Two or Three Kite Quiver?

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NCKite_Ryder
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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by NCKite_Ryder » Sat Jun 15, 2013 9:14 am

I went with the four kite quiver. Its really nice to be on the proper gear. The 12 is pure light wind, I don't even ride it in surf. The 10m is nice but I like the 8m better for kiteloops and surf sessions. The 10 is a dialed kite though, most kites are designed around 9 and 10. The 6 is for anything above 30mph.... All the way up to 50. Its a session saver as two years ago I sat several sessions out cause I didn't have small enough gear. Now I want to ride 8 or 6 always nothing else. If I were to buy new I would go 6,9,12... And consider adding a 4.5m down the line!
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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by wjb » Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:41 am

Mark, I have had a 6,8,11 North Rebel quiver for over 3 years now and for most everything it is perfect. The 8 to 11 is a little stretch but not uncomfortably so. You would be stretching it or sitting on the beach with a 2 kite quiver. I had 7 and 10 for a while. It worked ok but not optimal. For riding the coast you definitely don't want to be without your small kite. Those are the best sessions.
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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by MehYam » Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:41 am

Another option as well is to go used & scrappy in those off-sizes you're not going to use very much. Helm, for example, had a couple of small used sizes, reasonable kites for very cheap ($300 or less).

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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by Ron » Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:25 am

I've had a 7,9, 12 and 14m for a couple of yrs. My 14m is really for light wind days in Alameda. For the coast, I am mostly on my 7 or 9 even though there were days I wish i had a 6m. I'll defnintely stay on a 3 kite quiver at least but I am thinking about extending the range of sizes to go from 6 to maybe 16 (6, 8/9, 11 & 14/16). I think it depends where you ride too...I live in Alameda but live wave riding so I need the appropriate gear for both ~~~

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Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by sc-surfer » Sat Jun 15, 2013 1:11 pm

It is definitely about the cost vs. session ratio. I personally want to maximize my rideable days so 4 kites is a minimum for me.
For me it breaks down like this:

7m - Bread and butter at the coast. Usually wish I had an 8, but then would have to also have a 6. Taking me to a 5 kite quiver.

9m - My favorite ride but not used often. 9M wind is so great...enough wind for solid power but not so windy the water is shredded. And a 9m kite still flies fast.

11m - Light-medium wind kite when the lulls are pretty low. My personal 11m (Caution Mayhem X) is a little on the small side so it can handle the gusts on a medium wind day without ripping me off the water.

14m - Light wind session saver. I bought the 14 from an Alameda local because I got it for a great price, figuring I'd ride it once in a while. I find I get at least 1-2 extra sessions a week because of it as I can catch a quick town sesh when I don't have time to drive up the coast.

Basically, by bread and butter kites are my 7m and 14m. Go figure.

For point of reference, 180lbs, always on a surfboard. Either 5'6" or 6'3" strapless.



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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by rowboat » Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:13 am

I have had 3, 4, and 5 kite quivers and this year have gotten down to 2.

I weigh 190lbs. Until now my most-used quiver was 7/9/11 Ocean Rodeo Rises. I used the 9 most, but the 7 and 11 both got a lot of time. There were certainly some days when the 7 was too much... More recently I had 6/8/10/12/15 (overkill) OR Razors and the 8 & 10 got most use (8 most of all), then the 6, then the 12, then the 15 (basically never, except for Tom yesterday at Stinson, before I put up my 8 ;)

This year I have 6m + 8m Clouds and, believe it or not, they cover just about all conditions that I want to kite in. If it's blowing >30 I don't find the conditions that appealing, and the 8m works down to avg 18mph if not 17.

These days I only ride strapless (surfboards). I can adjust how much wind the kites work in by going with a larger/smaller board. Yesterday at Stinson Tom came in on my old 15m, said he was "powered", and I went out on my 8m, which worked great. Other guys were on 10s.

I am pretty psyched on the tiny two-kite quiver. It does mean that I don't have a light-wind "session saver", except I do, but I never use it, because it's big and un-fun to pump and while it files damn well for a 15, at that point I'd rather go do something else...
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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by Red_Element_Andy » Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:44 pm

rowboat wrote:This year I have 6m + 8m Clouds and, believe it or not, they cover just about all conditions that I want to kite in. If it's blowing >30 I don't find the conditions that appealing, and the 8m works down to avg 18mph if not 17.
Interesting ... I've been thinking of doing this myself. I currently have 9m/12m Cab's - but am interested in creating the ultimate travel kit (resolve splitboard + clouds). Is it true that you really size down 2m's with clouds? So ... a 6m/8m is comparable to a 8m/10m? Ever wish you had a 5m/8m cloud set up?

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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by Yoda » Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:03 am

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Last edited by Yoda on Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Two or Three Kite Quiver?

Post by etxxz » Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:34 am

extensions also choke kites if you over do it.

I have 7/10/12 now.

The 10 overlaps the 12 by a good bit. Its unnecessary.
I could easily have just 7 and 10. (165lb TT) and here in the bay, i use that 10m 95% the time.

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Post by tgautier » Mon Jun 17, 2013 11:44 am

Agree with etxxz. 10m is my goto kite around here. I weigh 220 and ride a 137/41.

However I think overall skill plays into this quite a bit. 2 seasons ago a 12m was my goto kite. With more experience I think comes the ability to use a smaller kite. So in any discussion of kite sizes I think it's important to factor in skill level.

And to some extent kites get better each year and allow for a slightly smaller kite.

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