Power Kite Forum

Getting into landboarding? Suggestions on kites to start off with?

IFlyKites - 30-1-2015 at 11:51 PM

Hello folks!

I haven't been active on here lately due to schooling and all that rain here. Killing all the fun :sniff: Anyways, spring is quickly approaching and I'm getting back into flying. After watching many landboarding videos on YouTube, I think I can say I'm ready to try out landboarding :cool:

At the moment, I have a PL Hornet 3.5 and PL Twister 5.6; both are on handles. Need some opinions here. Should I go ahead and sell the Twister 5.6 and get myself a depower? I have never flown a depower nor a kite on a bar. Correct me if I'm wrong, depower kites work differently compared to just a normal power kite with a bar correct?

I've heard people talking about learning to landboard on handles, then getting a depower kite. I am aware that with handles, it's easier to control the kite as it's more beginner friendly. But thinking about it, a depower is more appropriate for landboarding.

So anyways, what do you folks think. Where do I start with this and what are some of my options? Would appreciate any explanations/help!

Cheers, Ari

carltb - 31-1-2015 at 05:47 AM

if you do decide to get a depower kite ive got a 15m charger 2 for sale

Bladerunner - 31-1-2015 at 09:37 AM

I suggest you 1st get a harness and get used to hooking in with the kites you are familiar with. Taking the power through your core is different than through your arms.

Once comfortable think about how you can fly your FB similar to a depower. In short, brake turns only = similar to turning depower on a bar, adding even brake is a bit like pulling in the bar, turning using brake + push pull of handles is a bit like pulling in the bar to assist turning.

While depower is a good way to go, learning to ride ATB with kites you are very familiar with will be a bigger advantage. YES, you may want to sell the Twister to fund a depower down the rode but you don't need to rush.

Has anybody suggested a helmet? ;)

IFlyKites - 31-1-2015 at 10:43 AM

Cheers for the quick reply. I won't forget a helmet don't worry :lol: What depowers should I start off with for a first one? I'm 175 pounds. Would in the 6-8m range be suffice? Or would I need something in the 10-12 range for jumping? Also, what harness do you suggest? Apologies for all the questions, want to be sure I'm safe and have everything ready.

Cheers, Ari

abkayak - 31-1-2015 at 11:13 AM

I'm w/ Blade...harness up and fly what you have already...figure out the boarding first it's plenty fine/fun fb...then go dp after you have board skills

IFlyKites - 31-1-2015 at 01:40 PM

Alright thanks, sounds good! I'll be using my Twister to practice on. Maybe I should first practice static with just a harness and forget the board? Then when I have enough practice flying with a harness and FB, I'll move onto flying FB with the board.

Looking for a harness right now, what do you suggest? Do I just get a Peter Lynn Backstrap that's simple and cheap? Or should I go with the real thing and get the radical or divine harness? If I understand correctly, the divine harness is more for buggying which I probably won't be getting into any time soon. So that leaves me with the divine harness for landboarding? Appreciate the help!

Cheers, Ari

IFlyKites - 31-1-2015 at 01:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by carltb  
if you do decide to get a depower kite ive got a 15m charger 2 for sale


I'll give it a thought Carl. At the moment, I think 15m would be too big for me to start off with. I'll let you know whenever I decide.

carltb - 31-1-2015 at 01:50 PM

15m isn't really a massive kite it just sounds like it.

hiaguy - 31-1-2015 at 03:26 PM

Ari,
There are three different varieties of kites with different size ranges:
fixed bridle - these, like both your Hornet and Twister, are the most efficient and arguably the least forgiving in gusty winds;
depower foil - less efficient than fb, so a larger size is required to produce the same power, but all the advantages of being able to dump power.
arcs - another step up in size, these gentle giants absorb gusts and are capable of both dumping power, and producing a lot of it.

Others will likely chime in with more detail, and i've never flown an arc, but generally think: 4m fb = 7m dp foil = +/-15m arc.

IFlyKites - 31-1-2015 at 04:58 PM

Thanks for that bit of info, just learned something new! My bad Carl, guess 15m isn't that big then :lol: Here is my dilemma. If I have a Twister, can't I just convert it to a depower? As in, if I buy a bar and then use that instead of the handles. Is there a way I can attach the bar to the harness or does that only work with depower kites? In general though, can I use an ATB with a Twister on a bar or will it be too much on my arms? That's the part I'm confused about, I'm sure there is a way of somehow attaching the bar to a harness. Or could I maybe convert my Twister by attaching a depower bar to it? Would that work?

