So how do you guys rate your skill level? What is a beginners skill set, Intermediate and expert skill set.

I notice some of the manufacturers give some guide lines for your skill level and what kite might be suitable for you.

How do I know when I'm ready for a kite with a little more AR I was thinking of the Peak 2 or a Montana. Just going back and forth is getting a little boring, I would like a little lift to make it interesting.

I would say that there is very little distinction between an Intermediate or Expert kite as pertained to the pilot. If a pilot has moved beyond the beginner stages, he can usually handle the most advanced kite. It all comes down to what the pilot is looking for in a kite. Say a pilot has moved past the crashing and learning right and left turns and/or brake turns or has mastered the depower systems.....but isn't a pilot who will be doing a ton of massive airs or extreme speeds or major freestyle moves, but wants a kite that can perform a lot better than the beginner kites without constant attention to keep it airborne, then an intermediate kite is usually the kite of choice. If a pilot has the same skill sets but is into major freestyle and big airs or max speed, the advanced or expert kites is the only choice.

Beginner kites are just that, for beginners. Pilots who are new to the sport and are still figuring out the maximum edges of the wind window, how to keep the kite from overflying and collapsing and are easy to keep in the air, beginner kites will make their flying time much more enjoyable. They just want a kite that pulls like a truck but never collapses or falls out of the air, super easy to flip over, never has bridle tangles and still behaves quite well even in the crappiest wind conditions.

Me personally, I would rank myself somewhere between intermediate and expert. That being said, I also have beginner kites in my collection (usually small sizes) for those days when the wind is really nasty or I just want something easy to fly.

YMMV

I guess I would rank myself as an intermediate kiter, I dont think I have mastered anything at this point but continue to Improve and practice speedy turns and fast runs with out slipping down wind.

I know where the kite is with out looking at it, I react to gusts without giving it a second thought. Learning some freestyle tricks I think would be my next goal. A faster turning kite would be a plus over the Apex kites I have.

What was the first free style move you learned and what was your kite of choice?

Beginner .... Kiter that needs a lot of advice from other kiters, instructor or forums .... Still need to look at kite when flying it and uses wind meter to decide on kite size .... lol ....
Intermediate ..... Enough knowledge and skills to kite alone , help beginners , able to tell difference between similar kites when using it , able to tell wind speed without wind meter , flying kite when drinking beer and smoking cigaret without effort and rarely crashing kites, basic jumps or tricks .....
Expert .... ready to become instructor, using way too big or too small kite for current conditions and still preforming like a pro , kiter insurance paid just in case .... flying kite when drinking beer and smoking cigaret when jumping and doing kite loop and crashing kites a lot when learning new crazy tricks ... lol

I have always wondered what I was supposed to do with my free hand! I was thinking of combining kiting and lacrosse or something.

Warning: Drinking beer and kiting will make you try expert type stunts whether you can pull it off or not.

For me it only takes 2 - 3 beers to eliminate that last little bit of annoying inhibition

i like bar kites

I really want to say I'm an intermediate kiter, but honestly I'm probably much more towards the beginner end. Since I've gotten into this I've read just about everything I can on kites, but the combination of poor conditions, space constraints, and time constraints means I haven't gotten to fly nearly as much as I'd like to. I generally have a pretty good idea of where my kite is without looking at it, but I'm lucky if I can go a little crosswind in the conditions/places I fly. Mostly it's either almost straight downwind or not moving at all.

Semester is finishing up though and my snowboard is all ready to go. When I get home I'm looking forward to getting a lot more flying in at some much better places. Ideally I should have some spots to fly that are 5-10x bigger and without trees everywhere.

Intermediates are somewhere between

Hey PistolPete, a lot of people on here probably don't even know who Ray Bethell is.

http://raybethell.com/

Ray Bethell is amazing.

It's all how you view yourself....as time goes on you stop asking questions like....how do I jump...how do I wind my lines....what size kite do I need?.....With experience you kind of just know....
I looked up to a couple of amazing pilots in WildWood...watched them...learned a bit and my growth in 2 years has been amazing...It's funny how one little trick like a downturn will change the entire way you fly and ride.....I just had one of the best experiences ever, in a 2 hr. window at Wildwood this year on an intermediate Rage 3.5.... I don't think I could of pushed it anymore without hurting myself...You just need to get out there and enjoy yourself, be safe, and log the hours in...it's the only way to move up in skills.....By the time you can tell/feel the difference between a rage and a blade you won't need to ask this question....

My local kite spot ( Vanier park ) is Ray's place. He didn't like me or what I was up to at 1st. I respect the heck out of him and don't ride while he is flying. He started to take me serious and respect me a few years ago.

I think I am stuck at experienced intermediate pilot and happy with that. Flying around Ray and then the crew at GP there is always somebody around who can literally fly circles inside my lines. Everybody enjoys there own style. I am one of the only ones who likes big depower kites on land here. If you have put in your time don't shy away from a larger more lifty kite. I find they are in some ways more safe than smaller ones in the right wind.

I think I would rather fly a huge kite in light winds, I get a kick out of the people that stop by and ask about kiting, well actually I get lots of wow where did you get the parachute?

The land of 100,000 frozen lakes and most people have never seen kite skiing.

Quote: Originally posted by awindofchange

Hey PistolPete, a lot of people on here probably don't even know who Ray Bethell is.

Thanks a few more may know about him now, I saw him perform and talked a little with Ray at the WSIKF

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner

My local kite spot ( Vanier park ) is Ray's place....

Must be something in that BC air...multi-kiters abound!

Quad line handle flyers would probably qualify this as expertise