Why is Kite Foiling Dying? 🤔

[@blakoemail]

I windsurf I kitesurf and I wingsurf. I am 47 years old. When the wind is over 20 knots I like to windsurf. When the wind is around 15 to 20 with no waves I like to kitesurf. Around 8 to 15 knots I wingsurf. Still my favorite is windsurfing.

[@AmandipSangha]

Thank you for sharing

[@keendnb]

I was like you, I still have all my Windsurfing kit but I just am hooked on twin tip especially in big wind and waves....... Windsurfing takes up way more energy compared to kiting. I still love it though 🤙

[@pierreisabelle8666]

I have been kiteboarding for years and took up kite foiling to simply allow for more time on the water. I especially love going out with my foil board in light wind, rip quietly around while my ttip friends sit idly by, twiddling their thumbs. Keep up the great videos Mike!

[@comment8767]

Your friends could ride a 21m Flysurfer

[@thecarloschp4784]

@@comment8767 but with a foil you'd be hitting 25 - 30 knts in 7knts wind

[@bikesbeersbeats]

I switched to wing foiling purely because it was just simpler, required less gear and is a lot cheaper to get into. I had been kiting for years and just wanted to do something different. Wing foiling was insanely difficult to learn compared to kiting. With winging it opened up a lot more options, wave riding is more fun, downwinding is awesome, being up to pump foil off a dock is amazing, wake foiling is amazing. I also like that friends can try it out without having the inherent danger of a kite carrying them off into the distance.

[@shreddagorge]

💯Kiteboarding is the easiest to learn. The harder learning curve is the switch to foiling, as you have to unlearn rail riding and rear foot steer. Having progressed through kite-foiling and then windsurf-foiling, I found winging quite easy, but it was also windsurfing muscle memory coming back wrt handling the wing. One reason winging took off here in the gorge that I hear recited frequently is being able to launch without lines - the Hood River sandbar reached a critical mass just before the pandemic and many of us were disgusted by the sheer volume (and often unsafe behavior) of summer visitors. Many of the old (now 'secret') windsurf spots are once again in use.

[@andymoss4285]

It’s really hard to get in/on a wave and keep the kite in the air. The thing about just switching off the kite being impossible is a large part of it. The wingers I know when they get that feeling of the waves that’s all they want and the kite aspect is almost now a distraction. The funny thing is they’re instructors with their own schools. For fun they wing for work they kite.

[@unorthofox]

Kite foiling isn't dying per se, it's just getting lost in the plethora of watersport options available to us.. What a time to be alive!

[@MatDGVLL]

💯🙌🏾

[@tenalock]

It's kiteboarding gentrified x2 An already expensive hobby, made even more expensive just like the ridiculous ultra expensive kites the windsports industry pimps with no care about the future of the sport in regards of new young riders that are not sponsored or trust funders. Cant ride in shallow water, cant ride in seaweed locations , doesnt keep you very fit, cant paddle in like on a wing board when the wind dies. Can't pump through very low wind lulls like on a wing board, the olympics made it look super kooky and boring af beside the fact the olympic kit cost $20 000, blood loss, you generally have to be over 50 when you look at the average kite foiler, the foil kite freestyle look like a ballerina on a scooter waving a wand with a ribbon in it. Very few kite foilers exist around here any more. I would say it is great for the elderly, very wealthy person that likes to talk about the size of their stabiliser for 2 hours before each session, to anyone that will listen, and then do an impression of an animated gif the rest of the time on the water generally getting in the way of anyone that want to throw down.

[@geokite]

​@tenalock you think talking about the size of the stabilizer for 2 hours is specific to kiters?

[@tenalock]

​@@geokite I think a winger might spend up to 3 1/2 hours debating their mast length/ model. Unfortunately like kite foilers, they often leave their electric drill at home with the only security allen key that fits. They had a great chat though and are looking forward to upgrading their 2024 to 2025.They are going to have a great evening online finding out all about how it is going to take their riding "to the next level"!

[@richyandliz4802]

Most guys I know who do both kite foil and wing foil say that if one had to go it would be wing. You are limited to where you can enter water with shore break. Not fun in lower winds. Heavy clumsy gear. Kite foil so much more efficient and versatile. I spend so much time on my kite foil watching the wingers struggle in 12 knts wind.

