Power Kite Forum - The right number of kites in your quiver

The right number of kites in your quiver

Windstruck - 26-9-2015 at 04:15 PM

I'd like to know people's thoughts on the right number of kites in your quiver. Here's what I think: :D

While the minimum number of kites one should own is three, the correct number if you are single is n+1, where n is the number of kites currently owned.

If you are significantly entwined the equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of kites owned that would result in separation from your partner.

B-Roc - 26-9-2015 at 04:26 PM

n+1 is definitely the minimum. Its the nature of the human spirit to want that which it does not possess. The search for the next kite always begins the day the new kite is first flown.

Windstruck - 26-9-2015 at 04:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by B-Roc

n+1 is definitely the minimum.

Too true! I found myself hoping today that when Flysurfer inevitably comes out with the Peak 3 series that they offer a 14-15m size! :lol:

ssayre - 26-9-2015 at 04:36 PM

I think I'm done except for one kite that I'm not in any rush for. You reach a point that you find a couple varieties that you like and really don't want anything else except good wind and people to share what you already have. My quiver will be stuck in this particular time period of kiting history.

southpadreburt - 26-9-2015 at 06:10 PM

For me it would be 2n+2 since my wife has and wants one of each kite I have. It is a little on the expensive side to support such an equation but having a full time kite buddy is more than worth it.

Proletariat - 26-9-2015 at 09:38 PM

Heh. That being said, 5 is the perfect # for me, if I'm being reasonable. 6, 8, 10, 12, 14. Anything else is just silly, but there is still a piece of me that's attracted to "fringe" kites (NPW, Peak, Strutless, etc). So yeah, I guess n+1

RedSky - 27-9-2015 at 12:11 AM

I had so many kites at one time that people used to think I owned a shop. When I moved to depower I sold or gave away almost all the FB stuff, well all the stuff that the mice hadn't eaten.

Recently I have had another major garage clear out. I sold buggies and wheels and odd & ends, I even gave one kid 12 LEI's for free. His Nissan Micra bursting at the seems.
Yeah I used to be very experimental n+1 but not anymore. My ideal quiver now is #1 buggy, #1 kite. I have found 'the one',....actually it was stolen, so I have 'the none'

Windstruck - 27-9-2015 at 05:46 AM

Oh no! That is a terrible story RedSky! Not to pour salt in the wounds friend, but what was The One? :o

RedSky - 27-9-2015 at 08:15 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Oh no! That is a terrible story RedSky! Not to pour salt in the wounds friend, but what was The One? :o

Thanks Windy, good thread :thumbup:

.
I lost/stolen my 9m Genetrix Hydra. My one good kite for everything sub 10mph to 40+mph. I've been through so many other LEI's over the years that I thought I'd never settle on any one kite but I'm surprised and genuine when I say the Hydra is 'the one' for me.

Unfortunately I'm not a 'team' rider for Genetrix, I'm just a rider, a barker if you will, but I'm happy to recommend them all day even if I wasn't. Makes no odds to me as I still can't afford their heavily discounted kites. :D...but one day I will buy another. Hey, its not like I lost a puppy or anything, its just a kite.

Windstruck - 27-9-2015 at 09:36 AM

@ RedSky - I hadn't been familiar with the Genetrix Hydra line. Cool stuff - "flat" LEI. Interesting concept. I read that speed records had been set with them. I hope you find yourself in a position more sooner than later to restock that quiver of yours with a most important n+1 addition! :thumbup:

ssayre - 27-9-2015 at 10:21 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

I think I'm done except for one kite that I'm not in any rush for. You reach a point that you find a couple varieties that you like and really don't want anything else except good wind and people to share what you already have. My quiver will be stuck in this particular time period of kiting history.

You guys didn't buy this line of bs did you? There's no beginning or end, just constant buying and selling.

Windstruck - 27-9-2015 at 10:57 AM

Sean, I was just giving you space. :D

abkayak - 27-9-2015 at 12:19 PM

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

I spit my coffee and laughed out loud when I read that
Proper quivers are simple....you find enough kites
Then you want more than enough...storage is a separate issue

Bladerunner - 27-9-2015 at 12:39 PM

I have to work with the OLD math. From before C for credit was a factor.

$=0 x .73
Where $ is the amount I can spend on a quiver, 0 is my " fun money account " and .73 is exchange rate to U.S.. Until I find a number and couple of zeros to throw in front of the 1st denominator and the .73 multiplier goes up the final answer for $ remains 0.

Good news is I am becoming FAR more intimate with the kites I already have! :thumbup:

:D

Joking aside, I have 5 kites / kite sizes that see regular rotation. I think most people need 3.

BeamerBob - 27-9-2015 at 03:04 PM

You guys forgetting high winds, low winds, janky winds, smooth coastal winds? I have 7 fixed bridle kites and need 2 more. I have 3 arcs and thats probably enough with their wide wind range. 8m HQ Montana VIII for a broad spectrum of riding conditions. Two LEIs for the speedy stuff or ultra high wind work. After 8 years of this and 2 quiver overhauls, I'm just about satisfied that I have something to ride with when I get the chance.

indigo_wolf - 27-9-2015 at 04:19 PM

42 is a nice round number....