Cheers, Ari

hiaguy - 31-1-2015 at 06:10 PM

Can you use the Twister on an ATB? Absolutely. (It's not a bad buggy engine either as long as you don't send it up quickly.)
Can you convert a fixed-bridle to a de-power just by adding a bar? Not really*. The movement of the bar alters the angle of attack of the kite by controlling the line length to the trailing edge and centre of the bridle of the kite.

*There is a thread here somewhere that discusses various kites and their suitability for use with an Ozone Turbo Bar. The Turbo Bar allows some "modified" control over the kite, using the brake lines in every turn, but doesn't allow a "de-power"ing of the kite. Learning to use break lines to turn (as Blade mentions) you will effectively have "turbo bar like" control. The nice thing about the 'Bar is that it provides a chicken loop with a quick release.

PS: 73 days to WBB :wee:

hiaguy - 31-1-2015 at 06:16 PM

Found it:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=28897#pid27...

YMMV, but doesn't look like the Twister is a good candidate.

IFlyKites - 31-1-2015 at 07:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by hiaguy  
Found it:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=28897#pid27...

YMMV, but doesn't look like the Twister is a good candidate.


Thanks Howard. Do you by any chance know where that video on YouTube is of the tutorial of the guy attaching handles with strope line? Can't seem to find it.

It's all good. Found it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1422579428&x-yt-cl...

Cheers, Ari

abkayak - 1-2-2015 at 05:04 AM

Don't put off the ATB if you want it...get your riding started w/out the harness..fly static with a harness and then mix it together...i rode a yr ATB/fb no harness it gives you nice big arms and chicks dig that

Bladerunner - 1-2-2015 at 08:51 AM

When I am using handles and a FB kite I hook in and unhook depending on what I am doing. I unhook to push the limits and hook in to cruise + rest. You can accidently end up captive with a strop.

I agree, if you are comfortable with your Twister then by all means start riding ATB. You don't want / need to be hooked in to learn to ride. Learning unhooked is actually much safer. I was just suggesting that you can get a harness before you make the leap to depower.

IFlyKites - 1-2-2015 at 11:35 AM

Appreciate all the help! I'll do exactly that and just get myself a Trampa board and start practicing with my Twister. Hopefully it doesn't pull me off of the board like it does static flying it :lol: Also, do you got any good spots you could give away? :cool: Garry point seems too small of a location for using ATB. Is Boundary Bay any good, even though it's a long ride?

robinsonpr - 1-2-2015 at 12:58 PM

I'm also in the process of learning to ATB. I started with a Twister, smaller than yours though at 3m, and I was too underpowered a lot of the time. However it was a good way to start, as with handles and not hooked in you can compensate for quite a lot with your arms. It got me up and running quite quickly, and I had some great runs with the twister when the wind was right. Also with handles its easy when you get into trouble, just let go!

I soon wanted a depower though and am now trying to progress hooked in with a flysurfer Peak 6m. Certainly not as easy as it looks! At first it's a completely different sensation being pulled from the hips rather than holding all the power in your arms, but you soon get used to that.

Have fun!

Bladerunner - 1-2-2015 at 04:44 PM

I didn't realize you are in Vancouver area.

Unfortunately GP is the best we have to offer. We are all good at riding low wind and crowded small parks around here. I ride at Vanier Park on N.W. winds in summer. It is smoother but much smaller. Our beaches aren't hard pack enough to make ATB viable. A local is experimenting with large wide wheels that just may make riding Whiterock / Boundary bay less of a shlog? You really get a LOT more out of a buggy around here. GP gets very bumpy with sand traps all over as the summer runs on. I much prefer running a buggy at GP later in the summer. ( and I love stand up riding )

Most of the Vancouver crew eventually understands that we need to travel to get the most out of our sport. Presently Seaside Oregon is the closest and best we've got. Southern Washington beaches may soon also be open ?

To avoid being sent over the top of your board 2 options are available. 1 - ride / point downwind. 2 - get down low and lean back pushing out with your feet / slide off the power.