[@HrSnuggles]

Here at my spots at the Baltic Sea in Northern Germany we have only a handful of people kitefoiling and I don't understand why because it's amazing as an addition to your twintip. 10-15knots = kitefoiling >15knots = Foil/Twintip Just grab some used foils for a cheap price and just try it. It will add a lot of days on the water!

[@rrschmid]

as a windsurfer/windfoiler... I have to have a bit of a chuckle... welcome to the club... :)

[@targadave]

Here on the Outer Banks, several of us older kiteboarders gravitated to kitefoiling when it went mainstream. It was great for a couple of years (definitely easier on the old guy joints!), but as soon as wing foiling showed up it was a pretty rapid transition for all of us. Still have my kitefoil gear but I barely use it anymore. It’s still pretty cool to kitefoil on those 8-10kt light wind days when winging just isn’t as fun. One big benefit of winging over kitefoiling for me is that it’s so much easier to learn lots of different strapless tricks versus kitefoiling. With kitefoiling I never got beyond jibing, foot switch and upwind 360’s

[@keendnb]

I think Fred nailed it. Kite foil super light wind, wing gusty and hard to access places and twin tip the rest..... On the water all year round 🤙

[@sauce729]

Awesome video! The first time I saw kite foiling, I knew I had to try it. I really think the right gear makes all the difference when it comes to progressing. I've only ridden a twin tip a few times. I actually learned to foil behind a boat first, then combined kiting and foiling. I also do a lot of snow kiting. One thing that made a big difference for me was using the right gear. I mostly ride with Flysurfer Hybrid kites for kite foiling. The best part about these kites is how much they depower, how easy they relaunch, and how well they drift. It makes for a super user-friendly kite foiling experience with a huge wind range. My 7.5m works in winds from about 8 to 22 knots (11 to 18 is the sweet spot), and my 3.5m is perfect for anything over 15 knots. You can turn the kite off completely, even in strong winds, and it’s hard to slack the lines. Plus, you can deep-water drift launch the FS Hybrid, which opens up a lot more spots. The only downsides are the flapping (a sign you should size down) and the bar pressure. But I’ll take those any day for the downwind experience-pointing the foil right at the kite, surfing downwind, pinwheeling the kite, and riding boat wakes and wind swell.

[@AdamsHadEnough]

It's totally dying at my home spot, there's a few guys still doing it. I got sick of going out on those 10kt days that kitefoiling opened up, only to have them becoming 3 knot days with brutal swims home, not to mention the beach bans, crowds and hassles. I swapped out to windfoiling, then winging and dockstarting and haven't looked back. The lack of depowered foiling was the thing about kitefoiling that bugged me the most, I was never good enough to shut the kite off for more than a second or two, also I kinda sucked. So much respect for guys that can kitefoil well, it's the most challenging of the wind-based foil sports in my opinion.

[@passatonvoisin]

I got into kitefoiling recently and I love it. From the start I always thought that might not be the end game but that it was the easiest entry into foiling for me. Next step being winging and prone foiling. What really blows my mind, besides the quietness and efficiency, is the ability to ride whole new angles, going far downwind and back in no time. This opened up my usual spots, allowed me to explore them deeper and further knowing that even if the wind drops to 6-8kt I will still make it back which I think would be a lot harder with a wing. But I can see now that after progressing to the point where i'm comfortable in waves, when I find myself on a downwind wave, I wish I had that wing that I can flag out and just stay on the wave. In the end it's amazing to have all these options, and any new discipline brings a lot to the previous ones, if your wallet can handle it. And big thanks to Fred and Steven for making it look so good and inspiring. I think I'm gonna get these water headphones.

[@francoisberger2669]

Fred is so right about crashing! Feels exactly thee same with kiting on a twintip, I felt my learning curve went up so much when I just accepted crashing is part of the learning!

[@MBACSailing]

I'm still working on my windsurf foiling and starting to get into winging for those lighter wind days. As you said, wind is pretty limited here in San Diego at times so I just haven't had the opportunity to get into kiting yet unfortunately.

[@hugovdz]

What I noticed is that many people abandon kitefoiling because they do not manage to learn to jibe or tack. It is quite a challenge indeed, but once you know it there is nothing that compares to the smooth ride and the dynamics of kitefoiling. I love it! On tip, the choice of equipment is way more important than with twintipping. After months of struggling with various foil brands I bought the Core foil and shortly after I was nailing my jibs and tacks. Really an awesome foil. The videos of Steven Akkersdijk, Ben Beholz and Fred Hope were a big inspiration.