ATB,
Sam

Windstruck - 27-9-2015 at 05:33 PM

42 has a wonderful ring to it Sam! :cool:

Windy Heap - 28-9-2015 at 10:27 AM

Hey, the answer is a held within science and mathematics in a delta wing:

http://www.mathportal.org/calculators/plane-geometry-calcula...

volock - 28-9-2015 at 11:53 AM

My own personal opinion is 3 Depower kites can cover most people fully, with those of us using mixed for water/land and being inland, preferring 5-6 to avoid our LEIs getting trashed faster... And then as many fixed bridles as you want/cover your needs, which depends on how many places you fly (for their common winds) and such...

N+1 sounds good to me, and as I'm starting to get my wife into flying, definitely will be picking up some more that overlap with my current, so we can both go out at once.

shehatesmyhobbies - 28-9-2015 at 07:14 PM

For my situation, I have three, 18m phanny, 12m Phanny, and the 9m phanny. It covers all my rideable wind range and let's me fly inland with gusty winds when I feel the need.

I habe thought of getting a few fixed bridle kites again, but I really don't think I would use them that often. I can hang with the fast boys with my phannies and that's good enough for me.

soliver - 28-9-2015 at 08:30 PM

Most of the time for me I am good with the biggest one I've got... but one is just never enough. ...n+1 works for me.

So I bought my first Mandolin the other day... I wonder how many I'll end up with after a year or 2 :smilegrin:

3shot - 29-9-2015 at 05:33 PM

I have 3 mandolins and a fiddle Spencer!!

robinsonpr - 30-9-2015 at 01:17 AM

I've got a 5 string Banjo. Bluegrass band anyone?

3shot - 30-9-2015 at 04:02 AM

And 2 acoustic guitars. Thread drift.....
Mandos are by far my favorite.

Oh yeah....Kites are pretty cool too.

soliver - 30-9-2015 at 06:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

I have 3 mandolins and a fiddle Spencer!!

Quote: Originally posted by robinsonpr

I've got a 5 string Banjo. Bluegrass band anyone?

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

And 2 acoustic guitars. Thread drift.....
Mandos are by far my favorite.

My new heroes.... Deffo gonna bring it to JIBE. (Don't tell Ashli :smilegrin:

)

My 2 oldest play the Guitar and Violin respectively, so a bluegrass Trio is already in the works... My third is learning the harmonica... did I mention we have a noisy house?

So the new formula for me is (n+1)+(mx2) where m is the number of mandolins I currently own, and where once m=2 the formula will change to (n+1)+(m+1).... you get the point.

Someone please freeze my bank account.

soliver - 30-9-2015 at 06:59 AM

Ok, gang... so maybe I'm starting to see a pattern... a personality quirk... it seems like people like us that get into these sorts of things have a tendency to get our first of something in a hobby and say to ourselves "wow self, I really like this thing,... if only it did this aspect just a little differently or better... guess I better start saving for my next thing..." so inevitably n+1 becomes that by which our wives lose their sanity where n equals WHATEVER thing hold our interest at the moment.

Kites
Mandolins
Woodworking tools
Quad copters
etc
etc
etc

What other n's do we have?... not intending to veer the thread, but how many of us have this tendency with our hobbies?

How many pairs of skis do you have Steve? :smilegrin:

Kober - 30-9-2015 at 07:20 AM

My formula is ....... bank account balance = kites ...... lol ......

abkayak - 30-9-2015 at 07:34 AM

i have 7 pairs of skis...and dont even ski anymore
good thing about the beer hobby is they tend not to sit around very long

Windy Heap - 30-9-2015 at 08:43 AM

But. :o

My toy box is bigger than your toy box............thus I have more room in my shop to store more of my toys.

doesn't suck to have a 3000 square foot toy box!

:frog:

<insert win here>

rectifier - 30-9-2015 at 11:53 AM

My Canadian math works the same as Bladerunner's. As such, I just keep flying homemade NPWs... the only thing I want to add to the quiver is a 5m.

...Wait, that would be n+1 wouldn't it?

When I saw this thread a thought an actually number would be revealed...like 3..or 30..

skimtwashington - 30-9-2015 at 02:21 PM

Anyway...my formula is different. I like to have back ups of my very favotite kites..ones I use a lot.....and that were used a lot before I bought them second hand.

[ 2(F) +(N-F) ] + XP = RIGHT NUMBER OF KITES

F=favorites/high use, N= present number of kites, X equals unknown, P =perfect new kite for 'this' wind condition.

Yup...actually have several 'dopplegangers'

Maybe the question that might be asked is' how many actual kites you have?' or 'How many quivers do you have?.... :smilegrin:

Windstruck - 30-9-2015 at 06:03 PM

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

How many pairs of skis do you have Steve? :smilegrin:

Hah! You nailed it Spencer! :lol:

Current ski tally: four pairs. N+1 in full effect here as well.

