I've had the Contra 17 for the last 4 years. Most of my kiting is with this kite used with a Spleene 159. I live in a light air region and am wondering if any of the newer LEI kites would give me a better lower end than my Contra.

I had a 2008 Contra 14m. You've been riding the Contra for 4 years? Your arms must be massive by now!!! The bar pressure was ridiculous on that thing, haha.

I think any of the new light wind kites is going to give you at least a knot or two on your low end. The closest feel to your Contra would probably be a Crossbow LW since the Contra was pretty much the largest size of the Crossbows. No pullies on the bar any more though.

I had a contra 17m, and it made me declare to never buy such a big kite again. Until I tested a Fat Lady. Wow. Way much more fun.

BUT, the fat lady is lighter, gentler, faster, but not more powerful. Probably slightly less powerful in my opinion, but with much better top end, much more maneuverability, much lighter so it stays in the air in lighter wind.

My solution was to get a race board. By far the best light wind investment. Now I use a 14 kite and get much better low end than on my 17m contra with twin tip.

This is what many discovers and works excellent IMO, because you get more "fun" into the game now full time, and can also take your smaller board if the wind picks up, where you with a huge kite would typically just ride the session out with too big clumsy overpowered kite

I think that if you are heavy, a big kite with low AR will work fine, and you got easy relaunch.
If you are lighter, you can go for a higher AR kite for light wind - in order to get better upwind ability and jumping, as you can not relaunch in super light wind anyway

Peter

i had a contra 17 2007..slow kite can t unhook a lot of drag downwind..had also a monsterd door 164..could ride upwind at 8.5 knots..0 fun..i weight some 210 lbs..so i buught a big mama..but stil not fun with big board..contra had anyway some 2-3knots more low end..now i bought a 2011 turbine..same power of contra, better upwind and good to unhook..same slow turns, bigger jumps, mayne a bit less depower..goos bar pressure..not tried dinos but seems from other topics good..but no idea about. unhooking..have fun!!!but no 15 could have same power of a 17..(even if a friend of mine spoke me sooo so good about a kaiman 15)..