I think the location and experience is very important !
To me, the gusts are WAY easier to handle with a small kite, and they tend to have much more wind range too.
Meaning, you can actually go in very low wind with a 5m2 simply because of the wind speed (not its power).
But the upper end is quite extreme on these sizes.
Although, many small kites (small means less than 6m2) are designed with a camber close to or identical with the bigger sizes, which just sucks for waveriding, but is awesome for TT riding, so thats a
for us who ride waves.
That is another topic though...
Some locations only got 5m2 wind so rare, that it is almost "stormy" conditions and extremely gusty.
Then it makes sense that it is not fun and will most likely be risky and fickle and dangerous to ride
Other spots, like here, a 5m2 is a must and in every wave kitesurfers quiver no doubt, and most experienced TT riders got one too.
Many actually love riding this size the most, instead of the 7m2 which is by far the most used size in average here (in waves).
A 6m2 is not that small and can not handle the "big" days.
Whereas the 4m2 is quite rare (only a few brands make these), but some got it as said before.
We can manage fine without the 4m2's and have to miss out those days, or ride slightly overpowered with 5's.
Without a 5m2, we would miss out a solid number of really good days.
Although - water surface more choppy unless there are big waves that smoothes out - but there will most likely be huge waves
My point is, that when this wind is "quite common", and nothing special about this, eventhough not that many times compared to sizes 7 - 10 - 15m2 which are all used other days, then the wind is typically strong low pressure systems but not with the violent nature like a storm front - so I assume they are not even close to what other countries who rarely got this much wind will experience.
Some spots like Capetown got REALLY stable wind, and for 3 weeks when down there, 4-5-6 and max 7m2 was used.
The 9m2 never came out of the bag
Other times we have seen lower wind for 8-10m2 down there, so it is possible, but extremely rare.
Typically howling, or no wind at all (at least in jan-feb which is summer).
So this is another spot where this high wind is the standard, just like I assume Tarifa can have loads of good 5-6m2 wind for long periods too (eventhough a TT spot, where you can go one kitesize up easily)
So if used to this wind relatively often, you most likely have weather systems that are maybe not stable, but definitely not erratic horrifying wind either, like in locations where a big 10-12m2 is the norm, as then those 4-6m2 winds can typically be a nightmare
Think this is the reason why there is such a huge difference in what the posters here write and experience - it is not just personal liking, but also the weather systems that are really different, besides experience of course.
Personally I like to ride 7 or 8m2 the most, as it gives smoother water surface all over in waves, and still good easy DTL handling.
But most of my wave buddies prefer the days with much smaller sizes, by far.
Peter