[@pictureworksexpress4399]

Nothing compares to jibing with a kite, even on a TT or SB. The acceleration out of the turn is addictive.

[@michaelbaba4885]

Perfect video to do from San Diego! Most all of our riding days are foil days. Foiling can be a hard learning progression but it's worth the effort!

[@MaximilianSeitz]

What about the benefits of jumping with a Kite Foil? You can go huge with low and very strong wind. Big Air Foiling is amazing! 🔥

[@AndrewDePratti]

Good to see San Diego featured. One of the original kiters here in San Diego from back in late 90’s early 2000’s . Still at it . Have not tried Foiling yet . Should hit up local Mex next time in San Diego. Consistent 9 meter Wx in summer time . Only about 30 miles south of where you where in Mission Bay👍

[@Slagroomtaart79]

Thanks for your content. You’re such a nice dude and I’ve learned a lot from your videos

[@Foilfun]

FoilDrive (foiling insurance 🙂). After kite foiling for many, many years (even jumping, doing 360s, and mono-foiling all while tandem with my girlfriend), I started wing foiling. Now, I've added pirating boat wakes and riding ocean waves with my FoilDrive when the winds are light. They are all completely different sports focused on different aspects of foiling. While I love big air and tricks (kites do this best), I love wave riding more. So, FoilDrive is the ultimate tool for that aspect of foiling. I get my wind and jumping fix with winging in high winds. I still kite foil tandem with my GF occasionally, but that's about it for my kiting. But I'm open to try about anything foil related. Next foiling sport???

[@kryszczuk]

Actually it's great news that there are fewer kiters on the spot. It was getting seriously overcrowded a few years back, to the extent that local authorities started issuing restrictions on some spots. With people moving away, mostly to winging and downwind foiling, the situation got a tad bit more relaxed

[@TheSmallsAbroad]

Great video. I am learning kite foiling, and man its hard, but also so serene.

[@pavelgolin2421]

what an awesome interview! thanks so much for this retrospective!

[@EDWARD_KOENIG_ARCHITECT]

I've been kitesurfing for 19 years and just this week I bought my first kite foil setup and board. It's insanely expensive to get into this sport. That, coupled with a lack of lesson centers makes it tough to get into. Why is gear so expensive? I've seen the cost of boards go from $500 to now $1100. We don't need carbon fiber boards. That's crazy. I still have my two first boards from 2004 when I started and they work great.....a Cabrinha Prodigy 158 which I use for light wind days and my Best Kiteboarding 133. I love that board. Why are bindings so dam expensive? What entry level kid can afford this stuff? I only buy close out gear. Any board I buy is a closeout from 3 years ago. The brand new foil I just bought is a BRAND NEW Cabrinha Hi: Lift from 2020. It's 5 years old and was sitting on a warehouse shelf all this time, for $250!!!!! I bought a brand new 2021 Slingshot Alien Air that again was sitting on a shelf. New setups are easily over $1000. I only buy Chinese Pansh foil kites because they are 1/4 the price of anything else. Not to mention the standard kite quiver is usually three kites. Anybody that asks me on the beach how to get started, I tell them to get lessons, then rent the equipment first. Then if they want to pursue it more to get some used gear from Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. There is tons of good CHEAP used gear.

[@glidejunkie]

A very interesting debate with the best in the field. The advantages and disadvantages of kitefoil and wingfoil were made clear. What surprises me is that no one talks about the sensations you feel with a kite foil and a wing foil. I’m referring to the feeling transmitted by the foil + board combination. In kitefoiling, the foil generally has less surface area, less wingspan, less A/R and with a short, lightweight board, it allows you to feel the foil better. The result is more acceleration, speed, and sharper turns. In wingfoiling, due to the inefficiency of the sail, the foils are larger and require more wingspan and higher A/R to facilitate gliding at low speeds. With large, heavy boards that have swinging inertia, the sensations of the foil are completely dampened. Of course, I’m talking about the average gear that most people use. I know expert wingers are using very small, fast foils with pocket boards, but most will never reach that level.

[@gethighwithmike]

Such a fantastic comment!!! What do you think about wing foiling in strong wind? Doesn't that level the playing field, so to speak?

