Power Kite Forum

Charger IT !!!!

Bladerunner - 23-12-2009 at 05:22 PM

Well.........

FINALLY a bit of wind . Just a bit but enough to make some observations.

I sure as heck wish I had experience with a 10m Syn or Venom. This kite is a completly different behaving than my 15 syn WAY faster in every way. Loops in the blink of an eye ! The kite I remember from my demo at NABX !

I had 2 short little blows today to test it. 1st was from the North EXTREMELY gusty and shifty maybe 4 - 14 mph . It was very interesting watching how the kite reacted. Pretty much like an arc should but more extreme than I have ever seen. Sometimes the kite opened almost fully and just floated waiting for the next gust. Even with the sun directly in the power zone and low I could fly by feel even pulling loops to hold line tension while blinded. Bar pressue was light but so was the wind.

The wind shifted completely and I got about 1/2 hour on the blades with about 8mph clean wind. JUST enough to fly the kite. Because it is so fast you can spank the heck out of the thing to create power. I was able to get moving in a wind that I may not have with my 15m . It flew fast and aggressive. Getting the kite into position for relaunches + the relaunches were easy when the wind was good. The smaller size was a help there I think ?

Not enough wind to try and jump. It will be interesting to see if I feel as safe under a 10 as I do my 15. The 10 seemed tiny after spending so much time under 15m arcs.

The bar ...... it's a bar. I am still sticker shocked by it . I'm sure I can get used to the cleat . I found it came loose a couple of times but not while flying. I was used to tossing my bar through the middle or undoing the brake at the bar if I had inverted the kite. With the Y way up there you can only roll it out or land it and go to the kite. Not a big deal with good winds. I'm not fond of the safety leash or how it attaches. I am used to having a leash on each kite and connecting to my harnees in a quick one handed clip. The one end of the safety has to be looped on to your harness. The sleeve is too long ang interferes with the clip. The little plastic loop to recieve the clip is a pain. Good quality but you would expect that at the price !

I need to try a 15 to give an honest statement but I found the claims of the charger turning faster, holding shape better and relaunching better all seem true !

I have a feeling the 15m will serve as a single kite quiver as well and better than the Syn. If you can spank it around like the 10 for low wind and the added depower opens the top a bit !!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

shaggs2riches - 25-12-2009 at 10:22 AM

Sounds like fun!!!! Not having any experience with an arc makes me wonder if I should spring for one instead of a frenzy. To get another kite is a one time deal for quite a while so I gotta choose wisely. How do arcs wind range and power compare to that of a similar size arc? Would I need more kite if I had an arc? How about setup time , self launch and relaunch compare?? Seems like an arc will handle a wider range of wind especially if you can carry a leaf blower or such to help inflate in lower winds. Is there a huge difference between the charger and scorpion?? Sorry for sounding dumb , but I just don't know:lol:

ripsessionkites - 25-12-2009 at 12:16 PM

is saskatoon close by? edk442 has a charger. there are few others out that way, so i can go through the addresses and find you someone closer.

my advice is always, TRY before you BUY.

shaggs2riches - 25-12-2009 at 12:23 PM

Yeah actually Saskatoon is only a three hour drive east of me. Most of my family lives that way. I should try to make my way out there sometime. Who knows maybe they have wind too.

Bladerunner - 25-12-2009 at 01:42 PM

Wow that's a tough one ?

I'm pretty sure the 15m Charger will still fall shy of the " one kite " at the bottom end. I would suggest that if you got the 15m Charger that you would want to trade your 6 or 7m for a low wind engine . Do that and you should have a good full quiver .

Like Rip' says best to " try before you buy ". YES, there will be a pretty noticable difference between a Scorp and Charger ! My Syn and the Scorp are different. I just MAaaaay stick with my Syn due to it's soft gentle nature for jumping at least ???

Arcs compare with arcs real well Tee Hee ! Arcs are less effecient and a few sizes larger for the same winds. My 15m covers the wind I had a 13 and 7m Flysurfer for. Falling just short of the 13's bottom end. I use it in winds I would fly a 6.5 to 3m foil in.

WolfWolfee - 25-12-2009 at 07:27 PM

Between Mac and me you can try almost everything.

