Lol

Really if you think about it, both the foil and LEI are inefficient designs.

I find that the larger Cody kites are better at boarding and buggy.

The lift is crazy when you reach for a cody wit a span of 40 feet.

I had to google cody kites to see what you were talking about. its seems crazy that the military used to use them to lift guys in the air off of battle ships to see the enemy.

OK
I kinda miss foils, thinking of buying back my P4

Quote:

Originally posted by bloah OK I kinda miss foils, thinking of buying back my P4

Yer kidding, right?
If you aren't, what made you want to go back to foils? Just curious...

this week on, days of our lives

yeah I'd like to know as well considering I've been kicking around the idea of a bigger inflato for practicing wakestyle on the lighter days.

Quote:

Originally posted by bloah OK I kinda miss foils, thinking of buying back my P4

This reminds me of the weekend update skits on Saturday Night Live back in the late 70's with Gilda Radner.

Quote:

Originally posted by bloah OK I kinda miss foils, thinking of buying back my P4

stay tuned :singing::singing::singing:

well, really tired of pumping,,, and still to this date, my biggest jumps were on psycho 4,,, just cant achieve the same height on inflatos....

not selling my LEI's, just have extra 1000$ to spend, so thought maybe a kite, a foil....

stay tuned indeed

Foils jump so good yet no one has ever won a PKRA event on one?

Hmmmmm

snobdr. Do you ever think before you speak?


"jumping good" is only 1 tiny component of PKRA events. I do not know for sure but I would guess it isn't really ranked that highly either since going big and dangling for awhile doesn't take much skill.


mega kiteloops are more competitive but wakestyle is really where the competition is at. Notice how Aaron Hadlow rarely goes big but he throws in tons of fast off axis technical rotations, grabs, handle passes and inverts. there is no point in riding a foil for that style of riding.


FYI Big dangle loses style points in wakestyle riding

Quote:

Originally posted by bloah well, really tired of pumping,,, and still to this date, my biggest jumps were on psycho 4,,, just cant achieve the same height on inflatos.... not selling my LEI's, just have extra 1000$ to spend, so thought maybe a kite, a foil.... stay tuned indeed

yeah I've been finding on the 9.5m Kahoona that the technique is totally different.

Ride as fast as possible. like you feel a little bit insane because you're going so fast.

Ride downwind for 1-2 seconds while keeping the kite at around 2 o'clock. then all at once send it hard and load and pop as hard as you can.

it helps if you can time it with a wave as your launch ramp.

oh yeah. don't look at the kite either that rotates your hips down wind and so you don't load and pop as well.

send the kite back to 11-10 ish and then bring it back to 12 for float and then back down infront of you. land pointing downwind with speed and ride away.

I have yet to try this but try doing a downloop from 12 on your landing too. looks cool and helps the landing out quite a bit.

Quote:

Originally posted by bloah well, really tired of pumping,,, and still to this date, my biggest jumps were on psycho 4,,, just cant achieve the same height on inflatos....

some tube jumps higher than what you currently have in your quiver

even if I got high jumps with the P4 10m, my biggest so far have been on the Cabrinha SB4 12m or North Rebel 11m.

but not pumping is a big +

Slingshot fuel jumps pretty bloody high like most C kites, but i agree that flysurfers go big much easier than tubes and definitely jump higher than all the bows i've tried - I love how my ocean rodeo jumps though. Still my biggest jump to date was on a waroo 07, but that was just a freak moment.
I'm just more comfortable going big on flysurfers for some reason, think i'm just comfortable with them after using them so long

I totally understand the lack of desire to pump up LEI kites... Thats one of my major gripes about flying my 11m TD2. I hate pumping it up. That and my only successful jumps in the water so far have been when borrowing a friends P4 12m. Jump was accidental, but it was big, floaty, and landed perfectly. Still havent figured out how to get the same kind of jump with the TD2. I understand what to do, but you have to load up hard and send it really hard to get the same vertical out of it... Or so I've been told...

Maybe I'll get some practice in this weekend....

alright, had my biggest 20 feet + jumps on my 12 this saturday.... 20 knots of wind... load and pop and up I went...

otherwise this week was crazy in Ontario,,,, 30-to 50 knots winds.... and by 50, i mean sustained! 5 meter kite was to much, so people were actually sitting on a beach waiting for wind to die down!!!

