bigsteve - 12-1-2006 at 10:01 AM
hey whats everybodies opinions on the best kite setup for jumping... including whether u like to use handles or a bar or harness or however else u
like to do it. RIght now seems like people are into blades... im just looking for something with nice lift and fun for a 200 pound man. right now
the 4 meter radsail aint that much fun... not much lift. eventually ill use the kite i get.. or even my 4 meter for landboarding aswell.. but those
buggers are expensive!
rrc62 - 12-1-2006 at 10:41 AM
I'm 215 and I can get pretty good lift out of an 8.5 Blade in 8-12MPH plus, which is about our average, but then I'm not real aggressive when it
comes getting big air. A 6.6 or 8.5 Blade would probably do a lot more if flown fast through zenith. I prefer build up some ground speed first, then
bring the kite to zenith a bit slower for a longer, floatier jump with less altitude.
At 200lbs, you'll want a big kite to get big air. I've flown a 4.9 BladeIII in winds over 15MPH and it was fast and powerful, but not enough to get
my 215lbs very far off the ground...and when it did go up, I came down hard.
The BladeIII 8.5 is my favorite for lift. The Sabre might also be a contender, but we rarely have enough wind to make a Sabre fly properly.
bigsteve - 12-1-2006 at 11:54 AM
ya, essentially im lookin for something I can have a lot of fun with, and i dont like the idea of coming down really hard.. not to mention it'd be
great to have a kite that doesnt take tremendous wind to get jumpable performance.. we dont get a lot of really heavy wind here.. and if we do its
terribly gusty. Hrmm.. ill have to look into blades... if anybody knows a good deal on one or better yet where I can get used lemme know
Scoopy - 12-1-2006 at 09:04 PM
I have good deals on blades... (shameless pimp of my shop I know..) Anyway, Im right at 290 pounds, and my 6.6 Blade 3 is my favorite jumping kite.
(static jumping, or just standing there) Its fast enough to have good pop, and large enough to get you up and hold you there. Its fantastic. I have
all the blades, and I get nicer jumps out of the 6.6 than any of them. I can get highest with my 3m, but landings are no fun, and when your out in
that much wind, things can go wrong really quickly.
Give me a call sometime and if its long distance Ill call you back.
304-437-4580 is my shop phone, and I can promise (have refrences here on the forum) there will be NO SALES PRESSURE. I love to talk kites. I have
about 10 people across the states I call on a regular basis and just chat about kites (even one in england)
Scoop
is that Washington DC or State? I know a guy in Idaho that flies blades.
bigsteve - 12-1-2006 at 10:10 PM
im in wa state... seattle area. hrmm ill go ahead and take a look at yer shops site, but im sorry to say I dont know if i can afford to go new, my
college budget bites...
Oh I have a question.. right now i am flying with handles... but im interested in the bar system as I see blades can have that.. how does it work tho,
im pretty unfamiliar with it.. i mean, what actuates the brakes and just the fundementals of it?
Thanks
Scoopy - 13-1-2006 at 05:59 AM
Basically if you go to a bar on a blade, your going to a 2 line kite. Its full on power all the time. The brakes are activated by the safety only,
unless you want to reach out and grab them with your hands. (recommend wearing gloves) I personally live flying handles with a strop. Thats a link
between the handles that goes over a pulley attached to a harness. Best of both worlds. You get to keep your handle control, and get all the
advantages of a harness. I like it best for fixed bridle kites.
As for pricing, I have to advertise full retail, but I have been known to cut some breaks here and there.
Something else to look at, Hq's crossfire has some good lift, but at a budget price.
Scoop
bigsteve - 13-1-2006 at 01:35 PM
Hrmm scoopy I should call you, im really curious about this strop steup yer speakin of.. Do u have a link or anything that shows it... ill poke around
and look too. (btw.. I'd call right now but im in over at my school... darn college.. ahahah)
Scoopy - 13-1-2006 at 03:43 PM
Strops are very common. Especially with kite-buggys.
Here is a pic I found on a store overseas somewhere.
http://www.mistralkites.com/kite_bars_and_handles/ozone/pro_...
The grey line that goes between the handles is a strop. You attach this to a harness.
Here is another good pic from the same site.
http://www.mistralkites.com/kite_harness/hq/buggy_harness_pr...
That line hooks under the pulley you see and rolls back and forth. Now your holding the kite power with your hips.
Hope this helps
Scoop
bigsteve - 13-1-2006 at 03:51 PM
mmm that setup looks weet
man i gotta get a new kite
ahahaha i got the bug
Scoopy - 16-1-2006 at 05:55 AM
Seriously Steve, gimme a call.
Scoop
murraybeetle - 16-1-2006 at 12:37 PM
hi alll i am from the uk and just moved to portland or i am a big jumper i us a 4.9 blade111 for it the blades have the best for lift
you can make a strop for you kite now its is very easy you just need soem shock cord but i will say that flying a kite this way for jumping i dont
like it i would have it i my hand
if anyone from the portland or fly around he let me know and we could meet up for a fly 
:singing:
bigsteve - 16-1-2006 at 12:55 PM
nice mahn
i gotta get a kite
i went sailing yesterday and it was badass, but i all that wind really made me want a new kite even badder
rrc62 - 16-1-2006 at 08:12 PM
Are you in Washington State or DC? We had some crazy *ss winds up here yesterday. It was a Kitewing and Paraski day for sure. Gusts over 50MPH.
bigsteve - 16-1-2006 at 10:10 PM
im in washington state. we didnt have 50 mph.. but we had enough winds to try out my uncles new little boat. the hobie bravo i think... hes got a 18
foot catamaran too, which is just down right fast and powerful, but the little guy is pretty fun for just a little one man boat to mess with.