Power Kite Forum

Prism tensor 4.2 or 5.0?

bikeboy - 16-9-2011 at 05:45 AM

Hello
I'm new to your forumn - nice place
ok I come from a stunt kite background but moving to land base power kite
I'm 190 LBs and wondering if the Prism Tensor 4.2 or 5.0 will fit me best
flew a power kite before from a friend a while back, didn't remember the name of the kite.
But I want something that will pull me but not ripe my arms off ;-)
I'm in the washington, dc area so the wind range from 2 -6mph on average but i do goto the beach where the winds pick up
can you all give me some pointer on which one to get
thanks

Drewculous - 16-9-2011 at 08:30 AM

5m

You're a little bigger, and those are pretty mellow winds.... 5m would be my choice!

Welcome aboard!

dandre - 16-9-2011 at 08:49 AM

tensors are a little pricey.
I would look into buying used on the forums (alot of really dependable/passionate people).

I'm a fan of my twister 5.6, which kent @ awindofchange is selling for 310 w/ free shipping.

I think the tensor 5m retails at 400; could save you a little change and give you a little more kite for your money.

Less money you spend on kites now; the more you have for kites later :D

Bigbear97e - 16-9-2011 at 08:57 AM

Bike,

Welcome to the world of power kiting .... I got my first little trainer this summer ... freakin hooked bad already .... by no means a kite expert, but the advice I can give is .... watch your wallet... LOL .... addictions are costly.

Dandre is right on ... there is a thread on this forum called "good trader list" were people give a thumbs up to other forum members & people & stores they have had good buying and selling experiences with ... its great

again, welcome to the forum and happy flying

DAKITEZ - 16-9-2011 at 09:22 AM

dandre the tensor and the twister are not similar kites at all. Bikeboy said he wanted something that would not rip his arms off ... the twister might do it :lol:

BTW +1 for the 5m tensor in those light winds

dandre - 16-9-2011 at 09:49 AM

pshhh the twister is a #@%$#!cat. in those winds it would hardly fly without being worked.
The tensor, meh.

He'll grow into the twister real quick, and it's got a good resale value.
Just watch the freak gusts, and sketchy wind; voila! you're golden.

If he's scared he can just get the 4.1.
It's a steal on awoc right now.

lamrith - 16-9-2011 at 09:57 AM

bikeboy - As a fellow new power kiter, I will give my $.02 I also had stunt kite background. These are a whole new world, your experience will help tremendously in knowing how to control the kite and the concept of the power window, but not for the power.

If your winds are that light and never higher go with a 4m or 5m as recommended. That low end is really light winds to even get a kite to fly. Any higher than 6mph and the 4m will be a handfull to fly staticly, but your experience will help keep you out of trouble. Might want to hit sites like wunderground and sailflow.com and get some historical winds close to your flying aea? Or just plan on getting a 4-5m and then a 2-3m both so your covered for the low wind and higher winds at beach.. You were warned to whatch your wallet!!

I have a 3.3 and winds 5-10mph was perfect size, but the winds came up and it became exciting trying to hold her, had to sit down so not pulled off feet, and even then got pulled around onto my side/belly at one point.:wee:

Do you know if you want bar or handles? If you want to start with handles it will be very much like flying a Rev, just POWAH. For a nice inexpensive rig I cannot recommend the buster soufly enough, they make them 1.5,2.2,3.3,4.4m bang for buck, not much compares aside from used. The key will be getting a solid idea if that wind range you gave is accurate and how often it fluctuates at home and the beach. A few mph can make all the difference in kite size, which is why some of these guys have a trunk full of kites when they head out to fly!!:singing:

jaymzmn - 16-9-2011 at 10:40 AM

my two cents - since you're new to the hobby, I'd get something that you'd be able to sell easily. You might find yourself getting bored or want to move to something like jumping or something a little more challenging. Prism Tensors aren't exactly the most sought after kites here in my opinion.

