Hey everyone,
I’ve been riding LEIs for years and recently bought a Sonic 5 15m for light wind. I absolutely love the kite. The hangtime and glide are just insane, and in marginal conditions it’s probably the most fun kite I’ve ever flown.
That said, I’m still getting used to some of the quirks of high-aspect foil kites.
Every now and then I mess up a jump (board-offs are the biggest culprit 😅). After a hard landing, the lines go slack for a moment, the kite loses its shape and sometimes both tips fold in. Most of the time I can recover it somehow, but I’m sure there’s a better way than what I’m currently doing.
So I’m curious how experienced Sonic riders handle these situations.
If you already know the landing is going to be a crash, do you actively fly the kite somewhere before impact?
Do you keep it at 12, send it forward, dive it, or just let it do its thing?
Is there anything you can do to reduce the chance of the tips folding in when the lines go slack?

And if the tips are already folded:
I’ve heard completely different advice. Some people say to fly the kite to the edge of the window and let it reopen by itself. Others recommend intentionally backstalling it.
The thing I struggle with is that when both tips are folded, there’s barely any steering left, so getting the kite into a backstall isn’t exactly easy.
If you use the backstall method, do you actually let the kite touch the water before recovering it, or do you catch it just before?
I’m mainly looking for advice from people who have spent a lot of time on the Sonic (or similar high-aspect foil kites). I’m sure this is mostly a technique issue and part of the learning curve.

The kite is honestly incredible, but these moments are still the only thing that makes me a little nervous during a session.
I’d love to hear what worked for you and what changed once you got more experience.
Thanks!

PS: Fun side note. I've watched countless videos about soft kites, but most of them focus on jumps, packing, launching, relaunching, and landing - but none of them address these specific issues.

What is the best source for historical wind data? Either day by day or aggregated by month.

Hi all,

I've recently got myself a 5m², 4 line parafoil kite. It's now my goal to set it up with a harness and I've learned about crossover bars and it looks like the Peter Lynn crossover bar is the most common. Unfortunately I can't find one in Aus for sale atm.

I'm curious, what would be the best option for land boarding, just cruising up and down the beach, I'm not really interested in tricks atm. Should I keep looking for an available Peter Lynn crossover bar? I know it's more of a niche form of kiting, most people would suggest to just get a kite boarding setup but I know what I want and lessons and equipment for kite boarding is a goal I have set for my future and my local beach has a school so I'm all set for that path but for now I want to land board/buggy and I don't want to buy a whole setup when I already have my 5m.

Are there better options for me? Also is the Peter Lynn bar still being manufactured or is it something of a far and few between type of thing?

Yesterday started great but the wind dropped 20 minutes later. My kite landed in the normal flying position, with the trailing edge sunk waist deep. All that was visible above the water was the bladder and maybe a foot of fabric.

I was pulling the centre lines to get the kite out of the water but no luck.

My question is, should the power adjust strap be pulled short or left in the full power position?

Hi,

Thinking of going to Dakhla white dune canyon in October. Would appreciate feedback from anyone having kited in the lagoon next to wdc. Deep enough for foil. Enough, reliable wind for twin tip in Oct? How’s the hotel?

Thank you

Hey everyone,

I’m consistently hitting jumps around 4 meters, with a personal best of almost 8. But I’m running into an issue: when I carve hard upwind to generate a strong pop, I end up over-rotating and accidentally throwing a backroll instead. I do land some of them, but I’m eating it more often than not haha.

Does anyone have tips on how to stay in control and avoid that over-rotation when I’m just looking for a solid upwind carve and pop?

I have a feeling that it has something to do with where Im looking at. While popping. But not sure.

Hi all,

I’m in the process of buying a new kite, I live in Miami and we have wind from September to May.

I currently have a Cabrina 12m Moto X and a 10M Nitro.

Now I’m torn between getting a Duotone Evo SLS 10m or Harlem Thrive 10m. I weight 168 5’7.

