Power Kite Forum

Please recommend a beginner power kite

mascientist - 7-12-2011 at 11:59 AM

Hi everyone,

Been flying kites for years but never a power kite. I would like to buy a power kite. Although money is no object, I really don't like to waste it. I would like a kite that is great for beginners, yet allows the ability to continue to grow in this sport as my experience improves. I would be using the kite on land only for recreation.

Thank you.

Houston AirHead - 7-12-2011 at 12:14 PM

www.panshkite.com

Get an Ace.

mascientist - 7-12-2011 at 12:17 PM

Thanks for the quick reply. I see they have several sizes for Ace. What size do I go for?

lamrith - 7-12-2011 at 12:29 PM

Masc - Try looking at PKD as well. http://www.pkdkitesusa.com/

BigKid here on the forums has them as well.

I started with a buster soufly 3.3

John Holgate - 7-12-2011 at 01:40 PM

A 3m will give you one hell of a good workout around the 15mph mark. The Buster 3.3m would be a good choice. Also 3m Ozone Method, Peter Lynn viper or Core, Flexifoil rage or blurr, HQ Beamer......All good quality and well respected brands and a 3m will serve you well for the buggy and landboard should you end up with either. It will be nice to static fly from about 8mph - start pulling you around at 14mph and be a really good buggy engine somewhere around the 20mph mark. (figures are pretty rough off the top of my head!!).

pyro22487 - 7-12-2011 at 01:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by John Holgate
A Also 3m Ozone Method, Peter Lynn viper or Core, Flexifoil rage or blurr, HQ Beamer......All good quality and well respected brands and a 3m will serve you well for the buggy and landboard should you end up with either. It will be nice to static fly from about 8mph - start pulling you around at 14mph and be a really good buggy engine somewhere around the 20mph mark. (figures are pretty rough off the top of my head!!).


I agree. Ozones Make a Flow to a little cheaper than the method and very nice to fly. Buggy with a 2m in 25Knot winds. Tandem with it in 35knot(not recommended).

ChrisH - 7-12-2011 at 02:24 PM

I started on a Peter Lynn Viper 3.9m and I'm really glad I did. Its got a higher aspect ratio than most "beginner" kites, which means it is fast and more fun to fly imho. Now that I am buggying it has become a great high wind engine. This kite almost never bowties and it comes out a luff really easy. I would highly recommend it! Dino at dakitez.com can hook you up with whatever you need.

Houston AirHead - 7-12-2011 at 02:28 PM

your going to get the most bang for your buck with the pansh. So if you decide its not for you, you will have not lost much money. if you have high winds where your at get a small ace like a 3, if you have very light winds <10mph get a 5meter and above.

if you think your going to be into the sport for the long haul go ahead and drop 300+ bucks for a beamer or name brand kite. I got into the sport with a 5 meter Ace. very fun kite

WELDNGOD - 7-12-2011 at 04:32 PM

I would suggest the 3.3m PKD Buster soulfly, but I might be a bit partial to them. LOL:lol:

Bladerunner - 7-12-2011 at 05:13 PM

5m Ace is NOT the 1st kite that comes to my mind for a total beginer but we all have our own opinions. I don't consider the Ace a beginer kite ?

The 5m Ace is designed to be similar to the Flexifoil Blade. The 4.9 Blade has the nick name " the widow maker " do to it's high lift and lack of float. Starting out on the Chinese version of a widow maker isn't something I would suggest.

In my experience a 3m kite serves up the right amount of power with a turning speed that relates to it's bigger brothers. Smaller and the kite gets speedy like a bee. Leaving you wanting for more power very soon. Bigger and the kite ends up controling YOU ! You don't actually start learning until you are in complete control of the kite. Too large a kite at 1st and you waist a lot of time just defending yourself from the power being tossed around or not flying becuase you are overpowered.

