lives2fly

Or you can get towed by a boat or jetski - its probably cheaper...

Ok you got me, i'm too cheap to buy a new bar just so I get a swivel.... But it is also true that i use downloop turns more, have learned to backloop on my opposite tack and I'm working on backloop kiteloops and front loops partly motivated by wanting to untwist my frontlines. I would rather have better skills than better gear

At 95kg I would think a 13-14m would be a better choice for a goto kite in average 14-20kts wind speeds. Im 83kg and using a 12m in those conditions.

The Uni bar is fine - once you get used to the BTB trim strap which some people never do if they have used an ATB system for many years but I don't really notice it anymore. Its smoother than alot of bars I have tried. I was actually on here moaning about the lack of swivel (i have 2010 & 2011 bars) but its been more rewarding to try & solve the twisting by attempting opposite tricks. The Parks are great kites - except they don't have that good low end. what were you flying before?

I have been riding a twin tip just under 18 months and I have now got a wave board which I find feels plain wierd!! Its not actually that hard to ride and is easier than a TT for toeside and jibes etc but it feels really odd. The worse bit is waterstarting in deep water so far - endless faffing for me. feels like the early days when everything was alien and complicated! If you want to ride waves then stick it out though because just like the TT it will become so natural you stop thinking about it. I'm not sure I'm bothered enough. I think I'm more into jumping and learning harder freestyle.

Doesn't Luce bay only work in a Southerly?

One of my best flatwater spots is a freshwater loch (If Scotland becomes indipendent will we have to come up with Scottish versions of all English words or is Lake the only one we will bother with?) Its not very inland though - about 200m inland. And yeah there is less bouyancy in fresh water and its warmer in summer and colder in winter comparative to the sea...

Yeah i guess that forcing myself to learn the tricks both ways is the best way to minimise the twists and get better. My back roll is on the opposite tack to my front roll at the moment so its double the problem!! Not doing S-bends and F16's yet. my unhooked pop needs lots of work to get the height. Back roll/kite loop looks doable though I'll deffinately give that a go Would still appreciate any info on the newer Naish bars if anyone has any. Cheers

I'm riding a variety of Naish kites on a 2010 universal bar and since I started doing lots of rotations the front lines are getting really twisted (around the yellow safety line) and I'm not sure the safety would flag properly if I pulled it. I'm guessing more modern bars have a swivel or something to stop this happening or at least to allow you to untwist without taking the frontlines off. What year of Naish uni bar has this? anyone know?

Yes its plenty warm enough if you have a 5/3 wetsuit. I just spent 15 days in Egypt which I was worried might turn me into a pussy what with all the sunshine and lack of hailstones but nope Scotland still doesn't feel very cold

I have the North Quiver bag which is a size up from the Combi. Its a really nice bag although its 3 or 4 kg empty. makes packing really easy.

Get a lightwind freestyle kite. My 2014 Naish Fly is fun from 12kt (14mph) & with a big board I can cruise about in 8kt (9mph) I'm 85kg, intermediate. Someone with more skills and/or lighter could probably do a lot more with it. It doesn't quite "handle like a 12m" as Naish claim but its not far off. Look at Ocean Rodeo Flite too. only tried the 17m but they have a 15m too. They are both better choices than Zephyrs or turbines etc if you actually want to do tricks on lighter days.

XC constantly over estimates the windspeed for most locations - particularly in the winter when it's forecast model can't cope with the complexity of North Atlantic weather systems.

You could put some straps on it That way you won't lose your board so often and can spend time riding it instead of trying to get back on it. Its easier to swap your feet without straps but thats the only benefit that I can see in not having them.

Gulf Stream. the sea never gets that cold here to be honest. Its the wind chill that shortens your kite sessions and makes getting changed miserable. Don't tell anyone though cos I don't want it to get crowded. There were 3 people kiting at the same beach the other week ffs.....

The OR Soul or the NPX Lucifer (harder to find) are probably the best kiteboarding drysuits around. You are not going to be any warmer than you are in a quality wetsuit though. + the real problem in cold weather/water kiting is your hands! A membrane drysuit is more comfortable to wear but I find it actually restricts movement compared to a well fitting, good quality wetsuit. Particularly if you wear a bouyancy aid or impact vest over it. The Neoprene kind are pointless as they don't do anything well. Even a drysuit with a big hole in it does not have negative bouyancy. There will still be trapped air in it so you will always have more latent bouyancy than if you were in Hawaii in your boardshorts - even then you would have neutral bouyancy. A good drysuit is a good option but a good wetsuit is just as good. the only thing that really sucks is getting out of it at the end of the session - particularly if you do it next to your car in a hail storm in a car park.... dry suit has it beat there. but a decent wetsuit is half the price, just as good on the water and a much better choice for surfing or SUP if you do those sports too. Other popular options if you are in the middle adged, middle income section of UK kitesurfers, are spending 20 grand on a camper van or 2 grand on a winter holiday to the caribbean for a couple of weeks in order to avoid being cold. The sea temp is still 9° in the Hebrides - Speedos weather

There are only 2 things stopping me kite sufing at the moment. Its dark by 4pm which kills any chance of a midweek session & last weekend it was gusting 60 knots and my smallest kite is 7.5m.... I'm not sure its worth getting a 5m that i will probably only use 6 times a year... Its not cold though

I would go for the board first. it will extend the low end of your 13m a few knots. You really need to get a lightwind specific kite to ride in really light (sub 10 knots) conditions & a big twin-tip or surfboard. but in marginal 10-15knot days the board will give you more results. I've had loads of success over summer with a Naish Fly (15m) and a Nobile flying carpet - you can cruise about and stay upwind in 8knots & do tricks at 12 knots. I was really impressed with the Ocean Rodeo Flite as well - both great lightwind freeride/freestyle kites rather than the more race oriented models like the Zephyr and Turbine.

like

I'm sorry but stoked is the perfect word to describe the feeling of... being stoked. I'm 40 and I use that word all the time thank f**k. I hope I go on using it for a long time too. Share the stoke guys

What do the "ambassadors" get? Ferrero Rocher?

Just noticed you're in Spain. If I don't need a drysuit in the Hebrides you really don't need one 1500 miles further south But if you do get one the Xcel drylock boots work really well with latex ankle seals. and Mystic do mits with no palm section that keep the worst of the cold off your hands without tiring out your forearms.

well, if you bid hard enough it could be yours

Xcel Infiniti 5/3 does me all year round up here in the Hebs. Mind you a cheap ass £130 5/4 backzip Tiki suit had done me well enough for 10 years before that though I was not kiting. I think i am just getting to be more of a pussy about the cold in my old age

Surfers don't wear them because they spend alot of time swimming & it really wouldn't help you trying to duck-dive! If you are spending most of your time out of the water a drysuit is a better garment for keeping you warm. Some guys on SUPs are wearing them in cold water venues like Canada & Norway. I think the main reason more people don't wear them in the UK (apart from cost) is that we are too worried about looking silly or out of place. + if you surf or SUP aswell a wettie is more versatile.