Rider: male
Weight,83 kg
Level :like to think I am advanced when there is a camera on the beach
Style: Free riding, Surf, Wake, Freestyle
Weather: 10-18knots
Build Quality: 8/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: happy to be kiting
My Comments:
I kite in Sydney's northern beeches which means there are plenty of 10-15knot days at Fishermans (long reef) . The problem I have had over the years is to find a solution for light wind kiting i.e. do I get a big board or big kite?
Finally I lost my temper on a 10-15knot day and rushed out and bought a fly surfer speed 3 15m. This was a big learning curve.
Likes: I found the kite to be very good at big lofting jumps, very nice feeling through the bar (i.e. light) and very powerful. The most impressive feature for me was that the power in these kites builds as soon as you set it into position and ease out the bar. It felt great.
Dislikes: if you stuff up a jump and invert the kite you can end up with a real tangle in the water which leaves you out the back with no floatation device to drag you into shore. Also the kite is too slow to turn in comparison to the 17m griffin.
After about 5 sessions on the Fly surfer Chris from Griffin gave me his 17 m to try and that really gave me the ****s. Not only was his kite less than half the price of the Fly surfer I instantly felt at home on it.
Likes: It turns like a 12 m. It has as much power as you need. It allows nice controlled jumps, you seem to know where the kite is sitting with out looking. The best bit is you don't need a big board to get out in light wind (unlike the fly surfer). I rode a 134*42 yesterday in 12-15knts (I am 83kg) and was fine. I also used a surfboard and it was easy. Another important point is that I am 41 years old and when kiting with a 12m in that 10-15knot range you end up stuffed from generating power in the kite. With the 17 m you just set and forget. This means no more sore arms in light winds.
I rang Chris (kite designer) after my first session and told him to pat himself on the back because this is a great kite. It will not be long before big kites rule the sky!
Finally to give you an idea of my current range I have a 8m RPM 12m Ozone and 17m Griffin one twin tip 134*42 and one Flow surfboard quad fin 6ft with straps (Ps these are great kite surf boards and very well priced) . That's not too much to drag around and covers the whole wind range.
Ps I started kiting in 2007 on a North rebel and still have a huge passion for this sport. Thankyou to all the board and kite designers your efforts are well appreciated.
Good luck with your selection and hope this helps. PSS dont be fooled by comments from posters with invested interest in selling their brands. The best thing to always do is try before you buy. I wish i had followed my own advice!
Hey Ruckus, you got a 2012 17m, not a 2011 :)
2 riders where going upwind in 8 - 9 knots, 85kg and 87kg with long line extensions on 133 x 40 Twin Tip the other day at long reef. The 2012 argos are a large step up over the 2011's
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING MOVING YOU DECENT UNDER 10KNTS THEN YOU CAN GO PAST THE BIG FOILS- FLYSURFER AND SPLEENE X19.
I could tell that Argo 17m 2011 still flies in 5-6 knots, and it's posiible to auto-relaunch it easily on the sand in 7-8 knots. I'm 75 kg and get out in 7 knots average with 40m lines using a race-board and I'm still going upwind.
Actually there are some big inflatable light-wind kites that could fly in these conditions (specially race dedicated kites). Between this kites the Argo (specially 2012) colud be one with the fastest turning, that allows use it for surf and freestyle in lightwind (specially designed for this use, not for racing).
Otherway, I must say that I've seen in the Spanish Racing Championship a Spleene X-19 (bigger and lighter than the rest of the kites because all the rest where inflatable kites) beating all in a marginal wind race, while in the rest of the races, (light wind too, but higher than in this race) the same guy was doing over 8th-10th position (using a smaller race board than the most competitive guys - North LTD 2010 against all 2011 bigger race boards).
The inflatable kites has the disadvantage of wheight (even they are lighter than before), but if they fall on the water you could still go out with any problem.
Both kites (inflatables and foils) has advantages and disadvantages. Using one or another is up to each one.
I agree that the best way to decide is try, try and try... And decide by your own.
The top international racers are still using inflatable kites and going REALLY fast even in lightwind (some knots less than 10).
Sub 10 knots i'd rather be out on the SUP in the surf ,dont see the point of struggling with a massive kite in winds that light,no my idea of fun.
I agree with Saffer: for lightwind 15m (foil or inflatable) is not actually the best option. All depends on what you understand for lightwind... but this could be discussed in another threat...
Hey.
What is the water relaunch like with the griffin 17 in sub 10kn and what are the different year models like for water relaunch? e.g. 2010,2011,2012
Cheers
Kitch
Took a 17(011) for a blast the other day too light for anything else on the beach put it in the drink(doing flip loops) no issues getting it back up at all real easy and it was frikkin light.
After indulging a little too much after christmas I've been using my Speed 3 15m more as my standard kite rather than my 10m Psycho 4. (probably need to do something about that 'cause I'm struggling with my harness)
Anyway, I've found it super easy to fly, very forgiving and an absolute hoot once the breeze gets up to 25 knots (really should lose some weight)
Really this is not a freestyle kite (though I'm using it as one) because it is somewhat ponderous through the turns.
But for racing and cruising I've found it to be fantastic, you can just park it and cruise or set it an really concentrate on getting around the course.
Once I've worn this one out I'll probably replace it with a 19m and maybe upgrade my 10m to a 12m
