Olas! wrote:I am very excited to hear about the results of the Cloud in this test! It definitely seems to be the most controversial LW kite out there right now, I have heard it is a terrible kite that won't fly on par with how it is the best thing since sliced bread.
I am debating between the 14.5m Cloud C2 or Flite to get me going on my skimboard in the lightest stuff possible this spring.
My theory on the 17m Cloud is similar to others' opinions on the Infinity and Fat Lady, I think it is a LW kite built for a specific purpose - in this case riding strapless. Could be a reason for the polarized reviews.
Perhaps the Cloud's low end may not stack up against the high AR kites while using a twin tip, however, I wonder if the depower and light weight of the kite may make it superior to the others if ridden on a big skimboard without fins or straps. I was considering the kite as my local wind is not only light but also gusty, which requires a kite to float through the lulls and depower quickly in gusts if your weapon of choice is strapless.
Do you have any riders who ride without straps? It may do a better justice to the Cloud's intended use to compare its performance with a surfboard or skim with low rocker in addition to a twin tip comparison. Likewise, somebody who unhooks and throws down in 11kts might provide a better basis for comparison for the low/med AR LW kites.
Thanks for doing these tests!
I think you make very good points. The kites will have different characteristics and will suit different riders, conditions and boards, so its not about declaring a winner but finding out what each one is good at and bad at.
In light wind the boards range from foil boards through race boards, surf boards, alaia type boards, skim boards to twintips. Hard to have a kite that suits them all.
Thanks to all those involved in the testing. Its good to get feedback and it becomes pressure I'm sure when doing the testing. Hey, we are getting it for free so I won't complain about any of it.
Hey Curt, can you tell me the top end of these kites, i am similar weight as you around 150lbs, I am especially interested in the Flite vs Turbine vs Contra? Thx
TommyDelly wrote:Hey Curt, can you tell me the top end of these kites, i am similar weight as you around 150lbs, I am especially interested in the Flite vs Turbine vs Contra? Thx
Hello TommyDelly,
If your looking for top end I would stay away from the Core 19m and the Epic. The Contra for my size has the next least top end, then the Turbine and finally the Flite would have the most top end.
Honestly thought I like the 15m Contra, I can ride it in almost as light a wind as these other kites with a good lightwind board, and I have ridden that kite into the 20's and not felt out of control.
If you need the super low end I would Recommend the 17m Flite, if in 10mph and up I would recommend the Contra 15m with a nice light wind board.
TommyDelly wrote:Hey Curt, can you tell me the top end of these kites, i am similar weight as you around 150lbs, I am especially interested in the Flite vs Turbine vs Contra? Thx
Hello TommyDelly,
If your looking for top end I would stay away from the Core 19m and the Epic. The Contra for my size has the next least top end, then the Turbine and finally the Flite would have the most top end.
Honestly thought I like the 15m Contra, I can ride it in almost as light a wind as these other kites with a good lightwind board, and I have ridden that kite into the 20's and not felt out of control.
If you need the super low end I would Recommend the 17m Flite, if in 10mph and up I would recommend the Contra 15m with a nice light wind board.
What about 14.5 Flite vs 15 Contra in terms of range?
Although i think i am more interested in the big ones because i want to ride below 10 knots and i also have a 12m kite...but at the same time i want to be in control and not get blown away in 15-16 knots, so what do you think?
TommyDelly wrote:Hey Curt, can you tell me the top end of these kites, i am similar weight as you around 150lbs, I am especially interested in the Flite vs Turbine vs Contra? Thx
Hello TommyDelly,
If your looking for top end I would stay away from the Core 19m and the Epic. The Contra for my size has the next least top end, then the Turbine and finally the Flite would have the most top end.
Honestly thought I like the 15m Contra, I can ride it in almost as light a wind as these other kites with a good lightwind board, and I have ridden that kite into the 20's and not felt out of control.
If you need the super low end I would Recommend the 17m Flite, if in 10mph and up I would recommend the Contra 15m with a nice light wind board.
What about 14.5 Flite vs 15 Contra in terms of range?
Although i think i am more interested in the big ones because i want to ride below 10 knots and i also have a 12m kite...but at the same time i want to be in control and not get blown away in 15-16 knots, so what do you think?
If your going for least wind, go with the Flite 17m. 15-16 knots shouldn't be an issue, as long as your not on a Spleene or something.
14.5 and 15 are pretty comparable, but the Contra has a little more hangtime so I tend to like that one more, but I can fly either as I have a shop. Saving a buck go with the OR.
You can give me a call at the shop and I can chat your ear off about these kites. 850-243-5483
Local Beach: Cass Lake MI Port Huron MI (Lake Huron) Metro Beach MI (Lake St. Clair) Harsens Island MI (Lake St. Clair)
Favorite Beaches: Tawas MI (Lake Huron) Oscoda MI (Lake Huron) Little Sable Point MI (Lake Michigan) The Flats (Key West) Anywhere in Cape Hatteras Kite Beach (Maui) La Ventana (Mexico) Barkers (Grand Caymen)
Maybe I didn't see it among all the different threads and posts but I didn't see where you guys said anything about super light wind relaunch ability of these kites....
