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Originally Posted by PrayFaWind27
any theory?
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Looking to the past for some ideas, five years ago (2001) gear was about to take off with kites delivering improved power and efficiency. However substantial improvement in safety and to some degree boards was off by a couple more years. The need hadn't quite become apparent yet to the industry. Quite a few more severe injuries were needed before folks would start to look out for themselves more effectively. Many people still hooked in and had yet to start using early QR that might never open in an emergency. Early times. Numbers of kiteboarders were increasing but not dramatically so quite yet. Our understanding of how to try to avoid get hurt was only starting to develop.
So, what about 5 years from now, say 2011?
Well, gear may well be much more efficient. Say through variable shape/faring controls, adjustable line length on the fly may have finally come into its own. Kites flown on fewer lines may be working well. Safety/automatic depowering may have finally been sorted out with an acceptable degree of reliability. The current critical need for substantial rider knowledge and avoidance techniques on environmental hazards may have been diminished through technological developments. Threats to access may have been reduced in some venues through organization while still growing in lessor populated areas. Jump height and durations may achieve magnitudes that make todays whoppers look tame by comparison. Variable shape boards and those that can be disassembled for flying may have been developed. And ... other ideas?