Go with a Flow or Beamer or PKD Buster - they tend to get bought a little faster plus they also tend to hold their value fairly well.

bikeboy - 16-9-2011 at 10:47 AM

how about the HQ Scout 2
4 or 5 m

what do you all think about them

DAKITEZ - 16-9-2011 at 10:50 AM

you must want a bar?

bikeboy - 16-9-2011 at 10:54 AM

bar , no bar doesnt matter
i want a kite that i can decide between jumping and traction, landboard
something to play tug o war with
something to remind me the real power of the wind, but allow me to discover new things

jaymzmn - 16-9-2011 at 10:58 AM

Get a Twister 5.6 then and buy a separate bar for when you want to kiteboard.

dandre - 16-9-2011 at 11:14 AM

I'll sell you mine for 200 + shipping.
it's a little banged up (like 4 tiny punctures from when me and the kite got tangled in some bushes :wee: ) but it still flys like a vagrant #@%$#! bent on killing me eventually.

I'm just switching over to depower for the winter, and I'm buying a blade for static next year.
I'm not BENT on selling it. Just tryin to help you out.

I can provide some pictures if you're interested

lamrith - 16-9-2011 at 11:15 AM

The one nice feature of the tensor is the convertible bar. At least in terms of concept, anyone tested one long term for durability?

That bar is available for purchase individually as well for nice upgrade later.:bigok:

pongnut - 16-9-2011 at 11:35 AM

Another :thumbup::thumbup: for the twister 5.6... my first (only) power kite. I'm still getting to know it after dating for 2 months. It will give you an excellent tug-of-war at 15 mph (the kite always wins).

bikeboy - 16-9-2011 at 11:52 AM

whats the difference between the Twister IIR and Twister II
beside price - I know someone gonna say that - so beat ya to it :tumble:

5.6 is good for my size? 190Lbs
want some air below my feet sometime

dandre - 16-9-2011 at 12:04 PM

Not much except the 7.7 was improved significantly for better handling.

check this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhUAErbAwt0

granted thats like, 4bft

but it gives you an idea of what it can do

bikeboy - 16-9-2011 at 02:35 PM

ok going with the twister 2r 5.6
went to the wind of change website and they got the twister 2 on sale but sold out on the 5.6
So I'm going with the twister 2r 5.6 when it comes in next week

thanks everyone for the tip, I would have over look Peter Lynn's twister 2
But this won't be my only kite for sure.
Already have 8 stunt kite, why not a few more power kite :)

lamrith - 16-9-2011 at 02:46 PM

HAHA!! Welcome to the mayhem!

dandre - 16-9-2011 at 03:51 PM

don't forget to buy pads :wee::wee:

Edit: Crap. you're in DC??
hit me up in like two weeks. I'll be home for almost two months.
maybe we can even drive up to WWBB together.

I'm probably just gonna be collecting unemployment for the resort off-season; generally being a lazy #@%$#! (yoga, bouldering, kiting, going to movies).
but hit me up!! activities are always more fun with friends!

bikeboy - 17-9-2011 at 01:51 PM

ok dandre
pads? anything else
what do you mean pads?

erratic winds - 17-9-2011 at 02:02 PM

Knee/elbow/helmet!

bikeboy - 17-9-2011 at 04:26 PM

got them all already
any suggestion for a bar? I like to have that as an option. for the twister 2r

dandre - 17-9-2011 at 08:28 PM

I'd get DOPE with handles before you tried ANYTHING else.
Crossover bars are great but learning to #@%$#!ing manhandle a kite throughout the wind window is going to save your life.

ESPECIALLY with the twister.
she is a mean mistress till you get her drunk and pound her snooch

bikeboy - 17-9-2011 at 08:58 PM

LOL
thats awesome
thanks

Powerws - 22-9-2011 at 08:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bikeboy
Hello
I'm new to your forumn - nice place
ok I come from a stunt kite background but moving to land base power kite
I'm 190 LBs and wondering if the Prism Tensor 4.2 or 5.0 will fit me best
flew a power kite before from a friend a while back, didn't remember the name of the kite.
But I want something that will pull me but not ripe my arms off ;-)
I'm in the washington, dc area so the wind range from 2 -6mph on average but i do goto the beach where the winds pick up
can you all give me some pointer on which one to get
thanks

I weigh 215-218. Been eating lately and i HAVE THE 5m. hERE IS A LINK.http://www.vimeo.com/28641522