The Parafoil Kite

An Engine For Many Extreme Sports

For a good overall picture of the parafoil kite scene in 2007, see the big information table below. Prices change, and a new kite comes onto the market from time to time, so this info will eventually go out of date.

However, have you seen anything like this table anywhere else on the Web? I don't think so! Out of date or not, it tells you a thing or 2 about foil kites.

The cheapies are at the top of the table, and are not necessarily of much use to you as a traction kite! Ok for a bit of a slip'n'giggle out on the frozen lake with someone's old pair of skis or toboggan, maybe.

But if you are serious about traveling cross-country under parafoil kite power, you need to look as far down the list as you can afford. See what's available in a suitable price range, and do a bit of research on some specific big kites.

Price US$	Manufacturer	Name	Type	Sizes (sqr m)
<100	Brookite	Sky Witch	2-line	0.6
	Brookite	Sky Wizard	2-line	0.8
	Flexifoil	Buzz	2-line	0.8
	Flying Wings	Mighty Bug	2-line	0.5, 1.0, 1.5
	HQ	Bongo	2-line	1.2
	HQ	NPW 5	2-line	2.4, 3.4, 4.4
	HQ	Symphony	2-line	1.2, 1.4, 1.8
	Ozone	Imp 07	2-line	1.0
	Spirit of Air	Power Foil	2-line	1.1, 1.4
	Thunderbird	Speed Foil	2-line	1.0
	PKD	Buster	4-line	0.7
	Rhombus	Firebee	4-line	1.0, 2.0
	Feed The Rat	FTR	depowerable	2.0, 3.0
100-199	HQ	NPW 5	2-line	6.9
	HQ	NPW 9	2-line	3.4, 5.3, 7.6, 12.0
	HQ	Rush	2-line	1.3, 1.8, 2.6
	HQ	Symphony	2-line	2.2, 2.7
	Ozone	Imp 07	2-line	1.5, 2.0
	HQ	Beamer III	4-line	2.0
	New Tech	Ballistic	4-line	2.2, 3.6
	Ozone	Imp Quattro	4-line	1.5
	PKD	Buster	4-line	1.4, 2.0
	Rhombus	Firebee	4-line	3.0, 4.0
	Feed The Rat	FTR	depowerable	4.0
200-299	HQ	NPW 9	2-line	15.0
	Ozone	Imp Trainer	2-line	1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.5
	Gin	Zig	4-line	1.0, 2.0
	HQ	Beamer III	4-line	3.0, 4.0
	HQ	Beamer TSR	4-line	1.8
	New Tech	Ballistic	4-line	4.9
	Ozone	Imp Quattro	4-line	2.0, 2.5, 3.5
	PKD	Buster	4-line	3.0, 4.0
	Spirit of Air	Cyclone	4-line	2.0, 3.0, 4.0
	Feed The Rat	FTR	depowerable	5.5
300-399	Gin	Zig	4-line	3.0, 4.0, 5.5
	Gin	Yoz II	4-line	1.8
	HQ	Beamer III	4-line	5.0, 7.0
	HQ	Beamer TSR	4-line	2.5, 3.6
	Flexifoil	Rage	4-line	1.8, 2.5
	New Tech	Ballistic	4-line	6.2
	Ozone	Samurai 2	4-line	2.0, 3.0, 4.0
	Ozone	Razor	4-line	2.5
	PKD	Buster	4-line	5.5
400-499	Flexifoil	Rage	4-line	3.5, 4.7
	Gin	Yoz II	4-line	2.6, 3.8
	HQ	Beamer TSR	4-line	5.0, 7.0
	Ozone	Samurai 2	4-line	5.0
	Ozone	Razor	4-line	3.5
	PKD	Buster	4-line	7.0
500-599	Flexifoil	Rage	4-line	6.0
	Gin	Yoz II	4-line	4.8
	Ozone	Razor	4-line	4.5, 5.5
	PKD	Buster	4-line	9.0
600-699	Gin	Yoz II	4-line	6.2
	Ozone	Razor	4-line	6.8
	Gin	Yoz II UDS	depowerable	1.8
	Ozone	Access	depowerable	6.0, 10.0
700-799	Gin	Yoz II	4-line	8.5
	Ozone	Razor	4-line	8.5
	Gin	Yoz II UDS	depowerable	2.6, 3.8
	North Husky Ltd	n/a	depowerable	7.3, 11.3
800-899	Ozone	Razor	4-line	11.0
	Gin	Yoz II UDS	depowerable	4.8
	Ozone	Frenzy	depowerable	5.0
900-999	Gin	Yoz II	4-line	10.6
	Ozone	Frenzy	depowerable	7.5
1000-1099	Gin	Eskimo	depowerable	4.0
	Gin	Yoz II UDS	depowerable	8.5
1100-1199	Gin	Eskimo	depowerable	6.0
	Ozone	Frenzy	depowerable	10.0
1200-1299	Gin	Yoz II UDS	depowerable	10.6
	Ozone	Frenzy	depowerable	12.0
1300-1399	Gin	Eskimo	depowerable	8.5
	Ozone	Frenzy	depowerable	14.0
1400-1499	Gin	Eskimo	depowerable	11.5

Did you notice some groups or categories in all that parafoil kite data? Here's what I saw...

• 2-line stunt kites for flying in the park, with steering ability but not much power for traction sports
• bigger stunt kites, with more useful amounts of power
• small 4-line traction kites that could be used to snowkite, for example
• low-end depowerable parafoil kites, tough and ideal for beginners
• more expensive 4-liners, quite good to snowboard or buggy with
• mid-range depowerable foils, perfect for snowkiting
• most expensive large kites, stable with smoothly controllable power over a very wide wind range

Hope you got something out of all this parafoil kite info!

Last updated: 12 Mar 2008