Comparrison of depowerable tube inflatable and depowerable open cell foil kites.
Advantages and disadvantages of inflatable and foil kites.
Here I am going to compare depower Tube and foil kites.
Tube inflatable (delta-bow or sigma-bow, SLE, high depower) kites advantages:
- better tolarates high winds, (offers higher depower then foil kites)
- better tolerates high gusts, (offers higher depower then foil kites)
- because of a high depower and wide wind range, just 2 bow kites (12m2 + 8m2 or 10 + 7 or 13 + 9 ) seems to be enough for a wide specter of wind for an average newbeginner and intermediate rider.
- less likely to invert, tangle, or to get bridle on the wrong side of a kite
- bridle much more simple then on foil kite, less likely to get tangled
- keeps shape even when grounded
- can be used both on water/land & snow
- faster moving then foil kite, offering faster control, faster turns, faster loops
- easier ground handling, due to it's rigid shape ( if left on the ground back toward the wind and LE down, it may wait for you there without extra securing)
Tube inflatable (delta-bow or sigma-bow, SLE, high depower) kites disadvantages:
- badly tolerates low wind, drops off the sky
- badly tolerates low wind after a gust, drops off the sky
- harder to launch or use at low wind due to its heavy weight
- takes time, pump and energy to inflate (3 times longer then open cell foil kite)
- heavy to carry long distances, up to 3 times heavier then equivalent foil kite , as you must carry a pump with it too.
- if bladdres are punctured or ventils damaged, kite may need serious repair before you could use it, and it may be impossible to repair it utside, or inside tent, if it is very cold, or small tent
- much more difficult to repair then foil kite
- much more likely to get damaged in case it crushes into a tree, rock, ice block or any other hard or sharp object, due to it's rigid frame, heavy weight and speed, faster moving through the air
- if used on ground/snow, kite wears quickly everytime it drops or every time you try self-launch, due to it's heavy weight
- when packing kite, lines must be disconnected. That means longer time to pack and longer time to setup kite at next use.
- on average more expensive then foil kite
- might be difficult to relaunch if kite diggs itself into a powder snow
Depower open cell foil kites advantages:
- better tolerates low winds, does not drop from the sky as fast as tube kite
- better tolerates low wind after a gust
- takes no time to inflate, no need for pump, from bag to air may take less then 5 min.
- no need to disconnect lines, kite can be packet RTF ( Ready to fly).
- can be used at -30 c or even -40C, while it is almost impossible to inflate tube kite at -30 or -40C, cause iportant parts of a kite might start breaking.
- lighter to carry on your back (up to 3 times lighter then a tube kite)
- small holes on foil do not affect kit's flying abilities
- easier to repair
- kite can survive more crashes. Due to its light weight, it can survive crashes with trees, rocks etc
- kite does not wear as quickly as tube kite at relaunch from ground. Tolerates 3 times more relaunches from ground then tube kite
- you do not need to disconnect lines when packing a kite. It means faster packing and it means kite is ready to fly much faster
- on average cheaper then inflatable kite
- easier to relaunch on deep powder snow, kite does not go under snow.
Depower open cell foil kites disadvantages:
- badly tolarates high winds, (offers lower depower then foil kites)
- badly tolerate high gusts, (offers lower depower then foil kites)
- due to releatively narrow wind range, you may need more then 2 kites to cover average wind conditions
- more likely to invert, tangle, or to get bridle on the wrong side of a kite
- bridle much more complicated then on tube kite, more likely to get tangled
- looses shape when grounded
- can not be used on water
- slower moving then tube kite, slower control, slower turns, slower loops
- more difficult ground handling, due to it's soft shape ( if left on the ground without being well secured, it can get easily get blown away, and if the wind is very strong, it can be taken far)
There is a third kind of kite, Depowerable closed cell foil kite.
Advantages when compared to open cell foil kites:
- relaunches from water (can be used on water)
- keeps shape, stays inflated while on the ground, meaning easier relaunch
Disadvantages when compared to open cell foil kites:
- needs higher wind to inflate then open cell foil kites
- needs longer time to inflate then open cell foil kites
All other advantages and disadvantages identical to open cell foil kites.
There is a fourth kind of kite, open cell traction, fixed bridle foil kite.
Advantages when compared to open cell depower foil kites:
- 2 to 3 times lighter
- 2 to 3 times smaller when packed
- almost 2 times stronger then depower kite
- some models can fly in almost no wind (0.5 m/s)
- on average cheaper then depower kite
Disadvantages when compared to open cell foil kites:
- if used with handles, both of your hands are occupied all the time, unless you also use special harness.
- lower wind range (you need larger number of kites of different size to cover wider wind raange)
All other advantages and disadvantages identical to open cell foil kites.
Here you can see prices on some used foil kites: viewtopic.php?f=20022&t=34586
Here you can see prices on some used tube kites: viewtopic.php?f=20022&t=34586
