Select to expand quotemazdon said..
Are you actually sure you want a wave kite?
Maybe not--I want a kite for riding my directional and that's it. We don't have waves in the traditional sense . . . but I'm assuming that the things my current kites do that annoy me when I'm trying to "ride waves" would be solved with a wave kite 
Kami, ever tried a Wainman? I just got one this year and it's my new favorite kite. I honestly am going to be buying more of these kites when it's time. I ride mostly strapped surfboard and like powered wave riding and jumping as high as possible. I have the Punch 10.5 and for O'ahu it's awesome. Drifts down the line great, it's really stable, fast turning, and has nice hang time. For me it's almost perfect, the upwind is not the best but it's not bad. I hear that people either love them or hate them, so try one if you can. Oh, and if you try one, they are really tune-able so check the settings they make a huge difference.
Yeah the bar pressure is a bit more than most kites. I kind of like it but I windsurf still too...
Select to expand quoteJKimbler said..
Yeah the bar pressure is a bit more than most kites. I kind of like it but I windsurf still too...
Peter Lynn Swell and Epic do a surf kite too. OR has the Prodigy too....
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..mazdon said..
Are you actually sure you want a wave kite?
Maybe not--I want a kite for riding my directional and that's it. We don't have waves in the traditional sense . . . but I'm assuming that the things my current kites do that annoy me when I'm trying to "ride waves" would be solved with a wave kite
What are those things that annoy you?
Select to expand quotePlummet said..Kamikuza said..mazdon said..
Are you actually sure you want a wave kite?
Maybe not--I want a kite for riding my directional and that's it. We don't have waves in the traditional sense . . . but I'm assuming that the things my current kites do that annoy me when I'm trying to "ride waves" would be solved with a wave kite
What are those things that annoy you?
Lack of power in a loop, slow turning and accelerating, total loss of response to input when it stalls part way through a turn, sitting so far at the edge of the window the power drops . . . the usual 
If the Pivot wasn't such a twitchy, rabid dog it'd be perfect. If the Park wasn't so vague all the time,mite be perfect. If the Bandit wasn't such a flappy front-line runaway, it'd still be naff. Maybe, my memory fails me.
Well unless all you are doing is going down the line on awesome waves. Don't get a wave kite. Get the next aspect up in the line like a Dice for example. They still drift well enough and a better for general riding.
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..
But I don't want it for anything else I'd buy Ozone before a North...
Then buy one. If its for dtl only then the that is the wave kites forte'. For everything else there are better kites.
Get an airush then, or a cabrinha or a bws or, or, or, or, ,,,,, it really doesn't matter they are all good at drifting and smooth power delivery.
Side note. Wave kites can compensate for poor technique. But only to a point. If you currently having trouble with a medium aspect kite in the waves its probably more a technique issue than a kite issue. Inversely you can make most kites work in the waves with good technique. I have awesome wave riding sessions my edges and they are ****house in the waves .......
Not the case is it. Going from one to the other in the same session results in a different experience, with glaring differences.
I don't think I've ever had waves and cross shore wind so I doubt I've ever gone down the line or whatever the kids are doing these days...
Have ridden my 15m Speed "in waves" and had a nice time, but it's a less than peak experience.
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..
Not the case is it. Going from one to the other in the same session results in a different experience, with glaring differences.
I don't think I've ever had waves and cross shore wind so I doubt I've ever gone down the line or whatever the kids are doing these days...
Have ridden my 15m Speed "in waves" and had a nice time, but it's a less than peak experience.
If you have never gone down the line and are unlikely too in the near future then you simply have no need for a wave kite. That is their only purpose. Use a mid aspect 3 strut do it all kite. It will handle the what ever partial drifting you want to do.
Here's some down the line action by crazy man Dave Edwards at my local break. Oh yeah, and his even more bat**** crazy speed wing flying.
So what you're saying is, there's no other situation that any one would need a responsive kite that drifts well?
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..
So what you're saying is, there's no other situation that any one would need a responsive kite that drifts well?
No. I am saying that if you do not go down the line of the wave face then you don't need a wave kite. That is the wave kites purposes. It sacrifices other factors just to drift like a loon down the line. Other non wave specific kites will be more fun for general riding and still drift well enough for anyone not ripping down the line of a wave every session.
As an example my catalyst drifts incredibly well. maybe 95% as good my Reo. The Reo beats it for sure. However most of the time I want the extra lift and fun factor the catalyst gives me. It really is a more fun kit for 99% of the riding time. Note that I will ride a wave down the line almost every session. Even then I still have more fun on the cat than the reo!!!....!!!