I was out Monday afternoon in Toronto Ontario lit on my 7m Ozone Instinct Sport SLE for about 3hrs having a blast.. till the wind died down and rain... Doing Megaloops and big boosts... waves... Worked well for that...

But many days here in summer many -10 or 8kts and lulls that drop inflatables -6kts even just on the beach, can stay upwing are just a pain in lights tuff... and pumping... after the years.

Inflatable have to be heavier on the LE and struts for strength (Weight) to hold pressure and more weight for the bladders.

Not only that they are front heavy, where foils weight is less especially the FS Deluxe and the weight is distributed more evenly from front to back way better for lulls...

So many days on the Speed 2and 3 19m Remembering one of the many cruising days only for 19's:

This wind, no one else can kite 6-8kts. That's why there is no one around except an SA2 19m an SP3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwUFuEmrPVU

I used to drive all over the place to trying to get an extra 2 knots for my LEI's (before Flysurfer).. now I just mostly stick around and get the smoothest winds (warm fronts), best directions and sunniest days 5 minutes from home.

Sold my Speed 2 12m to get the 3 and missing it... now waiting for my SP3 12 Deluxe... I find something magical about riding a 12m Speed most powerful depower kite for it's size and now as Deluxe Edition coming, the Lightest... Gets you back when wind drops...

I fly LEI in small sizes and foils in Summer as it gets lighter... progress on both... and all Foils in winter.

Another Great thing about the 19m is to be powered in lighter winds when it's cooler out cuts down on wind chill and typically sunnier do to high pressure makes for some more sweeter days....

Great to have all these choices with all types off kites many never had back a ways... Having a mid size 13m LEI and a 12m Foil in the car, having the choice... some days I may pick one over the other... but never big inflatable anymore... Lulls and low end just don't work for it...

So far there are no inflatables here that beat the 19m Speed upwind, tricks or jumps in the light stuff.

Many days LEI can't even launch (with Doming winds) off the beach while I'm kiting upwind.

Here: I'm on the 19m Speed 2: Yellow kite is a 21m C Kite, White 16m SLE other yellow 15m SLE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHDO-eezRak

I feel we are lucky to choose what we like when we want... and have all those manufacturers offering choices... Bet some others do too... Kite On...!

Paul,
I totaly agree for low wind Flysurfers are the best,,, hopefully this summer will pick one up from you!

12 meter foils are good, especially pulse 2! P4 was a bit of dissappointment as it backstalls a lot, especially in waves!

Hopefuly speed 3 is not going to have thas issue!

Anything smaller then 12, imo, you definetely need an inflateble in Ontario!

the other thing, foils are not good in rain conditions, as they get so heavy and start stalling like crazy, inflatables are a bit better. Was out on friday for 3 hours with 10 LeI in rain and it was a blast!

I would go smaller than a 12m... Like 8m Pulse... I just don't have one and have so many kite... once they get bigger.... no pumping, no line set up is hard to pass up...

I could ride it fine in waves on an 8m... If I can ride the 19m in waves... I'll borrow Marcs one day... Just no one as ever seen me on a foil smaller than a 12m... in summer but have the 4m 7m in winter...

Also not just low wind... You'll see me whipping by LEI... on the SP2 12m, been doing that when guys are on 14m LEI's and SP3 12m DE soon. Higher jumps too...

Doesn't mean it does work here... But that's what did with the other size 19m 12m many used to think they were just back and forth kites...
But not any more... Because they can see it... Many times LEI guys aren't even kiting. They're on the beach waiting...
Same thing happened in winter here many though only LEI could do tricks here.. But that's changed too...

You'll be seeing more Flysurfers around for sure...

Quote:

Hopefuly speed 3 is not going to have thas issue!

Already been on the SP3 19m many days since Italy Aug 24.... First one in Canada and now sold several, more coming in presold. Sweet kite no Backstall same low end, faster turning, easier relaunch. I can ride it upwind unhooked... Riding waves at Woobine unhooked....