If I was to go with Pansh I would be looking at the Blaze or Flux in 3m ? Blaze has one of the coolest graphics out there ! I believe the Flux now comes as a complete Ready To Fly package now. Complete with a ground stake and kite killers.

mascientist - 7-12-2011 at 05:35 PM

Thank you, guys, for all your suggestions. I would like a kite that is challenging with a good amount of pull, but I don't want to end up dead or best case scenario with a few broken bones and a large hospital bill. I have a family to feed :).

How about this one as a starter kite?

http://www.pkdkitesusa.com/products/Buster-Soulfly.html. The 4.4m in orange. Does that come with all the items I need?

WELDNGOD - 7-12-2011 at 05:51 PM

you would get more fly time out of a 3.3 buster. When the winds are high you wont be flying it static,that is more buggy oriented.The 3.3 will be fun and have good pull in 8+ ,but you will still be flying it when the wind gets up. Once you get a buggy ,you will be able to hold down more kite. And the kite becomes ALIVE when you allow it to travel ,instead of holding it in one place. Unless you weigh 250 + and want a serious workout,get the 3.3.

mascientist - 7-12-2011 at 05:56 PM

Thanks. I weight 150 lbs. I live in Miami, Florida, US. I live by the ocean. Most of the time, I would be flying the kite close to the water.

shehatesmyhobbies - 7-12-2011 at 06:04 PM

How about looking at the HQ Toxic. more designed for buggy, but a little higher aspect ration than a Beamer. Just another kite to look at. I really like the PL Viper in the 2.6m Great little kite with great pull and pretty fast. I use this as my "stunt" kite when not in the buggy! I fly this thing like a mad bumble bee!

I agree with Bladerunner. The Ace is not the best "beginner" kite by far and sure not the best choice for a 1st kite.

Spend the right money on a quality kite and you will be happy hours on end. Next thing you know, you will be looking for a buggy or set of Coyote blades!

Good luck on your first purchase.

lamrith - 7-12-2011 at 06:05 PM

YEs all the buster soufly's come 100% complete and ready to go.

Grab the 3.3, I am 6'4" 22-lbs once the winds are over 10mph or at 15mph you will have your hands more than full given your weight... The 3.3 is just a nice all around package and that price of 180 is hard to beat! 3.3 was my 1st rig in Aug, I now own 4 kites. welcome to the addiction!

Bigbear97e - 7-12-2011 at 06:35 PM

My first kite was a 2 line PL Vibe, but since you've already flown kites, skip that part.

I agree with blade runner ... low cost first kite - Pansh Blaze 3.0 ... I fly this quite a bit. Flux 6.0 I fly static, but can get to be a handful if winds are gusty. PL Reactor 8.3 I bought as a buggy engine (where's my buggy?) cause I got a sweet deal from g00fba11 and have flown it static only a couple times so far.

I also agree with Bladerunner that Pansh Ace is not ideal first kite .... higher aspect ratio.... bit lifty in gusts.... this kite gave me my first feed of sod :lol:

Welcome to the addiction ... I started power kiting in July and look at my quiver .... be prepared to spend some money.:lol:

Quite honestly though ... a word of advice ....by used if you can and build up .... the people on this forum sell quite a few kites at reasonable prices and they look after them .... they are also straight up buyers, sellers and advisors .... you picked the right forum

pyro22487 - 8-12-2011 at 03:18 AM

I was informed that the PKD buster is a kinda slow. Not dissing the company here. I know PKD makes good kites but Just saying you may want to go to the next step. Like ozone imp quattros, They are good kites but very slow in the air and most people end up "outgrowing" them very quickly. I recommended one to my friend earlier this year and he is already thinking about selling it. He had never flown a kite and now wants something faster. Now if you get the Buster I would say get a small size that way when you do get tired of flying it you can let some people that have never tried the sport fly it and learn on it, without fear of them being overpowered in 10mph winds, while you are on your newer better kites. I would recommend the flow over the quattro now any day to someone with little to no time on a kite. I don't recommend the quattro to anyone anymore. Not sure what the next step is for PKF kites but Big Mikes Kites in Dallas can help you.

mascientist - 8-12-2011 at 05:59 AM

Thank you, guys, for all your suggestions. I am still not sure what to get. I don't mind spending money on something that is good but I would first like to try it to see if I enjoy it. Initially, I would not want to spend more than $250US. If I end up liking power kiting, then I will go for something better and donate the original kite to my local school.