[@glidejunkie]

@@gethighwithmike Yeap, In strong winds advanced wingers can use much smaller foils that could provide similar feeling to the kite foils. But most average wingers stick to large high A/R foils with worse turning than a smaller kite foil, at least in my local spot. I only kitefoil, in 20-30+ knots I use a 3.7m kite and 650 to 740 cm3 foil

[@Olegisrael1234]

Thank you very much for the video, interesting editing, not new to me but I connected with what was said here. Fred Hope said it exactly for me what I experienced (at minute 11:14) After 20 years of kiting I stoped completely and switch to wingfoil, as Steven Akkersoijk also said there was no progress for me in kiting and I wanted something that would challenge me, to feel the excitement of a beginner in something again. After 2.5 years of only winging and became a good at it, I'm back to kiting and actually choose to wingfoil only on the best days for me when there is a good waves. If it's flat then wingfoil doesn't interest me anymore. So actually on the days when there is a low wind I can kite foil, after the wind rises and the waves rises to go a wingfoil and when the wind is very strong it’s time for a kite big air. I think that freestyle (air tricks) is much much easier and safe to do with kite than with Wingfoil or Windsurfing (easy to start but difficult to progress) . I am 45 years old and freestyle with wingfoil it’s not for me so it’s another reason why I switch back to kite for freestyle that I missed a lot.

[@kevincollins6843]

Fred's a genius prodigy and what he does is super technical and dangerous. From experience having the foil pass by your face is intimidating.

[@dianamccandless7094]

I'm glad to hear that my instincts were correct: Wing foiling is safer and more accessible that Kite foiling. I took a 6-hour double lesson on Kite surfing with my boyfriend and I got a little freaked out by all the long kite lines going all around me, and didn't like the complicated "self-rescue" (coming from a windsurfing background). we Decided we want to switch to Wing foiling. Got started with some e-foil lessons.

[@Taz_]

From a kite foiler perspective the Best thing about winging is that if I backwing ( putting the wing between the wind and me) I feel kinda "around the world" already! Also you can safely practice complex maneuvers on the beach, if you can run fast enough! Ah, what about longboard winging?

[@steveca96]

Not seen wingers start kitefoiling, but seen a couple move the other way. Also, only a few new kiters round here, but quite a few wingers

[@baraba238]

I am not even tempted to try wing. With kite I have so much speed and power... making circles around the wingers.

[@GaetanoCrisci]

Mike, you and these guys are the best example of resilience, and you are on the water most of the years I suppose, many people have only some month in a year at best! I tried kite foiling with a Lift allcarbon set with 80cm mast and 1250cm2 wing but I give up because was daunting... really, also in Sardinia we have a lot of windy days most of which pretty gusty, a surfboard for wave riding suit more the conditions anyone interested in the HF set?😅

[@howleyboy3664]

Thanks for that! Wing foiling has definitely changed the game for kite surfing in general. Accessibility, learning curve and cost are all easier than kiting. I worry that kiting is going down the same road as windsurfing. At my spot it’s mostly older dudes on kites. I don’t see a lot of young kids getting involved. We all know the learning curve can scare people off and the gear has gotten progressively more expensive. A new set of gear these days can run you north of $3 grand. I’m not complaining, my kite spot is less crowded these days. And I love to wing foil when I need a break from kiting. I am concerned about the future of kiting.

[@erbartlett]

I definitely thought foiling was stupid. I couldn't imagine having even more kite gear in my NYC apartment, haha.... And as soon as I got a feel, I got addicted to the silence, the glide, the speed and the low impact. It feels like you're flying on an alien space ship 3 feet above the water. That being said, it kicked my ass and took me probably 2 or 3 times longer than kiting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5TKl52cnd90q68

[@pierresakurai4812]

At my local spot we had kite foilers more than halved to what it used to be. Everyone started wingfoiling. Reasons: -More spot choices, especially if you don't live in a country with open beaches everywhere. -More wind choices, very easy to ride offshore, cross-offshore winds. This again increases the number of places you can ride. -Easy setup. No need to have someone to help out launching/landing, no need for space for lines to setup, very quick pump and ride experience. -Easy learning curve. Not sure why people here are saying winging is more difficult...my wife learned in a month and could ride upwind. It is so much more user friendly. I've never seen a water sport with so many ladies riding. I think that tells a lot. -Cheap. Even though it is getting expensive, it is still way cheaper than Kite foiling. -Riding. Super easy to downwind, amazing for surfing, actual pumping to where-ever you want sensation, your not locked to where your kite wants to go. -Wind conditions. I can ride as low end as a foil kiter and in offshore winds at that. I can easily swim out to the windy area. Super gusty is super easy. Strong winds is easy. -Safe. Very easy swim back/self rescue. No lines to deal with, bigger board gives you more float. -Board choices. Even in pretty light winds now people are riding really small

