Curious as we get a ton of low 10-14 knot days that often times gust to the low 20s. I know there's a lot of chatter about the low end for the lightwind kites, but who has the nice low wind machine that doesn't suck when the wind starts to hit the 20s?


I know.....just move to Hatteras.

I start riding my Speed 3 at 10+ mph and will ride it well into the mid 20's. I wont launch it in 20 mph cause I'll usually go for a smaller kite but I've no problem flying it in that...just keep pulling in the red strap. It jumps huge at the top end...and...in my experience turns a lot faster. I think you want a helper to land it tho...but I think I could ride it up into the higher 20's...balls permitting.

I'm 100 kg / 230 lbs. In light wind I'll normally ride a Spleene Door...but anything above 13-14 mph and I'm moving to my Super Shinn.

I've never ridden one, but others have always said the Flysurfer 15m Speed 3 is fun into the 20's knots range. The other lightwind specific kites, Dyno, Turbine, Zephyr, Crossbow LW... are not (unless you're Toby).

If you're only talking 10 knots as the lowest you want to go, then you don't need one of the new lightwind kites. Something in the 12m - 14m range should be all you need (depending on weight) and will bring you up into the 20 knot range like you want.

For me at 165 lbs (75 kg), Kahoona 11.5m V2 on Mako king starting at 10 knots. On raceboard starting at 9 knots (maybe . Riding Mako 140 up to 25 knots, but the v2 wasn't very fun at the top end. I've just replaced it with a v3 11.5m that is supposed to be better on the top end, but haven't gotten a chance to try it yet.

You did not say your weight? If you want to ride from 10 to 20 knots with the same kite without being under or overpowered I think the best and almost only choice would be the Speed3 15m deluxe. I have a 12m and 21m and love both and also had a 15m that I sold this winter. I ride the 21 from 7-15 knots and the 12 deluxe from 15-28 knots but if it is gusty I much prefer to use my Epic Screamer 12. And anything above 28 knots I am on the Screamer 9m. I am at 192lbs.

Theses Speed3 are incredible kite, low bar pressure, super jumper, incredible hangtime but they are not good in gusty wind (mostly high wind). But the 15m deluxe should be quite perfect for 10-20 knots as long as it's not super gusty. The deluxe is important IMO as you get a kite that is 30 % lighther (great for kite trip), is faster and you gain about 2 knots in low end. The bar pressure is adjustable. The 15 however is a slow kite if I compare it to the Epic Infinity for example that we use for teaching but you are overpowered at 14 knots on it but you have more low end.

speed3 15 dlx+ 70kg = 7/8knots (directionnal 178/48, no race, no surf)- 20/22ish knots ( 130/37 TT).

pretty much hold it as far as a 12 switchblade, thx to the change of the projected area.. the speed2 15 ( its predecessor) , at 15knots, it was very sporty for me and usually i was about to land the kite as soon as i could - the speed3 made an appreciable improvment on the high end, at least 5knots improvement and massive stability gain)

i use it as a snowkiter and kitersurfer in alps mountains lakes ( gusty winds, laminar is non existent) , the speed² was a pain,really, and very hard to control in gusty conditions ( but was a blast in laminar/coastal conditions)... the speed3...well, very very stable..., never had a problem behaviou in my gusty winds like collapse and open up in full window like some kites like the speed2. the "triple depower" remains impressive...but it s still a big kite so if u sheet in, u will feel it...fast...and sometimes hard

the main problem sor far is that in the high end, u pretty much have a paraglider, u jump, u glide but u might glide wayyyyy further than expected.....good to have nothing in front of u.....

holded it in survival mode (understand, kite at the edge, on the water or almost half in.., me in the water, fully trimmed, sheeted out totally) at 35knots (riders went out on 7m kites and powered and got my board back) , a big black cloud i didn t see coming), had to QR cause i tried to change the kite to the other side and got lofted ( hand on the QR in case, good thing )..canopy got ripped on 15cm because a "fusible/fuse" didn t break as it should and the canopy took the damage..
still riding with that rip ( i put a blenderm patch on it, not totally waterproof (middle of the internal canopy, it won t see the water much anyway) but can wait for the mid season for a pro repair)

Hello "POACHER",
No need to move to Hatteras. If you are looking for a kite to ride in 10 to 24 knots and you are around 185 lbs, you should look into the SCREAMER 14. But then you will need to have a big board 135x47 cm for light wind conditions (10 to16 knots) and then once the wind picks up change boards and get something like 135x41 or 39 cm. So you can still use the SCREAMER 14 from (17 to 25 knots). Don't take me wrong you can still use your big wide board in stronger winds but you won't have fun.
I hope this helps.

Seems like a S3 15 love-fest in here great kite, I just got one too and it's excellent! For me...
I like my Xbow 13 too - usable with a big board when the wind drops but is still behaved (doesn't twitch and jerk) up to about 25knots. Sweet spot for me is 15 to 20 knots.

Depends of your weight; I used to have a 15m Speed3 and now I have the 12 and 21. My all time favorite is the 12m as it is a lot faster than the 15, 19 and 21. You don't lose so much on the lower range if you aren't too heavy. I weigh 165 pounds and when people use their LEI's 15 and 16 I can use my 12m Speed 3 no problem. I would say that 9 to mid 25 is pretty accurate with my 12m Speed 3m. That kite is a mega jumper with tons of float but like Seb said, it aint great in gusty wind.

PS: If I was living in a place where they have steady wind but not that strong all year long that would be my main kite.

Jules

I love my 12m Speed 3 and can go from 10-12mph on a raceboard to 20+ on a small twintip, and i'm 225lbs.

If you can switch boards, hen tons of kites will fit the bill. I can easily go with a 14 Park in that range. Go on my 5'6'' fish in the low end, and takeout a a smaller board in the low end.

In general I would say a flatter kite should do better, that means the Charger 13 or 15 (15 would be a handful in 23+ knots)...but the 13 should be fine. Which would mean the xbow etc type kites would work.

Come to think of it, if switching boards are okay the 10 bolt would work fine too..I could just go on my foil in the low end, and take out the tt once the wind hits a higher note