The Only Significant Advance in Kiteboarding in the past Decade is Foilboards.

[RadDrDuke]

Pure Troll Bait:
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I started kiting around 1999-2000 on a 2 line Wipika with a wakeboard and rode extensively for about 8 years. Incredible advancements occurred during this time including the development of 4 line c-kites and then bow kites w/bridles etc.

I only kited a few times a year from 2008-2017 and then just recently started getting back into it and kiting a lot again due to moving close to good kiting and I'm shocked to see that NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED.

Sure there is lots of marketing about the how much better new kites are...but they really aren't that much better (I've demo'd many kites in the past month). Slightly better but nothing like the c-kite to bow kite revolution.

I was at a kite festival last week w/tons of demos and it was blowing 10-15mph and no-one was riding, which is exactly what the situation was in 2008. If people had foil kites or foilboards I guess they would have rode but that's it. The efficiency of inflatable kites hasn't even really increased that much. Bizarre.

Foilboards are the only real advancement since the Waroo.

I just wanted to share this because I find it fascinating (and it will get everyone riled up) but I think it's the truth.

[BWD]

I'll take the bait:

I would have been out there pissing people off by scooting around with my dirty old BRM 17m cloud and 5'x22" quad directional. (or a 2'x4' plywood plank, to really get their goat)

Lightweight gear is more common (though still rare. My 2013 17m cloud weighs about 3kg, versus many older 17m kites at 4-5kg. Many Co's still sell big LEIs over 3.5kg)

Huge design refinements in kites have happened- 10 years ago there was no RPM, very few kites <5 struts, much less any 2, 1, or 0 strut LEI.
Now 3 struts is common, and <3 is gaining for lightwind, surf and hydrofoiling. Applies to foil kites too, the original speed is nothing like the newer racing kites, the refinements continue.

Hydrofoils, as you recognize, now are setting records in kiting and in many sailing disciplines, while the gear and teaching methods are being refined to appeal to many (though definitely not all) recreational riders. In a few years, probably 50% of proficient riders will have a hydrofoil, or have tried one at least. Looking back it might look more like a revolution. Remember, plenty of people bought C kites in 2005, and kept riding them for years, because they were fun. I still have a few....

There is some truth in your statement, and it seems not much is advancing, mainly because the refinements, well exemplified by the hydrofoils, do not have the kind of penetration of the market or visibility as the emergence of the bow kites in 2005-6.
There are more refinements than revolutions. Case in point, my stubby, wide directional board. Nothing new or revolutionary about it really, just refinement in knowledge of "how wide and short can I go" and better ability to answer the question "when will this board be the right one to ride?" in the name of having a good session. That's the kind of progress I want!

[Lokihel]

The safety systems have drastically improved.

It is the kind of think you do not notice on your average session and should be very grateful for when things go wrong.

[tautologies]

Op, thy thinkest people are too baitable...but interesting enough topic.
I rode a foil board in 2004-ish-2005-ish. I had another type that I could ride strapped and strapless...well I dunno around maybe 2008-2009ish. It hasn't changed that much more than kites. Its one of those things that just because you do not know about it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Personally, I think kites have developed just as much as foils.

[socommk23]

Thats cos lei kites are crap!

[Toby]

I am sure Flysurfer wasn't at that demo...because they are the first on the water...10-15 with a Speed or Sonic 18 is already good fun. Take a foil board and a foil kite and they will be flying in that wind.

[Starsky]

Your right to point out that kites are still kites and there have been no massive revolution for the average kiteboarder. But the sum total of small changes has changed the sport entirely and drastically for many of us who have chosen to go with it.

There is a lot more choice for those who look to specialize.

Race foil kites are light years better than they were a decade ago.

True modern planing hull surfboards with lightweight kite worthy construction are available now

Strutless kites were not even around 10 years ago and are a fantastic innovation for some.

Hard shell harnesses w/ slider system are common place.

And of course the hydrofoil itself has made noteworthy advances. Most importantly for the average ride is a departure from race oriented gear to user friendly, carving oriented hydrofoils.