First days I pass on the kiting in the rain for the better sunnier days. Still doing tricks even backroll kiteloops in 6-8knts... Flatter water makes it easier to learn tricks I find...
But will still do a rainy day if it's really windy... more fun...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3D4YoIH0Hc

Also sweet cruising at Woodbine Beach, so many days even in a City of 2.5mil, no kiteboarding crowds when only the 19m work. It is nice to have such a good size beach too...
Summer was so much fun on the Flysurfers I look forward to it and used to hate lightwind summers with my 19.5 and 22.5 LEI's... so frustrating..

This is fun Cherry...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwUFuEmrPVU&feature=chann...

Double or triples kiting days. More kiting is more learning and advancing I find... That's one of the things Flysurfers do.
They also give more float to help complete tricks.

I learned Darkside Slide on my 12m... Floaty...
And practicing pop when I'd usually be underpower on my LEI...

Even for guys that want to just stay upwind and not have LEI's dropping like this... He's getting an SP3 19m... Would die if he couldn't have his 19m.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxzPNgS5rs4

Here's a good vid from Italy... So many good Flysurfer Riders...

http://vimeo.com/6906182

1:08 I'm doing the Darkside here. Learned it on the SP2 12m then on the 7m Sport later (Harder)

2:03 Front Roll Downloop SP15m SE

2:13 Some good Pop and getting some height since the 15 has some good power....

Much of advancing is riding powered and some sustained power for tricks like toeside backrolls and Riding blind to backrolls... So FLysurfers really help me.

So for me they help allot... But that's me... I just wouldn't want someone to miss out on what I know of the kites and am actually doing with them...
And see the others in the vids... Wild fun...
I know I ride what I want.. Priceless... Never been influenced much...

Just sold my SP2 12m and was missing it waiting for my SP3 12m DE... soon.. but just sold that before it even gets her to a customer...
So I have to wait for the next 12m DE...

So try out the SP3 one day... to see... and keep me updated...
Man it's just fun to have all those designers working on all these kites for us to have fun on!!

So freedom is good either way... They are all kites and we are all having fun! I remind myself to keep open minded... That's why I keep trying new kites... I want to keep hitting my personal Kite Jack Pot... along the way like you have found in LEI's... We have to play to win...

Again, thinking we don't want a foil lover to miss out on Foils or LEI's just from reading forums... only... or just to much influenced by what other riders are using...

[EDIT] comments removed by author

now I am thinking to buy or not to buy silver arrow 2 19m,,,

Quote:

Originally posted by bloah now I am thinking to buy or not to buy silver arrow 2 19m,,,

bloah

with all respect for everyone about their preferences (LEI, depower foils, ARCS, fixed bridles, NASA wings, paraskiflex, etc...),

ALL types of kites have pros and cons, and they ALL good for someone where there is a fit with their type of riding

I ride both LEI and flysurfers, and one thing for sure, the SA2 19m has not found a competitor in my heart for LIGHT WINDS conditions and also for medium winds (up to 15 knots) with a small board for BIG air and HANGTIME

If you feel it, GO FOR ONE

Because your not too far from Toronto, I'd ask Paul for trying a S3 too

cheers

denice you are absolutely right,
without a doubt in my mind, silver arrow class kites are the best in their category...
suppose going to get one

welcome back Yuri...................................

After only foils, than both lei's and foils, only lei's and than again lei's and foils I discovered that the kites are just different....

If I were reach I would prefer to have both foils and LEI's, for different conditions...

I love my LEI's, but I have to hand it to foils, ragden was buggying (and actually had some decent speed) in probably 3-4knots with his speed3 15m deluxe. I'll have to see how some of the bigger LEI's work in lower winds.

bloah - once you bought 'em, doesn't cost anything to keep 'em

I saw this post re-emerge after months and got worried for a second. It seems to have calmed down a bit, and it's good to see you back Bloah. A very nice conclusion you've come to

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza bloah - once you bought 'em, doesn't cost anything to keep 'em

nice Kami, that must be why you keep buying em?

Given the exchange rate etc I can't afford to miss out it'll be good to have a stash for when the leaner times comes and I can't buy stuff ...
I'll be keeping my eye out for FlySurfers soon too ... be nice to have a couple of them to play with :D