Power Kite Forum

Will a Flexifoil Blade kill a noob?

Shabz - 21-1-2012 at 02:32 PM

Hi guys...am new here and am thinking of buying a bigger kite..

I've had 2 flexifoil super 10 stackers (2 line) for a few years and have had them stacked in fairly strong winds...but I guess something like a Flexifoil Blade IV is in a different league?

I plan on flying mainly in the UK and in the desert in the UAE- lots of wind and I suspect many mouthfuls of sand when I faceplant :D

So is the blade a decent step up and entrance into 4 line kites? Will be flying it standing..also what size would be best

Thanks

:)

B-Roc - 21-1-2012 at 02:54 PM

I had many years of experience flying dual line kites before I bought my first power kite, it was an 8.5 blade III.

You can learn on a blade, especailly the newer ones with the AoA adjusters.

Just use your head, start out in low winds and build your confidence and skill.

wheresthewind? - 21-1-2012 at 05:04 PM

depends on many factors-too many to make an educated guess....just take it slow.....

Bigbear97e - 22-1-2012 at 07:30 AM

You say flying in the UK and desert of UAE with lots of wind? And you are gonna fly static? .... If that's the case, I wouldn't go much bigger than 3 to 3.5m ... unless you are a huge dude .... I am 6 foot, 230 and in a high wind, my Pansh Blaze 3.0 gets my attention .... others will chime in ....
go slow and wear a skid lid and padding.... nothing worse that getting into an awesome sport and then getting hurt right off the get go.

tridude - 22-1-2012 at 07:41 AM

the widow makers can put you in serious hurt if youre exceeding your skill set.................under 10 mph they will help you improve/sharpen your skills quickly BUT if you take them out in lower to mid teens and youre not ready, they can and most likely will bite you. Wear protective gear/kite kilers and take it slow you should be fine..........

Just to give you an example of their potential I fly my 8.5m B3 in 5 to 7 mph winds in the buggy on hard sand and have reached 31mph (GPS certified) amazing kites. The reason I bring this up is we mainly answer questions of "will a Blade hurt me"? Any kite flown out of range or your skill set can harm you. Blades are awesome kites that need a skill set and common sense when to be flown........................good luck!

snowspider - 22-1-2012 at 08:21 AM

Lifty fixed bridals require your full attention and excellent muscle memory developed from lots and lots of flying. Large ones have very narrow wind range and a change of wind speed from 5mph to 10mph may not seem like much but is actually a 100% increase bringing with it 4times the power ( I think that's right). So you are on your buggy or board in 5mph wind get rolling allong at 5mph now the kite sees 10mph and you find yourself attached to a whole different animal. Its all doable and its all fun but you have to beware.

Shabz - 22-1-2012 at 08:45 AM

i will be flying static (for now)...and definitely not in speedy winds until i get to grips with things :)

for reference...i'm around 200lbs in weight

at the moment i'm thinking of either going for a 3.5m Rage or 4.9m Blade- from the sounds of things i think the first one would be more sensible to start with?

BeamerBob - 22-1-2012 at 09:00 AM

All the others said what I will. In low winds you can enjoy what a fabulous kite the Blade IV is and increase your flying skills. As you progress, you can use the same kite in higher winds as long as its at least the 4.9 if not the 6.5 for jumping. The Blade IV is a brilliant kite but will hurt you if you get surprised outside your abilities.

tridude - 22-1-2012 at 09:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by snowspider
Lifty fixed bridals require your full attention and excellent muscle memory developed from lots and lots of flying. Large ones have very narrow wind range and a change of wind speed from 5mph to 10mph may not seem like much but is actually a 100% increase bringing with it 4times the power ( I think that's right). So you are on your buggy or board in 5mph wind get rolling allong at 5mph now the kite sees 10mph and you find yourself attached to a whole different animal. Its all doable and its all fun but you have to beware.


nicely stated Snow.................once the winds gets to 10-12ish the 8.5 goes away and the 6.6 comes out............

rocfighter - 22-1-2012 at 10:41 AM

I'm also a bigger guy at 6'3" amd 200lbs. I was seriously spanked and injured by a 2.8m SDT in strong winds by a surprize gust. In these cases Size doesn't always matter!!

arkay - 22-1-2012 at 11:47 AM

yes it can kill you, but that's not a reason not to fly it :) Be safe! It sounds like you already know how to fly a two line kite. This will pull really hard in any wind. Stackers are like a ford fiesta, blade4 is a mac truck. Just start out in super super low wind and know when enough is enough, and use a kite killer so you can just let go. I imagine you will fly it in 3-5mph only. It's an opportunity cost question. How much do you have wind like that? If you found a killer deal then hop on it, or u2u me :) You just may want another kite to fly more regularly. so as to keep your limbs intact.

RedSky - 22-1-2012 at 01:15 PM

I'm sure Sand Yeti uses Blades in the UAE. Might be worth asking him on KC before heading out there. I know he used 40m lines to clear the dunes. Longer lines will give more toque and power. I spent a couple of years on the Super 10's before getting my first kite a Blade II 4.9. Accidents are mostly down to inexperience of the wind rather than the kite. Fly safe.

joedy - 22-1-2012 at 02:59 PM

Practice using the CL release before flying. Make sure you can do it blindfolded and then make a regular habit of using it while in flight.