1. Icelantic Keepers: beautiful big set of powder boards made in the Never Summer factory in Colorado.

2. Volkl Mantras. Nuff said.

3. Atomic Metron B5s. Short, stiff, really quick turning slamon sidecut powerhouse.

4. Dynastar Speeds. GS sidecut rockets.

N+1: Snowkiting this winter may necessitate a pair of long skinny low sidecut stiff skis for superb edge control in hardpack conditions.

In other words, don't even get me started..... :lol:

And BTW, I think Spencer also nailed it about this being reflective of a distinct personality trait (part of the same trait that attracts folks to spend time at places like PKF). Skiing has had me since I was a racer in college; bikes (both mountain and road) had a grip on me at various points in my life. Backpacking gear, you name it.

As with kites, I don't even want to mention how many pairs of skis I've moved through the system in and out of eBay, etc. :smilegrin:

Windstruck - 30-9-2015 at 06:05 PM

Oh, and by the way, if I didn't so greatly enjoy learning that my dear PKF friends also had a love of acoustic music I might of accused you guys of hijacking the thread! :cool2:

soliver - 30-9-2015 at 07:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

How many pairs of skis do you have Steve? :smilegrin:

1. Icelantic Keepers: beautiful big set of powder boards made in the Never Summer factory in Colorado.

2. Vokyl Mantras. Nuff said.

3. Atomic Metron B5s. Short, stiff, really quick turning slamon sidecut powerhouse.

4. Dynastar Speeds. GS sidecut rockets.

N+1: Snowkiting this winter may necessitate a pair of long skinny low sidecut stiff skis for superb edge control in hardpack conditions.

Just a reminder,... you're talking to a GA boy here... I'm reading: "blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, I like skis..."

Down here we ski on large bodies of that thawed out white stuff, we call them lakes ... whats do you call it? Snow? What's that?!?!? :lol:

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

And BTW, I think Spencer also nailed it about this being reflective of a distinct personality trait ...

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Oh, and by the way, if I didn't so greatly enjoy learning that my dear PKF friends also had a love of acoustic music I might of accused you guys of hijacking the thread! :cool2:

I've been letting my beard get longer and longer so I can look more like a bluegrass musician... you know;... what a mandolin guy ought to look like... I just need to go to Walmart and get some overalls.

Windstruck - 30-9-2015 at 10:04 PM

:lol:

Triple quoted in one response. I feel honored.

Feyd - 1-10-2015 at 04:29 AM

Hey now, we ride our skis on water up here in the north too.

https://youtu.be/diKy8CN92nE

Feyd - 1-10-2015 at 04:32 AM

I'm a little jealous of windy heap's toy box.

Just a reminder,... you're talking to a GA boy here... I'm reading: "blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, I like skis..."- first laugh of my morning.

And triple quote has to be some kind of record.

Devoted - 13-11-2015 at 06:44 AM

My formula will be ending up as wind+1.
I like my kites big and slow. Accidental kiteloops...noy my thing. When the sand flies over the beach, I am not kiting.
My math is (going for peter lynn here)
1 big kite for looow winds
1 average 15 meter kite

+1 for a kite where size does not matter but the looks..omg the looks.
The one kite that stands out on any beach. Just for the pure fun of flying it. No need for uber depower, or modern safety. Just the one cool kite)
(Phanny1 any size, Venom2 purple, and I can think of some other brands and old skool kites when I thought design and colour scheme was spot on like Air Evolution X-Air and Z-Air kites.)

Meaning two years of Santa fun coming up finding these kites

mainekite2 - 13-11-2015 at 06:58 AM

Let's just make it simple....
Always one more

Windstruck - 13-11-2015 at 07:26 AM

I'm insufferable. I just bought a 6m Ozone Access from Chris this week. Couldn't resist! N+1 was in full effect. :D

I was out of town last weekend and missed the giant ski swap we have every year up here in Park City. Ticked me off! I "needed" a new pair of skis to dedicate for Snowkiting when the conditions are hardpacked.

I'm kicking myself because I actually purposely left the perfect pair at Kirkwood many years ago. About 20 years ago when "parabolic" skis were first starting to really come on strong I still owned a pair of 207cm Rossi 7SKs. Feyd and a few others will know these skis. They are long, stiff "spaghetti strap" GS racing skis with about a 50m sidecut (OK, a little less). I took these with me to the resort, skied a few runs and then got talked into doing a "demo day" of as many new skis as I wanted to try in a day at the local shop. I must have tried 5 different pairs of "modern" skis with my grin getting wider with each one. By the end of the day I couldn't see myself ever wanting to ski the 7SKs again. I left them outside the lodge on purpose because I did't want to haul them all the way back to the car, knowing I would never ski on them again!

Now for Snowkiting, my N+1 brain wants to go back in time and carry those back to my car. They would have been PERFECT! :D

Cheddarhead - 13-11-2015 at 02:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Now for Snowkiting, my N+1 brain wants to go back in time and carry those back to my car. They would have been PERFECT! :D

Yeah Steve those would work perfect for hard surface days on a kite:D Too bad they're gone

Long straight DH skis work awesome on ice/hard pack. Bought me some 45m+ radius skis a few years ago and love them for that purpose. Set an edge and go! You can find new old stock for dirt cheap. Win Win!

dpheli1 - 13-11-2015 at 09:59 PM