5m kite recommendation

[OzBungy]

I have a Switch Element 5 5m. The construction is excellent, it works very well and is extremely good value.

[Bletti]

What line length do you use on your 4m and 6m plummet?

[Peter_Frank]

Hmmm, I think this thread might confuse somewhat.

Some are talking about winds from 19/20 to 30 knots, Tom and K-Roy ?
And with a 6 m2 kite on a hydrofoil, it must be shortly only then, 30 knots...

If you got 30 knots average wind, you can not use a 6 m2 even on waveboards thats for sure, even a 5 is too lit for most riders on waveboards, although just possible to survive yes.

The other end, 20 knots, here you can get away with a 4.5 m2 on a hydrofoil (almost sweetspot if waves at least), thus a 4 or 5 m2 would be possible just like Plummet says

We were out yesterday too, 24/25 to 29 knots average during the day, on waveboards with 5 and 6 m2 kites - but we got stable not gusty winds here in Denmark so very different of course, but important to understand the very odd numbers and difference in opinions in this thread, as they can not be compared it seems, probably because it is very subjective to evaluate wind and max/min wind

PF

[K-Roy]

Hmmm, I think this thread might confuse somewhat.

Some are talking about winds from 19/20 to 30 knots, Tom and K-Roy ?
And with a 6 m2 kite on a hydrofoil, it must be shortly only then, 30 knots...

If you got 30 knots average wind, you can not use a 6 m2 even on waveboards thats for sure, even a 5 is too lit for most riders on waveboards, although just possible to survive yes.

The other end, 20 knots, here you can get away with a 4.5 m2 on a hydrofoil (almost sweetspot if waves at least), thus a 4 or 5 m2 would be possible just like Plummet says

We were out yesterday too, 24/25 to 29 knots average during the day, on waveboards with 5 and 6 m2 kites - but we got stable not gusty winds here in Denmark so very different of course, but important to understand the very odd numbers and difference in opinions in this thread, as they can not be compared it seems, probably because it is very subjective to evaluate wind and max/min wind

PF

You are correct Peter,
If we had 25-30knots average, steady blown out wind, it would be a 4m for sure.
However, we get wind only with approaching weather front on our lake so its not uncommon to have 15-20 knots gusting up to 30.
IMO holding on to a 6m Bandit (trimmed) for a short periods is better then "looking" for power.
I like to have long sessions 2-3 hours at a time and not to keen on changing kites since its a long walk to deep enough water in our shallow lake with onshore wind, rocky shoreline, and no place to launch the kite on land, plus 90% times I'm all by my self.
So its not perfect, but as we say over here: " you cook your meal, with what you have"

[TomW]

" You just have to watch out for the high speed death runs broad reach if you are too powered in the gusts!"

Check. Happened yesterday. Beach on backside of a windswell...bam.

Search continues for a 5 or 6 m

[TomW]

What do you think of a 2015 Reo 6? Is it powerful, normal or weak 6m?

[plummet]

What line length do you use on your 4m and 6m plummet?

What ever standard is 23?25m?

[TomW]

Hmmm, I think this thread might confuse somewhat.

Some are talking about winds from 19/20 to 30 knots, Tom and K-Roy ?
And with a 6 m2 kite on a hydrofoil, it must be shortly only then, 30 knots...

If you got 30 knots average wind, you can not use a 6 m2 even on waveboards thats for sure, even a 5 is too lit for most riders on waveboards, although just possible to survive yes.

The other end, 20 knots, here you can get away with a 4.5 m2 on a hydrofoil (almost sweetspot if waves at least), thus a 4 or 5 m2 would be possible just like Plummet says

We were out yesterday too, 24/25 to 29 knots average during the day, on waveboards with 5 and 6 m2 kites - but we got stable not gusty winds here in Denmark so very different of course, but important to understand the very odd numbers and difference in opinions in this thread, as they can not be compared it seems, probably because it is very subjective to evaluate wind and max/min wind

PF

You are correct Peter,
If we had 25-30knots average, steady blown out wind, it would be a 4m for sure.
However, we get wind only with approaching weather front on our lake so its not uncommon to have 15-20 knots gusting up to 30.
IMO holding on to a 6m Bandit (trimmed) for a short periods is better then "looking" for power.
I like to have long sessions 2-3 hours at a time and not to keen on changing kites since its a long walk to deep enough water in our shallow lake with onshore wind, rocky shoreline, and no place to launch the kite on land, plus 90% times I'm all by my self.
So its not perfect, but as we say over here: " you cook your meal, with what you have"

I agree with K-Roy. It's 20-22 average wind, gusts to 30 that are in " Zones" that you fly through, so only 10-15 seconds. Sometimes wind is sustained at 25 or so. Then some holes of 15 knots.
This spot has some upwind obstacles.
Generally our winds are frontal like Denmark, but higher they are, the more variability and gusty and turbulent.

I found a new 2015 Reo 5m for reasonable price locally and bought it. A bit of a risk, trade it out for a 6m next season if needed.
I've also heard they are good foil kites and can expand my quiver to 7 and 9 reos as my North Monos self destruct from flapping.