Kiteforum.com

For 2013 Airush launch to the market only one kite with the 2012 "ONE" design
and they put it as a Lithium One 16M. I search the forum and don't find any reviews on this
kite. Please if someone already test it give it your comments.

I read a few topics about LW kites and as per the different comments on the Epic Infinity,
North Dyno 17M, Slinghsot Turbine 17M and Blade Fat Lady.

The Blade Fat Lady 17M looks like a good option,
Blade kites says that the Fat Lady is fast "like a 12M".

I would like to here acomments about how compares the Fat Lady 17M vs the Airush One 16M

I weight 160 lbs and I have two lithiums a 9M and a 12M.
Normally in 10-12 knots use my 12M with my North nugget but
in 12 knots is really hard to use a TT and basically the only I can do is go back and forward.

In 9-10 Knots I can't use my TT but I try to go out with the 12M and the Nugget
but I need to move the kite a lot, is really hard to go upwind, and is not fun as I would like it.

I'm looking for a LW kite that can give me the opportunity to use
my TT in 10-12 knots and can give me the opportunnity to jump and run the TT
like a 15+ knots day with a 12M for example.

Thanks for your comments....................................

I am glad to see this post because I have been wodering the same thing. I had never heard of the Lithium One until last week at a kite shop. They didnt have one there, but the guy highly recommended it. He had pictures of himself flying one, so it was not just a hollow sales pitch. The idea of only one strut sounds like the right way to go IMO. I have probably said this too much, but lighter weight (via less struts) has to improve light wind performance due to less lift required to keep the kite in the air.

I hope you can get responses from people who have flown all the kites you mentioned to compare.

I don't think you can make the generalization that less struts is better or even less struts are lighter. The Kites with less struts are lower aspect ratio. That means the kite is much fatter in the middle, so the struts are longer. So are 5 short struts on a high aspect kite lighter than 3 struts on a low aspect kite?

Then when you have longer struts, they are usually fatter to support the longer span.

On top of all that the low aspect kite is less efficient than a high aspect kite.

Low aspect wins for turning speed and relaunch, but for ultimate low end, less struts isn't really what you need.

Manuel V wrote:The Blade Fat Lady 17M looks like a good option,
Blade kites says that the Fat Lady is fast "like a 12M".

I only have experience with Ozone Zephyr. A few weeks ago I talked to a guy who is using also the Fat Lady and we discussed how it compares with Zephyr. He said the light wind potential for both kites is about the same but Lady is pulling too much when it turns and is not as smooth as Zephyr.

Regarding Zephyr I am generally satisfied and it has a really good depower and its upper range is very good given its size, so when it gets too much for Zephyr, I can switch to a 10m kite right away. On the downside, when the wind is really light, I would like the turning speed and water-relaunchability to be better.

The fat lady is a great piece of kit, my friend has a zephyr and we have done lots of comparisons. The fat lady stays in the air in less wind, the zephyr needs apparent wind to create its power . The blade will deliver more grunt, the blade will be more of a handful when the wind picks up. They are both equivalent up wind. The zephyr is slower turning. the zephyr is better for boosting, and the fat lady is better unhooked, as with all things gaining things in one area always has a payoff elsewhere.

davesails7 wrote:I don't think you can make the generalization that less struts is better or even less struts are lighter. The Kites with less struts are lower aspect ratio. That means the kite is much fatter in the middle, so the struts are longer. So are 5 short struts on a high aspect kite lighter than 3 struts on a low aspect kite?

Then when you have longer struts, they are usually fatter to support the longer span.

On top of all that the low aspect kite is less efficient than a high aspect kite.

Low aspect wins for turning speed and relaunch, but for ultimate low end, less struts isn't really what you need.

Definitely an assumption on my part, but I find it hard to believe that the kite maker would go to the trouble to make a one strut kite if it did not save weight or give it some kind of light wind advantage. The proof is in the math for this one. I guess you would have to actually weigh the kites and then compare their aspect ratios to really get the answer. Any kite designers out there that can weigh in?

KYLakeKiter wrote:Definitely an assumption on my part, but I find it hard to believe that the kite maker would go to the trouble to make a one strut kite if it did not save weight or give it some kind of light wind advantage. The proof is in the math for this one. I guess you would have to actually weigh the kites and then compare their aspect ratios to really get the answer. Any kite designers out there that can weigh in?

You also have to think though, why aren't other companies making one strut kites? It's not that they haven't thought of trying it I'm sure. All of the race kites, which are used in the lightest possible winds, have gone to 5 struts and high aspect ratio.

I'd be glad to try it out though!

For racing, kites mainly have to be fast in the conditions they work in. So they are fast from 10+ knots, fly in less, but when half or more of the kites fall out of the sky, they call the race off, right?
0-3 struts helps the kite float in 5-7 knots, but is there really much racing under 8 or 9 knots?

I just talked to another guy who works at (or owns, not sure) a kite shop in St. Augustine about this topic. He says he personally owns and flys the Lithium one and thinks it is great for light wind. What I thought was interesting was that he says it flys a little different in that instead of having to work the kite up and down to keep it in the window, he is able to just let out on the bar some and the kite moves back, letting him keep the kite parked better. Sounded pretty cool. I would have to see that for myself though.

He had flown the Fat Lady and the Turbine as well but prefered the smaller L1.

He said the Fat Lady was excellent for a 17m, and the Turbine was good as well, but slower turning than the Fat Lady.

Sorry if passing on second hand reports bothers anyone. I just wanted to share what I am hearing about the topic.

davesails7 wrote:

KYLakeKiter wrote:Definitely an assumption on my part, but I find it hard to believe that the kite maker would go to the trouble to make a one strut kite if it did not save weight or give it some kind of light wind advantage. The proof is in the math for this one. I guess you would have to actually weigh the kites and then compare their aspect ratios to really get the answer. Any kite designers out there that can weigh in?

You also have to think though, why aren't other companies making one strut kites? It's not that they haven't thought of trying it I'm sure. All of the race kites, which are used in the lightest possible winds, have gone to 5 struts and high aspect ratio.

I'd be glad to try it out though!

Based on what the Maui guys are doing, If one is good, none must be even better.