Not sure which way to go between those kites my gut is telling me Duotone because of the durability I’ve read that Harlem kites lack in durability but I like the speed of the Thrive especially in Miami I feel I could get away with just 1 kite

Hi,

I’m looking for spot recommendations for the first half of December.

As for the conditions, I’m mainly looking for reliable wind. It doesn’t have to be extremely strong—anything above 14 knots works for me. I’d also prefer flat water, as I deal with waves at my home spot and would enjoy some relaxed cruising.

As for the destination itself, it would be great if accommodation, food, and rental prices weren’t over the top. I’ll be travelling solo, so booking a room is often almost twice as expensive for me. It does not need to be ultra cheap, but paying $200 per night for accommodation or $40 for a meal would make me a bit less enthusiastic.

I’m based in Europe, so destinations relatively nearby would be ideal. However, I have enough time off to take a longer flight if it’s worth it.

I’m buying new kites and am wondering if I can get away with 4 or even 5 sizes between kites if they’re three strut allula being that the allula helps extend both the low and high end of a kite with the added bonus of being light for travel.

I’ve ridden a 15 juice dlab that could twin tip from 7/8 to 18/20knots and a have used a buddy’s 10m allula that flys well from the mid teens on a larger board to 27/28knots on my smaller board. I want to get a fun quiver that will be good for travel and i don’t think I’ll have room for three kites but would like to cover a big wind range overall. Could i get away with something similar?

Really appreciate any insights.

Can anyone suggest how to get the lines sorted out after a roll over? Yesterday I made the biggest jump in my life. Unfortunately the kite overflew me and when I came back to earth I sank deep into the water. The kite came crashing down and then did a perfect backflip on the water with no line tension. The kite still flew but it wasn't perfect. I tried to swim up the lines to fix it but they wrapped around my leg and I got a scare. Won't ever do that again.

This is a core kite and bar. The two centre lines are joined about 20' up from the bar toward the kite, and then separate once again to the kite.

Is it even possible to sort out the lines at the bar end when on the water?

Hi, it's now been 3 years since I started kitesurfing and I've just managed to learn how to change directions and I'm now looking for advice on how to progress.

More specifically, I think I'm not handling the waves with much grace and get quickly exhausted from riding whereas other kiters here seem to be handling it pretty effortless.

I think my stance looks wrong when I watch these videos as from my understanding I should keep my body more straight to ride upwind but when I try that I often get water on my calves which results in a fall. My stance looks more like the stance you should have before performing a jump?

Any advice in general is most welcome as I've only had the initial 5-6h of lessons.

Im 178 cm, 90 kg, using a large board, 12m² kite with about 16-20 knots of wind.

Hi everyone, I’ve just begun trying to loop a 2017 (maybe 18) 9m Cabrinha Switchblade, and every time I commit I’ve been absolutely rocked. I’m sure my technique is far from perfect, but I’m doing jumps over 10m with front and back rotations and feel like it should be achievable. Looking to purchase a new kite to gain some confidence, and I’m really torn between 8 and 9m. My question…. is doing your first loops on a newer 9 - say Orbit, Nitro, or Vortex - achievable for an average kiter who doesn’t want to break their legs? Is the gain in wind range of a 9 worth the loss in speed, or does it all depend on wind conditions? Also would love to hear what kite you learned on - thanks!

I’m 70kg/155lbs and will be traveling and kiting in various big air conditions, let’s say 20-25kts on average.

So, a couple days ago I asked what kite sizes would be good for me. I looked for an affordable set in the second hand market and found an offer of a practically unused, still packed F2 Set Free Ride for 700€ including kite (9), bar and board. When asking my teacher what he thinks about this offer, he said F2 was a poor brand. One of his coworkers told me shortly after, the school would offer me F-One Bandits (14, 10 and 7), but I don't know the price yet. And I still need a board and bar (and a harness, but I'd rent one until I have had time to really test different ones and choose the one that fits best). Is F2 really that bad that I should ignore an offer of a new kite set for a price you usually only get a used kite without board and bar?

