truman - 17-9-2010 at 02:32 PM
I have read a little bit about difference between land and water and want to know if I am understanding it correctly. If you want to primarily board
on land then you require less kite size forgive me if I am way off. This seems to make sense to me because I know it takes alot of HP for a boat to
pull a boarder. I plan on buying my first kite soon and will stay out of the water for now.
sunset-Jim - 17-9-2010 at 02:33 PM
Very true, not much more to add. You gave a very good example.
truman - 17-9-2010 at 02:48 PM
Thanks is there a good trainer for a 200+ like myself that will eventually let me landboard not anything crazy just crusing around
Thanks
B-Roc - 17-9-2010 at 02:49 PM
how much do you weigh and do you know what winds you'll be flying in and what surface are you riding on? all that plays in to what size kite(s) you
will need.
B-Roc - 17-9-2010 at 02:52 PM
opps you posted as I was typing. At 200 you are big. Typical trainer is in the 2-3 m range. I would say you should start with a 3m fixed bridle or
5m depower (requires a harness) for your first kite but they'll become your high wind engines as you gain skill and you'll need additional fixed
bridle kites in the 5-8.5 meter range or depowers in the 7.5-12, range for a full quiver.
truman - 17-9-2010 at 02:53 PM
240 trying to drop some weight and live in Ontario Canada closest to lake Ontario not sure about surface don't really know I know there are lots of
sod farms around here might be able to get permission
Houston AirHead - 17-9-2010 at 03:14 PM
Get a 5-7 meter depower, your going to need the extra size for your weight.
Im sure you could find a good used landboard some where on this forum or on ebay.
A cheap alternative would be a pansh legend from www.panshkite.com
get a 3 meter if you must, (good high wind kite)
truman - 17-9-2010 at 03:23 PM
thanks this is great info
truman - 17-9-2010 at 03:31 PM
http://www.panshkite.com/index.php?gOo=goods_details.dwt&...
would this be on the right track?
Houston AirHead - 17-9-2010 at 03:57 PM
Yeah the blaze 2 is a great kite, Your going to need a depower bar though.
I suggest you talk to Dakitez, he will be able to recommend the proper set up.
From what i understand, any 4 line(depower) bar will work with this kite, some tuning will be needed for good flight though.
Bladerunner - 17-9-2010 at 04:05 PM
Not a good choice if your goal is to ride on water + land.
The kite you are looking at is an OPEN cell depower kite. It doesn't come with bar or lines. No instructions either but they will sell it to you, no
questions asked !
If you want to progress to water and want to go straight to a depower kite then you need to be looking for a 2005 or newer CLOSED cell foil or a LEI (
inflatable ) kite . Closed cell kites are made by . Flysurfer, HQ ( neo ) and SkyCountry ( wave ) .
HQ also make a great trainer that is good for water and may be an option for you. It is the Hydra, little Bro' to the Neo.
Kamikuza - 17-9-2010 at 04:15 PM
Skip the small kites and go for a bigger kite then exercise caution in the wind you go out in - buy a wind meter for $20 off eBay. Big kite, low wind
IMHO is safer than small kite, nuking wind ... say 5m fixed bridle kite on handles for landboarding ...
Txshooter38 - 17-9-2010 at 04:47 PM
I have to agree with Kami. At 240lbs you could hold down quite a bit of kite. Where I am light winds (like under 10) tend to be much less gusty and
smoother power. Of course where you are it it could be completely different. Just be careful if you go big.
dylanj423 - 17-9-2010 at 09:53 PM
i def dont recommend pansh... they arew twitchy, unpredictable, and have very little resale value...
brands to trust: flysurfer, ozone, peter lynn... bladerunner mentions skycountry, i have no exp. with them, but would trust his word
a 7-8 m flysurfer, or 10m peter lynn would be great to learn on
frefel - 19-9-2010 at 01:56 AM
The surface you use to landboard on has a huge influence on the amount of kite power you need. If you are on a smooth low resistence surface like a
parking lot you will need very little kite size and, in fact keeping speed to a safe level will be the challenge, simply because you will have so
little rolling resistence.. However if you are on an uneven surface, like a grass field, the kite pull needed is not that different from kiteboarding
on water so you need a lot of initial pull to get started and then less to keep going. A depower system is pretty much a necessity here, like on
water.
Kamikuza - 19-9-2010 at 06:17 AM
I gotta disagree with you frefel - grass to hard packed dirt/cement is not much of a difference IMHO ... soft sand is another matter though 
Work the edges of the wind window to control the kite speed and you'll be fine.
Strangely enough this sport of power kiting is 90% kite control :D
truman - 19-9-2010 at 07:13 AM
So Pansh is not a good choice the neo 2 is pricey what kites have the value for the money keep in mind I do respect the term you get what you pay for
just trying to keep my first kite affordable if saving for a little while longer is the best choice I will do that rather then spending twice.
By the way the advice given here is very valuable and greatly appreciated.
thanks
Txshooter38 - 19-9-2010 at 07:20 AM
I think after my landboarding experience yesterday I would say the height of the grass seems to make a big difference. Short grass (1/2 inch on hard
packed dirt) vs. long grass (4-6 inches and thick) is very different when it comes to rolling resistance.
truman - 19-9-2010 at 07:33 AM
The sod fields around here are hard and the grass is kept short sometimes after a field has been harvested it is really smooth hard pack dirt. Does
this help the small town I live in is called Zephyr LOL
bobalooie57 - 19-9-2010 at 07:49 AM
Verily, it is a tru-omen-man! Gonna snowkite this winter?
bobalooie57 - 19-9-2010 at 07:53 AM
Hey, you're not far from frmr mbr williamrx7 . H kited the Lake Simcoe area if my misty memory serves. Had a good link to kite-spots all over.
truman - 19-9-2010 at 08:15 AM
Have to put the cash out slow first kite and learn how to fly it then some sort of board probably landboard first might have to save my penny's over
the winter then hook up with someone to learn.
