Need some feedback about Intelligent Depower System (IDS) or kite for skiing with good automatic depower system.
Simple and effective.

Found Cabrinha but looks like not very popular brand here in US/Canada
Is it?

Andrew

Welcome!

One of the biggest brands the IDS is pretty good - there's a stopper thing on the depower line ... if you let go the bar, the stopper slides up and the kite greatly depowers, falling out of the sky. Nearly as good as pulling the safety, but much easier to re-ride ...

very popular on the water. CAB considered a premium tube kite . well made, wide range. as easy as it gets

As you can figure it out from my post I am new here.
Thank you for the advice.

I do water skinning and downhill and moved recently to the kind of flat area,
2 hour drive to any small hill and forget about any 3000’ and up.

Well, will try to ski along the shore in the winter and on the water during rest of the year.

Any well known brand that will do both, skiing on the water and on the snow?
Also my girlfriend is skier and she did try small 2m trainer.

She need something with good depower and she is only 96lb so she have to be carefull not to be picked up, up in the air:-)

Is there any particular type of kite that is known to be good depower type?

Welcome,

Is there any shops or places to take lessons near you ? That is by far the best way to go.

You mention a 2m trainer? Do you both share one? Have you gotten many hours on it yet? If not a good quality 2 - 3m trainer will be the BEST place to start. A 3m will even get you going on the snow.

There are 3 basic types of depower kites:

LEI Leading Edge Inflatable.
Open or closed cell foil.
Twin skin arc.

Cabrihna kites are all inflatable. Naish, North, Ocean Rodeo and afew others as well.

Ozone make open cell foils + LEI's.

HQ make open and closed cell foils.

Flysurfer make closed cell and one open cell foil.

Peter Lynn makes twin skin arcs. My personal favorite.

All these kites cross over. LEI kites are most easily damaged by beginers due to the inflated leading edge.

Knowing your weights is important also the typical wind speeds you will encounter. Be aware that you need 2 or 3 kites to handle the whole range of winds. If you and the girlfriend are 50 or more pounds different in weight odds are she will fly a size or 2 smaller than you so you can share gear and ride at the same time.

I suggest spending some time learning on a trainer , When you are comfortable with that and can manage that properly then get a closed cell foil they are designed to be used on both land and water and are some of the easiest kites to manage as far as setup and stability on both land and water, HQ kites , peter lynn and Flysurfer make some pretty good closed cell foils . A good size to start if you intend to go on snow and water is 8m to 10m for foil and 12m or 13m for arc OR if you choose to get an lei get a SLE because of the depower features. but bear in mind it wont take abuse on land and on snow u will need to have some experience to set up and manage the kite , also bear in mind that u need alot more power to move on water than on snow. your girlfriend as said before will need may be 1 or 2 sizes smaller than you, so if youre flying a 10m she will be on a 8 m.

Also some latest News on the New Flysurfer Viron for Smaller sizes...
Still very new info from the Flysurfer Innovation days.
But I'll updated more as it comes.
Many are planning Preorders to get the first ones. But there is no ETA yet.
Still in final Testing
There may also be another New FS Kite in Larger Sizes.

Water Snow Land
Depower with 5th Line.

http://is.gd/g15pT

Thank you guys! Very useful information.

Paul, I see you found me here very fast:-)

Yes it is 70lb difference between my girlfriend and me.

Looks like closed cell foil it is way to go.
Also we will start on the snow so we start from smaller size (less pull needed) and we can use these ones later for higher winds on the water.

I have heard that there are some kites that are dry and some that are wet.

I think it relates to the self draining feature.
Is this feature on closed cell foil they are referring to?

If you can find lessons it is good to take one when you are ready to hit the water. Self rescue and proper sailing knowledge is best taught.

You are on the right track with getting a small kite for learning + the GF on high wind days. This can be a quality 2 - 3.5m open cell foil.

She will want something a bit bigger + depower for water but a good trainer will serve her on snow. So start there + star gettting all the fly time in on it that you can !

I think a " dry " kite would be one strictly for land . Open cell foil ?

Ah, that Andrew... The perfect way to start is to make sure the lightest weight kiter is not over powered.. so 2m was best... and like guys say... Fixed line kites are simplest and the safest way to learn where you can just let go of the bar with the 3rd line safety as on the Ozone Imps and 2 back lines on the Flow.

The Ozone Flow has helped many (especially those getting into Kiteboarding) by being able to hook in (Lighter winds to start) to get used to how important it is to pulling the Loop safety. Since with a depower kite you basically will to be hooked in all the time (Or meant to).

Later you move on to bigger and depower Kites...

Kiters like to see Kiters start safer since many have learned (Sometimes to fast) the power of the wind with bigger Kites...

That's why we like to see lighter kiters start small and always suggest lessons as I do. Kiteboarding and Snowkiting lessons, Full Time the fastest and safest way to learn. No cutting corners, always self rescue and safety lessons, no overloads of info to fast to soon.

Keep me updated for the next I cover Open Cell foils Closed Cell Foils and Inflatables...

For Infaltables, the Ozone Catalyst is sweet with a front line safest system going for Inflatables... One pump, Tejjin Fabric (The Best)