I've got a 16m north rhino and am looking to get a slightly smaller kite - have now been totally baffled by the sizes of them though. I assume that the 16m refers to the surface area of it, so thought something about 12m would be good. I looked at an 11.5m wipika free air - but then found out that it has a 7m projected area - aaargh - so what's the projected area of my rhino? Help? Surely it can't be this complicated.

It depends on the curve of your kite.
Wipika and others have tables of projected anf flat areas for their kites. what does Rhino have on their web page?

On top of which, all manufacturers measure their kites differently and have changed the way they measure their kites over the years.

I have an 11m Wipika Free air, (at least, thats what it says on the tin)...Its actually quoting its projected area though, so its more akin to a 15m really!!

Al.

Your 16 is a 16 meters flat. Which pretty much all companies go by now, ( most any way).

to answer your question your rhino is about 11.8/12 projected...a 12m flat would compliment it well and the projected area of a 12m is about 8.4..it was really only wipika who originally sized this way everyone else quoting flat areas, cause they can...

Thanks guys, mighty helpfull! - that makes it a bit clearer now - at least I know what sort of size i should be looking for now - kinda.....