Power Kite Forum

Advice for first depower kite

kostia - 22-6-2012 at 12:04 PM

Hello all,

Lots of topics to comment on in this forum shame I am still a beginner. :(
OK so, after a month of deliberating I have only half way to making a decision.

Been flying a 3.5 imp bar consistently for 2 months. Can do static jumps in winds of around 17-21 knots. Got a landboard after the 1st month a practiced a few jumps with the landboard. However in those winds a 30-45 min sessions kills my arms which means my fun is all but over. Also because of the size of the kite I feel like to do any jumps I need massive winds (18 and above) which make me jump almost hail mary style which I don't appreciate because of safety.

I am want to invest in a depower kite now. I weight 85kg. The question is what size. I found a 4m Ozone XT 2011 for a bargain price but surely that is too small for me. An 8m would be the correct size I feel.

Appreciate any opinions, judgements and advice.

ragden - 22-6-2012 at 12:16 PM

Where do you live? What are people in your area flying?
The 4m XT (an Access, i'm guessing?) is going to be a real high-wind kite. What are average wind speeds in your location? That is really what sets the size of your kite, that and your weight, of course.
:)

erratic winds - 22-6-2012 at 12:34 PM

I think the GIN Yeti 6.5m that is for sale by B-roc in the for sale section is calling your name ;) Big enough to give you what you're looking for, but not huge so you won't murder yourself.

But yes, tell us about where you're at, maybe we can have you meet another user and you could have a demo?

kostia - 22-6-2012 at 12:47 PM

Yeah ragden it is a Ozone access XT 4m. I don't know what people use there because everyone else kitesurfs in this place. (actually I am at a point between investing all my money in eirther landboarding or kitesurfing lessons and equipment, since I feel confident on a landboard and can kite by myself I am going for landboarding)

erratic winds I appreciate you finding something for me :) but I would be getting a kite from the UK most likely.

:) I don't live in America. I live in a place where shipping and prices of kites are ridiculous so I want to make a good decision.

This weather station is basically exactly a mile from where I kite (a large salt flat)

http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=3630

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/akrotiri

erratic winds - 22-6-2012 at 02:39 PM

with a hardpacked surface and well-inflated tires, you can get moving pretty easily on a ATB! That 4m might not be the wrong choice.

Best of luck and welcome!

kostia - 22-6-2012 at 03:46 PM

So what do we think of a Frenzy 7 m for the wind conditions in the links and a semi beginner like me?

Bladerunner - 22-6-2012 at 04:12 PM

The Access series of kites are not designed as jumping kites. 4m is too small to jump with anyway !

That 7m Frenzy should be a great next step. It won't serve up a ton more power but will give you much better float. Believe it or not with the winds you have you will eventually be looking for a 10 as well.

If you are looking toward the water closed cell foil kites like those made by Flysurfer and HQ would be worth looking for ?

John Holgate - 22-6-2012 at 04:21 PM

I have the 2010 4m Access XT which I like a lot. Gets me going in the buggy from around the 16-18 knot mark and I'm happy with it up to around 30 knots. Kite is probably fine above that, but I'm not!!!

I also have the 5m Apex II which is good from 12 knots to the low 20's - it's a slower, more stable kite than the access but quality of fittings is not quite as good and depower range is a bit less.

The 7.5m Apex II is also an excellent kite from 8 to 18 knots. But none of them are particularly lifty and the 5m usually lets you down with a thud.

Static flew the new XT 10m Access a couple of weeks ago and was really impressed with it's turn speed and depower range. Have flown the 9m Frenzy a couple times - it's certainly got a bit more lift and is a more aggressive kite.

If you get an Access, make sure you get the trim strap adjuster on it (ie: NOT the 2010 model).

I'm a buggier, not a landboarder, but if I was wanting to jump with a landboard, I'd want something around the 8m mark or above. Jumping with small kites is really Russian roulette.

kitedelight - 22-6-2012 at 06:52 PM

ya, Bladerunner makes a good point,
a closed cell foil would allow you the option of water kiting one day too, with just the extra investment of a water board.
I would go that route. Something like the HQ matrix or Flysurfer (maybe a pulse for an older model, or the unity for a newer model).
I'm thinking 8-12m quiver, but don't ride flats on the landboard...so that's an educated guess.
At 86kg with some experience, 8m should be a fine size to go to next, as long as you take it out in the lighter winds to get acquainted with it.

snowspider - 22-6-2012 at 06:59 PM

Something close to 7m in the style your looking at is a nice all around size to take you to the next level of kiting. As stated by others a bigger kite in lighter winds will be pretty sweet for jumping but you may be tempted to or find yourself in winds greater than your current skills can handle. Going from a 3.5m trainer to a 7m depower is a big step , going from 3.5 to something even larger is generally not recommended unless you have an experienced coach at your side.

kostia - 23-6-2012 at 04:17 AM

Wow this is great, so much info. Thanks to all.

