Our winds over the past few days have me wondering what kites you guys pull out in 25, gusting to 40mph winds for atb or buggy. ...or, are those conditions just too ridiculous to kite in?
:puzzled:

Those are some nasty gusts. No matter what kite you used it would not be any fun. To have a decent chance of a successful session I would most definitely recommend a de-power. 15mph gusts is alot to ask out of a fixed bridle kite without being greatly underpowered in the lulls.

4m Ozone Access MK1 was what I used to use but when its blowing like that its really not that much fun on a board, IMO.

Once the winds start exceeding 25mph I find my enjoyment levels start to drop off fast. On skis I'm good to 30+ but on the board I don't enjoy fighting with punchy winds. I don't know how those UK guys go out with 7.5 - 13m kites in those same conditions unless the winds over there are a lot smoother than here. Sure they are more skilled and brave but punchy is punchy and that's just not fun.

Small nasa wings do great in gusty winds.

Susan (npw goddess)

I use all my kites in that wind. They make a great seat to watch others:eureka:

Phantom 6m

i'd really like to get out and fly static in that . What size/type FB would suit these conditions???

6m phantom

12m Phantom 2.

I have a 6, 9, and 12m Phantom IIs ordered. At first I'd say the 6m, Feyd has me thinking the 9 might handle it, and wondering if the 12 could really stand that in a buggy on the lakebed. I rode in winds like that several weeks ago with a 2m HQ Toxic. It was still a handful with gusts like that.

D'oh! sorry I missed that we're talking on dirt.

My kite of last resort is my 2.5m Profoil. It doesn't produce much lift and I feel pretty safe under it. I owned a 1.5m 1st but found it too bumble bee like with snappy little power bursts and little maintained power.

At about 25mph I switch to survival mode. 25 gusting to 40mph and I tend to sit it out. I have ridden in those conditions to prove to myself that I can but it's not my kind of fun.

Susan is correct a small NPW would serve up in those conditions.

5m Waroo...................:duh::duh:

2.5m or maybe a 1.5m

Another vote for the 4m Ozone Access.

Those numbers are right on the edge of where I start to fly either the 2.5m Couch or the 1m Chair.

As several have alluded to you want to size the kite for the gusts and wait out the lulls and remember that discretion is the better part of valor. I went to my flying field yesterday and watched the flagpoles sway for a while before leaving for the grocery store [in hindsight it was 45 gusting to 56, average of 20 for the 24 hr period ]

As an aside the husband of a co worker works for NWS/ FAA and the definition of a gust is anything under 20 sec.

@Susan: how small of a NPW do you use for Nukin/ Stupid winds?

1.7m Flexifoil Sting buggies in it just fine.

on ATB , 25-40mph on land is heavy. most air in that range is seldom smooth and furious gust are crazy.

even on small kite the speed just gets insane. super titchy small kite. no thanks. for water no doubt!. for land board maybe a few at 25-30mph just requires a lot space , big air rewards for sure but tedious and one or two big slams from some nuclear gusts and cracked kite and serious ouch. i do them, but briefly... say before/after water session. 10-15min. maybe, very intense for ATB.

I don't have a place to let it run and I am a big guy flying in soccer feilds mostly but anything over 10 is a depower for me most of the time and I can hold a 16 venom down up to 30 my 19 to 25 I haven't figured out my 8 yet and haven't got to put up the 12 syn but if the wind is over 20 and the gust are half or more of the wind speed I consider sitting it out but around here we have rouge gust that sometimes double the windspeed
Windalert has great gust records so u can get an idea how bad it is the weather stations don't get close when they call the gust

Thanks for the feedback - I got one short run in that junk last night with my 3m Beamer and couldn't even get back without being yanked off the board several times (walk of shame...). I can't believe you guys put up 4m depowers and 6m arcs in that stuff :shocked2:

Quote:

I can't believe you guys put up 4m depowers and 6m arcs in that stuff :shocked2:

Don't know about the 6m Arc, but a 4m Ozone Access XT is WAY friendlier than a 3m fixed bridle. I'll use the XT to about 30 knots which is about as silly as I get....

Quote:

Originally posted by rtz 1.7m Flexifoil Sting buggies in it just fine.

now it's the 1.5 PKD Buster soulfly!

With only a year's experience under your belt my suggestion would be common sense: work your way up. Otherwise, you hurt yourself. Those conditions are for very experienced pilots or victims.
S

2.5 rage, though the 1.7 sting is super fun to fly. you won't be going fast but it's a fun little gnat to work in the sky. And I've flow it in the buggy in 40+ and it's a gentle gnat believe it or not.

A few years ago when the pre-event of nabx was still held at Superior the winds were very high. There were only three of up who could buggy with the winds blowing 40 mph. We were all flying npw5 0.8 meter nasa wings. Later the winds built up to 50 mph and I needed a smaller nasa wing which I did not have at the time. I now have a 0.4 made.

Susan (npw goddess)

Quote:

Originally posted by Cerebite Those numbers are right on the edge of where I start to fly either the 2.5m Couch or the 1m Chair. As several have alluded to you want to size the kite for the gusts and wait out the lulls and remember that discretion is the better part of valor. I went to my flying field yesterday and watched the flagpoles sway for a while before leaving for the grocery store [in hindsight it was 45 gusting to 56, average of 20 for the 24 hr period ] As an aside the husband of a co worker works for NWS/ FAA and the definition of a gust is anything under 20 sec. @Susan: how small of a NPW do you use for Nukin/ Stupid winds?

Quote:

Originally posted by kitemaker4 A few years ago when the pre-event of nabx was still held at Superior the winds were very high. There were only three of up who could buggy with the winds blowing 40 mph. We were all flying npw5 0.8 meter nasa wings. Later the winds built up to 50 mph and I needed a smaller nasa wing which I did not have at the time. I now have a 0.4 made. I forgot to mention we were flying them on handles. Susan (npw goddess) Quote: Originally posted by Cerebite Those numbers are right on the edge of where I start to fly either the 2.5m Couch or the 1m Chair. As several have alluded to you want to size the kite for the gusts and wait out the lulls and remember that discretion is the better part of valor. I went to my flying field yesterday and watched the flagpoles sway for a while before leaving for the grocery store [in hindsight it was 45 gusting to 56, average of 20 for the 24 hr period ] As an aside the husband of a co worker works for NWS/ FAA and the definition of a gust is anything under 20 sec. @Susan: how small of a NPW do you use for Nukin/ Stupid winds?

are those winds common where you live? got space to run a long course?

vapor 2.7m

Hm...
I have ridden in those conditions at Wildwood before. I used a 1.8m FlexiFoil Rage. That was a lot of fun. The gusts literally ripped the handles out of my hands. Thank goodness for kitekillers. Fun day though.

I have also ridden in those conditions on the water using an 8m Flysurfer Psycho4. That was an awesome day. The original wind prediction was 25-30. Gusts were going over 40. When I got back to the car, someone said they saw a report saying that winds were upwards of 45mph. Pretty gnarly. I was a little sketched out, but had a great session. Never really felt out of control.

I've also ridden a 7m North Rebel 2011 in those conditions. Again the reported winds were 25-30, but gusts were coming in over 40mph. I never felt out of control on that kite. Was really nice.

2.5 Rage on a bar with a harness loop in the buggy in the wheat field. I get those conditions where I fly in NW Oklahoma.

I've had my 5m apex up in nearly those conditions wishing I had a 3.5 apex that I was watching all day handle it well. At the same ( I'm guessing) prevously mentioned WBB.