Westozzy wrote:
The zephyr is an interesting one. I know of a guy who has the 17m zephr and the next kite is an 11m edge. Hes about 88kg, TT rider. He swears by the kite and has the attitude that he would rather be powered up from 13 to 15 knots when it is worth it and have some juice still in the tank if the wind picks up. Then when it hits 18 plus, then it starts moving into the sweet spot on his 11m. There's that sweet spot term again. He is not interested in really light wind kiting. I share the same ideas. That said the 2013 zephyr is said to be getting a better bottom end, I just hope they dont stuff with the top end.
But if ya after real light wind kiting then you have to first consider your board choice in my opinion, then build a kite around that. For your bottom bottom end that is.
For me it would be the zephyr, depends on again what you are after as Im a TT rider really.
I never ride one but the zephyr looks great for a two kite quiver especially if the 2013 have a better bottom end.
I agree with you board choice is very important. In my case I had a sector 54 (3 fin) and a North Nugget at the end I sale the Sector 54 and keep the Nugget. I try both board many times and my opinion is that in LW the Sector 54 can be used may be 2 knots lower than the Nugget because the sector floats more. For example in one of the test days with a lithium 12M in 12 knots with choppy conditions, I run upwind without problem in both boards, but the 4 fin configuration of the nugget works much better for me upwind and in the choppy conditions the Nugget works better because is shorter. If we talk about LW and race combination probably the sector is a better choice but for LW/freeride, fun and small waves the Nugget is my board selection.
Back to LW kite topic,
I'm in the same idea; I'm not full interested in light wind kiting.
But I'm looking to add to my actual set of kites (9 and 12M) a LW kite that I can run with power and I can jump in my TT (Monk 132x41 and 133x42 Dundee) in the 8-12 knots range. If the kite is good on the waves is a plus. I don't know if asking to ride my TT in 8 knots is to low
may be 10 knots is more real...................
I think that a LW kite selection for everyone is very similar to select your every date kite, selection depends on the weight of the rider and according to the weight we also select the board, but the difference is that for LW selection we need to take more in consideration what everyone wants to do in LW. I'm 160 lbs and likes to run with power but probably I would be extremely overpower in 13 knots with a LW kite that a 220 lbs guy use normally in 13 knots.
Thanks for all the comments and information that everyone is sharing about the different LW kites.