​No strut & single strut kites vs surf kite

After filming this video, I realized how biased I was towards surf kites. I want to put it out there that I do have a 10m Airush Ultra I use specifically for foiling & I love it. I have wave kites for waves and so on. I'm a believer in using the right tool for the job. That said, many videos I make are from the perspective of working on a budget and trying to decide on kites. Not everyone can have more than there standard quiver and its important to think about what you want from your gear. 

Single Strut and No Strut Kites. 

The obvious advantage here is these kites are light weight. They are the prime choice if foiling is your only sport or your main discipline. Over the years, they have come a long way and perform well in-spite of their lack of structure.

They often have dialed back surf kite characteristics as well. Meaning, these kites are not too terrible in the waves. 

Some drift better than the others and some are more pivitol with less power. A good example is my Ultra 10 compared to the UFO 9m. I find the UFO to be so light and very pivotal. It's basically not there.  Its a great example of a no strut kite wtih solid performance. In contrast, I oft prefer my 10m single strut Airush ultra. Aside from the extra meter, it just has a bit more grunt and depower when I want it. Mainly I've become fond of how well it drifts hooked in or unhooked on the foil!  Drifting is super important for riding downwind and especially surfing on long rolling waves. 

The big consideration here is these kites are quite simple. They wont have the stabilty, the drift the range  or the versatility of their surf kite counterparts. 

Surf Kites 

Surf kites are normally three struts and come packed with all the benefits of single or no strut kites, sans the exceptional light weight. They are pivitol, drifty and fun to fly. They lack unwanted grunt on the foil and can be flown well depowered. In fact, many foilers prefer them because they are so good on the foil. The main benefit here is they have larger wind ranges and can be used for other disciplines.  If you are a wave rider for example, a surf kite is going to be your best friend. With a kite like the Ultra, you can still surf this kite! It just won't have as much drift range or stability. Especially in high powered conditions when the wind and waves are pumping.  

I think the choice is pretty clear here. If you are an all around rider, a surf kite is going to work well for most other disciplines and be epic on the foil. If you're all in on foiling and just want a small light kite that is easy to travel with, the  

Ryan (Rygo) Goloversic

Many people dream of quitting their job, traveling the world and pursuing their passions. Rygo is one of those people who pulled the trigger. A few years into his career, he decided to change everything and travel as a kiteboarder, freelance videographer & writer. His mission is to share the stoke & help people put the boarding into their kiteboarding. Get outside and kite!

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Producer of: Ride with Blake I Sessions I Versus I Destinations I Foil Fridays