[@glidejunkie]

The last two sentences are very interesting and never hear anyone talk about that difference between kite foil and wing foil, but it totally makes sense

[@cefirmeza]

Kitefoiling is more kiting than foiling. Wingfoiling is way more foiling than winging since you can 100% depower and simulate other disciplines like downwind foil, surf foil, pump foil…

[@edublanquet]

Long time kitesurfer. I started kitefoiling a few years ago and i mostly kitefoil now. My local spot has very bad wind and kitefoiling has really opened up lots of days where I would not get out. I love being able to boost in 12-14knt or be able to easily stay upwind in low winds. Might try wingfoiling in the future, but in my local spot most days with marginal winds kitefoilers are boosting while wingfoilers can barely get going.

[@ladomi1]

I really enjoy kitefoiling up to 18 knots. After that i'm winging. 18 - 23 is mostly trying to work on transitions, then 23 stats to generate some small to medium swell on our lake that you can get decent glides. 27 is when the fun really starts.

[@raymondwitvoet]

windsurfed almost 20 years, kited 18 years or so. Love wing foiling so much, never had the urge to go back to kiting. Ease of use, more spots, riding waves even flatwater is fun. If it's howling I go DW SUP.. ;-)

[@hirthproductions988]

The superior wave riding capabilities of winging was the driving factor for most of our local kite foil crew switching to winging. The new light wind wing gear has also minimized the light wind advantage kite foiling once had over winging. I still carry a foil kite for ultra light wind days, but rarely find myself using it. The question is will a new type of kite called a ''Parawing' make winging the next water sport in decline?

[@michaelphaneuf7281]

Kitefoiling is, and always will be, amazing. Especially for light wind. That doesn’t mean all the other forms of foiling aren’t also fun, they each hold a different spot in my repertoire based on conditions. But I feel like most people don’t get the same amount of water time that I do, so they choose 1 where they get the feeling of learning the easiest and most accessible way. Wingfoil is the new hot girl in the room, so they’re gravitating towards her more… for now.

[@phantomfreckle]

I have been Kite foiling for three years , the tools are so much better these days and Light wind riding while it nice the fun comes at 15+ knots with wave . Riding with the and around the Wingers on the waves is my bag and most of them want to be on the kite ;)

[@tettok8431]

I quitted kite after 15 years since 1999 to 2014……due to tired of long drive chasing wind which sometime not possible after work and got skunked & not many locations I could launch kite. I kited in the Mexico La Ventana, San Felipe, Kenvin Trejo’s Camp, Cabarete, Lake Arsenal & Snake beach, gusty Lake Isabella, Bay areas (SF) Crissy field, 3rd Ave, Cayote point, Boracay PH. & the coast Hwy 1 …Scott & Waddell creeks, Sherman Island. I was able to toe rides, front/back roll, jibes/Tacks , Strapless surf board, waves but not able to pull thru kite loops.. Land & Snow kite with both Foil & LEI kites. I went back to longboard & SUP surf at Manreza, Pleasure point, Steamer lane & Cowell on a big South swells, Linda Mar, Bolinas..then now back to chasing wind on Wing foil..and now Parawing (short-lines kite) again……

[@JoeykitesBaja]

Kitefoiling forever🛩️ Learning how to crash is one of the best skills to learn in my opinion🤙 great video

[@francoiscarro4974]

I almost completely stopped kitefoiling for 1.5 year because I was bored and picked up wingfoiling instead. Now I'm bored winging on flat water and I found out I can land big kiteloops on the foil in only 16 knots and also work on my board off tricks in light wind so I'm back!

[@wolfougame]

i quit kite surfing for kite foiling, you can do big air with less wind and still going over 30+ knots

[@larrylou7082]

Same, kitefoiling is the go

[@krysto9883]

Thanks for the video, good topic, I agree 100% (I ride both , specially when I couldn’t do kitefoil because spot not suitable near house I do Wingfoil). Please don’t put advertising in the middle of videos 😉

[@pictureworksexpress4399]

I do both kitefoiling and Wingfoiling. Both have pros and cons. Kites will always be the king of light wind, yes wings are lowering the wind threshold, but big wings and downwind boards are not for me. I am loving winging and it has some nice advantages but kites will always be my favorite!!

