Power Kite Forum

How high is high?

power - 13-10-2009 at 08:47 PM

For those of you that are into jumping- how high is high? What is average? I know this is a real broad question, but when you go outside and feel the wind and say, "O today's a good day for jumping, I think I'll take out my 5 or 6 meter," what are the typical good jumps?

f0rgiv3n - 13-10-2009 at 09:33 PM

totally depends on the person... a 6ft jump is a "good" jump for me.

art_lessing - 13-10-2009 at 10:27 PM

well here's the thing..I have had very high jumps ..those are a bit scary...too much pop.....but the best jumps I think are the ones that don't lift you too high but don't let you down too soon.....I had one recently where I was only about a foot off the ground but I swear I was just floating there kind of moving around a bit for 7 seconds...even though that sounds like no time..if you count it out 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, that is a lot of air time and it is a thrill because you start to get the feeling that you are flying....

Kamikuza - 13-10-2009 at 11:02 PM

Before I pranged, my Phanny & I were doing like 3 or 4 foot jumps but with like 3 or 4 seconds of float time and like 3 or 4 meters drift down or cross wind ... awesome! They were hooj for me :lol:

carltb - 14-10-2009 at 03:56 AM

well, how long is a piece of string?
personally, a good jump is one that allows you the time to do the trick you want to do. if "thr trick" is just to jump, then 20-30ft gets the blood going!!

flyjump - 14-10-2009 at 04:48 AM

Once you start going over the 15' or 20' mark you'll start to feel the butterflys. Although height is really run, it's all about the hang time. I've had a couple 2-3 jumps around the 30' mark and they are the best to remember, but sometimes when your only 9 feet off the ground but you travel 70 feet across the field you'll have a great day. When you have time to look around at peoples faces below your feet during a jump, those are my favorite

PHREERIDER - 14-10-2009 at 04:52 AM

forget the numbers

control! start to finish

Bladerunner - 14-10-2009 at 05:25 AM

HANGTIME BABY ,

That's what life is all about. :bouncy:

5 - 8 ft and 2 - 3 seconds is pretty average for me. 10 ft + still feels like the stratasphere. Rip's average is more around 10ft.



The points come for style and control. !

kitejumper - 14-10-2009 at 08:08 AM

ive been up to 30' , but i'd say 10 footers are my fav

FloRider - 14-10-2009 at 09:59 AM

Anything above 8-10' better be with a de-power. For me, at least.

PHREERIDER - 14-10-2009 at 11:21 AM

high winds gets you high,

35-40mph on 16m venom

WARNING ! this is disease level flying

don't really know how high and how much float but the 1-2 times the landings didnt work out are thumps i have yet to forget or even really remember.

control made it fun, without control sad endings will arrive

BeamerBob - 14-10-2009 at 11:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by PHREERIDER
high winds gets you high,

35-40mph on 16m venom

WARNING ! this is disease level flying

don't really know how high and how much float but the 1-2 times the landings didnt work out are thumps i have yet to forget or even really remember.

control made it fun, without control sad endings will arrive


In case the rest of you aren't aware of Phree's skills, the arc calculator shows my wind range for that kite topping out at 29 mph. Phree didn't you say you had some seam stress after that run? No not in your shorts, on the kite. :saint::rolleyes:

carltb - 14-10-2009 at 11:58 AM

no doubt, control is everything and i wouldnt advocate huuuuuuuuuuuuuge air unless you are compitant doing small jumps.

no matter how high you jump, if it gives you that kick in the pants, then it was a high jump. at every level during your progression, you will raise the bar yourself. its like a drug addict trying to get that perfect high, but in our case it quite litterally is getting high(er)!!!

carltb - 14-10-2009 at 12:01 PM

@phree - and i thought i was the mad one!!!! 40mph!!

flyjump - 14-10-2009 at 12:09 PM

Dude carltb, I've seen you going huge in a fee of your videos. Control smooth lift and perfect float!

carltb - 14-10-2009 at 12:35 PM

yeah but my first ever jump was 1ft!!! i think the point i wa trying to make was the thrill i got from my first jump is equal to the 30ft+ jumps i am capable of now.

mougl - 14-10-2009 at 12:59 PM

30+??? Wow! I still get all giddy when I hit 5+! Can't wait to see what I can hit in the 16g21 this weekend :p

Jason-G - 14-10-2009 at 01:16 PM

I am still a novice and fly mostly static but as others have mentioned, “float” to me is as thrilling as height. Same goes for “glide”. I was able to get about 8ft up with a 9m slingshot ranger from a static jump in about 15mph winds and floated there for what seemed like a really long time which was really nice. On another occasion with the same kite but more wind 20 mph+ I popped up in the air and started gliding downwind pretty fast. It was too fast for my feet to catch up so since the ground was soft dirt (plowed wheat field) I just lifted my legs and slid in. It felt like I went from 3rd base to homeplate on a 30 degree angle and slid in safely. That was cool too – both had their moment of butterflies.