Houston AirHead - 19-9-2010 at 08:19 AM
the good thing about pansh is if you decide if the sport isnt for you then you wont loose to much doe.
The blaze II is a good kite to test out and see if your up for it.
Bladerunner - 19-9-2010 at 11:14 AM
Kites are a bit like cars in that as soon as you take one out for it's first run the resale value has gone down greatly. ( with most models )
I am a firm believer in buying the past product that has proven sitelf in the market used. 2 of the best deals out there that I see are on Pulse and
Pulse II's, Psycho III and IV and Outlaws. Similar with the Neo I but I understand not everybody was pleased with the safety or something on that
model?
Twin skin arcs from the Venom and newer can also be very good deals second hand.
None of the above choices are good without some previous kite experience, lessons or someone to show you the ropes.
I have personally come across a fellow who bought a Blaze II in the park who was getting no place and ready to give up when He had the bar connected
completely wrong . Not even using the right knots. From what I saw that day I would NEVER suggest somebody starting out alone buy a Blaze II . It
nearly put this guy off kiting before he got started.
You may lose less on a Blaze II when you turn way but if you want to resell your kite Pansh doesn't hold strong resale value.
Houston AirHead - 19-9-2010 at 12:01 PM
makes sense, i guess you do need prior knowledge to get the blaze 2 to fly correct.
Maybe he should get an Apex, cant really go wrong there.
i know theres a few for sale here on PKF
truman - 19-9-2010 at 12:07 PM
I guess one thing that is going around in my mind is would I be satisfied just flying a kite for a summer or would I get bored? because if I would be
satisfied I would buy a nice trainer and just learn to launch,land and keep it in the sweet spot and enjoy the power when it was pulling hard but if I
got bored I would have allready spent the money and have to wait longer to get a kite that will get me moving. Man tough decisions. At least I have
the winter to figure it out and while I am thinking about it put some miles on the treadmill to get ready. May even take some advice and keep my eyes
open for a good used kite.
Bladerunner - 19-9-2010 at 02:48 PM
One of the best things to do is take your time and avoid impulse buys.
It will be best for you to accept that you will eventualy NEED 2 or 3 kites to do the job in all winds properly. It is a sad reality.
You won't get bored with a small kite so much as look for stronger and stronger winds . You notice in our signatures how almost all of us have one.
It is your second kite that you want to choose very carefully to match your most common winds + goals.
Houston AirHead - 19-9-2010 at 02:53 PM
Bro im telling you if your just looking for a SUPER FUN power kite to play with, jump scud,. And in addition to your miles on the treddy it will
provide you with a crazy MMA style upper body workout
Buy a five meter Pansh Ace. I had my ace for about 6 months and i literally flew it every damn day. My neighbors thought i had lost my mind. It got
me into landboarding too.
Even the 4.5 or 3 meter ace are super killer fun kites. Money well spent in my honest opinion.
I have modded my panshes every which way you could think of and they are still truckin
Bladerunner - 19-9-2010 at 02:57 PM
Side track alert -
Houston have you tried an AOA kit on your 5m Ace ? I have a kit but feel lucky with my Ace and am hesitant to mess with it.
truman - 19-9-2010 at 03:06 PM
ok I will take your advice but I have my heart set on a bar is that possible? with an Ace and I will need lots of help with rigging cause I have no
idea what I am doing
Bladerunner - 19-9-2010 at 07:56 PM
I was not so much endorsing the 5m Ace as asking a question about mine. Please don't think I was advising you to buy one as a 1st kite!
I would not be recommending one as a 1st kite but others might. It is a good size as an allround land kite but not so much as a trainer. I don't
recommend any kite bigger than a 3.5m and certianly not one that is not RTF Ready To Fly!
I had my Ace on a crossover bar, I thought I liked it. It was like I had a whole new kite on handles. Much better on handles.
kiteline - 25-9-2010 at 07:45 PM
You are getting a lot of good advice on a lot of good kites here. I'm a HQ Powerkite guy and a big fan of their depower kites. I have flown a lot of
trainers (HQ, Ozone, Slingshot just to name a few) and I have to say that I really like the Rush III Pro series.
I have two things to add to this discussion. First, if you are interested in kites on the bar, stick with kites on the bar. You don't need to deal
with converting a kite that flies very well on handles to a kite that flies ok on a bar.
Second, get a trainer and learn to use it on land. For someone your size, get either a 3 or 3.5 meter (remember that trainers are usually measured in
wingspan, not surface area). I would lean towards teh 3.5 meter. You need the extra pull. You will be able to use your kite on hard surfaces. It
won't work for you on medium to long grass. I weigh 210 and my Rush III Pro 350 will pull me great on asphalt, but will barely move me on medium
length grass in 20+ winds.
Third (I know I said two. I'm long winded...), don't worry about getting a de-power kite now. Get to know your trainer in all types of winds. When
you are ready to buy a larger kite, get a newer one. There have been huge advances in kites in the last two or three years. Imagine what you will
see next year. Why buy a kite now that you aren't ready to fly when you can buy a better one when you are ready to use it?
Just my two cents.
-Mike