Thanks.

mascientist - 8-12-2011 at 02:52 PM

Any other suggestions?

WELDNGOD - 8-12-2011 at 03:07 PM

whatever you get ,you should keep! you WILL use it again ,in NUKING winds.I promise you... There is no 1 magic kite that does it all. That's why we all have multiple kites. And the fact that some of us have a ripstop fetish.:lol:

John Holgate - 8-12-2011 at 04:11 PM

A 2.5m Imp Quattro (Ozone) was my first kite and I was a bit in awe of how much power it had (I had been flying stunt kites for many years and had been flying a Sanpshot and Flexifoil Stacker prior to the Quattro).

Now I rarely use the Imp Quattro because it does take a lot of wind to be good in the buggy - which is where I spend 99% of my flying time - and it doesn't have a lot of performance (I agree the Flow is much better) BUT, I would not part with the Quattro because it's what I give all my friends to fly - it's not too aggressive and it doesn't overfly the window, so in that regard, it has been a very good investment.

If you have not flown a power kite before, you would struggle to pick the difference between kites like the Buster Soulfly, Ozone Flow, HQ Beamer, PL Hornet, Flexifoil Rage, Zebra Checka/Z1 - they are all similar in their general flying behavior. Sure they all fly a bit differently but not a huge amount and as a first kite, any of them would be keepers. Stick to 2-3m because a 4m will be a lot to handle first up and not something you will always want to hand to your friends and family later on.

Any of these kites will put approximately the same smile on your face and are all good quality - I really don't think you would regret the purchase of any of them in the 2-3m size.

Higher aspect stuff like the Ozone Method, PL Viper/Core, Flexifoil Blurr, HQ Toxic will be noticeabley faster and require a touch of brake to stop them overflying the edge of the window and they will generate more power once the speed of the kite gets up. Personally, I'd stick with something out of the first group and by the time you've flown the pants off it, you'll have a good idea of where you want to go from there.

Here's a vid of the Imp Quattro 2.5m from a couple of years ago - it will give a good indication of how it flies in light winds.


lamrith - 8-12-2011 at 04:38 PM

Yeah I would also highly recommend stay with the Buster Soulfly, Ozone Flow, HQ Beamer, PL Hornet, Flexifoil Rage, Zebra Checka/Z1 kites.

Jumping into a higher aspect kite as a 1st rig is like giving the keys to your V8 mustang to a 16yr old.. Sure it's not a $100k ferrari, but it is just as "hot and bothered" and beyond thier skillset..

This is a video of my youngest son flying the older Buster3 in 2m version on a light wind day (AKA barely able to get it flying at times) 5mph was fine and mellow 7mph and he had his hands full. The nice thing is the kite was stable and predictable and that was his 1st time on a quad line. This is exactly what you want for a 1st rig and will be a nice kite to keep in your car so you can play at the park after work or on lunch as well as hand to any new flier...

http://vimeo.com/33154825

MikeDobbs - 8-12-2011 at 05:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by John Holgate
Any of these kites will put approximately the same smile on your face and are all good quality


John I LOVE the way you put that- so true.

I'm a Newbie to all of this, so this is for what it's worth (not much I guess :wink2: ) but I love my Imp Quattro 2.5m. It has become my "goto" high wind kite in the buggy- and without it I might have missed most of the last 3 days I was out as the wind would've been too much for me. Here's some footage my IMP pulling me up to 25mph in the buggy :wee: (I'm about 150lbs BTW)


mascientist - 8-12-2011 at 08:08 PM

Guys, I would like to thank you very much for all your insights. I am going to go for the 3.3m Soulfly Buster. I am going to place the order this weekend. You guys mentioned that this kite comes as a complete package with everything I need to get started? Do I need to buy any other accessories?

pyro22487 - 8-12-2011 at 08:57 PM

not a bad choice. you should probably buy kite killers just in case. i am unsure if they come with them. they attach to your wrists and incase of emergency you let go of the handles and the kite instantly crumples and falls to the ground. if it comes with them then never mind. also a good helmet even in light winds a gust can come aong and then your superman flying through the air. other than that hide the wallet from yourself or be prepared for the addiction rush. next thing you know your spending 500$+ dollars on a kite and most people are going to call you crazy.