Jason

sofa king - 14-10-2009 at 04:59 PM

try to get about this high

EDIT: seriously thou on grass-5ft, sand-10+feet

power - 14-10-2009 at 05:16 PM

This may seem funny, but every time I go out in 15-20mph winds with a 4m twister I get around 6 feet with some decent hangtime. I would like to start progressing to 10-12 foot average jumps (not now, maybe this winter) but with a larger kite. But everyone says that a larger kite doesn't provide more lift just more hangtime. So how do some people get consistent 10-15 foot jumps without going out in 30+ winds?

kitejumper - 14-10-2009 at 05:50 PM

mougl--when you getting a blade, bro?? i can see youre jonesing for some big air

mougl - 14-10-2009 at 05:58 PM

I'd love to get my paws on a III or IV 8.5 but I have to save for the PL Bigfoot first....or do I?

I need to hit the lotto, I'm going :crazy:

PHREERIDER - 14-10-2009 at 06:36 PM

bob yes a few spots opened a couple inches but easy field repair stuff with tape and floss.

rig seen here at JIBE ... hyper venom from kitesurfer

DSC_0054.jpg - 16kB

Houston AirHead - 14-10-2009 at 06:51 PM

i jumped over the moon once and landed in china

power - 14-10-2009 at 07:29 PM

You must have gone like 20+ feet! Holy S#$T!

Bladerunner - 15-10-2009 at 05:39 AM

I think you need to add SPEED to get higher than you already are.

If I want to go higher , I go faster .

I'm sure that is why Rip' is consistantly 5 ft higher than me.

power - 15-10-2009 at 08:53 AM

How much does speed affect height? With my 4m, if I was on a landboard going 15mph in 17mph winds and then went for a jump, how much higher would I be getting as apposed to pendulum jumping in those winds?

snobdr - 15-10-2009 at 08:59 AM

speed plays a major part. you could go twice maybe three times as high

power - 15-10-2009 at 09:10 AM

Wow thats impressive. I cant wait to try my board out in 15+.

flyboy15 - 15-10-2009 at 10:35 AM

I ride a slingshot 12m snow ranger, and typical for me is around 10 ft. sometimes up to 20 ft. Static jumps have been as high as 30 estimated by the guy i jumped over haha

ripsessionkites - 15-10-2009 at 12:10 PM

i have no clue how high i go, because im not looking down when im in the air. whatever the Peanut Galley says, i'll believe it.

would high be the same as hangtime?

either way, doesnt matter how high you go as long as you're safe and having fun at it.

surface + speed + wind = HIGH

im still wishing for the day i can Mega Kiteloop at our park, but a few things need to change first, ie (surface, space, people, a parking lot downwind and wearing my skirt).

who gets more high ... kitesurfers or kgbers (kite ground boarders)?

carltb - 15-10-2009 at 12:58 PM

definately, you can go higher on the water as you can hold down a hell of alot more power on the water and can get more pop.

PHREERIDER - 15-10-2009 at 01:40 PM

water is supreme high air

speed, edge, pop and most importantly safer!

nwsurfwakeskate - 15-10-2009 at 06:45 PM

that's exactly why I have very little interest in spending money on snowkiting or landboarding.

Hangtime is fun but I'm really starting to enjoy the rip you off the water style air. reminds me of that rollercoaster feeling. landing soft is a bit more tricky but after a little practice I've managed to start sticking them pretty good. I found downloops are almost necessary and now that I have those dialed I think kiteloops might not be too far away in the future

snobdr - 15-10-2009 at 08:21 PM

Deep powder is a second best to water. Pluss alot of the skills transfer over to water.

