Wipika LTR (Learn to Ride)

I bought this kite as a starter to learn to use depower systems and get into kite surfing. The kite is made of a white tarpaulin material, very tough but very heavy with 5 infaltable ribs.

It is not the prettiest kitesurfing kite in the world. It was bought second hand for £150 and came with a Peter Lynn Bar and depower kit and a set of lines. No instructions were provided so a great deal of experimentation was needed to work out how to set the kite up properly.

The LTR can be used in 4 and 2 line mode, so a lot of time was wasted before unrolling the kite properly and finding the additional tabs for the extra depower lines. Being used to normal foils the kite was intially rigged up with the power lines to the end of the bar and the depower to the centre resulting an a backwards flying kite!

Eventually the lines were attached stretched, equalised, tied to the right bits, the kite pumped up properly and ready to go. The first flight was carried out in a field in Norfolk with a steady 10 mph wind, but with a very low fog rolling in. The kite flew well, pulling evenly and steadily across the wind window, responding to the bar for direction and pull. The low aspect ration of the kite gave a strange view to the flier, a grey square with three ribs. The pull was constant and very predictable, with no major surprises. Subsequent flying in winds of up to 25 mph have confirmed this behaviour with a very enjoyable kite.

Body dragging with the kite is a great hoot and good fun I will relaunch given enough wind and no waves, or more skill, but the predictablity stearability and low speed mean this is a rare necessity

£150 good buy

Mike

By : Tele Player