This exercise may save your life one day.

Be safe and anticipate the scenarios that might cause injury.

Pretend that you're trying to control a tame dragon; everyone knows that you can never really tame a dragon, but it's fun to try anyway.

-joedy

BeamerBob - 22-1-2012 at 04:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by joedy
Practice using the CL release before flying. Make sure you can do it blindfolded and then make a regular habit of using it while in flight.

This exercise may save your life one day.

Be safe and anticipate the scenarios that might cause injury.

Pretend that you're trying to control a tame dragon; everyone knows that you can never really tame a dragon, but it's fun to try anyway.

-joedy


CL release?

joedy - 22-1-2012 at 06:24 PM

Oops! I was thinking that this kite was a depower.

Shoot.... it's January and I've already used up my allotment of once-a-year mistakes! ;)

-joedy

Kamikuza - 22-1-2012 at 06:40 PM

To borrow a slogan...
Kites don't kill people, people do ;)

Shabz - 24-1-2012 at 10:10 AM

Turns out they have kite surfing lessons in the place I'm going to in middle east!! I better get some experience with a 4 line kite quickly :D have always wanted to try kitesurfing..can't wait :)

Right I think I've made my mind up and am gunna go for a blade and be suuuper careful and only fly in light winds to begin..now question is what size?

Seems like smaller ones will dump you on your ass quickly, whilst bigger ones are more powerful but lofty...which would be the best to start on? 4m? 4.9m? 6.6m?

wheresthewind? - 24-1-2012 at 11:19 AM

i started on a 4m after flying more tame kites for awhile, then i needed more lift and messed around with the 6.6, finally, i had to try the monstrous 10.5 a true lift beast.....one of my favorite things to do with that kite was to launch it downwind, sitting on my butt, and scud in a crouched position until i was standing straight up..... def not recommended for noobs, or the uncoordinated, then you need the right shoes also, and lots of experience with smaller blades in all kinds of different winds helped me..... just take it slow--we dont want anybody on here coming back with a hospital tale or worse.....

BeamerBob - 24-1-2012 at 11:41 AM

The 4.9m is pretty fast and lifty as well with less float as mentioned. I think this size in particular was the cause for the "widowmaker" nickname. I had a 6.5 IV and its still the only kite I ever regretted selling. That said, I've had a couple chances to buy one and passed since it isn't what I want to do when I get a chance to fly.

Shabz - 24-1-2012 at 02:21 PM

right im totally confused now...bigger kites are more powerful, smaller kites are less lofty...so which would be the best blade to start with?

i've been looking at blade II or blade IIIs due to the decent second hand price...i'm now thinking 3m, 4m or 4.9m...which should i go for?

BeamerBob - 24-1-2012 at 03:59 PM

It very much depends on what winds you fly in and how you want to fly it. If you hope to get lifted off the ground the 4.9 is the smallest you should consider no matter what your winds are. If you just want a nice kite to fly without needing the float because you aren't jumping then the smaller kites will let you fly in higher winds.

wheresthewind? - 24-1-2012 at 04:41 PM

you might want to examine different jumping techniques as well, im not a fan of pendulum jumps in gusty winds, i think too many bad things can happen--see utube vids for examples--gusty winds period, just arent real safe for jumping, i was always ready to let go quickly, and even then i was surprised a few times,kite killers are probably a great idea too..... these are just my simple minded opinions, but they did seem to keep me somewhat safe.....

pyro22487 - 25-1-2012 at 11:45 AM

Ok I tried to post on this last night but the internet died while I was typing. Anyways. I was thinking you may want to start with a "trainer" kite or something just for the fact you haven't flown a true power kite. By a trainer I mean Peter Lynn Hornet 3m or a Ozone Flow 2m or 3m. They will teach you the power and the wind you can practice learning how to use the kite for more power before you go out and get something that can kill you. A 3m kite can be used in 15mph winds to actually move if your light enough. you may need 4m but the 20 mph winds are more than enough to get you moving with a 3m kite. Practice first than get the blade that way if you do find yourself over powered you at least stand a chance of landing the kite somewhat safely. My 2 cents.

Soma - 25-1-2012 at 01:56 PM

+1 for a "trainer" kite.

I don't own a Blade and this is worth what is worth. As BeamerBob stated, they do call those wings the "Widowmaker".
It's pure power. It's not the kite that one should start with.
I'm not saying what you should do with your money (and life, for that matters) neither any of the others.
We're just a bunch of crazy old (some of us, at least :D ) people who really love this sport and try to pass on the best we have learned.
And we learned that, for a start, there are far more docile, gentil kites in order for one to really get the hang of things and appreciate the sport.
Then, after you start to get experience, you take the next step. Go a kite size bigger, go a different type of kite, go depower, etc, etc...
There's a multitude of roads to take but the first step should always be "go trainer/beginner".

