Hi guys,

I am looking to buy a new kite which will help me landboard easier and also start kitesurfing and am mainly looking at an LEI (mostly because they are quite cheap second hand).

Are there any that I should avoid in particular? What size do you think would be best? most wind around here is 10 - 25 mph. I weigh 210 lbs.

Any ideas?

I would recommend considering two kites for that wind range. Especially if you are looking at LEIs. You might be able to get away with one, but you would be pushing both your limits on the low-end and the high-end.

The list of LEIs on the market is huge. You will need to get out there and just try some, and see what you like. Every kite flies a little bit differently, and it is very hard to recommand anything, as it is all personal opinion. What one person like's another might not. And you will also hear a lot of people pimping what they like. Not on this forum so much as on other forums.

For size, I would recommend something in the 11-14meter range for your low-end kite, and something in the 9-11meter on the high-end. It all depends on the kite though as some are much more efficient than others. Find a local dealer and see if you can demo a couple... find what you like.

@ 200lbs. a 12/13m is great for both land and water. with plenty of range.

basically i'm a one kite kinda guy . any modern tube kite bow or hybrid starting around 2007some 06 will be good for staring out .

for land use they will get beat up so it can be rough on the gear

If you can score a 2006 ozone instinct 9-13 range cheap jump on it. Then upgrade to a 2007-2008 line set/bar and the chickenloop with the new ozone megatron.
They significantly overbuilt those first gen Instincts and it took years of abuse for mine to finally give up the ghost - picked up an 08 11m and missing the 06 13m as it was a truck.
Not the fastest turning kites but heavy and solid for an LEI.

9m or 10m waroo i have one a 7m and its an excellent kite , great depower, fast kite, nice pop, really nice kite mines is 2007. 9m will be comparable to a 10 or 11m foil but way faster so choose carefully. whatever lei u get make sure its a SLE with full depower. I dont think u can match up a kitesurfing kite to a landboarding kite power wise as u will need alot less power to landboard.

Quote:

Originally posted by gemini6kl ...whatever lei u get make sure its a SLE with full depower. I dont think u can match up a kitesurfing kite to a landboarding kite power wise as u will need alot less power to landboard.

that brings up the characteristics of different LEI kites - if they fly forward or backward in the window -if backward it's great for waves and wakestyle but can be difficult for landboarding. Look for something as Gemini says that's SLE or bow as it'll generally be a forgiving all-around freeride kite. Avoid "C" and anything without a top-notch safety system - remember you will probably be self-launching and landing.
Speaking of which - learn to turn the kite side into the wind to self launch easily and also how to pull a center line by reaching, pull through, or PL-style CL release so you can put the kite down at the edge of the window and pull the top center line through to flag it out. The best way for landboarders IMHO. As such avoid the F-One's as they have a "Y" center and cannot be side flagged.

The list goes on...

self landing after lots of practice -


self launch bow/sle style after some practice


and finally when you are too cool for school -
http://vimeo.com/10058859

Guys, thankyou for all the advice! I gotta say I went against all of it though and bought a Phantom 12m, the price was right and it gave me the bar to fly my 18m too.

Just took the 12m out for the first time, what an absolute monster! Like the blade but depower. Honestly, I'm pumped and the wind was only 13mph aswell! looking forward to getting the 18 out for the first time

With those 2 Phantoms you have that wind range well covered ! I don`t think you will regret the choice.

That is basically the min + max I enjoy my 15m Syn in.

The 12m Panny was a great choice!Try 35m lines on it and hold on!..........aj

You are the envy of much of the kiting world with 2 Phantoms. You can fly that 18 down to 5 mph or so and fly it till the 12 is kicking in then fly it all the way up to that 25. You did great.

I'm not sure about a bar working great for both. You need a 60 cm for the 18 but it will be ok on a 55. 60 is long for the 12 but manageable. 55 would be better. What bar did you get?