Kitesurfing Buffalo: 2011

Kitesurfing is an investment in FUN. However you need to know what your getting before you buy. Hopefully this article by kite-china.com will help.

So what shape is best for YOU?

Kite types for Kitesurfing

These kiteboarding kites have a hollow tube framing that is pumped full of air to give the kite its shape. Because these air tubes float so well, these kites are the most common for riding on water.

The C Kite

The C- kite is the original kiteboarding kite – up until recently, this was the only kind of inflatable kite on the market. It has square corners and forms a deep C-shaped arc when flying. It gets its characteristic shape from its lines, which are attached at the four corners of the kite.

5th Line C- Kite

5th line C- kites come equipped with an extra line that attaches to the leading edge of the kite. This line helps the rider re-launch the kite from the water, and it acts as an additional safety system to de-power the kite. An important note about the 5th line is that it does not carry any tension when the kite is in flight – it is simply used to help de-power and re-launch. Since this line carries no tension, the shape of a 5th line C- kite is exactly the same as a classic C- kite, and all performance characteristics remain the same (except the de-power and re-launch).

Some Hybrid kites have a line that looks identical to a C- kites 5th line, but the difference is that it is under tension. On a Hybrid, this line can be used to hold the kite in a different shape than a normal C- kite can have, which opens up a whole new range of design possibilities that affect kite performance. This is why a C-kites 5th line isn't under tension – the moment it is, the kite becomes a Hybrid.

Provided that all aspects are identical, there are no differences in performance between a 5th line and classic C-kites since the only difference between the two is the extra line. However, when compared to Hybrid or Bow kites, C- kites perform much differently – you can read about them here.

Hybrid Kites

The Hybrid kiteboarding kite was developed in order to merge the benefits of C and Bow kites into one kite. Since hybrids are a fusion of two different styles of kites, their specific design can vary greatly – some are almost identical to C-kites, others are similar to Bow kites, and the rest fall somewhere in between.

Variable or not, there are two characteristics that all Hybrids have – they are:

1.They have leading edge bridles.

A bridle is a line that connects to the front edge of the kite that is under constant tension when the kite is flying. Because these lines carry some of the load of the kite, they can be used to hold the kite in a different shape than a normal C-kite, which opens up many different design possibilities.

2.They have a convex trailing edge (Click here to see what I mean).
The shape of a Hybrids trailing edge is what makes them different from a Bow kite. Hybrid kites have convex trailing edges, while Bow kites have concave trailing edges – this page shows the difference.

Apart from these two characteristics, Hybrid kite design can vary greatly. In general, hybrids come in one of two styles: ones that are like C- kites, and ones that aren't.

C- Style Hybrid

This style of hybrid simply tries to maintain the feel and performance of a C- kite, while gaining some of the benefits of having bridles on the kite (greater de-power range, greater wind range, etc...). The bridles on this style of kite can be very basic, which is why they can be confused with a 5th line C- kite.

Bow Style Hybrid (Sometimes Called a SLE Kite)

This style of hybrid kite generally tends to be more bow-like, without actually being a bow kite. It has more complicated bridles and can vary widely in shape and profile. Sometimes the only thing keeping this kind of kite from being a Bow kite is the shape of the trailing edge (yes, this difference in shape is enough to have drastic performance differences.)

Like the C kite, the Hybrids design gives it unique flying characteristics - read about them here.

Bow Kites

This style of kiteboarding kite is one of the newest styles on the market. Its defining characteristic is the shape of the trailing edge, which is concave - check out the kite shapes page, it will help.

Because of this kites unique shape it looks much flatter when it flies, and is why this type of kite is sometimes called a ‘flat‘ kite. In addition, the shape of this kite is what gives it it’s near 100% de-power and large wind range.

Like the Hybrid kite, the bow style kiteboarding kite has bridles that attach to its leading edge. These bridles are necessary to help hold the kite in its flat shape - without them, the wind would force the kite into a sharp curve, just like a C- kite.