[@-Tetragrammaton]

if your not crashing, your not learning - words of Dimitri if your not doing it all, your missing out on progression

[@mikemiller774]

And if you're just constantly crashing with very little progress overall - that's where you know how next session is gonna be and you start to think about quitting.

[@joshvanstee-theTood]

Yo, very good topic for reviewing and interesting opinions

[@joshvanstee-theTood]

Learning to kite foil was a test of my grit and confidence… but it was well worth the effort and time

[@juleslondon]

For me it's the power of the kite that makes kitesurfing/kitefoiling so special. You can never jump 5m high on a wing unless you're an absolute boss but it's a very achievable on a kite and much higher if you put the time and effort. Also when I see wingfoilers it's usually older men just boringly cruising along, doesn't excite me one bit even though I'm sure it's an insane sport if you get good at it and can go in the surf.

[@fierceseaman]

Great video!

[@VRMinde]

Because goind down-wave or down-wind is exciting enough without trying to loop a kite above your head and there are wings that do it perfectly...

[@John-dk4kq]

I think its because many people who try kite foiling have bad kite skills so that limits their progression alot. If you can't fly your kite one handed without looking i don't recommend you to start kite foiling. Winging is safer, easier and cheaper so i see why people go to it but in low winds like here in Texas id always rather kite. Even in high wind and big waves id rather ride a 3m ufo strapless kitefoiling. It is easier to dump the power with a wing on a wave but i do it just fine with a kite and i think many people just aren't good enough as it is hard to do and maintain. Another problem is some of the events for kitefoiling have canceled or stopped existing. I tried to enter a competiton that happened a year ago and this year they just stopped it. Its hard to get an audience present to view the sport as well. We can't ride in a stadium like many team sports. Until the winging fad is over or we get more support all around for competitions i do see kite foiling dying in the current conditions.

[@Jsurf66]

It's bond to happen whenever a new water sport shows up. People can't just increase their gear budget indefinitely.

[@kiterJ]

I love kiting and kitefoiling but these sports are getting very expensive! I can't do them all! Winging opens up so many spots where you just can't launch/land a kite at all. Whereas you can plop in with a wing and paddle to the wind etc.

[@kiterJ]

I would love to be able to afford to do both 👍

[@strong-living]

The problem with kitefoiling is you are always under tension from the kite. So it will never have the surf style feel that you get with winging, downwind foiling, sup foiling and prone foiling. I used to kitefoil. Now that I wingfoil and am a beginner at downwind foiling, there is no way I would go back to kitefoiling. I think I speak for a lot of people.

[@powerlooper9121]

I tried it and it felt like riding a unicycle. I like power, acceleration and carving. So I invented my own way of flying my kite, and then I invented boards that can handle the power. I think contact with the wind and water is what matters. Exploiting the dynamic forces in both wind and water, and between the two forces is the rush I love.

[@mikemiller774]

Sounds like it was all said in a video. It's about how much time/wind days you have. Are you willing to sacrifice those days into learning or just go blast as usual. You really have to be really invested into learning a new discipline, and i am talking here about average folk, not a full time riders. Watching others just enjoy time riding on a spot while you just crash.

[@ridewithandrei]

i don t see any changes, same amount of people on low wind days:)

[@carptackula7536]

Mike - do you worry when living / working in a van about theft? It looks super awesome, but it's something that would be on my mind whenever away from the van (kiting, hiking etc). #vanlyfe looks sweet, except for that.

[@leapnlarry]

No mater the wind sport, if you find yourself mowing the lawn, you are doing it wrong, ABC, always be crashing. If you are not crashing you are not progressing. I picked up wing foil because i plateaued on twin tip kiting. Maybe i will try kite foil. Larry

[@Leonardo_davinci_]

Dying?! I'm just getting to know of it and love it ! Thanks to the Olympics game 2024 of formula 1 kite ! Amazing 😍

[@WillMoody-crmstorm]

Great video. Thanks! I'm an average mow the lawn twintipper. Can you use the same harness, bar, lines and LEI kites (I have 3 North Carves) to start off lite wind kitefoiling or is it better to have a specific foil kite?

