Chris De Roock

I use a Vampir 5.2 in this wind range. With 20m lines in 10-15 MPH and 30m lines in 5-10 MPH. Truly amazing traction kite...

Vampir 1.8 or 2.3 : excellent high wind buggy kites at a reasonable price Gin Yoz 1.8 or 2.6 : excellent, but more expensive Lower spec kites (like Buster, Firebee) can get torn to pieces in really high winds...

Give the Vampir 2.3 a try, you might be surprised... (well at least I was).

Yep, I did almost exactly the same thing to my 6.6 last year with excellent results. It flew a lot faster, inflater earlier on take-off and generally performed better in all aspects. The only problem is that I had to keep on adjusting the bridle every time I had flown the kite in a decent wind. My conclusion is that the main problem is bridle stretch. The bridle material is just not up to the massive pull and lift of the 6.6. At the moment, I've had my 6.6 sent back to Flexifoil for a bridle change, hoping that they can solve the problem in a definitive way.

Yep, Vampir 3.0 will do the trick at a very reasonable price. As said above : fast, powerful, stable, easy to fly... I have the 2.3 and am selling my Blade 3.0 to get the Vampir 3.0.

I sold my PL and bought a V-MAX. Only wish I had bought the V-MAX straight away...

If I would have to get rid of all my kites except one ... I'd keep my Blade III 4.0. Most versatile and most used kite in my bag.

For buggying, both the Bullet and the Blade are valid options. But if you also want to landboard, go for a Blade, no doubt about that. The 4.0 is the most used kite in my bag, great for landboarding in average winds . Nice kite in the buggy, too. For traction activities : lower wind range 10-12MPH, ideal wind range 12-15MPH, higher wind range 15-18MPH (for my weight of course). The 3.0 is OK in 15-20MPH, but can be quite tricky in higher winds (+20MPH). I'm gonna replace mine with something with less lift. But the 4.0 is here to stay!

I find the 8.5 too slow and prefer the 6.6 because of its better combination of speed, power and lift. The 6.6 and the 4.0 make a perfect pair for most wind conditions.

The Blade III 4.0 is my personal favourite for landboarding. Can get me going from 8 MPH, but preferably 10 MPH. Sweet spot between 12-15 MPH, just fabulous!!! Can hold on until 18 MPH. IMHO this is the Blade with the widest wind range for landboarding. Also have a 6.6, but due to its slower speed this kite needs the same wind to get you going (at least 8 MPH), but will overpower you a lot sooner.

Libre is a manufacturer (just like Flexifoil is). This is as absurd as making a general statement about Flexifoil kites, without making any distinction between Bullets, Blades, Strikes, Storms or deltas. The Libre Bora is a race machine, the Libre Speedy II is a beginner's kite and the Libre Vampir is an allround buggy kite!

Strange... Out of the whole Blade III range, the 4.0 is my personal favourite for buggying. Gets me going from 8-10 MPH, is just perfect in 12-15 MPH, can hold on to it until 18 MPH. The 3.0 comes out of the bag in 15-25 MPH, but is more nervous and lifty than the 4.0. Guess it's down to personal preference and flying time/practice with each kite.

You may be younger, but from reading your other posts and seeing your huge air vid, you could die earlier... A beginner with a Blade 6.6 in +20 MPH, hmmmmm....... Have fun, but take care.

Helen, If you like the Blade 3.0, you'll love the Blade III 4.0. It has more power than the Bullet 4.5 or Yoz 3.8. A very versatile kite, good for jumping, scudding, landboarding and buggying. In general Blades are not rated as good buggy kites because of the lift they produce. The 4.0 does need a fair amount of wind before it starts lifting and when it does, it is a lot easier to handle than the 3.0. Good alternatives might be race kites or intermediates. Real race kites (like Razors, Bora's,...) can be quite a handful compared to Bullets or Blades which are easier to fly. Echoes of the latest generation of Centuries are not so positive, mainly because it is made of havier material (same as the Buster). The Oxigen pro should be quite good : intermediate kite, i.e. fast but relatively stable and very high quality of materials (same as Nitro, water repellant and light nylon sail and kevlar bridles) and the price seems fair enough. Chris

Why not get a 4.0 to start with? It should get you through autumn and winter with their higher winds. Excellent kite for landboarding and buggying, too.Next year, you could get that 6.6 for the lighter winds. The combination of both kites should give you a huge wind range.