John Holgate - 9-12-2011 at 01:26 AM

Good boots!! The parts of my anatomy that I believe I'm most likely to injure when static flying are my knees and ankles. Once your 3.3m kite starts to generate some power, your ankles will take a fair bit of pressure. I love the beach - sand is consistent and you can scud without too much fear of ankle injury. Grass is less consistent - slip, grab, slip, slip, grab etc!

lamrith - 9-12-2011 at 06:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mascientist
Guys, I would like to thank you very much for all your insights. I am going to go for the 3.3m Soulfly Buster. I am going to place the order this weekend. You guys mentioned that this kite comes as a complete package with everything I need to get started? Do I need to buy any other accessories?


Buster is complete with kite, lines, handles, 2 killers, 2stakes & bag.

I will second the helmet. For the boots also. I have been debating if I fould get a shoe with a sole with LESS tread? thinking might slip easier. For now when I know I am going to be powered up and scudding I just sit down and work on controlling he kite so I scudd smoothly

snowspider - 9-12-2011 at 06:37 AM

Good advice all-around. Helmet at all times is a smart choice as well as knee and elbow pads should you decide to venture into some wild stuff (aka nuking winds).

bigkid - 9-12-2011 at 06:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pyro22487
I was informed that the PKD buster is a kinda slow.

I differ completely. The Buster"s I, II, III, were beginner kites. They had in the later models all the bells and whistles of the faster more expensive kites. A great value and kite that still is in a lot of quivers.
The Buster Soulfly is by far better than the original buster and has surpassed the Brooza, I, II, III's also. It is still a forgiving and gentle kite perfect for a beginner, yet has the ability to run with the big dogs when you get more experienced. The Buster Soulfly is now the high wind kite for all the smart PKD team riders. I say smart because the small Combats are wicked as Hell and not many people can keep up with a kite that is able to fly at Mock 10 in a heart beat. So the the Buster Soulfly is great at absorbing gusts and still will deliver a great amount of speed.
Nothing bad about anyone who sells the Buster Soulfly but you got to fly the 3.3 to its potential to enjoy it. Sorry 30mph in a bug with a 3.3 is good for the elderly but how about 52mph? If I had more balls and not a little scared of an OBE again, I would have got the 4.4 out that day, 60mph would have been a hoot.

I don't want to speak ill of anyone about the kites they sell or fly, as we all have our limit and preference, but you got to try it before you can say anything about it, Hell I've owned a Chevy, Ford, Olds, Honda, Toyota, and every other make and now drive a Dodge. All great rides but the Dodge is newer, ;-)

Bladerunner - 9-12-2011 at 08:18 AM

3.3 Solfly will be a very good choice ! :thumbup:

At some point you may want to buy a harness.

Hooking in allows you to rest up and get a whole lot more flying in . It is a useful thing to be comfortable with one when you move up to larger kites.

Helmet is a must. I personally like a skate sole on my footwear. Heels dig in and increase the chance of twisting and ankle in my experience ?

shehatesmyhobbies - 9-12-2011 at 01:26 PM

+1 for helmet and other protection. I am also in total agreement with BR about skate sole shoes. That is the only thing I wear now when I buggy, or flying static, unless of course I am in the snow. Makes a big difference. Also allows for some great scudding opportunities! Actually it's the only thing I wear now even when not in the buggy!

mascientist - 9-12-2011 at 05:09 PM

Awesome, guys. Thank you. Guys, looking ahead beyond the 3.3 Soulfly, what would be next? I am thinking with enough practice, I should be able to upgrade to a more powerful kite by the summer? What to get next?

