I don't really have a low wind kite per say. But... I have managed to get moving in 3-5 mph with my 16m Venom. Not great. But we were moving. I don't know how fast. But I was having a good time. In the end that's all it's really about. I don't really care how fast I'm going. Just that I'm going. I don't have it anymore and I wasn't skilled enough to do it but I had a 16.1m Vapor that I have seen cruise the beach in 2-3mph wind. You're awesome sand flea! Thank you for showing me how a pro does it.

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=32115

Thanks for the compliment and great vid Blitz

it wouldn't even qualify as wind that day, it was more like air flowing off the ocean, you could barely even feel it.
But the direction was perfect and the 16 vapor was like a vacuum the way it sucked up air to go faster and faster.
Epic day, thanks John

Can I share my experience of light wind kites?

My all time favourite light wind (in 10 to 12knots - anything lower than 10knots and I can only static fly, but not kitesurf), is the Naish SLE Boxer 15m.
A very old kite of course, but I've kept it because it's such a fast and powerful kite for kitesurfing, and when the winds pick up to moderate - I am not overpowered. I don't know what it is, but this kite can take me for a fun mow from 9-10 knots up to 20knots.
For landboarding, it's even better and I can do some "ok" jumps - nothing too high.

My second favourite light wind kite is the Peter Lynn Synergy 19m. I was very disappointed with this kite when I first got it as it would not stay up there in less than 12knots! It just would not fly properly, kept stalling and had little power. The auto-zenith made it worse, because if it would not pull me hard, I had to yank the front lines to get it up above 10oclock. And when I dived it, it would pull me out of the water, but I had very little traction to keep going. It's slow!!!

But recently I discovered the Peter Lynn "way of flying kites" and playing with the bridles for less bar pressure. WOW! Now this thing is almost as good as my Naish Boxer. It still hates anything under 10knots, which for a so called 19m kite is very disappointing.

What is light wind?

For me it's when flying a kite feels more like work than actually having fun.

For depower that's sub 12kn. I know I can go lower with bigger kites but I like my kites nippy so too big, meh.

For FB I'd say sub 8kn, same ruling applies.

I fly mostly on land/hard packed, at sea level.

While I agree that mowing the lawn isn't exactly exciting. Almost like work but ..... I can't stand sitting there watching others. Seeing the biggest and most beautiful kites going by makes me want to be part of the parade.

Joining in was a struggle. I am light and so is my buggy. + I needed a solution for snow / stand up riding on the beach. The weapons of choice at Sunset are all 14 - 16m FB race kites. I am simply overwhelmed by the power in these kites as soon as I get moving. I thought I had found a reasonable size with my 10.8 Reactor. It ended up the only kite that has lofted me to about 20ft ( twice ) .

I have ended up using my 19m SA II so I can actually join in with those 14 - 16m kites. For me, the depower makes all the difference.

As much as I hate to admit it a big part of what I like about uber low wind riding is the show. The 1st day I saw a 19m SA II I told myself I would be owner and master of that beautiful kite one day. Parading it down the beach along with all the other huge kites is far more satisfying than waiting for stronger winds that ( around here ) aren't likely to come. My circumstance makes it that I end up the smallest person + buggy under the largest kite yet somehow it works! :Ange09:

I envy your life -mj-! I only wish I could hold out for 12+ winds! :bigok:

Used to be my Montana 8, 14m was my go to for low winds while this sometimes did the job it's more of a grunty/lifty 10+ mph plaything than a true low wind kite.

Enter my new pride and joy, the Flysurfer Speed 4 Lotus 21m. Need i say more?



Debating taking it to the Vord or not.

Not much of a low wind kite if it's just laying there, just saying.:D
It is a nice kite though.

Yea...I've seen lox that's moving more than that FS

Haters, i was super constrained for space whole park was full of soccer players. After a small jump i decided that it was unwise to go nuts, so i landed it and flipped the wingtip into the wind.

How's that Micro treating you

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner

While I agree that mowing the lawn isn't exactly exciting. Almost like work but ..... I can't stand sitting there watching others. Seeing the biggest and most beautiful kites going by makes me want to be part of the parade. Joining in was a struggle. I am light and so is my buggy. + I needed a solution for snow / stand up riding on the beach. The weapons of choice at Sunset are all 14 - 16m FB race kites. I am simply overwhelmed by the power in these kites as soon as I get moving. I thought I had found a reasonable size with my 10.8 Reactor. It ended up the only kite that has lofted me to about 20ft ( twice ) . I have ended up using my 19m SA II so I can actually join in with those 14 - 16m kites. For me, the depower makes all the difference. As much as I hate to admit it a big part of what I like about uber low wind riding is the show. The 1st day I saw a 19m SA II I told myself I would be owner and master of that beautiful kite one day. Parading it down the beach along with all the other huge kites is far more satisfying than waiting for stronger winds that ( around here ) aren't likely to come. My circumstance makes it that I end up the smallest person + buggy under the largest kite yet somehow it works! :Ange09: I envy your life -mj-! I only wish I could hold out for 12+ winds! :bigok:

I can vouch for Bladerunner's big 19m SA. He asked if I wanted to give it a go at SOBB last fall. It's like a rocket with a throttle and surprisingly nimble for a kite bigger than most of the cars parked by the dunes. I loved the 75 foot powerslides coming out of a turn.

Blade I agree there is something special about being able to make something from nothing in those light winds.

It's all about the board

Moto, looks like you got a nice light wind kite. Where are you using that out in Oregon?

I'm really starting to get the itch for winter....

It just arrived monday (the day i took the photo) i'm planning on using it at the beaches on the mountainboard, on my kiteboards at the cascade lakes (wikiup reservoir) and i'll probably take it out to Alvord next week as a super low wind buggy option but i'm not sold on that. I'm kinda wishing summer wasn't ending, lakes are getting cold again.

The big Flysurfers are amazing in light wind. My Speed 3 Deluxe is silly strong and lifty in light winds.

For a long time my PL Venom 16 was the kite of choice for light wind, but a few years ago I got a 7m Lynx & found it had pretty much the same low end, so I use that for 95% of my land excursions now days.

For the water I acquired 2 light wind kites this year, the Maui Cloud 17m and the AirRush Lithium Zero. I absolutely love the Cloud, I can get up & riding from about 10kts all the way up to about 20+. It's more agile than most of the 14s I've owned. My longest jump so far has been on that kite - 177ft. That's over half a football field!
The Lithium is a pig. It pulls like a freight train, but is sloooow. If you can park it & go, then you're getting a ride. It'll fly in about 2knots tho. I've done a downwind "mow" on a fairly small kiteboard (for my size) in about 3-4 knots. I've buggied with it a few times and got a ride when I couldn't even feel a breeze. The effective wind generated from going upwind was enough to keep it flying & generating power.

This is me in a super light wind day (4knots), with my Slingshot Fuel 12m.
I had fun and I was able to go downwind at least.
Static flying is no problem (towards the end of the video)

https://youtu.be/naCDh8FoPqM

Found most big foils fly static in low wind but some are not so useable.
Longer lines take them even lower but sometimes make them even less useable.

11m Ozone Razor
Lowest wind for land use, limited range

19m Flysurfer Speed2 Silver Arrow
Lowest wind on water, not just folklore

18m Pansh A15
Honorable mention, fun and useable in low wind

Quote: Originally posted by Kamikuza

It's all about the board

For low wind on the water, agreed... and now it is all about the foilboard