shaggs2riches - 26-12-2009 at 10:13 PM

I hope I can meet both you and mac in the near future Wolfee! You two have been awesome with the trying new kites offer. So basically here is the situation with me. I weigh 190 pounds on a good day. Hopefully getting into kiting is gonna help me correct some of that problem. In the mean time I have learned that the winds we get out here are not as strong as I once thought. I have an agreement with my wife that I may get another kite but it has to be the last at least till next time this year so I have to make a good decision. For a second kite I have been looking at a 11meter Frenzy in hopes that this kite will generate enough power to keep me happy and flying when the winds are to low to get me going on my access. However, because I of some of the features I have been reading about (auto zenith, gust handling, and water use) the arcs seem to be a good option. One couldn't help but notice the couple Scorpions that have been up on this website and the recent frenzy that is also a decent deal. So I am curious if the 16m Scorpion would be too much kite given that I don't have any experience with a bigger kite, and the largest winds I've taken my access in was 37km/h. My wife threw the option out to me (god bless her) that if I were to swing for one of those Scorpions (given that they are still available) that I could use the rest of the money that I would use towards the Frenzy to fund either a good ATB or maybe if I could find a decent priced but still decent quality buggy. If I were to go that route I would cover my summer riding, but if its too much kite then I would be equally fine for the frenzy. I know that either way I am gonna spend a few hours working in lighter winds to learn the kites capabilities. Over the past couple days this has been the talk with my wife and finally she gave up trying to help me figure whats best, so I decided to ask here. I wish it would have been put together like this before. Either way I will be happy to make a purchase, and will be financially ready by Friday (1st) so I guess I have a week to learn all I can. Sorry for the long post just trying to expain everything I can to clarify what I'm thinking. I trust everyone's opinion on this forum, you all amount to a pant load of experience and you know how to put a guy in the right direction. Thanks
shaggs

furbowski - 26-12-2009 at 11:37 PM

@ BR... So how is the inflation on the charger in low winds? I know I wouldn't be having much fun inflating my syn in 4-14... 10-14 no problem, but 4-14???

OK now for the hijack!

@ S2R: my 2 cents (from a static flyer / slow learner / happy to be flying anyways...) get that buggy going! or ATB... Those will open up the sport a lot more... buggy first then ATB next year... first priority is to fly lots with the other prairie folks half an hour with those guys will be better than months on the forum... If your summer winds are light though you won't be happy with the kites you have now (that 7m is the best low wind kite you have), and that would include the scorp, cuz the arcs really do need the wind... can't tell you about the frenzy but priority is get together with other kiters!

also don't be in a hurry to buy a kite, in actual fact the deals keep getting better and better as the months and years go by, be patient! fly what you have like you stole it! and get that waroo out more often! yep kitelust is a powerful thing but you can resist, you know you can...

shaggs2riches - 27-12-2009 at 12:11 AM

I must apologize for the hijack. Never was my intention at all. Thanks Furbowski I never thought of just getting a Buggy or ATB. I really do need to get out and fly with others. I got myself a pump tonight so when the winds are around 15-20km/h I am gonna pull out the waroo for a flight. I do have the tendency to spend too much on a hobby when I first get into it. (I bought 7 guitars the first year I started) I'm starting to think that a buggy would be a good thing to get then when its summer at least I will be able to do more than just static fly (not that I don't love doing that too!) Seems that I will have a ton of time to buy more kites as I get more experience. Again sorry for the hijack kinda got carried away.

furbowski - 27-12-2009 at 12:34 AM

BR won't mind the hijack at all, no worries.

definitely fly with others, tho, we all love to share the stoke and it is for sure worth a few hours drive!

props to ya for keeping your wife in the loop. hope you can keep it that way.

7 guitars??? gee whiz. I think I bought a dozen kites my first year...:wee:

:bigok:

Maven454 - 27-12-2009 at 06:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by shaggs2riches However, because I of some of the features I have been reading about (auto zenith, gust handling, and water use) the arcs seem to be a good option. One couldn't help but notice the couple Scorpions that have been up on this website and the recent frenzy that is also a decent deal. So I am curious if the 16m Scorpion would be too much kite given that I don't have any experience with a bigger kite, and the largest winds I've taken my access in was 37km/h.


Don't know if the Scorp you were looking at was mine, or someone elses, but You should be fine with a 16m Scorp as long as you're careful. The thing to remember is that arcs sound a lot bigger than they work out to be, due to the arc shape. The projected are on a 16m Scorp is only 10.9m, making it around the size of the Frenzy you were looking at ;-).

Bladerunner - 27-12-2009 at 08:02 AM

am constantly amazed at how safe I feel pushing the limits with my Syn.

On one of my 1st big wind days I started out with a friends 2m Ace. The snappy nature of that little beast scared me when the gusts hit. I took over the Syn from Rip and never went back.

I still am amazed at how much kite I'm holding and how safe I feel when the wind picks up. Don't get too concerned about the size seeming big

Shags,
Getting a buggy is IMPORTANT ! Now you are moving static won't hold the same interest. ATB ( or blades ) are good if you already have a nice smooth spot but searching is better with a buggy. Much rougher terrain is possible on a buggy. Plowed fields etc..

Furb ,

I wasn't pleased with the inflation on my 10m Charger in super low wind. It seemed to only fill to about 75% ? Making launching and keeping it in order a real pain. I also noticed that until it had been flown and filled completely that it didn't hold the air as well as my ( patched ) Syn. Maybe it is just smaller so the deflation is more noticable ? ( It's my 1st 10m )

The worming away while setting up to launch was reduced when the kite was properly inflated.

Kamikuza - 27-12-2009 at 05:57 PM

Low wind is hard work with the arc ... my first attempts with the Vortex and Phantom were in light wind and I was thinking "Hmm this auto-zenith thing is over-rated" - until the wind picked up :lol: More is more :yes: