I 've read here that some people go landboarding on LEIs so i was wondering what are the pros and cons of having a LEI for land kiting ?(besides the fact that you can take it on the water too)

Erm, there are a few things to consider.

I have both. I am not too much a fan of using LEIs on land unless there is snow on the ground. I am just too paranoid about it landing on a sharp rock or stick and putting a hold in the bladder. There are however amazing kiters who do use lei kites on land.

Both types of kites are great. If you are a beginner then I think foils tend to be easier to manage for your first set of kites.

Pro of using lei on land
-Pretty simple bridle. Unusual to get tangles in bridle.
-If you go in the water then you are going to be using the same kite on land and water. Makes learning the kite's flying behavior much easier.
-Stiff structure helps the lei kite handle gusts without losing shape.
-Newer lei kites have amazing depower.

Con of using lei on land
-More difficult to self launch. (Beginners should not self launch as it can get sketchy quick)
-LEIs tend to not hold their value as well as foils it seems. More parts to go bad/easier to neglect the kite.
-LEIs tend to be more fragile than foils.
-Usually require more wind to fly. My 11.5 kahoona will not usually fly unless the wind is 12+ mph
-Pumping the kite up sucks





Pro of using foil on land
-Faster set up time
-Sometimes cheaper (easier to find good used foils)
-More durable
-Very easy to self launch
-Good resale value
-Will fly in lower winds than lei (usually)

Cons of using foil on land
-Open cell foils will have a harder time handling gusty wind. If the wind shifts it can collapse the canopy.
-More complex bridle can get tangled if not handled with care.
-Crashing nose first at high speeds can burst cells



Also note that this forum is mostly a kite buggying forum. Kite buggyers typically use foils. So the knowledge base/kite sale section here will be more skewed in that direction.

-More difficult to self launch.
My lei's are way better behaved on the ground than my ozone.

-LEIs tend to not hold their value as well as foils it seems. More parts to go bad/easier to neglect the kite.
Perfect way for a beginner to get a ready to fly package for $300 of a two year old LEI rather than pay 400+ for a 7 year old foil...

-LEIs tend to be more fragile than foils.
$20 roll of sail tape should be in your bag no matter what kind of kite you fly. That said, I got a patched foil that I don't fly, and patched LEI's that I fly all the time.

-Pumping the kite up sucks
Pumping up a kite, even a 15 meter, is two minutes of work.

Sincerely, a kite-landboarder who pretty much only flys LEI's.

I respectfully disagree with you erratic winds. I do understand that you are a great land kiter that has had great success with lei kites on land.

For a beginner, handling a lei on land by yourself is more difficult hands down. That is why self launching is documented as being an advanced skill by some lei manufacturers.

$300 for a two year old lei/$400+ for a 7 year old foil is a bit of an overstatement.....

Not to mention that if you buy a used lei you have to check for a lot more wear areas than a foil. Buying a lei is more complicated than that of a foil. You have to check for wear between the sail and tube, check to make sure the valves are in good condition, check to make sure it holds air, see if the bladder is twisted in the tube, in addition to checking the normal stuff such as bridle and sail condition.

Pumping the kite up may be quick, but you still have to haul around a large pump/hose and take the necessary precautions to make sure you don't pump sand or dirt into the bladder.
-It may be quick and not a big deal for you, but it is still a con.

That all being said, erratic winds is a more experienced kiter than me from what I have read/seen. So please take that into consideration.

Cheers!

i drive around w/ 5-6 foils in the car at all times..even in summer when you dont want to do that w/ your LEI's
bang....top that

I'm about 50/50 LEI vs Foil on land.

Benefit from LEI is the amount of depower you can sheet out and have almost no pull.
My foils always have "some" pull even sheeted all the way out (I think it's an airfoil effect).

I'm on sandy beaches so not worried about a little wear and tear on the LEI.

The other benefit of pumping is it is a nice warm-up...:P

Oh...ya...one more benefit of LEI is no bridles to mess with...on occasion, I've spent more time on launching a foil just because of a tangled bridle. Pumping would have been faster. But not always...just food for thought.

Either way...if your out on foil or LEI the girls will still think your cool... :D

Quote: Originally posted by Purely Luck

$300 for a two year old lei/$400+ for a 7 year old foil is a bit of an overstatement.....

There are frenzies for sale here at PKF that are 8 years old at @400.

on busy forums located in kitesurfing spots, like nwkite, you can often get a two year old LEI ready to fly for @ $300.



I just really don't want new people to discount LEI's just because they want to land-kite. I thought I was going to be foils only when I was starting out, due to ALL the reasons above!

But then I found out how expensive foils can be, even used ones.

And that I could get used LEI's for half that price.

If anything on the ground could puncture your bladder, that same item on the ground is going to tear your foil.

Quote:

or a beginner, handling a lei on land by yourself is more difficult hands down. That is why self launching is documented as being an advanced skill by some lei manufacturers.

roblukin (on the XK forum) has been flying a 4m Airush LEI and recently a Ikon 7m LEI. Rob is disabled - he started with foils/handles with mixed results, then went to depower which seemed to suit him better then recently, he's been flying the LEI's and mate, you should see him go with these!! His 4m Airush left my 5m Frenzy for dead in light winds at one event and the other day he had it up in 30-35 knots and posted a 79kph top speed. Shoot him some questions on the Extremekites forum. He's worked out how to land and launch these himself although pumping them up does take him considerable effort.

Check out this video on Rob: Rob's Story

Quote: Originally posted by John Holgate

Check out this video on Rob: Rob's Story

Quite a story about an extraordinary man. Really sad to see how much damage can be done by something as small and insignificant as a mosquito. We have a friend whose son contracted EEE at age 4. From normal and healthy to permanently brain damaged over night. Very sad but wonderful to see the stories of those who triumph over difficulties.

Wow. Ron, your amazing dude! Great story.

"in my mind I'm not disabled". That is so powerful.
You are not disabled at all, your just being the best Ron you can be.

Would love to shake your hand and buggy with you any time.

I have been using a 7M LEI in the bug on land and like it a lot and yes relaunch is a bit tricky and the high aspect or lift for me tends to kick the rear end out when powered up. Eats gusts like crazy good which is a deluxe feature for most gusty inland conditions.