[@mashimisha]

You can use the same harness (seat is better though), bar, and LEI, but a Hybrid kite is WAY better, If I had to endure an LEI kite, I might switch to winging, I cannot imagine why anybody uses a wing when the hybrid-style kites are so amazingly good.. I can use one kite from 11 - 22 knots. I can surf the waves without it falling out of the sky - about a million times better than those so-called surf LEIs. My kite weighs less than 1 Kg with lines. Kite foiling is a completely different sport than kite foiling with a Hybrid kite, (Hybrid-style: Alma, Firefly, Hysper, Marabou, Flysurfer Hybrid)

[@WillMoody-crmstorm]

@@mashimisha Thanks for the comments. Sounds like getting the right gear is the way to go. At least the hybrid kites sound a lot smaller in terms of space

[@andrewclayton6394]

Sorry disagree with above, my 9m north orbit is insane to foil with! Start in 8 knots to 25 knots. Big air, kite loops, sit down, waves, does it all!

[@WillMoody-crmstorm]

@@andrewclayton6394 Thanks. 8 knots sounds great. I'll start with my LEIs and hopefully that will be enough! I already have the wing foil gear as well, so 3 sets of separate kites was going to be hard to justify

[@RM-tl7mr]

@@WillMoody-crmstorm a) If you want to try kitefoiling, stick to your current kites. You want to focus only in one new thing (riding the foil) instead of two (the foil and flying a new kite). Single skins, hybrids or no-strut kites are great for kitefoiling, but only when you master the basics. b) Don´t go out in less than 15 knots. Kitefoiling allows for very light wind riding, but again, only if you can ride the foil properly. You don´t want to struggle with a foil while you are struggling to keep your kite flying. c) Start with a proper kitefoil front wing around 1100 - 1200 cm2 and low aspect ratio). d) Flat water makes things way easier. e) Mast as much backwards as possible. f) When waterstarting, your focus must be on putting your weight on your front foot as soon as possible, to avoid the foil skyrocketing. Train this riding your twintip with your weight distributed on the middle of the board instead of leaning on the rail. g) When you feel comfortable riding with the board down, it´s time to start moving your hips a little backwards and applying some weight to the back foot. This will make the foil go up. You are flying. Cool, huh? Be ready to move your hips slightly forward quickly, to put the board again on water. Repeat. Now you are hooked.

[@foilerea4170]

I would be really happy to just get up and ride wakefoiling

[@larsbgestedsrensen9526]

Take your kite foil wave riding. That’s a lot of fun when the wind is only 10 -14 kt but waves are coming in.

[@marcfigueras6827]

What wind direction works to avoid stalling / losing tension in the lines when you're on the wave?

[@larsbgestedsrensen9526]

@@marcfigueras6827 Sideshore and I use one strut kite. When you ride the wave, keep kite in 12 o’clock and if it doesn’t work, I loop it and back up again.

[@Olegisrael1234]

@@larsbgestedsrensen9526what kite and size do you use ?

[@glidejunkie]

@@marcfigueras6827 if you are riding left waves, my preferred wind direction is onshore from the right. So when you are riding the wave towards the beach you follow a perpendicular trajectory to the wind direction while you stay in the wave face. The kite will effortless sit there with little tension, no need to loop it and you are almost unpowered to carve the wave

[@fuelbasti]

Weekend Warriors 🤣 thats the point. Workload and kids and not living right at the spot made me realize there is not much space for new tricks or even keep the feeling of old ones. But iam ok with.

[@mikeholland9413]

Don't know about dying, first year in the Olympics this year, definitely a lot more foiling sports around these days people have just spread out over multiple foiling disciplines

[@larrylou7082]

If one loves jumping, winging is not it. Once you figured out how to kitefoil and keep pushing yourself why would you wingfoil unless riding the swell?

[@trickshots7188]

Prices are just out of control

[@holboxkiteboardingschool6445]

Click baity title that wont help the sport. However the video was good and agree with most of it, I still love kite foil (have been kitefoiling since 2014) but recently invested lot of time, effort and money into learning winging. Because of that i was nearly 100%wing for the last couple of years. Exploring light winds strong winds, gusty winds etc. I love winging but now that I have winging on lock I'm finidng that I choose my sport dependent on conditions. Light wind, Long journey or going fast, travelling light =kitefoil. Gusty and/or strong wing, waves , inland lakes = wing. No wind with waves = Tow in. Flat water, strong wind give me a twintip. I think we will see "ex kite foilers " digging out their kitefoils again as they start to realise whats good and whats not about winging. Cant beat the feeling of ripping through a race tack or a 360 on a kite foil.