My personal riding has changed completely from what it was a decade ago. Yes its due to the hydrofoil, but that has spun off to impact all the other gear I use. I have almost all of those advances mentioned above in my daily quiver. Strapless hydrofoil on a minimal board, hard shell harness, no hook, no chicken loop, long throw bar, no trim strap, strutless kite, an impact/flotation vest that is actually designed to integrate with a waist harness, and a merino wool lined wetsuit you could only dream of a decade ago.

I can start having fun on a strutless 12m in 9 knots where a decade ago I would be struggling to hold ground on a twin tip in 14 knots on a 16m kite.

My most used kite is now half of what it was then at 8.5m, where a decade ago you were really lucky when we got to size down from 16m to 13m let alone pull out a 9m. Those were often the smallest kite in peoples quivers around here!

The wetsuit and trimmings alone have doubled the length of my water time to include some of the best conditions we ever get at the edges of the season.

All in all my number of days on the water has more than doubled, my number of days skunked are less than and eighth of what they were, and all the days on gear other than my foil are in champagne conditions...... every single one.

Add it all up and these are paradigm shifting revelations of a massive magnitude.

I'm as stoked as I ever was without any of the neurotic jonesing that used to be a staple. I casually scan the forecast where I used to obsess over it. I am easy to plan with and can happily miss even a great day knowing I'll get out again soon.

Where I used to be confined to a single local launch, I'm now free to drift launch from nearly anywhere opening up vast regions both locally and during travel.

The hydrofoil is a big change. Its like a can opener that has opened up a huge can of awesome that has fizzed all over and sprayed nearly all other aspects of my life.

Kiting rocks so hard compared to what it was a decade ago. Unless of course your still only riding a twin tip.

[RadDrDuke]

Hard shell harness truly is a huge advancement.

[dragnfly]

Hard shell harness truly is a huge advancement.

Never used one - and I do have a bad back. Are they that good? My main past time is on the TT, mainly hooked in, with a bit of unhooked.

Which makes have a hardshell option?

Ta

[matth]

Your right to point out that kites are still kites and there have been no massive revolution for the average kiteboarder. But the sum total of small changes has changed the sport entirely and drastically for many of us who have chosen to go with it.

There is a lot more choice for those who look to specialize.

Race foil kites are light years better than they were a decade ago.

True modern planing hull surfboards with lightweight kite worthy construction are available now

Strutless kites were not even around 10 years ago and are a fantastic innovation for some.

Hard shell harnesses w/ slider system are common place.

And of course the hydrofoil itself has made noteworthy advances. Most importantly for the average ride is a departure from race oriented gear to user friendly, carving oriented hydrofoils.

My personal riding has changed completely from what it was a decade ago. Yes its due to the hydrofoil, but that has spun off to impact all the other gear I use. I have almost all of those advances mentioned above in my daily quiver. Strapless hydrofoil on a minimal board, hard shell harness, no hook, no chicken loop, long throw bar, no trim strap, strutless kite, an impact/flotation vest that is actually designed to integrate with a waist harness, and a merino wool lined wetsuit you could only dream of a decade ago.

I can start having fun on a strutless 12m in 9 knots where a decade ago I would be struggling to hold ground on a twin tip in 14 knots on a 16m kite.

My most used kite is now half of what it was then at 8.5m, where a decade ago you were really lucky when we got to size down from 16m to 13m let alone pull out a 9m. Those were often the smallest kite in peoples quivers around here!

The wetsuit and trimmings alone have doubled the length of my water time to include some of the best conditions we ever get at the edges of the season.

All in all my number of days on the water has more than doubled, my number of days skunked are less than and eighth of what they were, and all the days on gear other than my foil are in champagne conditions...... every single one.

Add it all up and these are paradigm shifting revelations of a massive magnitude.

I'm as stoked as I ever was without any of the neurotic jonesing that used to be a staple. I casually scan the forecast where I used to obsess over it. I am easy to plan with and can happily miss even a great day knowing I'll get out again soon.

Where I used to be confined to a single local launch, I'm now free to drift launch from nearly anywhere opening up vast regions both locally and during travel.

The hydrofoil is a big change. Its like a can opener that has opened up a huge can of awesome that has fizzed all over and sprayed nearly all other aspects of my life.

Kiting rocks so hard compared to what it was a decade ago. Unless of course your still only riding a twin tip.

Amen..agree 100%