Im 80kg. Currently have Cab 12 and RRD 9. Would like to get out there when its 12-14 knts. Should I get a 14m or bigger?
Also probably going to bali kiting in a few weeks and I heard wind isnt too strong so 14m is preferable.
Whats best allrounder kite at this size?
14m sounds good for 12-14knots at 80kg there is no point in going any bigger as the kites become to slow. But realistically why bother kiting in 12knots ( unless thats all you get where you live ) its just lawn mowing.
Rather than spend $$$ on another kite consider using your 12 with a bigger board and better technique ( which is 85% of it ).
Im 83kg and can ride an 8m from 15-16 knots ( not worth it but has won me more than a few bets ) up to 30-32 knots on a 131cm board, mainly because the 8m is so quick to get back through the power zones. it means you have to work the kite to get going and build up apparent wind, but once you are going there is far less drag.
YOu may find with the 14 it will pull you up out of the water but then takes a long time to rise and come back through the power zone...in this time you have lost momentum and begun to sink.....before powering up again and going another 10m....
with a smaller kite you can have it back into the power zone before you begin to sink and with each power stroke you will build speed.... what the smaller kite wont give you in light winds is hang time ... you can still boost and get height but you tend to drop quickly
Don't bother, just learn to ride your 12m better and also maybe get a bigger board.
Not a real fan of big kites either but if you need one Id reco you try the 14M RPM.
We've had a regular good reports from demos on how much they perform like a smaller kite. And you get 2 kites in one with the optional settings.
One guy from nth WA - where they really do need big kites - looking for a 2nd smaller kite for when he did get a bit better wind tested it side by side with his regular 17M kite and decided it would be all he would need. 
I would make Relaunch my biggest priority in choosing a light wind kite regardless of brand ...... youll understand when theres F.A wind,its in the drink and your up poo creek 
Also you have to practise letting the kite fly on the front lines 80/20 to go back up faster or itll stall on the turn in light winds...
Hi Peeps,
It all depends on what you want and where you live. If you live somewhere where wind is predominantly light, a 17m is awesome. I ride the XR LW in light winds on a TT and I don't just "mow the lawn".
I reckon a 14m is too close to your 12 Crossbow. The XR LW is no slower than the 12m CAB Crossbow and is definitely lighter on the bar and more responsive.
As always, grab a demo on one to see for yourself if it suits your needs.
Agree with DM, 12-15 knots with a big kite is awesome for learning tricks and doing floaty boosts. Bigger board will get you going if you do just want to mow the lawn but won't give you the power to do anything else.
You'll get a fair bit of overlap between 12 and 14 but 16/17 might be too big depending what you get. If you're planning on hitting 85+ kg down the track bigger is better...
I have a 14m cab contra 08 model it was my second kite after a 12m cab3 switch 08 model and now that I have a couple of new evo's 8m and 10 m I never use the 12m I always seem to step from the 10 to the 14m if that helps
Im' 97kgs and learned to kite in sanuar from a deal jenki from the bali kite shop sorted he's a good bloke and doesnt hassel you also the school furtherest down the coats the original one is the best those guys are patient and respectful and put me on a 15 meter kite as i only had the 12m at that stage, I used one of the other schools the one in front of the mecure hotel and they yelled at me the whole time and left me feeling really inadequate on a 10 meter kite.
def take a big kite to bali bigger the better there winds dont seem to have a lot of grunt even when its 20knts wind density maybe, I finally got a pic of me kitting when wife came done on weekend its a 14m cab contra wind is 15nts gusting to 35nts very challenging bring on summer winds.
Each to their own as far as LW kiting goes.
I wanted to maximise any opportunity I could get on the water and went with a 17m Zephyr, my other kite is a 12m Cab SB, and im 105kg.
The Zeph has a very good wind range, top end and handles gusts well, admittedly its a big kite, turns fairly slow, but it gets me out there when too light for my 12m.
So for me its about time on the water and progressing my kiting.
