Hi! This is my first time posting, I Would like to try buggying and am curious how big of a kite you need to do it? I have a tensor 3.1, is that big enough or will I have to upgrade?
any tips?
If it helps I'm 160lb and live in Portland Oregon. so I would probably be going to Lincoln city, cannon beach, or seaside.
(If this post got moved the first time Im sorry for reposting, It ended up in races and festivals which I assume was my mistake)

head to seaside and youll run into other riders that will point you in the right direction / sizes that you will need.

the 3.1m seems small for the summer winds but i hear the coastal winter winds are NUTS. maybe get yourself a 7m / 10m

SOBB Event is September 4th to 12th I suggest you try to attend this.

:wink2:

I have a Rage 3.5 that I keep as my high winds kite- over 18-20 mph but it will pull me in a lot less like 12-15 on hardpack sand. Learning to buggy with a smaller kite in higher winds is easier than a larger kite in lighter winds because it is easier to keep the lines tight- a common problem for novices. The smaller kite working harder in moderate winds will be be more forgiving of mis-timed turns and sloppy jibes. With your tensor you can start out in 10+ winds on the hardpack sand or a bit more in a grass field.

It is possible to buggy with a 3.1 meter kite. Your weight, your flying area, your kite skills, and the wind will all play a factor into this, but it is possible.

Grassy inland field, coastal beach, what kind of buggy tires, (narrow or bigfoot)

Usually in winds around 15 mph I can fly my 3.5 bullet on the soccer fields near me and get going ok! Not blistering speeds or anything but a nice cruise.

You can a lot more info if you post this in the buggy forum section down below!

Yup, a 3.1 Tensor is more than enough power to buggy - if the winds cooperate.

I have been buggying with a 1.5m Hornet and 2.0m Flow. It all depends on the terrain and wind. The terrain is a big factor because it adds resistance to your rolling which can be difficult. If you are on grass or sandy beach or even gravel, you will need a bit more wind and/or size kite to get you over and through the resistance. On hard pack surfaces it is much easier to get rolling so a smaller faster foil is usually perfect.

Winds make a big difference too. What may feel like a ton of wind when flying static may not be nearly enough for a buggy. When you buggy or board, you usually have the kite on the edge of the window most of the time to get your forward motion. You rarely have the kite directly down wind in the power. So when moving on a vehicle, you generally can hold down more power than you normally would flying static (standing). To test this, fly your Tensor out on the edge of the window and try to produce as much power as you can. See if it will pull you hard and continue to pull, if so then you probably have enough power to buggy. If it is not really pulling that hard towards the edge of the window then you may need more wind and/or kite.

Hope this helps.

Great advise Kent. It is really true....what feels like to much flying static is hardly enough rolling. Good Call!!!

I think your 3.1 is a safe size to start with...the worst thing that may happen is that you get frustrated that you don't have enough pull. You should not get in to much trouble unless the wind is crazy. (20-30)