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Best kite for touring/ascending?

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Rasmus Nygaard
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Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby Rasmus Nygaard » Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:22 am

I'm looking for my first snow kite, and would like some input on what to get. I'm an experienced back country skiier and kitesurfer (in waves), and I have done some snowkiting but not a lot. I'm looking for a kite that will bring me back up the mountain when offpiste skiing. I'm not interested in freestyle, but would like a steady kite with the biggest possible wind range and ease of use. I'm a big guy, and would probably use it mostly in light conditions. Any recommendations, or comments for a newb?

Here is what I have been looking at:

FS speed 19/21 -BIG! To big? Looks like quite a hassle to launch/land. Expensive.
Ozone Frenzy 13 -The weapon of choice for a lot of BC kiters. Small wind range?
Ozone Summit 12 -Why not the Frenzy? What is the difference?
FS Peak 9 -Sounds VERY nice. But only 9m? -Really? No info yet on handling...
HQ -Dont know about them really. Are they any good? What model to choose? Why not Ozone?

Hope to get some help.
Ras.

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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby bigcane » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:45 pm

I demoed my friends new Peak 9m on the beach last week. Wind was 5 to 8 knots. I had fairly low expectations but it flew much better than I expected so I ordered one as well. Power was similar to a 13m foil or inflatable. I am Planning to use it for climbing the local hills plus teaching in light wind. The only thing I did not like was the bar, the center hole is too small so the depower line would bind when trying to turn and sheet in at the same time.

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Noahpz
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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby Noahpz » Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:49 pm

Rasmus, if you want to buy a foil, I would suggest the 13m Frenzy. The Frenzy has a huge range, as does the Summit. The Frenzy is very stable and user friendly as well. The Summit offers more performance but it requires slightly more bar input to achieve that performance. With either kite you can climb and have a great time snowkiting.

Post up some photos once you get out there, OK?

Noah

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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby waynepjh » Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:05 pm

If you want a kite for just climbing hills the ozone access is a great stable fast kite. Where do you live?

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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby matthepp » Mon Dec 16, 2013 6:13 pm

Rasmus, here's my 2 cents. I use an 11m Ozone Frenzy for that kind of stuff, especially cold weather. I still prefer my tubes when it's warmer. Also being a big guy, I wish many days that I had a 13 instead for more glide but I know that I won't get in trouble, even when the local sensor shows gusts to 40 mph. Quality is top notch including the best pack on the market. Friends enjoy their HQs too.

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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby geopeck » Mon Dec 16, 2013 6:52 pm

The Access and HQ Apex would both be good choices for what you want, both are good kites with the Ozone costing a fair amount more, but holding its value better.

One thing you should be very careful about with your plan as you detail it - you might end up having more fun kiting up than descending. More turns, more energy, more speed on demand once you get into mid level winds. If you get into some good uphill gully riding it compares to waves and spanks downhill.

The FS kites I've used have been just a touch slower and trickier in the set up and pack down and if you're picking up much elevation you'll get a range of wind speed usually. You might reach an icy windblown peak and find that you really want to be done kiting quick- in that scenario Ozone Frenzy and Access/HQ systems are faster and cleaner.

Ozone Summit, if it's the same as last years, is a 5 line closed cell. If you have used 5 line systems you'll recognize that they can be a little more likely to slow you down during setup/breakdown, also the closed cell means that packdown is slower and initial launch can require a dab more clean wind at ground level.

Depending on your program, a lot of setup and packdown means gloves off and postholing so it's an issue in extreme cold or deep snow.

Also if you go Ozone recognize that the QR changed from a one-sided pull to a centered push away system this year. That's a big safety jump so keep it in mind when putting a value to price.

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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby fernmanus » Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:58 am

I would take a serious look at the FS Peak. I packs down super small. The setup and take down are also super fast since it is a single skin kite. It is going to be my go-to-kite in the backcountry and for travel.

I recently purchased one after demoing one first. I was surprised by the power generated by that kite. I was able to kite with ample power on a day when other kiters were on 13m foils.

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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby crabnebula » Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:19 pm

Frenzy,Summit, Flysurfer Peak, HQ Montana 8, even many tube kites!.... yup all great options but do not forget or ignore the Ikon Kiteboarding Empire
In sizes 6, 8, 10, ,& 12m you'll find the size you're looking for
The kite packs small weights very little although heavier than the Flysurfer Peak the Empire are arguably far more durable than most kites including the Ozone foils HQ foils and Flysurfer due to its tab-less internal connection for the bridle. It means the bridles are not just sewn into the fabric at the surface, but rather the tab runs as a zig zag up and down the entire cell, in each cell, and only protrudes where the bridle connects. Simple and brilliant.

The Empire Turns like LEI kite as well as shuts off using a revolutionary 5 th line flag out system that also instantly relaunched without issue reliably virtually every time! For going up hills and mountains this means the kite comfortably shuts down slowly or fast ( as you choose) then, you bring the kite to you when you are done riding up, and a safely shut down kite controlled by you allows for a quick pack down . The 5th line " shut off switch" is superior to any foil I've ever used in the mountains! The kites are all very very stable in all winds as well!

Ultimately, all the fore mentioned kites are going to be perfect, as I say strongly, it's not always the kite, it's the pilots understanding of the kite, that comes first! So simply, if you can fly well,? Any kite could and should do the job, but the features each kite offers may change your experience a little/ to a lot.

All around I'm very pleased with the quiver of Empires I have and will find them with me for all journeys that lie ahead. Check out the video link below:




http://vimeo.com/m/79605410

robertovillate
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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby robertovillate » Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:52 pm

fernmanus wrote:I would take a serious look at the FS Peak. I packs down super small. The setup and take down are also super fast since it is a single skin kite. It is going to be my go-to-kite in the backcountry and for travel.

I recently purchased one after demoing one first. I was surprised by the power generated by that kite. I was able to kite with ample power on a day when other kiters were on 13m foils.
Hi fernmanus,
I sent you a PM...
merry xmas to all

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Re: Best kite for touring/ascending?

Postby mmunzer » Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:55 am

@geopeck - Is the Summit a closed cell foil? Could you use it on the water?

@crabnebula - The Icon looks interesting. Never heard of it before? Is it a B-line safety system? Never understood why nobody ever made one. Anybody who paraglides would be familiar with the benefits of pulling the B-risers and the disadvantages of pulling the brakes while the paraglider is on the ground. A b-riser safety system would be awesome!

/Marc


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