You probably have seen them and occasionally wonder - what is that flying in the air? As foil kites are becoming more and more popular due to the foil movement it is a good thing to know what they are and if you should be using one.

Foil kites resemble parafoils as they are multi-celled, air inflated, light, efficient and powerful kites. With all these perks you might be wondering why we are not all using them? This is primarily because they are fragile, more technical and expensive compared to inflatable kites.

Foil kites are popular amongst avid racers and light wind riders across kiteboarding, snow kiting, land kiting; people have managed to get around in winds as low as 3 knots with foil kites! If you are not planning to race or do not live somewhere that requires a light wind machine you don’t really have a reason to ever buy one. Foil kites will cost you more money, require tedious maintenance, not offer you the wide crossover possibilities that inflatable kites offer you and don’t forget the nightmare it can be relaunching the kite once it touches the water…

If you do ever have a chance to learn more about foil kites or the opportunity to test one out by all means; learn and expand your knowledge. If you are ever considering to buy one, we generally believe majority of kiters across the world have all their needs met by inflatable kites. If you are still debating to cross over make sure to assess your needs and do your research before purchasing one.

Now the question is… do you have a foil or inflatable kite? If you have tried both- which do you prefer?

Let us know in the comment section below!