Heyyyy.

So summers on its way and i have already had a couple of 24-27 knot sessions and my 10.5 ion2 (hybrid style kite) starts getting pretty full-on for me in this sort of wind even with 20m lines and i have to concentrate on my kite more than my riding. I weigh about 63-63 kg.

I like riding waves and flat water. Just learning my first unhooked freestyle moves at the moment. So im after something smalller...6-7 or 8m...not sure?

What do you ride as a high wind kite? Any idea of a good kite for me?

Any advice is highly appreciated!

hey mate, Im 62kg and in anything like that i ride the Cabrinha Switchblade 6meter. would be perfect for you as they have heaps of depower and all that

Something forgiving and not too high aspect. In the old days a lot of small kites were just too fast and pulsey in power output, especially in gusty NZ.

I'm only 65 kg and I use a 7m Best Waroo, 25 - 35 knot wind range for me, and it's had a lot of use this year. It flys pretty similar to the Switchblade, light bar pressure and OK unhooked. The 6m Eclipse Nano appears to have a huge range; I've seen them being used in 20 - 40 knots. There are lots of other options, try before you buy if possible.

Simon

a 8m Sonic is a good High wind kite!

In high winds, what you want is control and reliability.

It's been proven many many times in nukin' Coleridge or just here in the epic days in Brighton.


A 9m Trix is good also, but in a different way. Not as smooth, a bit more "brutal", as it doesn't iron out the gusts as much, but allowing to ride shorter lines for a different experience.
EDIT: the 9 would be too close to your 10.5, forget about it... /EDIT

Contact me if you want to test drive one, and then you'll be stoked!

I'm 60kg and I have a Slingshot 7m Rev which I fly 15kts-25ish kts, and a 5m Rev which I fly 25ish kts-35kts+

These kites are awesome in waves and flat water. They loop really quickly if you want them too, so pretty good for learning kite loops, and looping on waves etc.. both have the same bar, good bar feel so you know where the kites is, on standard 23m lines. I'm just learning unhooked stuff, the kites all good, just having issues finding my hook again afterwards..opps...

oh P.S. I used to fly the 7m link for high winds which was pretty sweet kite. It is just slightly less grunty than the 7m Rev, probably like a 6 or 6.5. i just mention it as i see there are two on trademe this week going pretty cheap.

Yeah that's what i was thinking... they are both an ok price too.

Anyone flown the 7m light?

My partners got a 9m but i find i get a higher top end out of my ion2 with 20m lines. When ya let the bar out to depower the 9m light in high winds it drops deeper into the power zone. Its a really nice kite to fly 12-20knots then it gets a bit of a handful. I wonder if the 7m acts the same?

Im a really big fan of the ion2 how it sits so solid in the air almost like my old c kite. Maybe the Light would act ok on 20m lines could give it a go...

I think 7m fuel 07 08 is a great size on 20m lines even. Does not flip inside out cos it is too flat , does not fall out of the sky due to some bizarrely unbalanced shape. And the pullies and bridles do not go wrong or ever need replacing. Quite reasonable depower and easy to ride. Good unhooked and good in waves (very stable).

I have a 9m 2008 EH kite used handful of times for sale . just google it to find out about it - no others in nz I think.

well you are simply looking at a 7m 8m 9m... different brand's sizes mean different things..

Sussing out kites has more dilemmas than buying a mobile phone plan these days. I am surprised punters don't end up nervous wrecks about where they should spend their hard earned $2400! LOL

Oh yeah...I've got a 7m light, pretty fun, get going easily in the light stuff...had it out in over 30knots on the snow & could of flown it in heaps more that day...had it out in 40 knots on short lines once, it kinda sucked then but the lines were to short & the gusts to big, not much fun getting above the kite... if I just left it on standard lines I think it would of been fine.
Come grab it & try it when it's windy...
Cheers, Tim 8)

Cheers Tim i might just do that.