Ok so what I learned is the xt is good but gives less lift than frenzy (especially the 4m) Lift is what I want. Yeah with the frenzy I will take it out in no winds at all and just ride for a couple of weeks, then begin the jumping.

I know this is off topic but quite important. I wear knee, elbow, padded shorts and helmet. Good idea to get a spine protector as well?

erratic winds - 23-6-2012 at 08:54 AM

I personally wear hillbilly crash shorts and a summer-weight motorcycle jacket when I ride ATB(hell I wear them in the winter under my snow gear as well!)

Bladerunner - 23-6-2012 at 09:29 AM

I am skinny and A$$ pads are a real big help. . Not exactly life savers like a helmet but I land on my hips a LOT . I suppose it depends on how you fall? I don't use a spine protector.

I simple spine protection is to wear your back pack with a spare kite and stuff? I see people doing this often. Good idea if you have lots of space since your spare may be the kite that takes you home.

John Holgate - 23-6-2012 at 03:34 PM

Here's Spartan on his kite skates showing what can be done with the Frenzy..... (he flies nearly every day and has done for a few years now). Also, there's a copyright issue with the soundtrack so according to youtube, it's not available for viewing in Germany. Let me know if you can't view it and I'll put the link up for the Vimeo version....



snowspider - 23-6-2012 at 06:55 PM

I don't know what the main crash points are coming off a board , but coming out of a buggy my tailbone and hip have taken some bad hits. I've got crash pads now.

kostia - 24-6-2012 at 05:49 PM

I think spine and tailbone are quite important, but I have not seen people fall like that. You seem to end up being dragged in a more horizontal position.

John Holgate great find for the video, gives a good perception. However what is the wind speed you think that is?

This link (below) has the wind ranges but it shows that even with 7m Frenzy it is 16-21 that I will be powered up. I am pretty well powered up with my trainer 3.5 imp in that range (at least I think so since I can do up to 1 metre jump with the board. So what is the difference between the kites, the vertical lift?

I assume it is vertical because with my trainer I seem to travel much further horizontally across ground that vertically up in the air. So for a frenzy it would be relatively equal distance.

Also a little of topic I find it hilarious :) how easy it looks on skates ( I am a skier and rollerblader first, then skateboarder and landboarder) Just an observation, that it just seems more stylish on a board but much safer with skates because it looks so much more controllable..... man I now want offroad skates -_-

http://downloads.flyozone.com/distributors/User_Guide/LoRes/... :singing:

canuck - 24-6-2012 at 06:29 PM

My primary impact points coming off an ATB have been elbows and shoulders, with secondary impact on hips. Also took a couple of very painfull impacts when the spreader bar hook dug into my pelvis after face plants.

If you are a skier/rollerblader 1st, look for a pair of Coyote Rollerblades. They don't make them anymore but are often sold on e-bay. Skates are definitely more controllable and will let you have fun learning kite control at speed without thinking about what is under your feet. Skates might not look as stylish in the air, but you spend a lot more time on the ground. Depends who you need to impress :eureka:

John Holgate - 24-6-2012 at 09:16 PM

Quote:

However what is the wind speed you think that is? This link (below) has the wind ranges but it shows that even with 7m Frenzy it is 16-21 that I will be powered up. I am pretty well powered up with my trainer 3.5 imp in that range (at least I think so since I can do up to 1 metre jump with the board. So what is the difference between the kites, the vertical lift?


I can't remember the wind on the day.....I would expect somewhere around the 10-15 knot mark. Because George uses the kites more above his head than I (I keep them fairly low in the buggy) he uses much bigger kites than I can. I remember him saying that the 7m Frenzy was much better in high wind than his 6m Access.... I think the Frenzy had better depower from memory.

16-21 knots sound about right for the Frenzy 7m I'd probably use it in less than that but I'm not trying to jump. sounds like you'll be looking at something a little bigger. When ExtremeKites comes back on line, shoot Spartan a message and ask him about his Frenzy's wind ranges.

Differences between a 3.5m Imp and a 7m Frenzy.....quite a bit!! I've got a 2.5 imp and it would barely pull the skin off a rice pudding. If you can jump with a 3.5m then you're doing well and you probably not need to worry about lift!

kostia - 29-1-2013 at 10:18 AM

Hello all again.

Revisiting the post.

I went for Ozone Frenzy 11m in the end. About a month after the last post, which was in August 2012.

I went for that size from the 3.5 imp simply because I am a very patient (feels too windy, not sure if I can handle the kite, I go home) with a safety first approach (I have not a had a fall with the kite yet). I have been riding on and off for the last 5 months (once or twice a month) with only the last week where I took the kite out almost everyday. I can easily do controlled 2 metre jumps in the air.

Recommendation to people who are in a similar situation. Learn to do everything you want to do on a small kite first. In my case I did small jumps with my landboard with the 3.5m imp. Then if you are prepared to wait and learn very slowly, then you can make such a large step by yourself. If your doing this more or less alone then buy a small depower kite before going for the big ones.

However, even after this experience I would say I was lucky not have a heavy fall during my learning.