What are we riding? Kitemiser.com

People ask me what gear are you riding?

Personally like to try many different brands and models of kites and compare them.

Basically if you like the kite, kiteboard, surfboard (Or car, house or island that you live on) it's the best.

Now we have specific kites for say wake style free style surfing cruising (or whatever else you can think of)
If the kite was made in the last three to five years most of them are great. An older kite may require bladder repair or have fabric fatigue.

Personally for wave riding I like the Slingshot Rally 2014 and the 2015 just coming out.
The Rally has been around for a few generations, I tried it since 2011 and this last year and the newest are great kites.Easy re-laucn good drift great upwind and durable construction as well as excellent warranty

The Rally is not just for wave riding, pretty good all around kite.(not because I ride them either)

For Free style wake style the Slingshot RPM is a fun kite. This is a C shaped kite but has a bridle so you have good wind range. It has two sets of pulleys on the front and none on the back bridle.

Light wind 17m kite

Ocean Rodeo Flite

one of the best light wind kites that I have owned , no joke
no pulleys on the kite bridle
smooth power
fast turning
Clean bar above bar de power


I also really like the Ozone REO wave kite .
No pulleys direct feel
Above the bar de power
Below the bar swivel
It is light and fast turning and drifts well on the waves, very fast, good upwind as well, easy re-launch.
The 2014 has more low end than last year, I find it still about like a 9m in power
It is fast turning so you can generate power by turning it through the lulls.

I also like the Ozone Catalyst 2014 another good kite
No pulleys
Nice bar with above the bar de power and below the bar swivel
 this kite turns like a fast 12m and it has good float when jumping or doing tricks.


Old kites:
As kites age from even good storage (less humidity and heat) the valves to the bladders fail.
This can be repaired with aqua seal or new method stick on valve and valve trap using your existing valve (more to come on this)