Whats your top kites for landboarding?

Hey guys, just wondering what everyones top landboarding kites are? I'm looking for the ones that generate just as much lift as speed.

15m Synergy for me !

Rebble 5m

V2 13m

Love the arc's ( V2 13, Charger 15) but also love my Blade IV 6.5.

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is a kite that works well in your area's conditions

Really important...I've tried to fly my depowers in my small inland areas and with the all the holes, light wind, and small confines, I just couldn't make it work...that's when the Blade comes out!

Good advice guys, thanks. Yeah most of the half decent places where I live are on the small side, and completely surrounded by trees. There is a very big sandy beach about an hours drive from me though.

I dont know anyone else who power kites in my area and the nearest kite school is about an hour from me. So all my advice is just coming from the internet really.

The HQ Montana V 9.5m looks like a good choice though, and I've heard nothing but good things about it. Plus its not as dear as most others. £750 is the cheapest complete set I can find, and ebays even dearer atm.

Its going to be a couple of months before I can really afford it though, so im in no hurry to make a decision right now.

Am I heading down the right road? All advice welcome!

You are most definitely headed down the right road Unless you plan on hitting the water. In that case, you're headed as fast as you can down the WRONG road.

If you plan on staying dry, the Montana is a beautiful kite. If not, you'll need a closed cell foil like an ARC or Flysurfer, or an LEI. Open-cell foils are land-only, ARCs/FSers are everything, and LEIs can do land and water but are best suited for water only.

I definately plan to stay on dry land, at least until im 100% confident. Im pretty happy that the Montana is the way forward

The Synergy 12m/15m is without a doubt a brilliant kite, and maybe if a second hand complete one comes up in the mean time I'll go with that instead, Im sure id be more than happy with either. The Synergy would probably be a lot cheaper as well, which of course is more ideal. Cheers guys!

lots of choices, but as others say, completely dependent on your wind quality.....and riding location (space)

I *really* like my foil for snowkiting where I have more open space, and usually the winds are more reliable. But, if you have gusty winds, less space to work with, and generally higher winds, definitely consider a Peter Lynn arc. My 2nd kite, V13, I bought especially with landboarding in mind (and to get a kite than can handle higher winds and *really* gusty winds for snowkiting). I've had it out snowkiting twice now, and it should be a really nice for the landboard.

Just keep in mind that the bottom end is not arcs strong suit, so make sure your area's common winds will sustain the kite you get. If it will, you'll be pleased with the upper end for sure.

Shows up late to thread...

I have been borrowing a friends Ozone Frenzy 9m a lot lately - Its just about the best kite I have ever flown. Surprised nobody has mentioned it so far. I have never flown a Manta but they are similar with more lift - if jumping is your thing and it is with most blade flyers.

The Montana has a reasonable rep but HQ control gear is pretty crappy imo. I would not make the mistake of convincing yourself that its what you want for the sake of saving some cash.

Arcs are great - i ride using my venom quite a lot. they are very good in gusty conditions. Not sure on the charger but the previous models i have tried (bomba, venom, synergy and phantom) are all slower and less responsive than an open cell. Great for entry level riding and cruising though.

I still love my fixed bridles even if i am slowly converting to the Frenzy (mostly cos its only one kite to carry for back country snow kite trips!) If you get a Blades either side of your 4.9m you will cover a massive wind range for less than the cost of a depower. Amazing, agressive, acrobatic, nuts kites that outperform anything if you can handle them!

Hope that didn't confuse you more. Stay lit.

PS kitecrowd is good for local UK info and has more flexi's and ozo's for sale but PKF is way more friendly and sociable. just don't mention inflatables...

Ok, so the way I see it, I have a few options:

HQ Montana 9.5m for £749, or the 12.5m for £839
PL Charger 12m for £957
PL Venom 2 13 - would have to find second hand
PL Synergy 12m for £840, or 15m for £914
Ozone Frenzy 2011 11m for £983

I think i've ruled out the venom because the majority of the wind here is fairly light - 10-15mph, the winds only really go higher than that when its stormy - which only brings gusts.

What would your vote be for? BTW I weigh around 11 stone (154 pounds).

Thanks soo much for all your advice - now help me spend my money!

Here's my two cents:

i wouldn't vote for the Synergy. It's odd that you don't list it as "have to find second hand" since they stopped making these halfway 2009. The price you list is the original price from two years ago, which is definitely way too much to pay for it nowadays. For 100 pounds more you listed the successor, the Charger, so get that one instead.

Ozone Frenzy's are very nice kites with piles of lift, but i didn't like the low hangtime. In my opinion the Ozone Manta is more fun. The lift on the Manta is less aggressive, but you stay upthere for a bit longer. Easier for grabs and rotation tricks. Then again, if handlepasses are your thing, get the Frenzy instead.

The Venom is the odd one out there, you can get a second hand Venom II (2005-2006?) for 200 pounds. It's very slow on the turns compared to everything else in the list. They still work nicely, but if you have the budget, buy something else.

Haven't flown the Montana, so can't help you with that one.

Hope it helps

Oh oops, I was just trying to find quick prices, and forgot how old that one was.

Ive been looking at some youtube vids of the Frenzy compared to the Manta and I see what you say about the hangtimes. They are both roughly the same price.

http://www.powerkiteshop.com/ozone-frenzy-fx-kite.htm

http://www.powerkiteshop.com/kites/ozonemanta.htm

I think i'd prefer the Manta as well. Cheers for your advice, it has helped a lot

The thing about ARCs and pricing, is (generally) a year or two after they are out of production, the second hand price of them drops to like half of the original retail value. You could expect to pay about 400 USD for a 15m Synergy that's in great condition; used well, but no repairs. ARCs are a kite class themselves, but there are classes of ARCs within ARCs that affect their wind range. I.E. not all 12m ARCs have the same wind range. The higher AR (aspect ratio) ARCs like the Phantom and Scorpion require more wind to fly, but the top end is HUGE as well as an insane amount of depower... and if boosting big is your thing, a Phanny or Scorpion will take you to the moon. The lower AR ARCs have a much better low end, a bit less depower, but generally can be whipped around faster (especially the newer ones) for more grunt and lift. A 19m Synergy or Charger can probably get you moving at about 8 mph.

Since you live in the UK and have such a nice constant breeze that I'd kill for, I think it's unfair to rule out the possibility of an LEI. LEIs LOVE that island wind. Although they're best suited to water, you can have a blast with one on land. Bow kites are more efficient than ARCs, and they pull harder and lift higher for their size. Not to mention, kites like the Best Nemesis and Slingshot Rev are kiteloop monsters. You can fling them around like it's nobody's business. The reason land guys don't really like them is because when you live on a huge earth scab like North America, the wind is very gusty and LEIs don't perform as well in that kind of wind. There is also an increased risk of popping a bladder on impact. Another thing is, the valves will start to go after a few years. So they require a bit more maintenance. However, the depower and pop that these kites have is unparalleled, and you can get a 2008 Best Waroo complete (outstanding kite on all accounts) for 400 USD or less.

Just something to think about.