Like pyro said, Hornets (Peter Lynn), Flows (Ozone) are great startups. I say also Beamers (HQ Kites), Buster Soulfly (PKD), IMP Quattro (Ozone), Sting (Flexifoil) to name several, are also good starters.
There are a gizzillion of them to choose from.

Try something first that you can be certain that won't throw you of the sport if you find that there's to much difficulty to control.

But, then again, who am I to tell you what to do?

Regards
Joćo

Shabz - 25-1-2012 at 02:35 PM

Based on everyones advice I think I might go for a slightly tamer kite to step me up to a blade in the future..probably the sensible thing to do! :)

If I went for a Beamer or Flow I'm thinking the 4-5m range should be about right? (I weigh 200lb)- not too snappy and enough pull to keep me interested? (bored of my stacked super 10s...even in Gail force winds lol)

Would the 4/5m Beamer/flows etc get me jumping in higher winds?

wheresthewind? - 25-1-2012 at 02:38 PM

agreed. believe it or not, ive been lifted very slightly off the ground by a prism snapshot 1.2, and i weigh 180.....just goes to show that even the most tame power kites could hurt you in certain circumstances.....

pyro22487 - 26-1-2012 at 01:15 AM

Ok jumping with less than 5m over head is not recommended. I have jumped with 2m and it is doable but the landing kinda like someone throwing a sack of potatoes in the air. 5m is good for graceful landings. I would start with a 2m or 3m flow/hornet then once you get good at flying it upgrade to a 5m. Thats what I did and I love flying my 5m in 20ish mph and jumping 5-10 feet with it. The landings are nice and the hang time is good. The 2m is a less lifty but can be done as one of my friends found out. He ended up 10 feet in the air and then had a rough landing.

Shabz - 26-1-2012 at 06:04 AM

right...i've seen a few kites for sale that look interesting...one is kite only though

so i'll need kite killers, lines and handles?

can i use any brand lines on any kite? so long as the weight rating is enough?

flexifoil pro link handles and the kite killers are a reasonable price new...what about lines? how much can i expect them to set me back and what brands are ok? or can i literally use some from my local diy store lol

pyro22487 - 26-1-2012 at 03:12 PM

i would buy dyna lines or spectra. most sets are $60 to $100 some can be much more you need at least 160kg over 110kg and usually 20m long. hornets and flows both come with everything. so for 220$ you get everything you need to fly safe exept for the helmet.

pyro22487 - 26-1-2012 at 03:40 PM

i would buy dyna lines or spectra. most sets are $60 to $100 some can be much more you need at least 160kg over 110kg and usually 20m long. hornets and flows both come with everything. so for 220$ you get everything you need to fly safe exept for the helmet.

wheresthewind? - 26-1-2012 at 08:30 PM

dont skimp on lines, after all you are going to be depending on them heavily if you jump......

RedSky - 27-1-2012 at 12:59 AM

One more time for good luck Pyro :D

pyro22487 - 27-1-2012 at 02:38 AM

Not sure what happened, Oh I know what happened bad cell phone coverage when I posted I probably reloaded the post screen then posted again. If you notice there are no capital letters. My cell phones cap button for some reason never worked. I bought it refurbed so that was that. Another interesting thing they are like a half hour apart. Oh well you asked for it so you get it part three of the spam….

i would buy dyna lines or spectra. most sets are $60 to $100 some can be much more you need at least 160kg over 110kg and usually 20m long. hornets and flows both come with everything. so for 220$ you get everything you need to fly safe exept for the helmet.

pyro22487 - 27-1-2012 at 02:44 AM

Sorry I couldn't resist now on with your regularly scheduled thread…..

Shabz - 30-1-2012 at 04:20 AM

thanks for clearing that up pyro..i think i've got the message now lol :D

in the end i won an ozone samurai mk1 4m on ebay :) can't wait to get out and fly it!! in low winds to start with of course! absolutely no wind where i am at the moment though, completely dead :(

soliver - 30-1-2012 at 08:01 AM

So here's another newby's perspective...

thought I'd start with a bigger liftier kite because I have experience with 2 lines 2, but trust me,... its not worth it.

I started with a 5.6m Twister IIr, which is an uber lifty machine, and quite frankly, It scares the pants off me. I won't take it up in winds over 7mph, because its hard to hang onto when the gusts pick up over 12mph. I get nervous when I fly it and it takes the enjoyment out of the sport. It has already hurt me once, and I'm still slowly getting back in the saddle. I love the kite and continue to fly it, I just am REALLY cautious with it. And yes, it was recommended to me to start smaller and no I did not listen.

Since then, I bought a 3m Beamer V, and love to fly it. When the wind gets up around 12-15mph it starts to drag me, but it won't pick me up and hurl me like the Twister will.

My advice is definitely start smaller then go bigger.

Bladerunner - 30-1-2012 at 06:27 PM

Well described Soliver. Your story is pretty common. Including you hurting yourself with the bigger kite 1st.

I'm sure that you now find you are progressing faster. Controling the kite rather than protecting yourself from it !

Shabz - 27-2-2012 at 04:13 AM

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=21282&p...