Power Kite Forum

Blade IV 8.5m... Bad Choice?

Cyph3r - 15-9-2013 at 05:04 PM

Hey all, looking for some input on a recent purchase I made from a user on another kiting forum.

Been kiting static for a good 6 years or so, and got a board and a PL Venom II 13m last year, but I truly disliked ARCs. Really didn't get on with them, so I never actually made any progress learning on the board. So I sold the Venom II 13m and I'm going to start again from scratch learning to board with my Blade IV 4.9m to learn the ropes and then I'll get a foil depower later in year. I've tried alot of foil depowers and really liked them, especially compared to ARCs. Will be getting a Speed 3 15m DLX in a few months.

But for now I used the money from the Venom for an 8.5m Blade IV. The way I see it is that I'll have my 4.9m for highish winds and then the 8.5 for the 8-14mph days. Though I've only read about people using the 8.5 for buggying. Is it not suited for boarding or something?

Also as I'm sure you all know, the 4.9m Blade is great for static flying and jumping around. But I want something with more punch and float. Would the 8.5m be good for static flying jumping here and there? Or is the 6.5/6.6m blades the biggest you should go for static flying + jumping?

shehatesmyhobbies - 15-9-2013 at 05:29 PM

Actually not too bad a choice given your experience. This kite will provide plenty of float. You can use it with the board if you desire. I used the blade III 8.5 for static flying, jumping as well as in the buggy, but only because I had not been on the board back then. I would still prefer a depower on the board myself but know people who use FB on the board and love it.

Get used to the kite and then give jumping and riding the board, you are sure to have fun. The Blade does has some lift so be very careful in gusty winds and while jumping. Put a lid on and have some fun.

BeamerBob - 15-9-2013 at 07:46 PM

The 8.5 will be cranking in 14 mph winds. I flew my 6.5 once in gusty 19 mph winds but I was just surviving, not flying or enjoying. 14 is the sweet spot for the 6.5 static jumping. If you can handle the kite on wheels, you could probably stand a bit more wind than flying static. Just don't swing it to zenith unless you really mean it. :o

lives2fly - 16-9-2013 at 03:43 AM

The Blade is my favaourite fixed bridle kite for landboarding and its almost the only choice for static jumping. You should have lots of fun with it

shehatesmyhobbies - 16-9-2013 at 04:35 AM

Bob is right about the wind with the 8.5, don't know how I missed that part. you will be able to fly it in less wind and will need to be under 15mph winds when static flying it. In 10mph winds it will lift you well with pendulum jumps.

Cyph3r - 16-9-2013 at 04:50 AM

Thanks guys, put my mind at ease, looking forward to it now. And to be fair, I meant 14mph when I'm more used to it and confident on the board, so I can hold the power back abit more. For static flying I can imagine 8-10mph being the top end.

I might be wrong with this. But am I correct in thinking that higher jumps would be possible with the 6.6m due to it being faster and being able to "pin" the power back until the right moment, whereas the 8.5m would generate much floatier jumps but not as high due to being dragged before holding the kite back before the right moment?

lives2fly - 17-9-2013 at 04:16 AM

The 8.5 will definately give you more float. Both will rip you off the ground like a C kite static jumping. On the landboard you may find it hard to hold an "edge" against the 8.5 which will definately limit the height you get.

extend the handles, get lots of weight on your heels and pull your arms in as you push off.

Without meaning being too health and safety about it do take care with wind speeds and wear some armour and a helmet. The Blade will spank you hard when you make mistakes.

Cyph3r - 17-9-2013 at 12:21 PM

Well, the beast arrived today, and it's a fair bit bigger than expected!

Yeah I am quite worried about how difficult it'll be to hold an edge while on the board with it. I'll definitely have my lid on as well as killers/pads. Saturday is forecast for 8mph and sunshine so fingers crossed it's a good day to try it out!

shehatesmyhobbies - 17-9-2013 at 02:06 PM

8mph should get you going nicely. Hold the kite at 11 or so to help hold your edge, less side pull. Let us know how it works out

Cyph3r - 17-9-2013 at 04:34 PM

Will do!

Quick question, on the mid sections (I believe, haven't had a chance to check properly) of the bridles, where 2 lines join into one, on about the 4cm section where they join into the single thicker section, there's a beigy coloured....glue? Makes the line very difficult to bend... Whats with this? Is it just cause its an old kite?

Cyph3r - 19-9-2013 at 12:44 AM

I had my first session with it last night, it was a bit of a disaster really (but not for the reasons you're all thinking!) Firstly, I'm a parapacker, I've always parapacked my kites, every time, for the past 6 or so years, I resent any other method, and (obviously its not an actual problem, I'm just stupid) the kite came with the lines wound around the handles. Long story short I dropped the handles while unwinding them and had to spend the next hour untangling lines.

I actually think this was a blessing in disguise as I checked the wind as soon as I got there and it was ~10mph with gusts to ~16mph... By the time I finished untangling the lines, the wind was down to ~8mph and a rare gust to ~12mph. Next problem was, the kite flew like a dog, I mean really really bad. I was absolutely heart broken with how badly it flew. One side really struggled to inflate, it kept backstalling, but eventually it'd get going and fly okay and it looked 100% okay in the air, just it had absolutely no power. Zero.

