I don't have a board yet. I'm 160lbs and 6'2" on choppy lake water. 15-20mph gusting upwards to 30mph. Out on a 9m in that and an 11m when it's less.

Am I looking for a big door or a LW wing or maybe some board I haven't considered yet? What board will help me to stay upwind?

A lot of boards would work well for you. 160 lbs is not much. 15-20 winds are super. You don't need to go to the extreme of a door type board.

Something along the lines of the Xenon Laluz 135 would work well.

A big door might be counter-productive, if the chop is a significant issue. I'd suggest looking at the OR Mako - I learned in chop too, and found that the Mako helped me to hold an edge in bumpy water.

I started with the 150, but I'm 4" taller and 20lbs heavier, so the 140 might work for you.

The brand doesn't matter. Just go for a softer board to minimize the bounce from the chop, and you'll be okay.
A stiff boar will make you bounce on choppy water like crazy, you don't want that.
The far more restricting factor is mainly yourself, make sure you understand the technique. Beware of current, that can mess with your upwind ambitions.

Good luck!

The board really isn't going to be an issue whatsoever in that wind and at your weight. Get a board that you will use for years to come in the conditions that you expect to use it in.

The key variables in the regression of getting upwind are a) your technique and b) the strength of the wind. Nothing else is actually crucially important.

If the wind is weak relative to your weight you won't get upwind no matter who you are. If your technique sucks you won't get upwind no matter what. Everything else merely "helps out." The bigger kite size helps out in light wind, but doesn't solve anything. The board helps out in light wind but doesn't solve anything.

To Summarize: ITS NOT THE BOARD, don't blame it. ITS YOU or THE WIND or BOTH.

P.S. The reason I tell you this is because I learned to kite in Thailand where the wind is perpetually weak. I always thought there was something wrong with me or the board I was using because I never seemed to be able to get up wind well. Well, it was neither. I just needed stronger wind. I wish to Hell someone had told me, nah, "the wind just sucks here, you are kiting just fine." It would have saved me a lot of grief. I bought an oversized board for this reason that I never use.

Look at the water. If other kiters are getting upwind nicely who are about your size and using similar kites then you should be able to get upwind unless your technique needs work. If there is nobody on the water getting upwind, then stay on the beach and get drunk.

> 15 Knots is usually plenty for just about anybody using an average sized kite between 8-12 meters depending on body size. If it is < 15 knots, if you have flexibility in your schedule, don't go kiting. In my opinion, the only people that should go out kiting in <15 knots are people that only get to kite very rarely and therefore can't miss the opportunity. If you can wait for better wind than do it.

I have to agree, there isn't necessarily a board that will help you carve upwind HOWEVER, there are board styles that probably won't help all that much.. Thick boards through the base, and boards that are very wide (used mostly to help beginners get up and going down-wind) can make it quite difficult to carve upwind..
I'd also suggest larger fins, can help you balance more as you carve..


TKC
http://www.thekitesurfingcollective.com

Any freestyle or freeride board will work. 132/136 X 40-42 wide. Flex will help with the chop after that its just practice practice practice.

+ 1. When I switched to a North X-Ride it was much easier to stay upwind than on a thick, cheap beginner board.

search on here for a Mako. the board helps you go upwind. basically what makes it hard to go upwind first is figuring out exactly how much pressure you need on your back foot. too much or too little prevents you from going upwind. The mako doesn't care about this it doesn't require the backfoot pressure.

I have a brand new 2010 Mako 140 available cheap if you are interested.

s@windydevil.com

you are probably at the transition stage of going upwind - wont be long ..

upwind - no1 factor - long fins no2 rectangular shape - no3 around 135 - 140 x 40 no4 not too flexy (i think mainstream kiteboarding companies know this now - took then a while to catch on what flex is all about )