PHREERIDER - 16-10-2009 at 06:10 AM

oh yeah, kite loop air trans. really put it all together . fills in and keeps all lit

with out loops you're really blunting the flow of the kite and the ride .

you have to select good wind conditions. and it flows perfect to start on the water. i think i started trying with success around 15-20mph closer to 15 .

best pointer ...once you comitt the kite to loop KEEP IT PULLED IN TIL IT COMES RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT IT. land ing are hot , almost straight down wind . the higher you keep the kite in the sky form the start the easier it is to put it all together. and the rig doesnt crash . sending it forward or back to start really makes a huge difference . looping back on trans at the apex seemed easier to land .

best part i practiced them on land after i got it flowing in about 10-12mph really helped with timing and kite behavior actually really makes light air riding fun

carltb - 18-10-2009 at 03:23 PM

IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT A 30FT JUMP LOOKS LIKE, CHECK OUT THE SECOND HALF OF THIS VID. ABOUT 2.39


kitejumper - 18-10-2009 at 03:44 PM

hahaha nice vid--good jumps

mougl - 18-10-2009 at 03:47 PM

This is why I want an arc! Awesome vid!


How High is High? Hit my first 10+ today! Thats high as the sky for me! Unpacked the T II in 16-18, picked up to 20-22, packed it in and unpacked the Viper when it hit 25. I think I've graduated from a skirt to shorts :spin:

power - 18-10-2009 at 07:21 PM

Nice video carl. Wish I could have seen all of that 30 footer. What is it like when your up that high?

carltb - 19-10-2009 at 04:05 AM

the initial boost is awesome as i took off like a rocket, then the only thought going through my head was, keep the kite above you!! to loop the 15m in those winds would have been suicide so it was a case of left hand right hand left hand right hand until i started to decend, spot the landing and feel the stoke!!!!

power - 19-10-2009 at 09:22 AM

That is AWESOME! That's what I really want to do with landboarding, do some tricks and get big air. I was thinking about getting a used twinskin this winter or maybe next spring. How do you like the synergy's? I need to look around a little, but I haven't figured out whether I'd rather have an LEI or a twinskin.

Maven454 - 19-10-2009 at 09:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by power
That is AWESOME! That's what I really want to do with landboarding, do some tricks and get big air. I was thinking about getting a used twinskin this winter or maybe next spring. How do you like the synergy's? I need to look around a little, but I haven't figured out whether I'd rather have an LEI or a twinskin.


At some point, we should be able to have you try one of my twinskins. That'll save you buying one on someone else's opinion and then potentially deciding that it isn't right for you.

snobdr - 19-10-2009 at 09:42 AM

I have a few LEIs you can check out also.

power - 19-10-2009 at 02:02 PM

Just to make sure, an arc is a depower that is not an LEI, right? Anyway, I would love to try out some depowers before I even considered buying one, LEI's and arcs. If we all meet up this weekend, I'd love to try some of those out, but I've never even flown a bar or a depower before.

Maven454 - 19-10-2009 at 02:04 PM

There are three main different types of depowers. LEI, Twinskin, and foil.

power - 19-10-2009 at 02:07 PM

So Arcs are just twinskins?

Maven454 - 19-10-2009 at 02:09 PM

Twinskins are often called arcs, yes. I don't know if there is anything else that can be called an arc.

Bladerunner - 19-10-2009 at 04:21 PM

Arcs are a bit tricky on launching and landing but once you have it down it isn't such a big deal. Don't be discouraged by that , if you get a try.

If you aren't going to hit the water, open cell depower foils are also a great option that is available. Probably the most popular in that catagory is the Ozone Frenzy.

LEI's work well on land but if you are still in the learning stages and not going out on the water it may not be the best choice. Only because they don't take to being crashed on land as well as the non-bladder kites.

Arcs, SLE, LEI and C kites are all depower.

power - 19-10-2009 at 05:23 PM

By non bladder do you mean fixed bridle open cell depower, or does an arc count? I'm looking for something that I would be able to use on water as well as land. I don't know why the twinskins and LEIs seem like such a better kite than a open cell depower, but I don't know enough about depowers to be sure. Also, what about the apex and the montana?

WIllardTheGrey - 19-10-2009 at 11:42 PM

non bladder means no pressurized bladder to pump up.


twinskin has closed cells that you inflate with the wind.



lei has a inflatebale leading edge and struts that you have to pump up with a pump.



fixed bridle is NOT depower, your PL twister in an example of a fixed bridle open cell.
I hope that is understandable I'm kinda zonkered.

