To all who bought a 16.1m vapor is it worth the money? Is it really that useful? Or do you find it sitting in the bag alot? Thinking of buying one

I flew one once. if you got next to no wind, it is the best thing out there. Serious power but where I am at, its a 5 session a year kite.

I got one...but unfortunately, it only gets out a few times a year.

It's a beast for sure....so powerful and will get you going in the lightest of winds.

However, I kite in a very small area (about 150yds) and by the time I get some speed, I have to turn around and that kite is a very, very slow turner.

Looking back, I think I should have probably gotten the 11.2m. I maybe saved myself an extra 1mph or 1.5mph on the low end but I would have gained a lot more on the top end. Anything over 8 or 9mph and I'm putting the kite down and looking for something smaller.

Don't get me wrong...it's awesome to kite in next to no wind, but for me...that size is turning out to be not so practical. An 11.2m on longer lines would have probably been a better option.

Anyways, hope that helps!

It dose lunch thanks I ll might stick with my 11.2

How close is the 13.4 to the 16.1?

I use my 15.1m Tonkawa more on snow then in a buggy .... If you ride snow this will be used a lot on light snowy day .... My 19m X19 de-power kite have way less power then that 15.1 monster .... Then ... when riding in a buggy you will really need some practice keeping large kites in air when turning around.... I use down loop most of time to keep tension on a lines .... Its priceless to have large size kites when going on events and u can kite when others waiting for more wind ..... but I would not pay full retail price for this convenience ....

Quote: Originally posted by XXL

How close is the 13.4 to the 16.1?

About 2.7m . There would be a very noticeable difference if the 13.1 isn't a race kite. The Vapor is.

A agree that you will probably get a lot more use out of the 11.2. It turns so fast and has such good range that I was flying one once and thought I was borrowing a 7.8. It took a good bit of time for me to convince myself I was on a larger kite. :duh:

If you're really looking to compliment that 11.2 you have, you might just want to jump up to the 16.1 instead of that 13.

But, IMHO, if you're riding on a relatively hard surface and the winds are => 5mph, you won't need the low end torque of the 16.1. I would just put some line extensions on that 11.2. If the wind gets stronger, you still have a decent top range on that 11.2 to play around with and then you can always take off the extensions.

Just my $.02.

might still get a 16.1 down the rode if peter lynn keeps the size

I think I've seen video of a guy pulling 30mph with a 16m vapor in 3mph wind... Not sure tho

One of my fondest memories was kiting in this park after work...it was getting dark and around here, once the sun sets the wind dies quickly.

I had put up my 16.1 Vapor and jumped in the buggy and must have buggy-ed for an hour, just making these 150 yd tacks back and forth.

Each time I made a tack I looked at the trees and there wasn't a branch or a leaf in sight that was moving. I had to down loop the kite at the end of the tack otherwise it would have fell out of the sky but as long as I kept up the apparent wind, it flew and was powerful enough to pull me through the grass. I remember people looking at me and I wonder if they were thinking, how can a kite fly in no wind....

I don't know...something about kiting in light wind and making it work is so cool to me...

Lunchbox, you've got me curious, what length of line do you use, and do you use extra long handles?

Kitesurfing on one at 2:30? http://vimeo.com/14939587

Pete, have you tried the toxic on water?

Had the 8m Toxic in the buggy, dialed it in using 30m lines on a Turbo Bar for my light wind ride. Works great, but don't plan to use it on the water. I get plenty of swimming in with my LEIs :D

I saw this post about using 15m lines on the Vapors except 18m lines on the 16.1m. Sounds like Lunchbox has his setup dialed in for smaller area and very very light wind. Curious about the lines he was using. http://www.racekites.com/forum/showthread.php?3922-Kite-Line-Lengths

Quote:

Lunchbox, you've got me curious, what length of line do you use, and do you use extra long handles?

Hey Pete...I'm not 100% certain...but I think I fly the Vapor on 20m but it could be 25m?. Most of my kites are on 25m and some are even on 30m. I find at my local spot that the winds are better and smoother the higher you go.

I also use the longer handles for the 16.1m.

Cool video by the way....I've been really tempted to try to fly my Vapor on my long board in the ocean but so far there's been enough wind for the Flysurfer Speed 2 19m. Maybe one of these days I'll try it....