Accidentally noticed this photo of injury from race board on web and it reminded me about this discussion. Of course everything is relative and perhaps such injury can't be considered as very harmful but still i didn't want to have such. So I better choose twintip kiteboard where risk to get one is much lower.

One more proof why better choose large twintip as lightwind board instead of race boards.

http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2379140

Not to knock Race Boards in anyway but the Door shapes are the absolute most fun boards to ride true litewind. With My door it opens at least twice as many fun ridable days per year. I actually Love Litewind riding and I am blown away when I hear if I can not go on my 12m and tt its not worth it.. This is when I can practice new tricks or do goofy moves that make me laugh at my self.. I can use even our biggest door sizes for freestyle riding and love to practice my handle pass moves in 10mph dial them in with very little consequences then take them to my smaller kites and boards in higher winds.. Landing Blind on a large board is much easier then on your standard 135-145cm tt. Also its such a great time to learn new tricks since in true litewind the water is so smooth.
Now I tell you there is many Cheap knock offs of the Original Door shape designed by Rainer Of Spleene Kiteboarding and Marketer Flysurfer who instantly saw the true potential of the Door Shaped boards. These Wing Boards or just straight design copiers like aboards and others are not the quality or innovative true moving forward of the DOOR of today. Spleene and Flysurfer have continued to push their design of the Door shapes forward making them the best Litewind boards available today but have also really made the Boards really Fun to ride…. This not just my opinion this what I have seen in my 13 years of kiteboarding I have changed Hundreds of lives of Kiteboarders with the door shapes and I can stand Proudly behind these 2 Companies as their boards are made in Europe ! Not China! And are the absolute best Litewind machines!!!
Check them out at www.spleene-kiteboarding.com And www.flysurfer.com
See u on Da Water Ted B

+2 for the Epic Oxygen.
Feels close to a regular twintip but performs close to a door.

If you aren't wed to straps, an alaia will go as light as anything, and goes upwind as soon as there is enough wind to park the kite without it sinking toward the water ( 7 or 8 knots maybe?). Basically, if you can make apparent wind, you are good.
I have one I made, seen below, 6'9" x 17." It is actually a little big for me, I recommend no more than 4-6" longer than the rider's height. Less than your height is fine too, probably a minimum of 5 feet though, or it would be more of a skimboard.
If you put a fin or two on the back, it will track and transition more easily on the first go,
but with 5+ feet of rail in the water to give grip, and half the fun coming from sliding, there is no need for fins. If you don't want to stand on the tail the whole time though, adding a little rocker would be nice, just 2" or so...