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Strutless kite trend

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Dave_5280
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Strutless kite trend

Postby Dave_5280 » Wed Jun 05, 2013 11:31 am

Do you think the strutless kite will become a trend?

Here are the strutless kites I've seen so far online, are there others?

The Cloud
Naish Trip
Airush Lithium Zero

Tone
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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby Tone » Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:25 pm

I think it is all balls.

They will sell a few to people that like to mow the lawn/cruise, but anyone wanting performance/jumping and wake will go for a standard design.

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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby Kite2Heaven » Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:36 pm

Why not a strutless sigma with max projected twin skin. ?

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Aummm
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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby Aummm » Wed Jun 05, 2013 2:03 pm

Strutless kite trend
:nono: Tone is right :thumb:
Never because it is a compromise because of the unsupported canopy :idea:
When somebody wants efficiency and boosting and ease there are better kites out there which can do the relaunch and low end attributes the same if not better with all the other important features of Superiority.
Cab didn't want according some team riders, because of its low performance and because of the necessity of redesigning better canopy support for better user compliance.
Definitely be aware and ride it before you buy it(edited) it :!:
Watch for those here who disagree with this who are telling you only the good sides,
one is a Pimp or a maniac and the other one is who has it but just wants to defend it :naughty: Probably they're next :jump:
Last edited by Aummm on Wed Jun 05, 2013 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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windsuks
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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby windsuks » Wed Jun 05, 2013 4:35 pm

Tone wrote:I think it is all balls.

They will sell a few to people that like to mow the lawn/cruise, but anyone wanting performance/jumping and wake will go for a standard design.
Absolutely, saw a few in Hatteras recently and also tried the Epic Strutless prototype...the disadvantages far far out way any advantages imho

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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby BWD » Wed Jun 05, 2013 4:46 pm

What are the disadvantages?

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marlboroughman
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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby marlboroughman » Wed Jun 05, 2013 5:33 pm

I think strutless is here to stay:

A) It is good for light wind
B) It is good for wave
C) Theoretically should be cheaper
D) If I get my hands on one I will be making copies of it myself
E) Because of D) people in poor places might get into the sport
F) Imagine you retire now and have to live on half your income and
your health only allows you to ride surf board in light wind and you have
lot's of time to make one

It's here to stay I say

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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby JGTR » Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:07 pm

Advantages:

Cheaper to manufacture :roll: :!:

Really can't see a strut less kite holding its shape when taken out near the top end of its range or being kite looped/redirected hard after a jump

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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby Osprey1 » Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:09 pm

For me my strutless 17m is a game changer and with a family to attend to it has allowed me to ride more often and close to home. Also when it picks up to about 11 knots I can generate enough board speed to work on wakestyle tricks on it like back2blinds, sbends2 blind, etc. Is it as good as a C-Kite or hybrid-C for jumping and wakestyle? No, but it sure is fun when it's light. To be honest when it picks up above 15 knots I do switch to my Parks for freestyle. However I did ride the 8m in Maui in the surf and really appreciated the responsiveness and the ease to which the kite rides down the line with little rider input (need to get one of those :) ).

To each their own, but having a big strutless kite = scoring more sessions close to home = happier dad. When daddy is happy everybody is happy, and there's a lot of intrinsic value in that :)
Last edited by Osprey1 on Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Strutless kite trend

Postby windsuks » Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:24 pm

From what I have seen, a few guys using strutless both here in the UK and whilst in Hatteras


Just my general observations but.....

Generally they suffer more in gusty conditions, as soon as it got gusty the guys were pumping up their old three strut kites.
They take a little longer to relaunch, I certainly would not want to drop one in surf.
They do not have as big a wind range as a three strut kite.......
So even though it may weigh less you may need more
From what I've seen they are not that much less than most three strut kites
The sail cloth flaps a lot more when left on the beach so I reckon the trailing edge will suffer quicker than most kites

Sure there are more and I admire the guys developing and testing something new but for now at least I'm sticking to my regular kites!

Fine for mowing the lawn....but thats about it at the moment
Some of you that love them may consider that I'm way off but that's what I see so far....maybe it will change in time


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