Maven454 - 20-10-2009 at 03:23 AM

Power, when you get a chance to fly with some of us, we can show you the differences between the different types of depower kites and let you try them out. It'll be much more efficient than worrying knowledge from the forum one small piece at a time :D. Hopefully we can do that on Sunday.

Maven454 - 20-10-2009 at 03:25 AM

A fixed bridle is anything that is not depower. Most fixed bridles are open cell foil, although stunt kites fall under the fixed bridle heading too. Foil depowers (both open and closed cell) are not fixed bridle, but they do have more complicated bridles than LEI or twinskins.

Jack1988 - 22-10-2009 at 08:53 AM

any one fly open cell fixed bridles in 25 plus??? if so you are insane :D

Maven454 - 22-10-2009 at 09:23 AM

I have. But only very small ones.

mougl - 22-10-2009 at 06:16 PM

25 PLUS????

Hell, even my viper 2.6 about ripped my arms off the one time I tried it then!

Jack1988 - 23-10-2009 at 06:00 AM

lol, i get scared with my 4.5 ace in 15mph on handles, i have attempted with the 6m but it was brutal.

Maven454 - 23-10-2009 at 06:10 AM

I've used a 1m, a 1.5m, and a 2m in ~25mph. Got some seriously nice scuds off of them too. I buggied with the 1.5m.

flyjump - 23-10-2009 at 06:21 AM

My best friend used his 5 meter ace in 27mph winds gusting in the 30s. Of course I told him he was going to die but he didn't listen. He did a pendulum jump that was above a shorter billboard that was next to our field. My guess is he was 20-25 feet or so. I'll post a link to the picture when I get home

kitejumper - 23-10-2009 at 06:45 AM

wow--youre friend is L U C K Y

flyjump - 23-10-2009 at 06:50 AM

Yeah he came down pretty good considering. The last few feet he didn't redirect enough so he hit the ground with a good amount of speed. He hit his head and was so for a day or two. I think I'll stick with depower and float down :)

power - 23-10-2009 at 08:50 AM

Flyjump when are you getting home? I need to see that picture!

flyjump - 23-10-2009 at 09:15 AM

i'll be off work at about 3 central time. a guy was filming his jump and doing a terrible job, so my friend took a snap shot of the video and turned it into a photo.

power - 23-10-2009 at 09:27 AM

Can't wait to see it. Its rare to catch those things on film in the spur of the moment.

Jack1988 - 28-10-2009 at 08:50 AM

I was getting some 8ft jumps on the 4.5 Ace yesterday at the beach and that was only in a constant 11 to 12mph breeze, that is the beach i will be hitting when its a 15mph, ive jumped on grass in a 15mph but its not safe on the lil ace, you have to work for your redirect and work for as much hangtime as you can and thats barely enough to stop injuries on the lil ace so on grass im always careful if the winds are considerable. But hey, on sand, the skys the limit lol as ive been discovering lately :D

kitejumper - 29-10-2009 at 07:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jack1988
I was getting some 8ft jumps on the 4.5 Ace yesterday at the beach and that was only in a constant 11 to 12mph breeze, that is the beach i will be hitting when its a 15mph, ive jumped on grass in a 15mph but its not safe on the lil ace, you have to work for your redirect and work for as much hangtime as you can and thats barely enough to stop injuries on the lil ace so on grass im always careful if the winds are considerable. But hey, on sand, the skys the limit lol as ive been discovering lately :D
good call jack for flying on sand--a whole lot safer

Jack1988 - 29-10-2009 at 12:06 PM

I learnt safetey from the pros;) cough cough.. you guys

furbowski - 30-10-2009 at 12:56 AM

for me it's high enough when i start to kick my legs and run in the air!

at first, it only took four or five feet of air to get the leg-kick panic reflex going, now it usually only kicks in when i completely screw up a redirect or i get one of those lifty clean gusts during a jump.

i rarely go for height these days (the cuter the peanut gallery, the more likely it is...) but usually control: one-foot toetip landings, getting air over water without getting wet, jumping off banks and over obstacles, going for drift both down and crosswind (the hardest for me right now), jumps without the run, stuff like that.

power - 2-11-2009 at 07:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by flyjump
i'll be off work at about 3 central time. a guy was filming his jump and doing a terrible job, so my friend took a snap shot of the video and turned it into a photo.

When are you going to post this thing up?