Summary.
Wave kites. One trick pony. awesome drifters, boring for general use. Don't buy one if you are not a surfer trying to recreate your surfing roots surfing a wave like a surfer drifting down the line.
Buy a responsive general purpose kite that drifts reasonably well but also has decent lift and upwind.
Rant over.
My bad.
So you're saying that the only people who need a wave kite are those ex-surfers who only ride down-the-line.
... wasn't it you who said wave kites are just relabeled beginner kites? And you've never actually ridden a surfboard/directional with a kite?
Now you are just arguing for the sake of it. For the record yes I have ridden an sb. Did about 6 mons both strapped and strapless. Far prefer my mutant.
You can take my advice or not. It is of no concern to me.
on occassion you might want to actually consider advice from people more experienced than you.
Kami, I used to think you had something useful to say
Now I have a different opinion of you
Select to expand quote PLUMMET SAID:
Wave kites. One trick pony. awesome drifters, boring for general use. Don't buy one if you are not a surfer trying to recreate your surfing roots surfing a wave like a surfer drifting down the line.
Buy a responsive general purpose kite that drifts reasonably well but also has decent lift and upwind.
That's a big call?
Often wave kites also have good low end, relaunch, stability and responsive turning.
Why the hell would anyone want that in a kite?
True if you want a boring kite for learning. Yes wave kite is good. In the context of a kite for our argumentative monkey from Japan. Wave kite of little use to him as he is not a beginner and by his admission may never have ridden down the line.
Select to expand quotePlummet said..
Now you are just arguing for the sake of it. For the record yes I have ridden an sb. Did about 6 mons both strapped and strapless. Far prefer my mutant.
You can take my advice or not. It is of no concern to me.
on occassion you might want to actually consider advice from people more experienced than you.
Just for the sake of arguing? No, I'm trying to make sure I've got what you're saying nailed down, which is:
Waves kites are only for ex-surfers who ride down the line because all the waves kites do is drift and they're weak in every other area so don't buy one.
Why am I trying to nail it down? Because it doesn't make sense to me and I suspect that given your far greater experience in all matters kiting, I must be missing some vital point.
Hmm. I suspect your account has been hacked by Steve/Terry.
Select to expand quoteChris_M said..
Kami, I used to think you had something useful to say
Now I have a different opinion of you
I think you mixed me up with someone else. Lofty maybe.
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..Plummet said..
Now you are just arguing for the sake of it. For the record yes I have ridden an sb. Did about 6 mons both strapped and strapless. Far prefer my mutant.
You can take my advice or not. It is of no concern to me.
on occassion you might want to actually consider advice from people more experienced than you.
Just for the sake of arguing? No, I'm trying to make sure I've got what you're saying nailed down, which is:
Waves kites are designed for people whose prime focus is to ride down the line. Because waves kites drift exceptionally well, they're weak in other areas so don't buy one if your prime focus isn't drifting down the line.
Why am I trying to nail it down? Because it doesn't make sense to me and I suspect that given your far greater experience with riding waves, I must be missing some vital point.
There you go. I fixed it for you.
To be honest,
the way trends are going, "surf style" kites seem to be suiting more styles of riding then high aspect kites are.All to there own tho.
Select to expand quotePlummet said..
Kamikuza said..
Plummet said..
Now you are just arguing for the sake of it. For the record yes I have ridden an sb. Did about 6 mons both strapped and strapless. Far prefer my mutant.
You can take my advice or not. It is of no concern to me.
on occassion you might want to actually consider advice from people more experienced than you.
Just for the sake of arguing? No, I'm trying to make sure I've got what you're saying nailed down, which is:
Waves kites are designed for people whose prime focus is to ride down the line. Because waves kites drift exceptionally well, they're weak in other areas so don't buy one if your prime focus isn't drifting down the line.
Why am I trying to nail it down? Because it doesn't make sense to me and I suspect that given your far greater experience with riding waves, I must be missing some vital point.
There you go. I fixed it for you.
So where do the ex-surfers come into it?
Hey Plums,
Why you go and share your vast knowledge on some Ozone thread somewhere......no offence intended, just trying to get back on topic.
Select to expand quotetoppleover said..
Hey Plums,
Why you go and share your vast knowledge on some Ozone thread somewhere......no offence intended, just trying to get back on topic.
Fair enough. To be fair I wasn't pushing ozone. Its just the brand I know so I can list the wave and non wave kites.