As far as top end goes, it overlaps well with my 12m, as I dont get on my 12m until its around 15knts. And this is why I went with the Zeph over other LW kites.
Yesterday I was at Wello from 10:30am to 3:30pm, spent the majority of my time on the 17m. I only swapped to the 12m at about 1:30-2pm, in retrospect I should have down sized a lot earlier as it did really kick in and some narly gusts came through. The winter westerlies, very gusty, dropping in and out, were a bit of a handful at times, but were manageable on the Zeph.
I'm hopeless at estimating wind speeds, but the 17m was out in gusts well over 20knts id say.
Yes yes i should have been on my 12m in these conditions, but it was changing constantly, and would rather be overpowered on my 17 than under on the 12.
Yesterday's readings from Peel and the Airport below....probably explains why Im so sore today
I got the 14m elclipse thruster (not made anymore) for the light wind days and have a blast when it is 12 knots to 17 knots. then ill use a 10m. great fun for boosting when the wind picks up, and always the first (well the 17m xr seems to get going before me!!) but i have used this also in surf. if you can aford it why not!
14 Park ,14 Rpm ,15 C4 all good quick kites compared with most other 14m slugs ,my pick is the 14 Park its quick as for a 14 tons of fun in 12+,yea you can get gruntier kites but grunty usually = slow,im 95kg and the 14 Park is plenty grunty in 12+.
Perth 232 dude
There will be a few of us out this morning around Point Walter on big ass 15+m kites, I'm sure you could have a quick demo on some different brands if you asked politely and brought a hot brew down :)
I'll have the blue rag up.....
I'm 83 kg and have a 14catalyst that I love and a 17 zephyr that I learn to love real quickly when the wind is too light for the 14. I recommend them both, but that's for where I ride and what I do. (seabreeze chop at the beaches if it's seabreeze, river if it's easterly). I'd say if you want to do tricks, these kites might not be the go. and the catalyst is just awesome downwind.
someone said the 14 is too close to the 12, and there is a lot of truth in that unless you can afford a 14 and a 17. If you are very very skilful (that doesn't include me) I'd go the 14, if you are just competent, go the 17. People at contacios have a bit of a chuckle when they see my 17 out, and the very good guys are perhaps on a 10 or 12, but I get more use out of the zephyr than any of my other kites.
Darren offered you a demo. take him up on it.
Dazza
I've got a 17m Zephyr and my next kite is a 12m. I can comfortable use the Zephyr until I'm well powered on the 12m.
12-14kn is sweet on the Zephyr at my 87kg. But don't expect a 17m to turn like a 12m.
I'd have to say No to.
90kg and find my 14m too slow and heavy and if the conditions are that light I'd rather not bother. Maybe my kites a bit old (09'SB) but have they really changed that much?
my 05 15m fuel is my favourite light wind kite.
there is nothing wrong with big kites, you just need to use the board a bit more to keep the kite in the sweet spot
13M Airush Lithium Light Wind, crazy low end power will get you going in near nothing, combined this with a raceboard the other day and was going in sub 8knots. Slightly different and lighter than the on light wind specific Lithium giving better relaunch and power in near no wind.
check it out.
airush.com/2011/products/lithium_lw/
then check out a demo at your local shop.
I changed from a 12m Rally to a 14m Rally cause i was sick of the ****ty wind we have been having on the south east coast. Going to add a 10m Rally when the new model comes out. Have had a great time on the 14m against the 12m so far . At 84kg on a 135 board it works for me. 12-14 knts is about the lightest i have used it up to 20 without feeling overpowered.
what is the beasty in the left hand bottom corner on pic 2 and 4?? down Augusta ways?
if yah can find one get a 09 14m north rhino unbelevably awsome in lighter conditions i weigh 75kgs and can get upwind on a surf board in 10knots 15 knots and 13 knots and im cruising on a twin tip
Yep looks good for tommorow actually 15knt souterly forcast for margs, here we go again solo no doubt
i love a 14, so good to have a kite that doesn't move too much, also, don't think a bigger board will do, nothing more boring than riding a door
