djkiter

I'm also working on my upwind technique. It's fun to be able to get back to my stuff by tacking rather than walking or kicking the board back upwind.

Hi! I still take out my stunt kites every once in a while when the wind is low. There's nothing like doing slack-line tricks! I only own and fly Prism stunt kites because they are top quality and their after sales service is excellent. R-Sky, Atelier, and Benson make great kites as well. Check out their websites. Prism - http://www.prismkites.com/ (USA) Benson - http://bensonkites.com/ (UK) L'Atelier - http://www.atelierkites.com/ (France) R-Sky - http://www.r-sky.com/ (France)

One word... FAST!!! Really fast. Never tried it but my crazy friend did on his GI Flight Lite and Sammy 5m. He went so fast he out ran the kite.

I get more out of my Rookie2 9m than my mate does on his Frenzy 05 7m in the same winds. I would assume the Cool 9m to perform a bit better than the Rookie so I think it's safe to say it'd be worth it. The only thing that is better on the Frenzy is the technical bag.

Based on your weight and current kites I'd recommend you take a look at the following kites... HQ Crossfire 5.0 (Not as lift-happy as the Blade. Great value for money) Flexi Blade 4.9 (Lifty as hell, should be flown with respect) Ozone Samurai 5.0 (More pull than lift. The best for cruising and small jumps) Or if you want a good first depowerable have a go on the Flysurfer Rookie2 9m. 9 meters seems big but when depowered has similar pull to a 5m fixed bridal kite. You will need a harness if you decide to go depowerable though.

My wallet ran away when it heard me say new Flysurfer kites.

Consider getting the Flysurfer Rookie 9m for your first depowerable, you won't regret it! I've had decent time on a Samurai 5m, Blade III 4.9, Crossfire 5m, Frenzy 7m, and more recently a Riot 9m and I would still choose the Rookie 9m.

Bummer I really wanted a Comp 6...

I have the 9m and I'm very happy with it. Lots of pull with plenty of "friendly" lift when the wind picks up. It will take you up and let you down gently. The extension lines really make a difference.

We threw on my mate's Ozone handles on my Rookie2 9m yesterday. NOT FUN! The wind was really light (about 6mph). Even after adjusting the break-lines, it still turned very slowly. There was a lot of pull but not enough control to get on the board. Might be more fun with the smaller sizes.

Got my girlfriend a Prism Stylus P.3. Great 2 line foil that can provide great traction in mental winds. The kite is designed to be converted easily into a 4 line configuration by loosening some knots in the bridle and adding break lines, quad handles. Can also be stacked like the Flexi's to double/triple the power. I find the Stylus a lot easier to self launch than the Super 10, and it will go up in lighter winds. In quad-mode, it feels like a small Bullet. The best part has to be the price. At $130 a pop, you get a 3m kite, ready to fly with 2 lines, straps, and cool compression sack. Not bad IMO.

Tell him to come down to Manila for the weekend since the winds in Subic are weak this time of year. It's only a 2 hour drive. He can have a go on any of our kites and try out KGB.

A friend of mine just got the Ground Industries Sherpa bag. Really nice. http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/9748/sherpafull0zx.gif

Where in the Philippines does your mate fly? There are a few places to landboard if he is in Manila.

The Crossfire 5m is worth a look too. I've flown both Blade III 4.9 and Crossfire 5.0 side by side. The Crossfire seems less willing to kill me.