Ozone Uno for young, light weight rider?

[IWB2]

I am narrowing down the LEI kite options for a young rider who is roughly 60lbs and just over 4ft tall. Thinking about the Ozone Uno in either a 2.5m or 4m, using 20m lines on the 2014 stock bar and hope that anyone with experience on this kite can assist. This kite most likely will be the young riders full time kite (for the next year or two) as he very light so need something which will comfortably fly, and be stable in 14-20kts. How does this kite handle light winds (12-14kts)? I know smaller kites will be more prone to stalling and the occasional hindenburg (falling out of sky) in lulls, but hoping that the Ozone Uno is as stable as their foils (ignition). How easily does the kite water relaunch in light winds? Which size 2.5 or 4m in the 14 to 20kts wind range? One issue I slightly foresee is that the trim strap might not be reachable for him when riding. This shouldnt be too much of an issue as the bar should have a huge wind range. I like that the quick release as it is very easy to activate and reset even for a young rider. Thank you in advance for your help with the Ozone Uno.

[Bob Marley]

I have a 2.5 I use with a Nash bar. Stable flying and water relaunch is good. I ride it with a surfboard when the wind hits 40 mph steady and am powered at 160 lbs. Sounds like a 2.5 will work for you.

[IWB2]

Hi Bob,
Thank you for your help. You mention you use the kite in 40mph winds. Have you ever tested it in much lighter winds such as 14-20kts. Any thought on the stability and water relaunching at the 14-16kt range? The goal is to have a very light rider (only 60lbs) flying this kite from when wind are lighter ie 14-20kts. I personally have a 4m kite which i use in 40kts +, but this kite is not stable in light winds as it has many struts and is not good for water relaunching in light winds. What length lines do you run when on the Ozone UNO? Thanks in advance for the help.

[Bob Marley]

It should water relaunch and fly fine in those lighter winds too. I run 23m lines on it.

[Carlos_C]

I'm thinking about a Flysurfer viron for my son who is about the same size - specifically designed as a school kite and not very lifty but stable in light winds

[tsulczynski]

Not sure if you've commited to a purchase yet, seeing as how the post is a few months old, but just wanted to pipe in with my own experience... From what I've seen, smaller kites perform much better in low winds than big kites. They stay in the air much easier, granted they also generate far less pull.

I am also considering this kite for my 8yr old son. I've had him try my 4.5m Naish (Cult i think - the sigma shaped kite), and it's way WAY too much kite for him. I held on to the handle on the back of his harness while he kept getting tossed in the air like a feather in the wind. Hoping the 2.5 will be just right. If you have purchased the Uno, I would love to know what you're experience with it & the young one is.

[marekmk]

both uno are fantastic kites for kids. I taught my 7 year old grandson and he got the hang of it very quickly, i.e. 2 hr!!

[Ittiandro]

Hi

I am a windsurfer. I never did kiting, but I'd like to start out. The Ozone UNO V2 6.0 m has attracted my attention as a beginner. It is relatively cheap and extremely well performing, from what I read , but the problem is that taccording to the reviews I have read it is a trainer kite for kids and I am not a kid. I weigh 85 kg !.

What should I expect as an adult from this kite in light winds ( 12-18 knots 20 knts max ? ), especialli in the lower range?.

I would use it to to pull my Bic WindSUP, or even my small kayak . Indeed, SUK' ing would be my first and only priority , for the moment.
I don't envisage ever buying a 2nd, more advanced kite: , It would be way beyond my budget. Besides, I don't think I would need a bigger, full fledge kite , just to pull a SUP.

On the other hand , I wouldn't want to waste money buying a .... big umbrella, given my weight and the relatively small size of the kOzone Uno kite.
At first I was even thinking that I needed of a 10-12 m kite, but if I can get away with a 6 m, why not?

By the way, can it be used on the snow, too?


Thanks for your comments and suggestions

Ittiandro

[marekmk]

it can be used in the snow...........at 70kg i fly with the uno 6m with a foil up to 26 knots.........its a fantastic kite with easy relaunch..............

[jakemoore]

I have the 4 and 6 Uno V2.

I use them to fly witk my 3 kids - 10 14 and 16 ranging 60-115 lbs. Great kites to fly with kids both for land training and on water. My 14 year old is becoming independent enough in the water that soon the 10 yo will get to learn in the water.

They also make reasonable inexpensive storm kites or smaller hydrofoil kites for adults.

Ittiandro - A 6m Uno would be fun for you to fly. You would learn a lot just by practicing flying the kite on land. A 4m would be a safer and less expensive choice and I have used the 4 on a twin tip kiteboard in nuclear wind, on the surf board and on the hydrofoil at 200 lbs.

I would personally buy a MTB or buggy to use on land when there is no snows rather than buy a SUP. You could fly this Uno with any of the above.

Any kite will pull the SUP ot kayak if you can keep it in the air so a 4m is enough. Since you are sailing in displacement mode your ability to go upwind will have more to do with Center of Effort related to Center of Resistance. With a twin tip kiteboard you need enough power to water start and stay on plane while riding upwind. With an SUP you can just stand on it.

There was a dude who used to sail around with an umbrella on an SUP in light-wind-San-Diego. The 4m is enough and while a bigger kite will make you go faster, it would not allow an SUP to point any higher to windward than a bigger kite. So consider a 4m as a less expensive and safer choice.

My opinion would be to buy an SUP if you want to paddle. SUP is fun on light wind days but there is a reason you don't see a ton of people riding around with kites on them. Don't buy an SUP just to kite on it.

Finally, if there aren't a bunch of kiters where you windsurf, there is probably a reason.