Bigbear97e - 9-12-2011 at 06:07 PM

See what we mean about the addiction ???? You started this thread looking for a beginner power kite and now on page two you are taking about a second kite already ....BAAAHHHHAAAAAA:wee: .........

pyro22487 - 9-12-2011 at 08:26 PM

i disagree with the harness thing. start flying then once you have the controls figured out then get a harness about 1 month if flying every weekend should be good enough. and wow second kite already. umm flows are good for intermediat methods also. im sure others will help you in your quest to become a kiter. have fun with the legal high that we get.

lamrith - 9-12-2011 at 09:12 PM

and he has not flown the buster yet :-p buahahahaaaaaaaa

I recall looking for my second kite... Had flown the 3.3 and wanted a light wind kite to fly static.. Then got thinking be nice to have a smaller kite for kids. 1hr later stareing at a 8m pepper2, 2m buster3, and 2m combat I left with the buster AND pepper..:Ange09:

Masc - what are the prevailing winds like where you are? Avg wind speed should play a big part in your next choice. You can fly that 3.3 in as low as 5mph if you work it. But it will not power you into motion till much higher.. Do you plan to buggy, atb, blade? All these things will factor greatly in your next choice..

mascientist - 10-12-2011 at 06:57 AM

Guys, I live a few steps away from the ocean and it is windy 95% of the time. Average winds are in the 8 mph range, I would say. Most afternoons, it picks up to 12 or 15. After I get the hang of it in the future, I plan to use atb or buggy. I am also interested in learning how to jump safely.

Thank you.

John Holgate - 10-12-2011 at 04:42 PM

Quote:

I plan to use atb or buggy.


At the beach, I'm really enjoying the Ozone Methods in the buggy. Good upwind, fast (not as fast as vapors & yaks) and very friendly and forgiving. They do need a few more knots of wind to perform at their best when compared with similar size kites but a lovely kite nonetheless. Video here:





Quote:

I am also interested in learning how to jump safely.


Good luck with that! I don't think there are many people who jump regularly that have not been injured at some stage - a quick search of kiting injuries here will tell the story.....

Bladerunner - 11-12-2011 at 11:01 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pyro22487
i disagree with the harness thing. start flying then once you have the controls figured out then get a harness about 1 month if flying every weekend should be good enough. and wow second kite already. umm flows are good for intermediat methods also. im sure others will help you in your quest to become a kiter. have fun with the legal high that we get.



I said " At some point you will want to buy a harness " and you disagree ? Then turn around and say a harness in good at " 1 month of weekends " in ?

In my experience people all learn at a different rate. I Have seen kids go from zero to kitesufing upwind and jumping in a month of weekends ! If I am teaching somebody that has natural abilaty I will often introduce them to hooking in on the 1st day. Most IKO and PASA instructors do as well. Learning when to hook in and not will extend your fly time and you will progress that much faster in the same month of weekends.

Avoiding hooking in makes it this big hurdle down the road. The longer you wait , the bigger the imaginary beast !

As far as your next kite goes. It will soon be time to decide if you want to fly depower kites or fixed bridle. Getting the 3.3 and flying it will help you in deciding what you want to move up to. I would suggest depower but it is very much a personal choice.

PS , while I have injured myself a couple of times kiting I have never done more than ( BIG ) bruises jumping. It is possible to learn to jump safely. It just takes patients and the right gear.

shaggs2riches - 11-12-2011 at 11:22 AM

Looks like you've got yourself a good choice for a first kite. The mentions above about shoes are great. I had two pairs of skate shoes that I kited with the past two years. This summer I invested in a new pair of cross trainers, that had a good grip to them. Use to the lesser traction of the skate shoes I sent my kite for a good scud. The extra grip on the shoes caused me to superman forward instead of sliding like I should have. Its nice to have a good footing, but also nice to be able to break away from the hold of the kite so that your ankles and knees aren't being to abused.....or in my case my face. :lol:

