Bow kite
Bow kites offer wide depower and a flat, swept-back profile.
Bow kites are a type of leading-edge inflatable kite with a bridle along the front. Their flat, swept-back shape and concave rear edge give them more depower than older C-kites. Bruno Legaignoux created the design, which many companies now license. These kites work well for beginners and pros alike, offering a wide wind range and safer handling in gusts for kiteboarding, snowkiting, and wave riding.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Leading-edge inflatable kite (LEI kite) with bridle
- Designer
- Bruno Legaignoux
- Wind range example
- Two sizes (7 and 12 m2) cover 10 to 30 knots for a 75 kg (165 lb) rider
Facts from the source article.
Early kites
Early bow kites were fully depowerable but had several drawbacks compared to classic C-kites. These included possible inversion, less stability, heavier bar pressure causing greater user fatigue, more difficult relaunch, and a lack of the sled boosting effect when jumping. In 2006, second-generation flat LEI kites addressed many of these issues. Subsequent refinements to the bridle and control bar reduced bar pressure and improved feel, while small kite modifications increased stability and reduced inversion risk.
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