that is your opinion. How much experience do you have?
I kite since 12 years, had small to very big kites. I had only one injury, it was 15min on a 12 in about 20-25 knots, after a great session with a 16...

Why I am using big kites? Because I don't want to get hurt. Am I wrong? I am also a pretty good kiter, pushing a certain discipline.

I also crash, I see crashes, I read a lot about crashes etc. Death looping kites? Will a 16 do 100 loops or hit the water before? Does it loop fast or slow, giving you a rocket pull on the beach if it loops? Or does it loop slower, yes, powerful, but not explosive?

Yes, to get out of a bigger wave a small kite is better because it turns fast and pulls you out of there...who would use a big kite in such waves?

Launching and landing needs more caution for sure, since your kite has power. So safety precautions should be taken and be aware of it. Still, if the kite loops because of mis-steering, your reaction time is longer than with a small kite.

And learning new (hooked) tricks, it is way more safer to be on a big, slower kite. A little mistake of steering in 6m height can be your rip or knee. I never progressed with small kites, but progress daily with a big kite.

A 18 in 25 knots is not recommended, but up to 16-18 knots should be fine for everyone with a smaller board and not too light of body weight.

I speak experience. Sorry, if this is not your opinion.

here also comes a challenge for the industry. All I hear is the kites turn faster and faster...good for waves for sure, but how about the normal riders and beginners?

How about a 9 and a 12 that turns like a 16? For sure I would be interested in that! And I am quiet sure also people who have stronger winds and/or less weight, so they can actually improve doing (hooked) tricks.

Toby you have been remarkably free from injury but you do so many things nobody else does, for instance you never ever go out in boots, you never unhook, you never do megaloops, you never wear your straps too tight, you never fly small kites, and the most amazing of all, you never go out when the wind is nuking. I don't know where you get the discipline to do this last one. Of all of these things big kites certainly seems to me the least important, and the most important is how you are able to stay home sipping ice tea when everyone else is doing megaloops.

People don't buy slow turning kites. The demand is just not there.

Unhooked tricks are also easier on slow kites but most people don't like slow turning kites as they don't do tricks and find those boring.

Still I agree with Toby that small kites are more dangerous. When you are in the air and you missteer a fast kite, you end up with a looping kite. With a slow kite you have plenty of time to react. Same thing hooked or unhooked. Way harder to keep a 7 in place, compared to a 13.

So, you know what I did? Or you just know what I do now?

Let me explain:

- Started in 2000 on 2 line kite with no depower, no quick release, directional boards
- went out in nuking winds with short depower kites, any size
- did kiteloops with 12 sqm in 30 knots
- take a 12 in 30-40 kn
- flew 5.5m kite as smallest size
- did course racing on world tour
- did strapless (wave, skim)
- did unhooked (no handle pass, just not stylish for me plus don't want an injury)
- have way more power in my 18 in 20-25 knots than you will ever have in your smallest kite and however nuking wind
- by not taking a small kite in nuking wind I limit myself to injuries
- I am 40
- there are many people out there, who don't want to risk anything, don't forget them...the world does not only have youngsters who have to be hardcore to proof themselves. Others just want to enjoy with a relaxed session.

Now I found my style, no need to try anything else, just want to push my style to the max. Respect if others do their style and keep pushing it.

I am posting my experience over the last 12 years. It is more experience, than opinion. Plus all I hear/read.

So, bear all that in mind if you state your opinion about me having no clue what I am talking about...

I love your style, it's very nice, and agree, nothing wrong with a relaxed session where nobody gets hurt. You're a better kiter than I'll ever be.

But, I respectfully will stick to my opinion. It's not that small kites are more dangerous but when it's bf8 you have to be on a small kite. The small kite is not the cause, it's a correlation.

My kite size matches the wind speed accordingly...most of the time..

So that way i self land without releasing the QR......walking up centerline...make kite fall LE down

Kites in themselves are not safe or unsafe....it is the operator that can be...

Deciding what size to rig is the single most important decision....must match your experience /skills

I feel just as safe on strap surfboard going 20ft high and kitelooping my XR2LW19 or my 8 Rebel

18 knots on the 19........or.....30 knots on the 8.....feels just as safe to me

I am hooked in and they are not megaloops like Ruben......that's for sure ..but i feel safe

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In my view small kites are more dangerous due to the resons mentioned, ie faster and will get you into trouble quicker, plus high winds have the potential to be more gusty and of course we all know that's where the issues come. The exception being when you put up a big kite 12-16m and suddenly the wind picks up - well then in you're in serious poo.
I ditched my 12m many years ago and only go out with a 9m or smaller just because i find the big ones a pain and I dont like a slow kite (sorry!). I also would always prefer to ride slightly under powered than over powered and use the kite to generate power. Now I am not a twin tip rider and I dont jump or do tricks - too old and too many injuries....

edt: sure, in strong winds you should be on a small kite.
But what I mean is, that it is less dangerous in lighter winds with a bigger kite than a small kite in higher winds.

Average: if you take a bigger kite in lighter winds, you are very likely to progress with new tricks without getting injured! It is the fast kite you are using that stops your progression. I would more or less ride lile you if I wouldn't fly bigger kites...

right on. high winds are more dangerous no matter what the kite size.

Hope you have been catching some good wind, this summer has been awful for the midwest, otherwise I wouldn't be on the forum so much arguing.