I will add that I ordered a 6m ozone access as a first kite. While waiting for it to arrive, I picked up a 3.5 imp 3-line trainer. I got in about 15-20 hours of flight with that before my access arrived. When the access got here I was all set to go no problem. I think with your past experience and knowledge of the conditions, and wind window; you'll be ready for your next kite long before you know it. If riding the boards, you might find the depowers more confident boosting, but like Bladerunner mentioned, it all comes down to preference, as many use Fixed Bridles for all aspects of the sport. Welcome to the addiciton.:cool:

John Holgate - 11-12-2011 at 02:55 PM

Quote:

PS , while I have injured myself a couple of times kiting I have never done more than ( BIG ) bruises jumping. It is possible to learn to jump safely. It just takes patients and the right gear.


Nice to hear :thumbup: I guess we hear more about 'when it goes wrong' than 'when it all goes to plan'!!

Prussik - 11-12-2011 at 04:22 PM

Anyone of us who have had experience in flying, particularly non-powered craft, such as hang gliders and paragliderrs, knows that the most dangerous part of the flight is close to the ground. When you're in the air, there is no plan B when hit by a downdraft, updraft, dust devil or other turbulence - none visible or, for the most part, predictable. 1 % rule applies, i.e. 99 % there is no problem. Therefore jumping over hard surface will remain a relatively high risk activity with significant objective danger unrelated to patience or the right gear - as many a broken bone or worse can testify. As in climbing, the danger is in doing it for a long time...

pyro22487 - 11-12-2011 at 07:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
Quote:
Originally posted by pyro22487
i disagree with the harness thing. start flying then once you have the controls figured out then get a harness about 1 month if flying every weekend should be good enough. and wow second kite already. umm flows are good for intermediat methods also. im sure others will help you in your quest to become a kiter. have fun with the legal high that we get.



I said " At some point you will want to buy a harness " and you disagree ? Then turn around and say a harness in good at " 1 month of weekends " in ?

In my experience people all learn at a different rate. I Have seen kids go from zero to kitesufing upwind and jumping in a month of weekends ! If I am teaching somebody that has natural abilaty I will often introduce them to hooking in on the 1st day. Most IKO and PASA instructors do as well. Learning when to hook in and not will extend your fly time and you will progress that much faster in the same month of weekends.

Avoiding hooking in makes it this big hurdle down the road. The longer you wait , the bigger the imaginary beast !

As far as your next kite goes. It will soon be time to decide if you want to fly depower kites or fixed bridle. Getting the 3.3 and flying it will help you in deciding what you want to move up to. I would suggest depower but it is very much a personal choice.

PS , while I have injured myself a couple of times kiting I have never done more than ( BIG ) bruises jumping. It is possible to learn to jump safely. It just takes patients and the right gear.


My bad all I read was harness I was scanning and just read harness on a post. When I was learning I talked about getting a harness and the guy teaching me told me not to for at least a few months. I thought you were talking about getting the harness with the kite . I went back and read the post I'm sorry blade my bad for not reading the post fully.

I guess thats what I get for posting at work.....

mascientist - 12-12-2011 at 06:52 AM

Thank you, guys, great suggestions. I can already tell I am going to learn a lot by participating in this forum.

Doing very small jumps with the Buster Soulfly 3.3m... Is that possible?

ragden - 12-12-2011 at 07:06 AM

It is possible to jump with just about any kite, however what happens on the way down greatly depends on your flying skills, and the kite you are dangling underneath...

Generally, most recommendations are to not jump with anything less than 5m of fabric over your head. Landings tend to get harder the smaller the kite...
;)

mascientist - 12-12-2011 at 07:25 AM

Thanks. I would just like to test the waters by doing very small jumps when I get the Soulfly 3.3. I also plan to get a buggy later when I become more experienced.

Bladerunner - 12-12-2011 at 07:42 AM

Like all of us I went through the motions and try to jump with my 3m trainer.

