Ok, excuse me if this info is available somewhere but I haven't found it.
I'm looking for a depower setup. A little info about myself first. I'm currently weighing in at a portly 260lbs and the average wind speed in my area is 13 mph.
What would be an ideal size for a go to depower rig? I'd like to use this said setup to get into land boarding as well. I'm also interested in getting myself a buggy. There's lots of open space in Kansas and I think I could go for days out here. Please guide me in the right direction. Fwiw I'm looking for something used but open to anything really to get my feet wet. My only stipulation is I'd like a kite that will be the go to. Is that to much to ask for? Thanks fellas.

Hi woodneers,

So what style of riding are you interested in? Are you looking for floaty jumps, or just cruising around? Are you interested in the kite also being used on water? Are the winds gusty? Might help folks give suggestions.

I tend to be partial to the 15m or 18m HQ Matrixx2 for low-mid teens. They are very user friendly and have a ton of float. Hear lots of good things about the Flysurfer Peaks as well. I'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions/advice.

Good Luck!

Honestly the whole water aspect is entirely new around my area. We did recently get a reservoir about twenty minutes from my place and I already frequent it to ride jet skis so a multi use kite would be awesome but for now just some mild boarding on land and potentially work up to getting some air would be a plus. The winds here are a little choppy at times, I definitely wouldn't say the winds are steady.

12m Peak 2 or 19m Speed. The Peak is the cheaper option at about a third the cost, but similar pull in similar wind.

2nd the Peak. Broadest wind range and great low end. Has awesome active gust handling. The 12m is a powerhouse but can be managed well. If the winds get too high it is a great kite to "half line" (doubling back your lines) with. Makes it like having another kite.

And A lot of people are using them on water (I found a school that is teaching on water with them even!) Though they aren't designed for water use. But its an option if/when you go that route.

Only a problem if you drop the kite right? Not as nice as a closed cell in the water but better than an open cell.

The Peaks were instrumental in helping me with getting going with the ground boarding. I still suck but I can at least ride now.:D.

3rd the Peak. I bought mine from Chris (fewd; www.hardwaterkiter.com) earlier this year and it is in many ways my all time favorite kite. It was my first DP as well. I know it's nerdy, but I actually named this kite (only named kite in my 16 kite quiver). I call it "Session Saver".

This kite is slow moving in the sky and takes its time in the turns and moving across the wind window. This is a God send when learning how to buggy, etc. It has a crazy amount of DP coupled with a low end that can have you getting pulled around nicely in grass in winds that are well below 10 mph. I've put 5m line extensions on mine and had nice buggy sessions in base winds around 5mph.

The 12m Peak-2 can lift you in the right conditions but to get truly ejected out of a buggy in a Code Brown OBE you have to make some pretty gross pilot errors. You aren't that special (none of us are) so you will OBE just like the rest of us have. Helmet, knee and elbow pads and long pants are strongly suggested. I've got a nice permanent scar on my shin from a shorts day that should have been a pants day.

Here's a video of Session Saver on a sub-10 mph day. I weigh just over 200 just for reference.

http://youtu.be/sS_iP150xb4

Here is a video in higher wind conditions, a lot like you described as your average winds. Here you can see the range of the Peaks as I was flying both the 6m and 12m Peaks on the same day:

http://youtu.be/CyFnQRn-me8

There are a ton of great kites out there, but I would seriously consider the 12m Peak based on your description and goals. Good luck!

I've read a little about the peak, some complained about the tips fluffing a little and that they had to tune them when new. Anything I should be worried about?

There have been various threads on this forum that address the dreaded "tip tuck" that can afflict the Peak kites.

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=30899#pid29...

I own all four sizes of the Peak-2s. I have experienced some tip tuck with each, but either through some easy tweaks (adjusting line length under the foam tubes at the bar) and most importantly just some time with each leads to this problem largely going away.

I would acknowledge the tip tuck issue but not let it keep you away from this kite. This is particularly the case with the 12m, by far the easiest of the four Peak-2s to master and fly with high skill.

If I am correct Kansas has pretty Janky wind?

I haven't flown a Peak but think these guys are on track.

If you can't afford a new Peak ( 2nd hand is hard to find ) the next best option may be to consider a Twin Skin Arc? They are a pretty good deal in the used market. I would suggest 13m Venom, Venom II or 12 - 15m Synergy as far as bang for buck. Arcs handle gusts different than other kites. Folks with gusty conditions seem to like them. IN MOTION! They have a unique quality. Auto Zenith. Great for lots of things but especially learning new rides.

Of course NO single kite does it all. My 15m Syn' seems to cover all but the lightest and strongest winds? We have smooth winds and that is why I suggest the 12m as well. With your Janky winds you may want the extra top end? Size for your GUSTS! Don't be put off with the size of arcs. When they take shape they have a much smaller projected area.

It's an inland thing I suppose. The wind is never the same condition but there is always wind of some sort. I actually work in the wind industry as a turbine technician. My machines have a 108 meter variable speed rotor. Sorta like a depower kite, these machines change the pitch to catch more or less wind. I'm really liking the idea of the peak line but like others have said they are hard to find used and I'm not in a place to go buy a new kite. I'll keep looking until I come up with something. Keep the ideas coming.

FS Peak = Freeride machine
FS Speed/Lotus = Air/speed

I would go for a Peak 9/12m. Being pretty new to the sport myself. Peaks are a friendly kite, (don't have to worry about bursting cells and pre-inflating). Not to mention packing/unpacking is not a hastle as it is with closed cell kites.

It all comes down to your opinion and what you want out of a kite. The 9m Peak you will be able to use in a wider range. If you want a sweet deal on a 9m Peak I would go to FS website here: http://shop.flysurfer.com/2n-hand.html?p=2 For a 12m you will have to hunt around. From what I have heard, the 12m is somewhat slower and doesn't have much more grunt than the 9m?

Cheers,
Ari

Quote: Originally posted by IFlyKites

From what I have heard, the 12m is somewhat slower and doesn't have much more grunt than the 9m?

So... I own all four P2s and have had a fair amount of buggy time with the 6m, 9m, and 12m sizes. I would agree whole heartedly that the 9m is quite a bit faster than the 12m. One of the nice things you can do with the 9m is switch the back line pigtails from the inside to outside of the bar ends even further speeding up its turning rate.

I would say, however, that the 12m has a lot more grunt than the 9m. This is particularly apparent in sub 10 mph winds. Please note that by woodneers own description he outweighs me by about 50 lbs. that biases me even further towards him looking to secure the 12 vs 9 size. Both kites would be fine if only one was available, but I truly think the 12m keeps his options open in a greater variety of inland conditions. Just my two cents.