1 kite quiver question

[rtz]

If I only had one kite(9m: 20-30mph); I'd have to sit out all the high wind days(7m: 30mph+) and all the "light wind" days(11m: 12-20mph). As it is; I don't yet have a kite(~15m?: less then 12mph) for the really light wind days.

Even with 3 kites; I still feel like I need 3 boards(ideally). I'd get a 4th one if I had a big kite(all twin tips(flat water lakes)).

[Toby]

I mainly use my 18...ride it from 10-24 knots (warm air).
One board, that's it.

More wind? I rather work

[TheJoe]

Mine would be a Wainman Smoke with wake, surf, and skim board. But since I have the money I fly Fuels 7,9, and 13.

Line length is irrelevant actually. You do not get more power from longer lines or vice versa. Power is created by lift and that is from wind going over the kite. I know what people will say about apparent wind and a longer stroke and that is true. You can generate apparent wind with looping the kite and proper edging until your good. As far as the stronger winds at a higher elevation how many places are there spots where the wind is stronger just a few meters highers? That is all you get with longer lines maybe 3-6m if lucky unless you fly the kite at 12 and then your not really riding are you.

[plummet]

i would choose 10m c4. and then get pissed off when wind conditions weren't in the kites wind range.

[Westozzy]

I would have to agree With the above if I was going to go a 1 kite quiver I'd go a wainmen smoke and have a very light wind board and a TT like a shinn monk to hold high winds. If one kite then you need two boards at least.

Me I use a 11 and 9m edge with a mako king, mutant middle winds and a shinn monk. Takes me from 13 to 35...well more like 33 and I'm 74 kg. and at 13 to 15 I'm having fun. Can maybe just hold ground 11 to 13 but who can be stuffed with that.

If one kite quiver pick a kite that will get you out in 80 percent of your average winds. Honestly I had a 6m and only was out on it 4 to 5 times a year, what's the point? Lot of money depreciating doing nothin.

[OzBungy]

As above. The only problem with a one kite quiver is you are going to miss out on those epic days that don't suit your kite. We had several days in a row at 30-35 knots and I was in heaven with my 7m. Further out to sea the wind was 40-50 knots so we had 3m swells pushing in. At one stage I rode out a 40+ knot gust. Today was around 20 knots and I was still in heaven with my 10m. Which day do you not want to kite?

Just looking at my log and my kite usage is: 10m - 103 hours, 7m 115 hours, 13m 92 hours. The 7m is a little older than the 10 and 13 so the 10m wins for my area. The 7m conditions are my favourite though.

[Kiteus Maximus]

All these doubters saying a 1 kite quiver isn't possible are wrong. I have been flying a 1 kite quiver for over a year now. You just have to know which kite offers the widest wind range. Once you know that piece of the puzzle the next question you have to answer for yourself is what winds to you WANT to kite? If you want true light winds then you will give up the stronger winds. I you want stronger winds then you will give up the really light winds.

Third thing you need to know is what are the average winds for your area? That alone is going to give you an idea of what you will be looking at from a kite size. I'm not gonna' list my kite because then the villagers who lover their kite brands will start an argument about kite brands. I will tell you this though. I weigh 195 lbs., ride an 11M with standard line lengths, and I only ride 1 board. 137 cm. I have trimmed my outside lines by 3 inches for more low end power.

I REGULARLY kite my 11M in medium winds (12 - 16 mph) when everyone else is throwing up 13M, 14M, 15M, 16M and even 17M kites because they are either...a) inefficient kiters or b) their kites do not have a wide wind range. I have also ridden this kite up to 35 mph winds (safely) and regularly kite 18 to 22 mph winds on a consistent basis.

I realize I am giving up light wind kiting but I personally hate kiting in light winds. It's boring as hell to me. There are some days, however, I can kite lighter winds if the conditions are perfect which means, glassy water with no current or tidal pull to kill board speed and cooler air.

So, yes, you absolutely can have a 1 kite quiver and a single board and still have a lot of fun and a wide wind range. You just have to first define the parameters of what you want your fun to be. If you want to kite in all wind ranges then you are going to need multiple kites. My wind range is 13 to 30 kts and I do it all with 1 single kite and 1 single board.

I have friends who have 7 kites and 5 or more boards for this same wind range. It blows my mind.

[mike holmes]

I ride a 9m Bandit6 from 16knots up to 35 knots no problem.
When the waves are nice I go in with my Signature 6'0 and when I feel like boosting high I take the Trax out for a spin.
Anything less than 16Knots is too boring and anything over 35knots is just a battle against the ocean.

[plummet]

All these doubters saying a 1 kite quiver isn't possible are wrong. I have been flying a 1 kite quiver for over a year now. You just have to know which kite offers the widest wind range. Once you know that piece of the puzzle the next question you have to answer for yourself is what winds to you WANT to kite? If you want true light winds then you will give up the stronger winds. I you want stronger winds then you will give up the really light winds.

Third thing you need to know is what are the average winds for your area? That alone is going to give you an idea of what you will be looking at from a kite size. I'm not gonna' list my kite because then the villagers who lover their kite brands will start an argument about kite brands. I will tell you this though. I weigh 195 lbs., ride an 11M with standard line lengths, and I only ride 1 board. 137 cm. I have trimmed my outside lines by 3 inches for more low end power.

I REGULARLY kite my 11M in medium winds (12 - 16 mph) when everyone else is throwing up 13M, 14M, 15M, 16M and even 17M kites because they are either...a) inefficient kiters or b) their kites do not have a wide wind range. I have also ridden this kite up to 35 mph winds (safely) and regularly kite 18 to 22 mph winds on a consistent basis.

I realize I am giving up light wind kiting but I personally hate kiting in light winds. It's boring as hell to me. There are some days, however, I can kite lighter winds if the conditions are perfect which means, glassy water with no current or tidal pull to kill board speed and cooler air.

So, yes, you absolutely can have a 1 kite quiver and a single board and still have a lot of fun and a wide wind range. You just have to first define the parameters of what you want your fun to be. If you want to kite in all wind ranges then you are going to need multiple kites. My wind range is 13 to 30 kts and I do it all with 1 single kite and 1 single board.

I have friends who have 7 kites and 5 or more boards for this same wind range. It blows my mind.

yes kiteus maximus. you can do most of the common wind range with one kite. but that one kite has a sweet spot of about 5knot swing. bellow that it starts to get boring and above the your starting to hang on.

I have 5 kites and you 5 knots (on the lanboard). to 40+knots. if i dropped to 1 kite i could still kite 70% of the time but my grin factor would not be as maximus as it is right now. sure you can make an 11m work in 13 knots but its as boring as shit. was out today on the landboard bust all sorts of floaty airs on my 15m..... on those 35+knot days i'd be going mad wondering why the hell i didn't have a small kite......

[Westozzy]

Plummet is right here, every kite has a sweet spot. Or a sweet range within 4 to 5 knots.

So it depends on what you are after really.

But from what have observed, I'd still rather have a couple of boards as this can increase that sweet spot range somewhat. Personally I'd love to have only one kite, but if you've ridden long enough you really do want to be in that sweet spot.

One way to go is to buy your main kite new, get the greatest and latest and get some cheap older kites on either side. That includes board as well.

One way to afford it for us working class dudes.

Me though, I don't drink, smoke, don't go out. I work, I kite I am with my family. Even my socialisation is at the local kite spots. So I tend to justify the cost this way. It's a matter of priority really. Plus what else would you rather be doing, wasting you'd time talking shit and spending money or get out and fly.