Bow kites (or SLE for Supported Leading Edge) are flatter in profile than the traditional "C" shaped kites. This new design creates more effective lifting surface in the SAME SIZE kite AND it can be depowered to a MUCH greater extent than the "C" kite design. Therefore, a given kite has more range and ease of use for its size. It also has better relaunchability. All this makes it easier to learn on, safer, more fun, and more versatile for advanced riders.


FEATURES FOR BEGINNERS:

SAFETY: This is your #1 issue as a beginner. There is no safer kite than a bow kite -- the kite's de-power ability it makes learning safer and faster.


SHORTEN the LEARNING CURVE: Riding is easier and safer because you can handle and smooth out gusty conditions that on a "C" kite would knock you around.


GOING UPWIND is EASIER: Since you can depower, you can stay on your edge and go upwind. And you'll go upwind FARTHER and learn how FASTER than on a "C" kite. This is a safety issue too, since going downwind unintentionally can lead to big hassles, long walks and swims, or worse.


WIND RANGE: The kite can handle a wider wind range; if the wind picks up, as a beginner you will not so quickly find yourself beyond your abilities like you may with same size "C" kite.


GUSTY WINDS: Handles gusty winds way better than "C" kite, making kiting safer in broader range of winds. On older "C" style kites, gusty winds were quite dangerous for beginners. You can go out with confidence that your kite can handle the conditions.


SAVE MONEY: Due to the range of the kite, you end up using one kite for 80% of wind conditions. You save money. You save time. You extend your sessions by not having to re-rig.


LAUNCHING AND LANDING: Is safer because you can depower the kite if a gust hits rather than getting dragged around in the dangerous near-beach zone.


RELAUNCHING: Its SO EASY -- this is the other KEY for beginners. The kite practically relaunches itself. You will spend WAY less time fighting the kite, swimming, untangling lines. THEREFORE you'll learn way faster and safer. You'll get into less trouble.

FEATURES FOR ADVANCED KITERS:

TURNING SPEED: Fast! Great for slashing and powered carve transitions, great for wave riding, KITELOOPS are much easier than on trad "C" kites.


BIG WIND RANGE: Save money, carry less kites, less rerigging than old style "C" kites, longer sessions over a wider range of conditions.


GUSTY WINDS: Makes gusty wind days much smoother and easier to deal with.


FULL DEPOWER: Great for riding waves; no more getting pulled off the wave or out of the pocket, just depower and and surf your board.


HIGH JUMPS: Lots of lift -- lots of float and glide, jump height is comparable, or even higher than that of a classic "C" with the same aspect ratio. On the other hand the hang time is LONGER and the landings extremely SOFT.


SAVE MONEY: Due to the range of the kite you end up using one kite for 80% of wind conditions. You save money. You save time. You extend your sessions by not having to rerig.

...read the full guide with pics here

have you TRIED a Flysurfer?....

the only aspect they do not beat a BOW in is price. thats because they last 3 times as long, can be re-tuned when they stretch and wear, and are supreme quality.

Bow kites... been there, done that...

Jim,

Welcome to PKF--nice post! What SLE or bow are you speaking of or just a general statement? Most of the water folks here on PK seem to perfer Flysurfer or PL. One individual flies nothing but ram air on the water. Im new to the water scene but I am able to hold down my 13m P3 in larger winds than the bow guys flying 15s and 17s (approx same projected area) and def get going sooner. The only time the P3 can be somewhat difficult to relaunch is in lower winds but isnt all that bad. Dont know alot about tube kites but punctures and stretching seem to be their limfacs (limiting factors). True, the depower/5th line safety systems are awesome when/if you need to use them! Fly hard and safe!

My personal problem with the bow kite is that they're being sold as a one kite quiver. Sure they can depower 80%, same as a new PL. For an advanced rider it's not much of a problem, but noobs will go out on a kite that's way too big for the conditions relying strictly on the depower ability, If you make a mistake and put that kite straight downwind nice and low, the 10deg angle change you get from the depower means nothing and you're stuck holding a large powered up peice of fabric. That's when bad things happen.

Now if you go out and get a couple bows to properly fill the wind range then you're ok. Bows are popular up this way, but 2 kites and 2 boards are the norm.

Good point! Until I get that 7m Pulse Im limited myself!

"There is no safer kite than a bow kite"

Don't really want to start the bow vs C vs Ram-air debate, but it terms of safety, nothing compares to the safety of a PL...

From what Ive read on PLs there is not much of a relaunch issue due to their auto zenith abilty. My only problem with that is what happens if and when you need to relaunch. I dunk mine every time out just to make sure I havent lost the edge on relaunch. I assume the PL pilots due the same.

Quote:

Originally posted by lunchbox "There is no safer kite than a bow kite" Don't really want to start the bow vs C vs Ram-air debate, but it terms of safety, nothing compares to the safety of a PL...

I agree 100% on this one!!! I would take the safety of a PL over any other kite on the market.

After learning about twinskins here, I asked a kiteboarding friend if they had ever used them. After clarifying what I was talking about, he said "Nobody that's anybody uses THOSE". I thought it sounded very elitist and exclusionary. I'm all for using what works and lasts. I don't have any experience with c's, bows, or twinskins, but I'm sure that is just a matter of time.

So which PL kites are good for use on water?

all of them are water-relaunchable....... all of the ARCs that is.. none of their bridled stuff

the lower aspect models are less agressive

"Nobody that's anybody uses THOSE".

Can't say I'm really surprised you received a comment like that - there's strong opinions on all sides when it comes to the bow vs. C vs. Ram-air debate.

Like I mentioned earlier - don't want to get in the whole us vs. them debate but from my own experience, I see the negatives for the twinskins being their slow turning speed (i.e. 19m) and low grunt in the bottom of their wind range. You could also say that the water relaunch can be a little tricky (but in my opinion they almost never hit the water so it's a mute point) but given it's pluses - safety, ease of use, stability, reliablity, durability, resell value, etc.. I think it deserves more recognition than it gets...In my opinion, the best beginner kite bar none.

...and the Vortex, Venom II's and Scorpions make great "all use" kites. I would put the Vortex and Venom II ahead of the Scorpion for water, though (heard the water relaunch is harder with the Scorpion).

There's only 2 times I've not been able to relaunch the Scorpion, one when I happened to dump the kite in low wind and the lines tangled on a passing log, can't really blame the kite for that one. The second time I dumped the kite to safety in 4ft waves and couldn't reset the safety in the waves, the kite got pounded pretty good in the surf, dragged it to shore, dumped out some water, reset the lines and headed out again.

I do suggest using the safety on a regular basis, good to test it, know how the kite will handle so you're not learing during a bad situation. With the PL, it's a good way to self land, fly the kite to the edge down low, pull the safety and it pretty much flags out and lays down.

Long story short, PL kites rock, just no low wind but stable/safe
FS kites rock, better bottom end but no autozenith, still stable/safe

sounds the same like my thread about to pump or not to pump one month ago.

I must admit that a bow kite could be useful during the learning phase not because it's safer or easier to relaunch

In fact my flysurfer Pulse are easier to relaunch than the bow kites. It's safer. The 5th line kills it all. It's quite stable, it takes gusts, and is not too fast which is very forgiving for a beginner.

The situation where a LEI kite would beat my Pulse is in a self rescue situation, and only if the bladders are still pumped. Or when the wind dies, and impossible to relaunch.

Friend of mine who as been kite surfing with LEI for 6 years has tried a Psycho3 last week. Guess what, he wants a 10m.