I have a Radsail RKB R2 that I picked up for $100 as a second board. It is somewhat bottom end compared to Trampa but I can let it go for the same $100 I paid. It's in near new condition. It will leave you wanting to upgrade but at $100 and no shipping will allow you to decide if ATB is a good way to go around here.

P.S. I have depower kites that you can try. Both foils and arcs. Nothing for sale but at least you can experience how the 2 are similar but different. Each with good and bad points.

IFlyKites - 1-2-2015 at 05:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner  
I have a Radsail RKB R2 that I picked up for $100 as a second board. It is somewhat bottom end compared to Trampa but I can let it go for the same $100 I paid. It's in near new condition. It will leave you wanting to upgrade but at $100 and no shipping will allow you to decide if ATB is a good way to go around here.


Thanks for the offer blade! I think I'll pass on it for now. It's a great deal though. I'm thinking of just going with the Trampa.

And darn, it really is limited here in Vancouver :sniff: I have seen several people ATB'ing at Garry Point. The part closer to the parking lot has the more solid part without the sand traps. Appreciate the info!

Cheers, Ari

pongnut - 2-2-2015 at 12:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by abkayak  
Don't put off the ATB if you want it...get your riding started w/out the harness..fly static with a harness and then mix it together...i rode a yr ATB/fb no harness it gives you nice big arms and chicks dig that


+1

IFlyKites - 2-2-2015 at 02:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner  
I didn't realize you are in Vancouver area.

Unfortunately GP is the best we have to offer. We are all good at riding low wind and crowded small parks around here. I ride at Vanier Park on N.W. winds in summer. It is smoother but much smaller. Our beaches aren't hard pack enough to make ATB viable. A local is experimenting with large wide wheels that just may make riding Whiterock / Boundary bay less of a shlog? You really get a LOT more out of a buggy around here. GP gets very bumpy with sand traps all over as the summer runs on. I much prefer running a buggy at GP later in the summer. ( and I love stand up riding )

Most of the Vancouver crew eventually understands that we need to travel to get the most out of our sport. Presently Seaside Oregon is the closest and best we've got. Southern Washington beaches may soon also be open ?

To avoid being sent over the top of your board 2 options are available. 1 - ride / point downwind. 2 - get down low and lean back pushing out with your feet / slide off the power.

I have a Radsail RKB R2 that I picked up for $100 as a second board. It is somewhat bottom end compared to Trampa but I can let it go for the same $100 I paid. It's in near new condition. It will leave you wanting to upgrade but at $100 and no shipping will allow you to decide if ATB is a good way to go around here.

P.S. I have depower kites that you can try. Both foils and arcs. Nothing for sale but at least you can experience how the 2 are similar but different. Each with good and bad points.



You really got me thinking about buggying haha. I'm now debating whether I should get an ATB or bug :cool: With all the terrain here in Vancouver, it does seem buggying is the better fit. I looked up prices on Trampa boards and they are expensive, (about 500 bucks not including shipping for a new board). I could probably get a nice used buggy for that amount. Grrr.. choices.

Bladerunner - 2-2-2015 at 07:23 PM

I agree, it's a tough choice. I would say that if I could only have one ride in Vancouver it would be a buggy? Yes, Trampa is spendy but it is about the best. They come up used on here occasionally and often at very good prices. ( + shipping ) (( and maybe taxes + broker fees )) :evil:

With buggies and boards shipping is the killer. BigKid is selling some buggies and he is just down in Seattle. I think he has a of Libre Sprinter and Bigfoot left? Odds are pretty good he will meet up with you 1/2 way or something to avoid shipping costs?

The good thing to consider is that if you go the buggy route fixed bridle is well suited to the job so you won't have to rush out and buy a depower. You will eventually find you need a larger low wind kite to ride here. I have an old 9m Blade that I never fly and it works pretty good for low wind. I can loan it to you as they drain the lake at GP. It won't be a problem if you get this one muddy and stuff.

Folks at GP are all great. Don't be shy and odds are they will put different kites in your hands and maybe let you try their ride. They will all offer free ( and often conflicting ) advice! :P

EddyP - 6-2-2015 at 10:17 AM

I don't know if you've ever been to Windswept? Great website with helpful guides on what first purchase is best for your intended use. That would be my recommendation anyway!