Power Kite Forum

Pre-Flight Checks

iceman84 - 22-12-2010 at 04:13 PM

so i've firmly decided that i am going to take up kiting, i've done my research, still not sure where to start though. i've been looking at the 3 to 3.5m range kites, the flexifoil blade series looks good (is that running before walking??), i'm starting inland, mainly because i've just moved away from the beach and the water, which sucks, so being inland affects the wind, would that that lead to a different kite choice and size, an other key factor would be handles or bar?? and my weight (which i put in metric) 85kg on kite size. i've read safety tips and watched accidents, online kite tutorials, then found you guys, which i've read threads and is far more useful...waffling on now, so... any suggestions guys. cheers

Seanny - 22-12-2010 at 04:34 PM

Oooooooooooooozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzoooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Fffffffflllllllllooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. 3 or 4m, that is. :D

Can't go wrong with one of those! Blades are much too lifty for a beginner, and until you get to the largest size (what is it, like 6.5?), they are way too... er... "droppy", also. Lots of lift on those suckers, but not nearly enough kite to provide you with a soft landing! And IMHO, Blades are too expensive for what you get. Go with the Ozone Flow! Or, you might like the PKD Buster Soulfly. Just my 2 cents.

EDIT: By the way, Welcome to PKF!! :wee:

Cheers,
Seanny

B-Roc - 22-12-2010 at 04:38 PM

Where are you located? Whenever possible its always better to hook up with some locals and get recommendations from them on what and where to buy. That being said, if flying only inland I would go with a lower aspect kite then the blade for two reasons... 1) the blade doesn't come in a 3m 2) lower A/R kites are easier to learn on and absorb inland gusts better (though you can tune blades now with their AoA adjusters).

I love my JOJO Insticnts and would highly recommend them for basic traction but not crazy jumping.

Fixed bridle kites always fly better on handles and if you are flying inland you will appreciate handles more than a bar.

Any of the kites from ozone, flexi, peter lynn, HQ, JOJO are good so find a kite you like at a price you can afford and you can't really go wrong.

Kamikuza - 22-12-2010 at 06:41 PM

Welcome :bigok:

awindofchange - 22-12-2010 at 07:04 PM

Welcome to the Forum! We're glad you found your way here.

I also love the Ozone Flow as a first kite but it is also a kite that you can definitely grow with!

Any of the other brands will also work great for you, here is a list but not a complete list:

Ozone Flow (bar or handles)
Ozone Method (bar or handles)
HQ Beamer (with handles)
HQ Scout (with bar)
Peter Lynn Hornet (with handles)
Peter Lynn Twister II (with bar)
Peter Lynn Core (with handles)

just to list a couple. Any of these would be an excellent first kite choice but are all high enough performance that you won't be outgrowing them anytime soon.

Hope that helps.

Seanny - 22-12-2010 at 07:13 PM

That's a good list, BUT, from personal experience, the Twister II is HORRIBLE on a bar. For a beginner that just wants to set up and fly, I think this kite flies 110% better on handles.

That being said, (I've said this 100 times also) the Twister II, like the Blade, is extremely lifty. I find that it has more vertical pull than horizontal pull. It's a great kite, but unless you're up to having to really wrestle it when the wind picks up, don't go more than 4.1m to start with. Doing ATB with it is difficult, because it always wants to yank you into the air instead of pull you across the ground. I don't think anyone has a new Twister II... you could ask around, but I know Bassboi is selling one REALLY cheap on here, just look at the first page of the "For Sale" section.

I personally prefer the PKD Buster Soulfly and the Peter Lynn/Ozone kites over the HQ Beamer (not sure about the Scout), but a Beamer is still a great kite. All of these make for a high wind traction engine later on, so no matter what you buy, hang onto it!

Hope that helps.

iceman84 - 23-12-2010 at 12:06 PM

cheers guys, think i got mistaken with the blade series, also, flexifoil looks like alot of money now compared to other kites that will suit me better, bidding on a beamer 3m, to get me started, hoping to get it for 50 notes, also, was looking at the peter lynn twister 2 and core, think their 4.1 and 4m kites, what do you think of them, seems like i can get either for the same price, but what does 'rtf' mean, pretty sure its not rich text format!! or shall i expend a little further and get the 5.6m twister for when i get bored of the beamer, as i've read this happens pretty quickly. the only other kite i've liked the sound of was the hq scout 2, i think mainly because it looks nice, haha, but can't find many reviews on it. i',m from wales, uk, but got lost 3 months ago and found myself living in england, not as nice, landlocked, no beach in site. i've decided on handles, a bar i think would be the wrong way to go atm. welcoming feedback, likely to purchase tomorrow or wait a few days after crimbo when the madness ends.

