I would call myself an intermediate traction kite flyer. I have flown and still am flying a 3 meter kite in winds up to 20 mph. I do not prefer to go airborne but do like to scud. What kite would you experienced folks recommend for 4-9 mph winds in Arizona?

Xeno

There's a Quadrifoil XXL for sale in the for sale section... it's ALMOST big enough for those winds. Pretty stable and bulletproof too.

Something in the 5-7 meter range. Ozone Samurai or Little Devil. HQ beamer or Flexifoil bullet. Just look for a kite that is large (5-7 meters) but doesn't produce a lot of lift (not a blade, radsail pro, or a crossfire). There are a lot more in each category, depends a lot on your budget. Try and fly as many different kinds and sizes as you can. The quadrafoil is a 7.5 meter. I don't know how they pull in comparison to the Samurai, but I have flown a 7 meter Sam in about those same conditions and I didn't fly it for very long. I own a 5 meter and it is great in the 8-9 mph range. 5 mph is a little low, but it still gets up.

I had the fortune of getting a full set of Competition X kites used right as I was getting into buggying. (The XS to the XXXL)

Being in Ohio we tend to get very spotty finicky winds, and most days are in the 4-9 MPH. I'm buggying on grass and a big guy, so I tend to need a slightly bigger kite than most.

I use the XXL (7.1m) quite a lot, more-so than any other in my quiver I'd say. Though the XXXL (9.7m) is a bit more useful in the 4-5 mph range.

With almost no wind you can get either the XXL or XXXL in the air, and they pull like crazy (and steer like a truck) when you turn them. But you really need 3+ with the XXXL and 5+ with the XXL to get moving on a buggy.

A lot depends on how much you want to work the kite. I tend to use a kite that isn't quite enough to pull me until I start to do figure 8's and really increase it's pull. This helps to keep me out of trouble (and being over powered!)

I've only gone airborne once, and that was about 2 feet up and 10 feet forward, not planned, using the XS in 25-30 mph winds. Funny thing was, I was trying to get the thing on the ground when a wind gust hit! Limped for weeks.

If you can get a hold of a Comp used, I'd leap on it. They fly great, and have lots of power.

-Chip

Paramac Bego 600 - was flying in about 10mph and getting lovely floaty jumos out of it at the weekend

There is an 11 meter razon on ebay right now. Any kite this size will lift you, but not really designed to produce lift. You really need a very large kite to have any usable power in lower wind. I have a bego 600, very good. I also have the 8.5 and 10.5 Blade 3, which go a bit above and beyond the bego. The bigger the better, and stay away from de-power kites as they are usually designed for higher wind.

Scoop