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Park vs Torch

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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muthergoose

Since 14 Oct 2013
169 Posts
East Couve
Stoked



PostThu Feb 19, 15 7:05 am    Park vs Torch Reply with quote

Wanted to get some input from you guys. Been flying parks for awhile now, recently had about 4 days straight on a torch in ventana. Didnt realize how different they were until the 5th day when I tried to go back to the park and my timing was off big time with loops jumps etc. Seems like maybe its not a good idea to go back and forth between the two? Leads me to my second question, If i lived in ventana where the wind is steady i think i would go with the torch but I kite mostly in the gusty gorge. Do the gusty conditions make having a Ckite more trouble than its worth? Im not that good but I like looping the kite and jumping/tricks etc, so I guess my style would be mostly freestyle. What do you think, Park vs Torch or go back and forth?

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consumer

Since 28 Nov 2010
406 Posts
banned
Obsessed



PostThu Feb 19, 15 7:26 am     Reply with quote

I've only really struggled with one drawback with C-kites when it comes to the gorge, and more specifically the sandbar. The wide gust/lull usually encourages me to ride a size bigger than I would given how the water looks and the wind speed, for example, i'm usually on a 12 or 13m even when it is gusting low 20s. If I were to ride up to swell city I would be powered on a 10m, but not so powered at the sandbar. Riding a C-kite when you are on the more powered end of the spectrum can get exhausting and is a lot more work than riding a kite with some great depower.

That being said, the newer C-kites are evolving to have even more depower. I haven't personally ridden these, but this is exciting given that the last generation of C-kites were worlds ahead of historical C-kites in terms of wind range.

I've settled on switching from Fuels to RPMs and now am onto the Dice. I feel like I can still do everything I was able to do on a C-kite (which isn't much i'll admit) on these hybrid kites, but it is just a lot less work for me. I have a 2 kite quiver 8,13 and almost exclusively ride the 13 on boots. I'm in love with the simplicity of not having to have a C-kite for tighter wind ranges.

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muthergoose

Since 14 Oct 2013
169 Posts
East Couve
Stoked



PostWed Mar 11, 15 5:17 am     Reply with quote

[quote="consumer"]I've only really struggled with one drawback with C-kites when it comes to the gorge, and more specifically the sandbar. The wide gust/lull usually encourages me to ride a size bigger than I would given how the water looks and the wind speed, for example, i'm usually on a 12 or 13m even when it is gusting low 20s. If I were to ride up to swell city I would be powered on a 10m, but not so powered at the sandbar. Riding a C-kite when you are on the more powered end of the spectrum can get exhausting and is a lot more work than riding a kite with some great depower.

Thanks for the input. I think the park is also a bridled C platform so were probably experiencing similar kite characteristics.

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