where the winds are pretty gusty and variable. I have a 9, 12(recently purchased and never flown), and 14m nemesis kites. My first board was a 154 door. As for the board-I totally love the door, it will get you out and back with ease. I did find that it is a lot harder to ride in heavy chop-which is why I just bought a 134 spleene rip. What I found with the door is that it made me ride better than I actually was-the parabolic shape really holds an edge.

As for the ktes, I have only flown waroos and the hp. Not knowing any better, I found the hp pretty easy and forgiving to fly. It self launches petty easy-I think any kite will launch quite easily if the wind is cooperating. I found that I was on the 14 more than the 9 that I had at the time. I was able to get out earlier in the am when the winds were 12-18mphish and a lot of other kiters were on the beach. The door was also a big factor... It was ok at 22-25, but with some of the big gusts the 14 was a little too over powered and I would have to come out.

I think that my new favorite will be the 12, but I also snowkite and will probably be using the 14 more for that.

Hope this helps-one noob to another. You can't go wrong with the door...

bc

Thanks BC, I'll definitely check out the door. Good luck with your water and snow adventures.

MC

Sorry for "interupting" here... But I just was very "say what ?" here !

For snowkiting you can get away with much smaller kites, because of no friction and no need to have "buoancy" from the kite - and because the apparent wind is sooooo huge when snowkiting

So even if you want to snowkite in really really low winds (lower than you can get out on the water), my personal experience is that you dont need a big kite for that, as you will prefer a smaller thus very agile kite - and power is always more than sufficient

Only if you are planning making hang time records on land - then a big kite could be the answer...
But for everything else, dont go too big when snowkiting

Meaning - your 12 will probably be your snowkite favourite too

Kindly, Peter Frank

I agree with Peter Frank. Where I kite my most often used water kite is a 16m. On the snow I use my 9m almost exclusively. It works from 8-9 mph up to about 30. In a 30 mph gust, it's totally maxed out. There's 2 inches of snow on the ground and about an inch and a half of ice on the lakes. Can't wait for the 3-4 inch ice thickness so I can go hard water kiting again.

Don

Hey MC,

Another aspect to take into account if you are "fearing buyers remorse" is after sales service...including customer service, warranty issues, tech support etc.

You'll feel a lot better knowing that the support is there when you need it.

Cheers.

Lean toward the 14, and not the 12. 11 to 15 mph isn't a whole ton of wind for a 180lb rider. If the guy in Hood River uses the 14 a lot, you don't want a smaller kite than that for your most-used kite, since you no doubt are in a place less windy than the gorge. A big board with a smaller kite can be a good option, but IMHO, going to a big flat rectangular plank for the sake of a couple less meters kite is taking it too far.

And yes, unless the snow is deep and soft, you can plan on using a smaller kite in the winter.

Peter