[@stacykerr3657]

Kitesurfing in waves strapped surfstyle Central Oregon coast

[@mmmmkkk]

much easier to travel and access the water with a wing foil, it just opens new spots for you and let's you use your time more efficient, that seems to be the biggest driver among the people I see

[@Netgazum]

No time or interest in trying to figure out kites. I watch kiters setup and I don't even want to spend that set up time. Wing Foil is faster to get setup and going.

[@mashimisha]

I use a foil kite - 45 seconds from when I take out the kite until it is flying. Pumping a wing takes more time than that,

[@shreddagorge]

@@mashimishayou still have lines to unravel (and need space to run them). I leave my wings' center struts inflated and will race you pumping my 3m or 4m.

[@andrewclayton6394]

5min and done haha so many more tricks kite can do. Winging looks boring as shit unless good swell

[@Netgazum]

@@mashimisha congratulations

[@Netgazum]

@@andrewclayton6394 Cool.

[@iliaspats]

Extremely expensive on top of they already increasing price of normal kiting

[@pixeldrew]

Kite foiling plateau is real. Most give up and get into winging but end up mowing the lawn with that too.

[@ericmnr]

Foiling is too expensive. Not only that, you can buy the wrong setting. I love foiling when everyone else is riding 12 m kites and above.

[@stveloop9452]

The kit has become too expensive and requires upgrading more regularly than a phone. Most people stick to a twin or surfboard for that reason. As fancy laminate materials are pushed from the brands more people will move away to wave power/assist.

[@shreddagorge]

My friend lives in his car and kitefoils on a plywood board with some old Best kites.

[@bring_everything]

Kite foiling is fast and I kept getting caught 300m meters offshore as the 8kts of wind would die, I ain't Baby Shark, big swims suck. Wingboards float and wings are less of a cock than crashed kites.

[@jimmyjames1411]

It isn’t dying but when core to Cabrinha are charging the price of a good used car why on earth would anyone keep up with that? Only industry where low demand = extremely high cost. Yes 90% of world doesn’t kite so that’s why it’s low demand high price. I lucky found one for dirt cheap but still majority do not kite

[@stveloop9452]

Its got nothing to do with a learning curve, people stopped because it required constant and regular upgrading of kit. The team riders can of course enjoy it all for free!

[@shreddagorge]

I disagree. Winging has devastated the demand for new kites and flooded the market with used, at least in places like SF and Seattle and the gorge. I just picked up a crispy year-old 5m Pivot that was flown four times for $200, and a similar 9m Pivot for $350.

[@paulmctigue8445]

Note to Fred Hope: I'm a critical care RN. Might want thyroid checked. Just a thought, no offense.

[@gethighwithmike]

Will pass it on. But why, exactly?

[@joppevandepoll5155]

Hydrofoil big air coming up!

[@karlchrist9892]

What you guys is incredibly skillful but the reason in my eyes it’s dying is because it basically a cross between dancing and foiling, watch what Mr bennitts is doing on wave prone or with a wing, which is an extension or surfing not ballet! What’s going to be more appealing to a younger audience ballet or surfing! It must be tough to land on you bum on a board! Does it look good? To people from a surfing background it looks kind of ridiculous! Just my opinion obviously

[@justinsmith4562]

Foils are so expensive.

[@mashimisha]

You can get a second-hand beginner outfit for $400 and then sell it for the same when you are ready to upgrade. Gong is affordable and good.

[@Hotwire_RCTrix]

Answer $$$$$$$

[@monikamichaelis-iw3to]

Is aids still around?

[@petrsson]

Foiling is limited with way of riding meanwhile with regular twintip person can do way much tricks without getting hurt from mast or from wing...Very simple answer why foiling is boring afterwhile...😎🤙

[@george-3412]

kitefoil's not dead 😜

[@kiterJ]

One word - wingfoiling 😂

[@alexcelli2545]

Wing foiling

[@shreddagorge]

aka wing flailing

[@wernerxldata]

Hybrid, twintip + foilkite

[@pim856]

How to get views from gen z? Show title that says 'Is [black] dying'

[@tonydaviau117]

Because kite s.cks ?

[@nikolaivasilev9745]

Winging is not for the real men 😂

[@ranjithpowell6791]

Just get a carbon door with flysurfer 15m. Then no need to kite foil