Best Light Wind Inflatable 2011

[Tiago1973]

...I was on the (lithium) 13 LW for maybe half of last year season and it was one hell of a machine.

.... I have tried the 12m and I was able to ride in sub 10 knots

I am also very interested in the One on bigger sizes, unfurtunatly the local dealer miss to have a sample for trial-out…another leap of faith for me...

How do you compare the 12m One w/ the Lithium LW 13 m in terms of :
- up-wind ability in light wind &
- having fun in light wind?

It really turns as a 9???...that is a dream come true!

thnaks

[alexrider]

There is a bit of debate at the moment about the best light wind inflatable for 2011.
....

What are you talking about PMU ?
Light wind is under 8 knots and everybody knows it's impossible to ride under that limit!
Unless you have another definition of light wind (say 12-15 knots?), there is no point of pimping tube kites that wouldn't do the job by your own beliefs.
BTW what is your definition of light wind?
Are you still maintaining that 8 knots is the minimum required for sustained riding?

I've been magnanimous this time and abstained from the adjoining the smily to your nick, so please refrain from ending up cut and pasting your usual stuff, which I suspect is the ultimate goal of this thread. That I know, there hasn't been a single thread where you intervened where you managed to control your heinous impulse.
Is PMU 2011 redeemed?
Cheers
Alex

PS: there are very obvious reasons why tube manufacturers don't bother with oversized kites.
Hint: a light wind kite is one which launches and stay up in light wind, and this can only be achieved by reducing the kite weight vs area ratio. Increasing size in increasing weight, so the extra power you might get doesn't help much if the kite won't get off the ground (or relaunch for that matter).

PS2: The ability to ride in very light winds depends more on the board that on the kite. A 12 m cab with a raceboard in the right hands is likely to fare better than a FS Speed 19 with a door, especially if it is in the wrong hands. As someone said in this thread, skill is undoubtedly the most important factor to keep riding in marginal conditions.

[droffats]

I've flown the 12m One and I felt it was as fast as all but a few 9m SLE or Delta kites. (I haven't flown hardly any 9m C kites). I'd say the 12m One was as fast as a Blade Prime 12m, which is pretty close to a C. (both kites flown on the same bar with the same line lengths).

I'll get my filthy mitts on a 15m One in the next two weeks to see how it compares to the Ozone Zephyr 17m.

- Droffats

[jumarcil]

...I was on the (lithium) 13 LW for maybe half of last year season and it was one hell of a machine.

.... I have tried the 12m and I was able to ride in sub 10 knots

I am also very interested in the One on bigger sizes, unfurtunatly the local dealer miss to have a sample for trial-out…another leap of faith for me...

How do you compare the 12m One w/ the Lithium LW 13 m in terms of :
- up-wind ability in light wind &
- having fun in light wind?

It really turns as a 9???...that is a dream come true!

thnaks

I haven't spend enough time on the One to make a good comparison. I have flown the "One" 12m one day when the wind was really light. As for the Lithium, I have used it maybe 15 sessions easily. I was changing kite very often as one of my friend has a kite shop so I had really great deals on kite. I would buy one play with it ; sell it and then try something else.

All I can say is that the "One" is really a great kite. I am pretty sure that the 15m will be a success. I can't wait also to try the new varial and the new lithium kites.

Jules

[C Johnson]

something funny i learned a few years ago.

you can always spot a foil kiter.

how?

they refer to inflatable kites as "tube" kites

I'm not bashing, just think its funny.

for the record I learned on foils. got nothing against them but I have zero patients for people who argue about which is better regardless of which side of the argument they may be on.


as for light wind kiting. I think the board matters way more then the kite. I invested in a door 158 last year and couldn't be happier with it. its light, it pops well, it flies upwind and it gets me out on days when nobody else is on the water. I might get a race board this year to spice up my light wind days. we'll see.

lets remember big inflatable kites don't relaunch. that's a bit of a deal breaker for me. my viewpoint is if you're not crashing your kite you're not progressing.

[alexrider]

....
you can always spot a foil kiter.
how? they refer to inflatable kites as "tube" kites
I'm not bashing, just think its funny.
....

We foil (or ram air, or mattresses) kite riders, indifferently refer to them as "tube" kites, LEI, inflatable toys... But I believe the tube expression originally came from you pumpies....
But saying "tubes" is not derogatory, is it? It's handier than saying L.E.I.
Strictly speaking we should say tube and canvass, or TAC.
And LEIs would be more adequately termed ILE (inflatable leading edge)
In our small, almost secret, but happy community, we are pragmatics. Hence our choice of terms; and hence our choice of kites.
Have fun then, all you pumpies out there

[RDM]

something funny i learned a few years ago.

you can always spot a foil kiter.

how?

they refer to inflatable kites as "tube" kites

I'm not bashing, just think its funny..

One of my old foil riding buddies used to call lei`s "ballons"....

[HAMLINDP]

something funny i learned a few years ago.

you can always spot a foil kiter.

how?

they refer to inflatable kites as "tube" kites

I'm not bashing, just think its funny..

One of my old foil riding buddies used to call lei`s "ballons"....

Hows about, "Poppie"!
But all joking aside, give me a kite, foil or tube, and I'll have a blast either way!

[C Johnson]

I think the bottom line with the word tube is that its used for making gross generalization blanket statements about comparison. I think some people will consider it offensive and ignorant. Its better to compare specific models. eg Flysurfer Speed 3 vs Ozone Zephyr or Peter Lynn Charger vs Naish Torch, etc.. if you don't know enough about what you are comparing not to make gross generalizations then you probably shouldn't be making the comparison. I am definitely guilty of this on more then one occasion but I'm trying to learn to live by the rule, don't talk shit about it unless I have ridden it. For me it can easily take a half dozen sessions or more with a new piece of equipment before I really start to notice its strengths and weaknesses.

Anyway, sorry for getting so far off topic.

I think the hot light wind inflatable kites for this year are the Best Taboo 15-17m, Ozone Zephyr 17m, Liquid Force Hifi Comp 15m, Best Kahoona 11.5-13.5m, Liquid Force Envy 15m, Epic Infinity, Cabrinha Crossbow 11-16m

I'm sure there is a ton more out there but those are just the ones that jump to the front of my mind. I hope I will get to test out as many of them as possible

The Flysurfer Speed 3 15m Deluxe Edition could potentially be better then any of the kites I just listed depending on your grading criteria. I know a few people with S3's so I'm really excited to test one out this year as well

[alexrider]

...don't talk shit about it unless [you] have ridden it...

That's the quote of the day!