BayAreaKiteboarding.com

@Red_Element_Andy - yes, it's been hard for me to get used to, but you do go down at 2m with the Clouds. 8m is ~10 and 6m is 8ish... Ideal might be a 5.5m + 8m for a bigger gap btw the 6 and the 8m.

@tgautier - skill is a HUGE factor for sure. When I started kiting my main kite was a 12m Rebel, quite a powerful kite. Then I went to 11m, 10m... Now I find I can make a small kite work in almost anything - with a bigger board as necessary.

7, 9, 11

7 - surf kite - my go to kite for the coast
9 - freestyle/wakestyle oriented kite - my go to kite for 3rd and other bay spots
11 - light wind kite for the bay area and travel kite (lots of spots around the world that get consistent light winds where you need something this size or bigger)

one kite and multiple boards is the real answer I can kite in about 90% of the time on one mid size kite just by varying the type of board i am riding.

I'm trying to figure out the same thing - I'm 125 lbs, beginner, and have a 7.5 right now. So far it's been too small to kite at Alameda and Toll Plaza Beach when I've gone out, so I'm trying to decide if a 10.5 is the other kite I should get, or get a 9 as well to split the difference. I've been told I should go smaller too, but I haven't been successful yet on the 7.5 and feel more comfortable starting in lighter winds with a nice long beach like Alameda.

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The size of your board will make a huge difference. If you are going with a twin tip, a 7,9, 11 is a good combination. I'm 195#. If the wind isn't 15mph, I don't want to go out. The 11m Edge has a lot of power on lighter wind days.

My quiver is switching to 8, 10, 12.

I am surprised that not many have a 6m or smaller kite in their quiver. I am 185lbs and 75% of the time i used my 7m on the coast, I could easely have been on a 6. Since my last post on this, I have reconsidered my quiver and it's going to be a 6/9/11 (would prefer 6/8/11 but i only ride Switch and 8 method does not exist yet) and i'll keep my old 14m truck for the home sessions in alameda...like last sunday from 8 to 9.30 am! haha~alone on the water in A-town by low tide, never had some much real estate to self launch and land!

so I'm trying to decide if a 10.5 is the other kite I should get, or get a 9 as well to split the difference

Definitely get a 10.5...with your weight the 7.5 will get you going on windy days and the 10.5 on lighter days. But...what's with the .5????

Ron wrote:I am surprised that not many have a 6m or smaller kite in their quiver. I am 185lbs and 75% of the time i used my 7m on the coast, I could easely have been on a 6. Since my last post on this, I have reconsidered my quiver and it's going to be a 6/9/11 (would prefer 6/8/11 but i only ride Switch and 8 method does not exist yet) and i'll keep my old 14m truck for the home sessions in alameda...like last sunday from 8 to 9.30 am! haha~alone on the water in A-town by low tide, never had some much real estate to self launch and land!

so I'm trying to decide if a 10.5 is the other kite I should get, or get a 9 as well to split the difference

Definitely get a 10.5...with your weight the 7.5 will get you going on windy days and the 10.5 on lighter days. But...what's with the .5????

Not sure why the Kahoona kites are .5 sizes, but everyone has said they are good beginner/progression kites - easy to relaunch and I got a great deal :)

I've heard both sides about going bigger and smaller, so I think 10 or 10.5 will be good for the lighter wind. I'm a bit afraid of getting overpowered in larger wind and wanted to start at alameda, but I think I Just need to get out to 3rd ave with another lesson to get comfortable with the launch.

thanks!

Ron wrote:I am surprised that not many have a 6m or smaller kite in their quiver. I am 185lbs and 75% of the time i used my 7m on the coast

The answer is in the question.
You're mostly on the coast: waddell more often in the mid to upper 20's. Bay more often in the low 20's.
Also: people on the coast are riding surfboard where A LOT more people in the bay are riding TTs.
I'm 185 as well, and if I'm on my TT, I can take a 7 all the way to the gust at 40. No way I could do that on a strapless board...