Seanny - 23-12-2010 at 12:33 PM

RTF = Ready to Fly. :)

I posted a reply just before this one... Ummm, with a Twister II, I think a 4.1m is better than a 5.6m only because it can handle more wind. Neither kite is big enough to provide a nice soft "floaty" landing on a jump unless you really know what you're doing. The 5.6m might have a little bit more of a low-end, but once the wind picks up, you're toast. I have flown my 4.1 in about 5 mph to 30 mph (the latter of the two being NOT recommended), but it's sweet spot it about 10-15. It is a mammoth of a kite, given it's size, and is very fun to fly; will wear you out quickly if you aren't using a harness and strop line.

Fixed bridle kites in general do not handle gusts very well, and regarding the lifting nature of this kite, you have to be extra careful during punchy winds as you could very easily find yourself 20 feet in the air and 70 feet down wind before you even think about kite killers. Not to scare you away or anything, as this is a rule for all power kites. Several members of this forum are benched from kiting accidents that weren't necessarily their fault. I highly encourage wearing a helmet.

One thing about the availability of Peter Lynn fixed bridles, especially the Twister II, is... their sold out. From the supplier, from the shops... everywhere. I was very lucky to get mine new, and even then, they had to ship it from the Netherlands and it took a month and a half. Bassboi is selling one VERY cheap here:

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=15933

I would seriously consider hitting him up for details. ;)

Have fun!
Seanny

pokitetrash - 23-12-2010 at 12:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by awindofchange

Ozone Flow (bar or handles)
Ozone Method (bar or handles)
HQ Beamer (with handles)
HQ Scout (with bar)
Peter Lynn Hornet (with handles)
Peter Lynn Twister II (with bar)
Peter Lynn Core (with handles)



YEP, all the above are good first kites. . I learned on a Flexifoil Rage 2.5 with handles, and an Ozone Cult 4.5 with handles (Replaced by the Ozone Flow) and have no regrets and after several years I still buggy with those any day.

I would also consider the Flexifoil Blurr line as well because they are very forgiving and provide super smooth predicitable accelleration as well as superb performance running upwind. If you decide to Buggy, then these are at their best as thats what they were designed for.

Dont get caught up with buying obscure stuff off Ebay if you can help it. You will likely get a kite that will be cheaply made, hard to fly and learn on as well as CHEAP line sets and bridles that will stretch and frustrate you further. Any of the common brand names you see talked about most on the PKF shouldnt let you down. Also, a bunch of great dealers participate here on PKF as well who will gladly steer you toward a good investment and are truely more concerned about you becoming a good safe kiter than with making a sale.

I fly inland 99 % of the time and a lifty kite is definately not for me because of the gusty conditions and I probably would have gotten really hurt without listening to these guys here.

OK, enough of the soap box young Grass Hoppa!

Welcome!

Bladerunner - 23-12-2010 at 04:15 PM

AWOC,

I am also curious why you recommend the Twister II on a bar? I only have my 7.7m to pull experience from , not the smaller ones. Mine was a great kite on handles but I was not at all pleased with it on the stock bar ?

Welcome iceman84,

Can't go wrong with the 3m Beamer for learning the ropes.

After you can fly what do you want to progress to? Buggy? ATB ? Snow ?

iceman84 - 23-12-2010 at 05:52 PM

hey thanks for the warnings and advice, wanted to get a cheap kite to learn the ropes and a kite i wouldn't mind giving a hammering to, think there a couple of traders in the uk with twisters in stock, i say think because i haven't rung up yet to find out, but according to the web they have them, think i'll buy the pl twister2, or if i can get the core 4m for relatively the same price i'll get that one, hoping to progress into atb as due to where i am, once i'm ready to. but will be moving bck to the coast in a couple of years and want to hit the water, got money in the back burner from the sale of my surf boards and its aching to be spent!! i'll keep you infromed on my spending habits soon, cheers guys

iceman84 - 23-12-2010 at 06:00 PM

rtf = ready to fly, makes sense now!! think bassboi has sold it, also, kinda wanted a spanking new kite for the first proper one, gives it more of an awe when you get it

Seanny - 23-12-2010 at 06:26 PM

If you want to get some very basic info about ATBing, I wrote a short start-up guide a week or so ago. It's right here:

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=16049&p...

Just scroll down a little.

kiteetik - 23-12-2010 at 08:01 PM

welcome!! i think you'll find power kiting very enjoyable.....

