Postby Guest » Fri Jan 24, 2003 10:33 pm
Tubes have the top 50, not only becausethey jump higher, but for the following reasons as well:
-Better stability, control, turning speed, height in jumps, and hangtime. These are aspects the average weekend kiter wants to optimise, hence the superiority of LEIs.
It is wrong to suggest that the RIGID shape imparted by an inflatable does nothing for aerodynamic performance. The rigidity of the structure helps flying characteristics and stops collapses in rotors. It also means LEIs are safer in wind dropouts or on long cruises.
Because the kites are essentially rigid, they can handle the wind shears and turbulence which increase exponentially the closer you get to the edge of the wind window. This is one of the reasons ram airs need to sit further back in the window (apart from the fact that their increased wind-resistance causes them to sit further back).
Inflatable kite designers like Don Montague and Ken Winner use some of the characteristiics of inflats (like the battens and the leading edge) to actually increase the STABILITY of the kite. eg the slight weight of the battens in the Rhino helps the kite sit correctly in the air.
Anyway, not that it matters, inflats weigh about the same as a ram that pulls comparably.
Tube kites are best for those who like ease of setup, reliability, performance, jumping height, hangtime, control, turning speed, safety in the surf and offshore, and aerodynamic performance. Rams are suitable for everyone else.
MARK (Kite quiver made up of 4 tubes and 4 foils)