Honestly I was quite distraught and I kept landing the kite and inspecting it all over and I couldn't find anything wrong, kept relaunching, same deal. After about 10 minutes of this, I put the kite down, laid it completely flat, and stared at it, and I realised I was missing something, something that is actually really difficult to spot when it's on the floor as I'm sure anyone with an 8.5m Blade will know. The crossover bridle was going around the outside of all the main bridles on the left hand side, and through the middle of the main and brake bridles on the right hand side. So it was just a simple case of disconnecting the lines and putting everything how it should be. I know the seller definitely didn't give me the kite in that way, I think what must have happened was I rolled the kite inside out and around while unpacking/unrolling it, and as I've never owned a kite with a crossover bridle, I would have never thought to check (and of course I was riding a wave of excitement induced stupidity due to getting a new kite).

After all that was sorted, the wind was honestly down to 4mph-6mph according to my wind meter, could barely feel the wind, I was a bit gutted but figured I might as well try it anyway. And well with a bit of work it actually flew. Quite well actually, and it managed to drag me around, it fell out the sky twice when it went too far out the window and the wind completely dropped but I was mega impressed. All in all, I think all the delays worked out for the best as I got my first session in very low winds that still worked out well

Can't wait to get it out into 10mph-ish winds now!

BeamerBob - 19-9-2013 at 02:29 PM

In really light winds make sure you don't have the AOA adjuster in the most aggressive position. It will fly smoother and more efficiently as you turn down the AOA. Lift comes from having it set aggressively though so you have to compromise for what you want to do.

Proletariat - 20-9-2013 at 09:19 PM

I was about to say the same as BeamerBob. In low winds, you want that AAA bridle backed all the way off so you can fly at all. You should be able to fly in about 6mph with no troubles (4 if you're a masochist), but not if you have any AOA set at all. My rule of thumb is, "if it's easier to reverse launch than regular launch, it's time to move the AAA."

Also, check those cross lines. They have about 4 knots on them for adjusting the tips more aggressively downward. Essentially they bring more of the wing parallel to your lines so you get faster turning, but when you do, that nylon now used for turning isn't doing as much lifting, so its like flying a 6m kite with 8.5m weight. For light winds, they should be on the last (farthest) knot. I never did crank them down, but I'd be interested to see what you think if you mess with it.

Cyph3r - 21-9-2013 at 06:48 AM

Yeah I had the AOA on the weakest setting in the light winds, I'm surprised by how much pull and how well it flew in such light winds. The cross bridle was on the furthest setting, I knocked it up one knot but couldnt really notice any difference!

I had another session with the kite again the other day, went much smoother, unpacked and ready to go in about 20 seconds. Wind was abit higher, 10mph-14mph. I learnt a few things on this session:

1. I'm not as fearless as I used to be, infact I'm a massive wuss really. Was too scared to turn it!
2. After using my windmeter I realised 14mph is a lot more than I thought it was.
3. My 4.9m looks like a toy next to this thing.

Proletariat - 21-9-2013 at 07:39 AM

Heh. I once spent 30 minutes with the blade directly over my head in what I thought were "20 mph winds". I never turned the thing. Finally bought a wind meter and found out:

A) all my friends are filthy liars when it comes to estimating wind speeds :)
B) what I thought was 20 mph was actually about 12
C) I can fly just about anything in steady 5mph winds. Maybe not traction, but I can get it in the air.

Cyph3r - 21-9-2013 at 09:10 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Proletariat  
Heh. I once spent 30 minutes with the blade directly over my head in what I thought were "20 mph winds". I never turned the thing. Finally bought a wind meter and found out:

A) all my friends are filthy liars when it comes to estimating wind speeds :)
B) what I thought was 20 mph was actually about 12
C) I can fly just about anything in steady 5mph winds. Maybe not traction, but I can get it in the air.


Haha those are my exact same thoughts!!

In those 14mph winds I would have guessed it was rocking 20-25mph. Got out the windmeter and had abit of a chuckle to myself when I found out it was "only" 14mph.

Cerebite - 29-9-2013 at 06:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Cyph3r  
Quote: Originally posted by Proletariat  
Heh. I once spent 30 minutes with the blade directly over my head in what I thought were "20 mph winds". I never turned the thing. Finally bought a wind meter and found out:

A) all my friends are filthy liars when it comes to estimating wind speeds :)
B) what I thought was 20 mph was actually about 12
C) I can fly just about anything in steady 5mph winds. Maybe not traction, but I can get it in the air.


Haha those are my exact same thoughts!!

In those 14mph winds I would have guessed it was rocking 20-25mph. Got out the windmeter and had abit of a chuckle to myself when I found out it was "only" 14mph.


I was running Proletariates 8.5 in 3 gusting to 7 today in the, albeit heavy, buggy, ridding well in the gusts, falling out of the sky in the lulls. I thing he may have gotten a kite stolen from his quiver today :evil::ninja:. Great pull in ultra light winds, especially when armstronging it.