John Holgate - 27-12-2010 at 01:52 PM

Quote:

for when i get bored of the beamer, as i've read this happens pretty quickly.


Nah, just take it out in a bit more wind. The first 1.30 of this vid: Too much fun on 13th Beach is a 2m beamer in 20-22 knots. It's a hoot. Mind you, I did change to a 3m Flow shortly after.......

Personally, I think the Hornet 3m would be an ideal first kite for inland - plenty of pull for the buggy when the wind is up and nice and stable in gusty condition. Note: it's still big enough to spank you if don't take care!

iceman84 - 27-12-2010 at 02:37 PM

bloody beamer is still going on 'flea bay' (been browsing threads), so i bought a pl twister 2 4.1m, cost £205.19 which equates to $316.38, didnt realise i got 10% off, my question now was that a good price?? looked everywhere and this site gave me free p&p with recorded delivery. i saw bassboi sold his for $175, about £113, but shipping to the uk would of cost a bit plus it was used. still guna try and buy that beamer,or do i need not bother . Just watched your vid mr.holgate, it makes me want to move back to wales, also, you fly a flow 3m, is that better than the beamer 3m?? cheers guys

iceman84 - 27-12-2010 at 02:39 PM

oh any suggestions on a smaller kite if you think i need one

Seanny - 27-12-2010 at 06:21 PM

You shouldn't need a smaller kite, unless you want something to take out in 22 knots+... But chances are if the wind is blowing that fast, it's gusting to twice that.

Just be careful with the Twister. 10-15 knots should be your max, starting out. I've flown mine in about 26 knots, and that is screaming fast for this kite. I put it down after I was being pulled 4 meters into the air with it parked at the zenith. Very unsafe. I think you'll be happy with it though, it's a fantastic kite, a lot of fun, very versatile, tons of pull and lift and it can withstand a lot of punishment. The best safety gear you possess is your brain. The second best is a helmet, so I'd recommend wearing one to protect your first piece of safety equipment :)

By the way, $316 is an outstanding price ;) Worth every penny.

iceman84 - 27-12-2010 at 06:29 PM

cheers for that, think i was getting caried away

Seanny - 27-12-2010 at 06:32 PM

No you weren't :) Don't worry :lol:

Just be safe!! We don't need another casualty! I think the Twister II 4.1 is one of the most fun kites I've ever flown, you're going to love it!

EDIT: Keep us updated, too!

John Holgate - 27-12-2010 at 08:40 PM

Quote:

you fly a flow 3m, is that better than the beamer 3m??


It's a little different but I wouldn't consider it a 'better' kite. Performance wise, I think the Flow is a tad faster, handles gusts better but is a bit less stable. Beamer's a little bit more grunty, lifty (not a 'lifty' kite though) and stable. Both are well made, durable kites - as is PL Hornet.

At the higher end of the wind scale, I think I'd trust the Flow a little more but geez, we're only talking subtle differences.

I haven't flown a Twister, but El President of the local club owns a couple and regards them very highly. He also has a couple of PL Core's which he thinks are great too.

Another kite that impressed a whole bunch of us was the Zebra Z1. Very well made, super cheap and very good in gusty conditions. (I think Zebra are connected to Libre)

iceman84 - 5-1-2011 at 05:40 PM

hah, kite came today, trusty u p s man turned up and delivered it, took the kite out, connected the nicely numbered lines up to realise the they were numbered wrong, i would say it was a success, but due to there being no wind, the words 'fail' come to mind, ah well always tomorrow!!!

Seanny - 5-1-2011 at 05:46 PM

Are you sure they were numbered wrong? Was there a manual that had a line layout? Make sure that instead of connecting one color to one side and one color to the other side, you have the main lines as one color and the brake lines as another. :) On my PL Twister II, the main lines are a bit thicker and more sturdy, and they're the orange ones. If the numbers really are wrong, just match up the colors to the colors on the handles. It's pretty goof-proof. (Well, goof resistant, as I tend to mess it up SOMEHOW no matter now many times I've done this :lol: )

Have fun!
Seanny

iceman84 - 5-1-2011 at 06:42 PM

the numbers meant i had lines going left to right, right to left, crossing over. so realising that wasn't right, just swapped them over, put the orange lines on top, and blue for the break, had the kite in the air for about 10 secs max, lol, but it was one of those calm days, where there was not even a ripple in the sea.

Seanny - 5-1-2011 at 07:00 PM

Best of luck! I KNOW you'll have a blast on this kite. When the wind picks up a little, (not too much :P) you can really sling it around and have fun.