I'm making the transition from full land kiter (currently landlocked in ND) to a water kite (will be beachbound in 1 year)

I'd like to hear what you guys have for preferences of the LEI category. My overall knowledge of brand/model reputations is a little lacking for LEI's and I'd like to brush up.

A few I'm very interested in.....

Slingshot Brand (our club scored some benefits with them)
Ozone instincts
Flexifoils (I know nothing about them)
Any other big ones I should consider

This kite purchase will be a long laster with good quality for sure. Expect to see my Ranger up here in about a year

Thanks guys, much appreciated

PL Synergy, FS Speed I love the Naish Cult - just the design, really. I like the North Rebel, love the bar!

Yea PL is a big interest of mine too, are they a handful on the water? I have some land experience. Hows the reverse launch?

While I have not yet flown so I have no experience but, my buddy flies a Naish Cult and Helix. They seem nice and user friendly real tough, and have HUGE depower. I've seen him using his 15m in 20-25mph winds and could depower it to nothing (granted he is about 40lbs heavier than I). I'm looking at getting one next year. If you get the chance to try one out I recommend it. Super Super easy relaunch, just pull the bar and it flips over and up she goes. Unique design too!!

Waiman Rabbit

F-One Bandit

Best Waroo

would be my picks. I believe in the delta shape design is the way to go.

I would suggest to always try before you buy if it's an option. If you want to go with Slingshot, I suggest a Turbo 2 or 3 or a Rev. They are extremely popular and you rarely hear complaints about them. They offer easy relaunch and great depower. If you want something more performance oriented with little depower and is a PITA to relaunch, go with a Fuel. My first session with my Boxer SLE proved to be a very good experience. The kite seems to be more beginner oriented and simple to fly. It has amazing depower and great relaunch ability. Like I said before, once you get back over here you are welcome to try my gear so you can see for yourself and that will help you in your decision making process. That Fexifoil Ion that Tridude had up probably would have been a perfect match, but it looks like it has sold. I can't comment on the Instinct series because I've never flown any of them and haven't read many reviews on them.

North Rebel, Ocean Rodeo Rise, SS Rev, Cabrihna Convert are nice kites (SLE/bows)...................if your more performance oriented, North Vegas and Naish Torch are sweet....................c kites but have very nice depower and low end grunt......................my son is 175/80 lbs and flies his North Vegas from 13 to 25 mph plus.....................

Tridude, how old is your son and what year/ size Vegas is he flying?

I have the 2008 Naish Cult and love it but I tried the Naish Charger and it is even better, turns quicker, better bottom end grunt, and easier relaunch.

If you kite by yourself PL and flysurfers rule..... The pulse water relaunch is nearly automatic... I think its allergic to water.... PL's are easy too... Im just a rookie and have found them both super easy.....Setup and packdown they have no rivals.... Lei's have some advantages, I just dont know what they are..... Whatever you fly, ENJOY, thats all that really counts.....

most major LEI brands in 2010 are good kites, it becomes more a matter of preference, style of riding,

I have tried many models from Ozone, SS, Eclipse, Epic, Cabrinha, North, Best, Liquid Force, Ocean Rodeo, etc.... and they are all good but different.

My opinion would be try before you buy, or buy used so if you dont like, you can still resell without loosing too much

Make sure you love the bar and you feel comfortable and safe with it.

Another thing to consider is to ride same brands as local riders and what the local shop provide, so you can get support/serivce when something breaks. Waiting parts for weeks in the mail is not fun when it's windy

Best-Pretty cheap, I like their older stuff better, but a lot of people like the waroos and kahoonas. They're much cheaper than many other LEIs as well. Don't know much about the newer NXG.
North-Awesome. Along with slingshot probably one of the most liked brands for LEIs out there. I have an 07 rhino that's a really sweet kite, super quick with good depower and lifty. Sweet bar.
Slingshot-No experience yet but half the LEIs you see on the water are made by them.
F One-They're a newer company (I think?) but a lot of people love them.
Flexifoil-I've only had experience with their older kites which weren't bad, just check out pushkiting vids.
Ozone-Everyone loves their stuff.

Don't know much about the other brands (naish, cabrinha, ocean rodeo, epic, eclipse, blade, ...) but if you try before you buy you can't go wrong. There aren't very many "bad" brands of LEIs, it's more of a personal preference thing.

Quote:

Originally posted by Jovver Tridude, how old is your son and what year/ size Vegas is he flying?

he is 21, 175 lbs, and rides a 2009 10m Vegas........basically a one kite quiver for him....................he liked it so much he sold off his entire quiver.........................it is an impressive kite...........

Quote:

he is 21, 175 lbs, and rides a 2009 10m Vegas........basically a one kite quiver for him....................he liked it so much he sold off his entire quiver.........................it is an impressive kite...........

That's pretty cool! How does that C kite have so much versatility?

Quote:

Originally posted by Jovver Quote: he is 21, 175 lbs, and rides a 2009 10m Vegas........basically a one kite quiver for him....................he liked it so much he sold off his entire quiver.........................it is an impressive kite........... That's pretty cool! How does that C kite have so much versatility?

great question.................Y bridal 5th line, "open" C, and no pulleys may be the answer......................

Another excellent brand I fly is the RRD (Robert Recardo Designs) from Italy. Took first water lessons at Sherman Is. CA on the 10.5m Obsession and they are awesome. Bought a 12M 2010 RRD Obsession and no regrets. Kite build quality is top notch and these things go from amazing depower to serious grunt. Turning speed is very quick and these kites are good for beginner to pro.

Friend has the Fone Bandit which is also a good kite but one thing that's a pain on these is adjusting bar line length which needs to be performed due to line stretch. With lines rolled out from the bar and conneced to a stationary point the front lines are a very different length to the rears on the Fone. On the Obsession lines are all exactly equal (with depower fully extended) when checking line lengths in the same manner. Having equal line lengths for all 4 lines makes for an accurate and easy check and adjustment.

Have fun researching next purchase!!!

i've ridden most of the tubes mentioned above.

FAN of anything that pumps,

c-kite hybrid design is a couple years old . like a c-kite but with depower and easy roll over relaunch. what else would you want.

hey the vegas is a unique kite. it may have been one of the first hybrid types .

i think it came with this tiny SLE bridle thing you could use either mode or no bridle.

alot to choose

best plan of action... a fresh last years model from some local distributor ...huge $$$break and all the freshness. he should have demo junk to try on.