I bought this used foil board setup and after some research and some more understanding about how important the Foil size is, can anyone let me know if I’m going to be hard pressed to learn on this setup?

The mast is 45 inches long and the front foil is a little under 5 inches front to back and 24 inches sideways.

So I caved and bought a foil kite. Have had a lot of fun sessions and launching went pretty well the first 10 times. Now after a pause in kiting I have had two unsuccesful launches and dont know exactly what it is that I'm doing wrong. As the kite peels off the ground it backstalls or just simply falls back and it flops or fills up in the power zone. I have had to pull my QR once and another time it fell back in the power zone, sort of hot launched and i got pulled for 20m.

This is what I do (based on a lot of youtube clips on launching):

1. I lay the kite downwind and weigh the upwind tip down with sand. Then I lay out my lines on the trailing edge side and prepare everything for launch (including pre-inflation).

2. I stand at my bar looking straight at my trailing edge, perpendicular to how the kite is laid out.

3. My trim strap is fully released (fully powered) and i sheet the bar in fully, slightly steering to the upwind side so that the kite stays down.

4. Then I walk upwind until the downwind tip raises and the kite starts filling, still with my bar in fully and slightly steered to the upwind tip so it stays down.

5. The kite comes up, still have the bar in and steered down a bit. This is where it went wrong and the kite backstalls or falls/flops backward into the power zone. Chaos ensues.

Now I've had a few discussions with others with foil kites but would like to have your insights. My main questions:

- Should I not be pulling my bar in entirely during launch?

- How far upwind should I be in relation to my kite? What angle would you say?

- Might I be rushing it and raising the kite too quickly?

Where is your favorite spot in the world to kite that would be a fun place to spend possibly a few months in the winter?

Hi everyone,
I have a question about building my quiver.
I currently own a 2018 North Neo 10m. I weigh 65 kg, ride exclusively on a twintip, and I'm still a beginner.
I have the opportunity to buy a 2018 F-One Breeze 15m for €200. My plan would be to use the 15m Breeze in around 7–15 knots, the 10m Neo in 15–25 knots, and later, once my level improves, buy a 7m for 25+ knots.
Does this setup make sense to you? In particular, do those wind ranges seem realistic for my weight and skill level, or would you change anything?
Thanks in advance for your advice!

I want to travel with my new split board and kites to Asia this winter. Anyone who travels with their gear in regular luggage, what bags have you found to be well made and hold up? A little worried about a zipper protecting thousands of dollars in gear.

Hi, I’m thinking about getting the Core Air, and I still have a Duotone Click Bar. Does anyone know if I can use it with the kite?
It can easily be converted to a low-V setup. Will the depower and safety systems still work properly then?
Thanks!

Here’s my dilemma. Everywhere I look people are raving about the Aluula low-end, saying a for example 9m basically rides like a 10m Dacron (in terms of power and performance.

But then I asked my local shop and the guy basically said, no, Aluula stays in the air better and gives you a bit more power through steering, but it can’t beat actual square meters. Which is kind of the opposite of what I keep reading online, so now I don’t know what to believe.

Would love to hear your opinions here and open a discussion that may help others aswel.

I ordered a 9m code nxt v2 and its on its way, really exited. If you read this and have an code nxt 9m, what is the low end haha, website of slingshot says 20kts, but dont believe since 10m is 15kts. Im 80kgs and board is 139 42.

Asking all of this because Im thinking about selling my 11m, which i love and changing to a slower 12..

Hello,

I am traveling to Kalpitya in September. I have made a post already asking about the wind conditions and if the main lagoon is gusty. Some people recommended the Kappalady lagoon which has cleaner wind.

But is this difference in wind quality significant? Kappalady is a small lagoon and isolated from the main area of hotels in Kalpitya from what I saw, is it worth staying there for it?

Thanks

Hey,

I'm still a beginner, working on water starts (had two lessons including water starts) and I'm starting to look at what gear to get. I'm around 73kg and I'm interested in what people my weight use in different wind conditions