6m "C" Style Kite

[william_rx7]

I'm looking for a smaller kite, like a 6 or 7m for when it's too much for my 9m (Cab Omega).

I've always flown bow & delta style kites (Cab Contra / Omega, OR Rise, Airush One, BRM Cloud), but never a true "C" kite.

I'm wanting to try out a "C" kite, and wondering if getting a first "C" kite as my smallest / high wind kite would be a mistake.

I'm 170 lbs, riding since 2006, like big air, can only do a couple simple tricks, learning to ride a surfboard. Ride in the Great Lakes around Ontario mostly.

Brand / Size / Model suggestions welcome.

[Whattheflock]

High wind in ontario?!

[plummet]

I think it would be a mistake. You want the most gust friendly kite with the largest range at the top end. A little C will be the worst option to spec. It will be lightning fast with minimum depower and it will spank you hard.

[edt]

if this was your 2nd c kite it would be fine, nothing megaloops like a real c kite. I know exactly what you want it for, the trees are falling down it's nuking and you want to go huge. The problem is u only get to use it three times a year . . . so it don't matter what kite you get, you will spend one of those precious nuking days learning how it performs and getting used to it. I don't think it matters too much that it is a C kite it could be any brand you are not used to, the problem is you waste one your nuking day doing a demo and feeling out a new kite. If that's ok, then yeah get the C. But if you don't want to waste one of the precious high wind days, maybe go with something you already know. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with having a C as your high wind kite, sure it will have less wind range than a bow kite but you just take that into account when you size your kites.

[Peter_Frank]

I think it would be a mistake. You want the most gust friendly kite with the largest range at the top end. A little C will be the worst option to spec. It will be lightning fast with minimum depower and it will spank you hard.

Agree 100% that it would be a mistake.

IMO it does not make sense at all, to have a C kite as your first kite, in the small size only.

The opposite would make sense, get a C as the big one, but not in the small size.

You write you are learning to ride a surfboard ?

Here you want even more windrange and a kite that wont punish you in gusty conditions or changing winds, and you will be able to use your 6m2 much more on the surfboard too, where it is even more important with the "SLE" advantages

Peter

[nicor]

Mistake. I had c-style kites, and my 7m was insane at the higher end, so fast it was scary. I realize when its survival condition I want comfort and ease, so I have a deltas style kites now, but there are lots of good options.

If you want to get into Cs I think 9 - 11M are the best sizes to start with.

[JGTR]

I had a 6m 2005 Airush Flow C kite and now have a 6m 2008 Torch as my high wind kite. I found both to be great high wind kites, I think most people on hear just talk about what they have read and not about what they have actually done

C kites are not any faster than other types of kites, in fact they are quite often slower than the equivalent sized hybrid kite which is the reason they are better at freestyle. Comments about a C kite being too fast will be true of any 6m kite as 6m kites are fast due to their size.

C kites are also generally more stable and predictable than hybrid kites as they do not have the same range of movement and the c shape is a more stable shape under load.

Finally you ride a c kite with your legs, and when a gust hits you edge harder which will drive the kite forwards in the window reducing power whereas a hybrid will usually just build up even more power so you have to constantly mess about sheeting the bar in and out.

It basically comes down to choosing then correct kite size for the wind conditions, a hybrid will always be "easier" to ride than a C kite when over powered but for competent riders side by side with the correct size kite for the wind conditions c's are a good choice of kite

[plummet]

Don't listen to jgtr. He obviously has his period this week. Take a chill pill and chillax man.

I agree with Nicor. 9-11m size would be the ideal size to start with.

The issue that I see with 6m conditions is that most of the time its real gusty. 25-40 knots sort of thing. A kite with great depower at the bar can make those days a pleasure to ride. Rather than just a struggle or exersize in survival.

I remember a day that was like that. I turned up at the beach late. The wind was nuking and gusty as hell but no body was out. One of most experienced guys on the beach and a C kite flier stated to me " its to too gusty,,,, not any fun". Now this guy is a skilled rider one of the best locally.

I rig my little 6 reo. The boys are laughing at me "hehe... lets see how long he lasts" I launch and sure enough its crazy wind. As I walk to the water the kite hunts the edge of the window surging and drifting back 20-30 feet at a time. Its insanely gusty. I get in the water and yeha what a blast. Such and epic session battling the elements. One of the most memorable sessions I've had.

The morel of the story? little highly depowerable sle kites can make those extreme sessions so much fun. It can eb the difference between flagging it because its too gusty and havinga blast.


Now if you want to boost insane and throw down len10 mega loops these disregard my advice follow jgtr's. If you want to learn to ride a surfboard in gusty 6m conditions as you have stated then look at a little sle.

Now in the mid range when the wind is cleaner then a fast turning dynamic C kite is wicked fun.

[JGTR]

The moral of the story???

Plummet doesn't know what he's talking about

Just because you rode your Reo on a windy day when no one else went out doesn't really prove anything Great story though

[Robsw6]

lol..... I agree with Peter - although I love (proper) c's, a small c can be a handful. I had a 5.5m X3 and it was v hard work