I live in Michigan (very variable gusty winds) and easy relaunch in 8-10mph wind is very important. Somedays here you'll be kiting along in 12-15 mph wind and the wind will just drop out to 2 or 3mph and the kite will go down and you'll have to sit in the water and wait for the wind to come back up and relaunch your kite in super light wind. I've flown the Older 2011 Turbine and it wouldn't relaunch in that light stuff. I also have flown the North Dyno and that will relaunch as long as you know how to use the 5th line. I've owned the Infinity V1 and the relaunch was great in the the super light stuff. I currently own the Blade Fat Lady V2 and the relaunch is also excellent in super light wind.
I've never flew it but there is a guy here with a Cloud and forget about that thing relaunching if it gets wet in super light stuff. However, I've never flown that kite personally so take that with a grain of salt.
I know when you are kiting in super light wind the main goal is to not let the kite go down but next time out I think you guys should purposely slam them into the water in the single digit winds and get that on film and test each kite for their super light wind relaunch ability and elaborate on that. This would be very helpful added info for people.
Good reviews by the way. I think you guys should pick apart each kite a little more like you did with the Infinity. Separate videos for each kite maybe... Hahaha
Dj A-Ron wrote:Maybe I didn't see it among all the different threads and posts but I didn't see where you guys said anything about super light wind relaunch ability of these kites....
I live in Michigan (very variable gusty winds) and easy relaunch in 8-10mph wind is very important. Somedays here you'll be kiting along in 12-15 mph wind and the wind will just drop out to 2 or 3mph and the kite will go down and you'll have to sit in the water and wait for the wind to come back up and relaunch your kite in super light wind. I've flown the Older 2011 Turbine and it wouldn't relaunch in that light stuff. I also have flown the North Dyno and that will relaunch as long as you know how to use the 5th line. I've owned the Infinity V1 and the relaunch was great in the the super light stuff. I currently own the Blade Fat Lady V2 and the relaunch is also excellent in super light wind.
I've never flew it but there is a guy here with a Cloud and forget about that thing relaunching if it gets wet in super light stuff. However, I've never flown that kite personally so take that with a grain of salt.
I know when you are kiting in super light wind the main goal is to not let the kite go down but next time out I think you guys should purposely slam them into the water in the single digit winds and get that on film and test each kite for their super light wind relaunch ability and elaborate on that. This would be very helpful added info for people.
Good reviews by the way. I think you guys should pick apart each kite a little more like you did with the Infinity. Separate videos for each kite maybe... Hahaha
This is a video of a guy deliberately crashing or tumbling the C1 cloud 17m to try many relaunches in light wind. He is an expert at relaunching and you can see that he can get it back into the air until 23 minutes and then just after 27 minutes into the video where the wind has become marginal for even keeping the cloth in the canopy taut.
I take your point about relaunching, and different kites need different techniques to get them back into the air in the lightest wind. It would be nice to see in the test, but it can take a while to get the right conditions to have the time to find the best way to relaunch in the lightest possible wind.
I would like a kite to be able to be relaunched from deep water without the board in the wind where it will only just be able to sit directly overhead without working it.
Dj A-Ron wrote:Maybe I didn't see it among all the different threads and posts but I didn't see where you guys said anything about super light wind relaunch ability of these kites....
I live in Michigan (very variable gusty winds) and easy relaunch in 8-10mph wind is very important. Somedays here you'll be kiting along in 12-15 mph wind and the wind will just drop out to 2 or 3mph and the kite will go down and you'll have to sit in the water and wait for the wind to come back up and relaunch your kite in super light wind. I've flown the Older 2011 Turbine and it wouldn't relaunch in that light stuff. I also have flown the North Dyno and that will relaunch as long as you know how to use the 5th line. I've owned the Infinity V1 and the relaunch was great in the the super light stuff. I currently own the Blade Fat Lady V2 and the relaunch is also excellent in super light wind.
I've never flew it but there is a guy here with a Cloud and forget about that thing relaunching if it gets wet in super light stuff. However, I've never flown that kite personally so take that with a grain of salt.
I know when you are kiting in super light wind the main goal is to not let the kite go down but next time out I think you guys should purposely slam them into the water in the single digit winds and get that on film and test each kite for their super light wind relaunch ability and elaborate on that. This would be very helpful added info for people.
Good reviews by the way. I think you guys should pick apart each kite a little more like you did with the Infinity. Separate videos for each kite maybe... Hahaha
Sometimes when we are testing it's hard to remember to stop riding and do the relaunch test, especially when we have a small window to test so many kites, we will work on this for future light wind videos.
As far as relaunch I'm surprised by your comments as the turbine has consistently been the best relaunching kite. Followed by the Flite, Contra, and Epic. I would say the core is the hardest to relaunch but this is all nitpicking as usually if your riding without a problem the kite relaunches fine. If your unable to ride then the relaunch gets iffy. Now where we ride it's shallow so we can stand and relaunch the kite, drifting when you can touch is another animal, and in light wind it's hard to get any kite up.
Quick update, my testers were out yesterday with the 12m C2 cloud, and I heard nothing but rave reviews, so we are really stoked to get our hands on the 17m.
I think that there are many people that are interested in what your take is on the cloud kite. I have heard nothing but glowing reviews on these kites and the people that ride them absolute love them!