It wasn't until I found the perfect match ( for me ) that I found the perfect combination of Lift, turning speed and float that I started pulling off proper , safe jumps.

You can jump with almost any kite. To do it safe you are better off finding the right kite and conditions. Even now it is the rare day conditions come together for a great jumping day ! If not, I pass.

Any time you have a kite up and it's windy you have potential for injury.

I have been lofted a couple of times that would probably have turned out worse if I hadn't become comfortable in the air 1st !

snowspider - 12-12-2011 at 08:21 AM

Most small kite jumping tends to be some variation of supermaning, more forward than up. The wind required to lift you will also move you forward at the speed of the wind 15-20+ mph. You need to be prepared to hit the ground running, scudding or tumbling. Not to paint a bleak picture but it can get ugly before it gets pretty. I recorded a top speed of 20 mph (+or- .055) on my butt due to high wind/small kite/ twisted lines.

mascientist - 12-12-2011 at 12:30 PM

Guys, I would like to announce that I have purchased the kite (SoulFly 3.3m as suggested by some of you). I can't wait until I receive it. In addition to the helmet, do I need some sort of special suit to prevent bruises, etc? I guess I am trying to determine ahead of time what kind of force/pull I should expect from this kite? Also, any recommended buggies for this kite?

lamrith - 12-12-2011 at 04:19 PM

Take it out in only 5-10mph winds your 1st few outings. You will quickly get an idea of the power and then can start venturing out in higher winds. just avoid gusty winds if posible starting out. Since you got a soufly you have dual kit killers. Get used to just letting go of the handles and letting the kite killers bring the kite down.

WELDNGOD - 12-12-2011 at 05:03 PM

Welcome to the PKD family. Trust me on this,jumping is WAY overated! Once you get to buggying and boarding or biking. Even static flyin won't do. That's what you do on the way to the buggy, if you don't "hot launch". That 3.3 Soulfly is gonna get more use than you know.(high wind engine)

WG

Bladerunner - 12-12-2011 at 05:30 PM

A helmet is something i try to wear every single time I have a kite up. I nearly always use gloves but would not give up a session if I didn't have them. I add knee and elbow pads when in motion and a$$ pads when I am jumping. Spine and rib protection should be considered .

You don't match the buggy so much to the kite as to the terrain you will ride.

Look to Peter Lynn and Flexfoil for lighter easy to break down buggies. Apexx , Libre , MG cruiser, Ivanpah for heavier race buggies.

Tires are an option. Standard " barrow " for hard pack . Big foot and BF light for softer / rougher stuff and thin race tires.

mascientist - 24-12-2011 at 07:18 AM

Guys, Happy Holidays to everyone. I got my PKD a few days back. Have not had a chance to use it yet because I have been busy with work. Are there any videos or tutorials I can look at to get started? I am not sure how to set it up.

Thanks.

WELDNGOD - 24-12-2011 at 07:29 AM

look in the landkite manual pg. 7. You did get amanual didn't you? here is a link http://www.pkd-kites.de/index.php?page=Download If you need any further assistance,we are here.:saint:

bigkid - 24-12-2011 at 07:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mascientist
Guys, Happy Holidays to everyone. I got my PKD a few days back. Have not had a chance to use it yet because I have been busy with work. Are there any videos or tutorials I can look at to get started? I am not sure how to set it up.

Thanks.

I would be happy to send you a manual if you didn't get one.

mascientist - 29-12-2011 at 03:13 PM

Thank you. I don't see a manual in the package. Everything came in great condition but no manual that I could find. I would appreciate if you could send me one. Do you need my email address?

hiaguy - 31-12-2011 at 01:50 PM

I have nothing but respect for the advice given so far (and I appreciate all the help I've received from this board) but I have to wonder...
Why has nobody suggested that mascientist meet up with someone that has demo kites?
I had the good fortune to spend a couple of hours with a dealer (AWOC Kent :thumbup: ) and I learned more that evening of flying than I could have in a manual. Nothing beats hands-on comparisons.
Just my $0.02.