Enjoy

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8wVUe5DFco

Light wind makes learning/riding 10x harder. Also light wind makes getting upwind really hard(if not impossible if the kite is underpowered).

I don't know if you're already doing this; but this tip is what got me going upwind:

When I was first riding I was trying to get upwind using my feet attempting to steer the board using either the front or back foot; wasn't happening.

This is what made all the difference. On solid ground; stand with your feet planted. Now twisted at the hips all the way back around with your feet still in place. This is key and critical to getting the board aimed upwind. Twisting at the hips will aim and make the board point upwind.

Let's say I was riding with a south wind. I would ride back/forth all day east/west. I could hold my position; but could not go upwind. Twisting the hips and steering like that made all the difference. I immediately rocketed upwind. If someone would have told me that from the start; I would have been going upwind immediately. Once you get it; you'll have it.

depower kite more thru trim.

hands close to center of bar

hips around more

get ur head back , look where u want to go, windward POS

keeping the kite higher will be better for upwind esp. if marginal breeze. deep in the window to get u going THEN quickly carve up and keep kite higher in window.

Thanks for the advice.

I have had a hard time lining up wind on my days off, 10 mph wind with a 14m kite just is not going to get me up wind. I'm probably around 200lbs with all my gear on. I'm looking to get a 17m Contra for next year, I think I am starting to grow out of my 14m kite for the wind conditions I have here, it kind of feels like a little toy. My 10m kite I probably won't get much use out of until winter, that kite feels way to small now.

The last couple of sessions I have been working to get some style points, leaning back in the harness straighten out and even dropping an arm to twist and open up my stance up wind. I have found it is much more relaxing and less tiresome with the correct stance. It has been a pritty light wind summer season, I rarely see anything over 15mph, for my set up I think I need that 15 to 20 mph range. Today is another 10 mph wind day too light to make it up wind, enough to do a fun down winder except I'm home sick with a cold:-(

I plan to go to South Padre this fall where I will be able get in a week of kiteing, hopefully I will come back with some freshly honed up wind kite skills. I know exactly what you mean by once you get it it just clicks, then you wonder why the heck you had so much trouble with that task in the first place!

at this point you need wind, ATM light wind skills won't help and too tedious, kiting in "slow " coniditions is difficult

once you get your whole body into it, there will be threshold limit of wind you will soon realize.

and the why ....once you have more speed that you can manage , upwind will be only a matter of laying back, look and go